Contemporary Issues in Neuroscience 4X core BIOL4258

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Psychology and Neuroscience
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course will introduce students to a variety of challenging contemporary issues in neuroscience.

Timetable

There are normally two 90-minutes sessions on Mondays. 

Requirements of Entry

Normally, only available to final-year School of Life Sciences students in a Neuroscience programme. Visiting students may be allowed to enrol, at the discretion of the School of Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator. 

Excluded Courses

None.

Assessment

The course will be assessed by a 90-minute examination (50%) and in-course assessment consisting of 2 components: a five-minute flash presentation based on a published paper (15%) and a written assignment based on critiquing a media article and investigating the science (35%).

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

The aims of this option are twofold:

■ To enable students to develop a critical approach to contemporary research in neuroscience.

■ To develop understanding of how the function of the nervous system relates to health and disease.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

■ Evaluate the quality of contemporary knowledge in neuroscience; 

■ Discuss a range of topical issues related to neuroscience; 

■ Appraise contemporary methods used in neuroscience research; 

■ Explain how knowledge in neuroscience is created by experimentation and observation; 

■ Judge the limitations of neuroscience knowledge.

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.