Primary
J. Timothy Cannon, Ph.D., Program Director
George R. Gomez, Ph.D.
Gary G. Kwiecinski, Ph.D.
Robert F. Waldeck, Ph.D. Secondary
Paul F. Fahey, Ph.D.
Timothy Daniel Foley, Ph.D.
Christie P. Karpiak, Ph.D.
Jerry R. Muir Jr., Ph.D.
Overview
The foundation courses of this interdisciplinary curriculum are selected from the Biology, Psychology and Chemistry departments. Depending upon the electives chosen, the program can prepare students for a variety of graduate programs within the field of neuroscience. Such graduate training may draw from a range of disciplines, including biology, psychology, anatomy, pharmacology, toxicology, biophysics, biochemistry and medicine. Students have ample research opportunities in laboratories that can support a diversity of behavioral, biochemical, neurophysiological and neuroanatomical investigations. The program is administered by an interdisciplinary committee.
Major in Neuroscience
44 to 47 credits. Majors must take two electives from both biology and psychology as well as 3 credits of NEUR 493. Psychology electives must be drawn from PSYC 220, 221, 222, 225, 230, 234, 235, or, with permission of the director, PSYC 284 or 384. Biology electives must be drawn from those intended for biology majors. With permission of the director, NEUR 384 may be used to fulfill one psychology or biology elective requirement.
Cognate in Neuroscience
31 to 37 credits. Students should consider their projected graduate program when choosing cognate electives from the areas of chemistry, mathematics, physics, and computer science.
Neuroscience
Curriculum
Dept. and
No.
Descriptive Title of
Course
Credits
FIRST YEAR
FALL
SPRING
MAJOR (GE NSCI)
BIOL 141-142
Gen. Biology I-II
4.5
4.5
MAJOR
NEUR 110–111
Neuro. Labs–Neuro. Research Lit.
0.5
1
COGNATE
CHEM 112-113
Gen. Analytical Chem.
I-II
4.5
4.5
COGNATE (GE QUAN)
MATH 114
Analysis I
4
MAJOR (GE S/BH)
PSYC 110
Fundamentals of
Psychology
3
GE WRTG
WRTG 107
Composition
3
GE FSEM
INTD 100
Freshman Seminar
1
GE T/RS
T/RS 121
Theology I
3
GE PHED
PHED ELECT
Physical Education
1
17.5
17
SECOND YEAR
MAJOR
ELECT
Major Elective
3
MAJOR
PSYC 231
Behavioral Neuroscience
4.5
MAJOR
PSYC 210-330
Psych. Statistics -
Research Methods in the Behavioral Sciences
3
3
MAJOR
NEUR 330L1
Research Methods in Neuroscience Lab
2
GE SPCH
COMM 100
Public Speaking
3
COGNATE ELECT
COGNATE ELECT
Cognate Electives
3-4.5
3-4.5
GE PHIL-T/RS
PHIL 122 - T/RS 122
Intro. to Phil. -
Theology II
3
3
GE C/IL
C/IL 102
Computing & Information Literacy
3
16.5-18
17-18.5
THIRD YEAR
MAJOR
BIOL 358
Cell & Molecular Neurobiology
3
MAJOR
MAJOR ELECT
Major Electives
6-8
3-4
COGNATE
COGNATE ELECT
Cognate Electives
3
3-4
GE PHIL
PHIL 210
Ethics
3
GE HUMN
HUMN ELECT
Humanities Elective
3
3
GE S/BH
S/BH ELECT
Social/Behavioral
Elective
3
GE PHED
PHED ELECT
Physical Education
2
17-19
15-17
FOURTH YEAR
MAJOR
NEUR 493
Undergrad. Research in Neuroscience
3
COGNATE ELECT
ELECT
Cognate Electives
6-8
GE HUMN
HUMN ELECT
Humanities Electives
3
3
GE PHIL or T/RS
PHIL or T/RS ELECT
Philosophy or T/RS
Elective
3
GE ELECT
ELECT
Free Electives
3
9
15-17
15
Total:
130 - 139 Credits
1 NEUR 330L fulfills one of the writing-intensive requirements of the general education program.
Through directed readings and laboratory visits, this course will expose students to neuroscience-related research currently under way at The University of Scranton. Various faculty members will demonstrate research activities in their labs while assigning readings and discussing current/future research plans. Graded pass/fail.
NEUR 111 — Neuroscience Research Literature — 1 credits
Guided by program faculty, students will read and discuss current ground-breaking research in the field. Graded pass/fail.
(Prerequisite: PSYC 110 or BIOL 141-142) Introduction to the field of neuroscience, examining the cellular bases of behavior, effects of drugs and behavior, brain/body correlates of motivation and emotion, and neural changes accompanying pathology. Three hours lecture and optional 1.5-credit laboratory. Lab fee; lab offered fall only. (Also listed as PSYC 231.)
(Prerequisite: BIOL 348 or BIOL 358 or NEURO/PSYC 231) This lab will expose students to an array of research technologies, strategies and data analysis techniques related to the field of neuroscience. Primary literature relevant to laboratory exercises will be read and incorporated into lab reports and proposals.
NEUR 339 — Psychopharmacology — 3 credits
(Formerly PSYC 384) (Prerequisites: PSYC 110; grade of C or higher in NEURO/PSYC 231) This course surveys the field of psychopharmacology with particular attention being paid to functional neuoranatomy, the important role of behavioral science, and the neuropharmacology of normal/abnormal behaviors. Numerous research strategies are examined, including dose response functions, therapeutic indices, routes of administration, and pharmacological/behavioral models of clinical conditions. (Also listed as PSYC 339.)
NEUR 348 — Functional Neuroanatomy — 3 credits
(Prerequisite: BIOL 245, or, for Neuroscience majors, NEURO/PSYC 231) Study of the organization and function of the neuron, neural circuits, and the major sensory and motor components of the central nervous system; bioelectric phenomena, synaptic transmission; the neural basis for higher functions such as cognition, memory, and learning. Three hours lecture. (Also listed as BIOL 348.)
NEUR 358 — Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology — 3 credits
(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) Introduces Biology and Neuroscience majors to the cellular and molecular biology of the vertebrate nervous system. Includes ion channel structure and function, synthesis, packaging and release of neurotransmitters, receptor and transduction mechanisms, intracellular signalling, cell-to-cell communication, glial cell function, and neural growth and development. Three hours lecture. (Also listed as BIOL 358.)
NEUR 384 — Special Topics in Neuroscience — 3-6 credits
(Formerly NEUR 170; prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, NEURO/PSYC 231) Course topics are developed by individual faculty to provide in-depth coverage of specific areas in neuroscience. Some courses have required or elective laboratory components. Course titles and descriptions will be provided in advance of registration.
NEUR 444 — Sensory Biology — 3 credits
(Prerequisites: BIOL 245 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 121/141) The course applies multidisciplinary approaches to the study of senses: physics of stimuli, anatomy of receptor organs, neurophysiology of receptor cells, anatomy and central processing, animal behavior and artificial sensor design. The course focuses on terrestrial vertebrates with occasional discussions on aquatic sensory systems. Three hours lecture. (Also listed as BIOL 444.)
NEUR 493-494 — Undergraduate Research in
Neuroscience — 3-6 credits
(Formerly NEUR 160-161; prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, PSYC 231, PSYC 330, and permission of instructor) Individual study and research on a specific topic relevant to neuroscience under the supervision of a faculty member. It is strongly recommended that this research be initiated during the junior year, and it is expected that the research will extend over a two-semester period.
