Cognitive Neuroscience

Explore the brain and how sensory systems, cellular biology, and gross anatomy influence human behavior.
Teacher: Katharine O'Neal

Ever wondered about the structure of your brain and how it fosters functionality? Are you curious about the origins of brain disorders or how our brains store memories?

Cognitive Neuroscience is the discipline in which psychology and neuroscience collide. It begins to explain how the biology of the brain directly affects the cognition we observe. During the first several weeks, you will investigate such physical phenomena as the anatomy of the brain, cell signaling within the nervous system, and sensory systems (such as vision). The second half of the class will focus on our cognition and behavior as a function of the previously studied brain mechanisms. Topics will include disorders of the brain and their causes, memory consolidation, learning, and emotion.

Coursework will include brief and varied reading assignments to help students prepare for in-class discussions. There will also be two quizzes and two group projects. Students will learn through lecture-style presentations, but will also actively participate in their own learning through worksheets, scientific journal articles, and in-class activities.

For the application...

Prerequisites

None. Some background in biology and chemistry recommended.

Relevant experience

Any classes or activities in biology, chemistry or psychology

Application Question (Core-specific free response)

Describe the most interesting observation you've made about human behavior, cognition, emotion or another brain-centered process. How did this observation come to peak your curiosity? Why do you find it important, unintuitive, or mysterious?