Handbook home
Neuroscience of Behaviour & Cognition A (NEUR90013)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | March |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject is an intensive 5 consecutive day overview of the range of research methodologies used to understand how different structures, chemicals and neural response within the brain work together to achieve complex behaviour and cognitive functions. Through exposure to a selection of current research topics and available experimental methodologies the subject explains how the interplay between clinical populations’ studies, healthy subjects’ studies combined with animal models of behaviour contribute to advances in the field. The multi-disciplinary nature of this fast-developing field is emphasised through the various collaborations between the presenters from disciplines spanning Biomedical and Health Sciences, Psychology and Electrical Engineering. Seven themes are discussed as follows:
- Behaviour measures in healthy populations: Uncovering mechanisms underlying perception and behaviour.
- Clinical brain lesion populations: Providing insights into anatomic regions involved in cognition.
- Computational modelling: Understanding the auditory system to create artificial hearing devices.
- Rodent models: Understanding the genetic, physiological and pharmacological factors underlying human cognition and behaviour.
- Human electrophysiology: Explore the neural dynamics of perception.
- Neuropharmacology: How neurotransmitters modulate brain function.
A group project will focus on reward-encoding to demonstrate how an interdisciplinary approach played a critical role in informing our current understanding of how the brain processes reward. This example will also illustrate how a single element of brain function can have a vast array of consequence ranging from complex patterns of global economic behaviour through to clinical symptoms of addiction. Students are split into multi-disciplinary groups to analyse a set paper, each representing a different investigative technique for the same problem. Class presentations at the end of week allow each group to discuss their conclusions and share a class discussion illustrating the points outlined above.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Gain knowledge of the major research approaches currently used to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes.
- Develop an awareness of current topics in cognitive neuroscience relevant to language, memory, vision, audition, attention, mood multi-sensory integration and executive function.
- Develop a basic understanding of how clinical populations can be used to inform our understanding of healthy cognitive processing and how studying healthy cognition can inform clinical research and potential treatment strategies.
- Develop a basic understanding of how rodent models can provide insights into human cognition.
- Appreciate what is required on a practical level to use different research approaches in cognitive neuroscience.
- Acquire a capacity to critically evaluate which approach / technology is best suited to investigate a particular aspect of cognitive function and to understand the benefits and limitations associated with each methodology.
- Read research papers with a greater awareness of the conceptual, theoretical and practical context in which the research was conducted.
- Become aware of the potential to initiate fruitful research collaborations with cognitive neuroscientists.
- Demonstrate the application of the principles learned in the subject to their research project.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students will have developed the following generic skills:
- Understanding of and critical reading skills in a wide range of research methodologies.
- Oral communication skills ranging from public speaking to interpersonal communication.
- High-level written communication skills.
- Team work skills and becoming aware of the value of collaborating with other disciplines.
- High organisation and time management skills in the short and loner term.
- The capacity to apply concepts learned in their own area of research.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
Students enrolled through the Florey Department in this subject must also enrol in the following subjects at the same time:
NEUR90007 Design and Analysis for Neurosciences A (12.5)
and
NEUR90009 Brain Imaging and Neural Networks A (12.5)
or
NEUR90010 Brain Imaging and Neural Networks B (6.25)
NEUR90011 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience A (12.5)
or
NEUR90012 Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience B (6.25)
Non-allowed subjects
Students cannot enrol in and gain credit for this subject and:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
NEUR90014 | Neuroscience of Behaviour & Cognition B | March (On Campus - Parkville) |
6.25 |
Recommended background knowledge
Three years of an undergraduate third-year sequence in a relevant biomedical science, psychology or engineering discipline.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Attendance taken twice daily. Full 5 days attendance of the subject throughout the course and full participation in class exercises, group project, presentation and discussion are required. Hurdle requirement: A minimum 85% attendance is required (= x 1); a pro rata attendance multiplier will apply to total assessment. | N/A | |
One oral group presentation (total 20 min) plus class discussion, equivalent to 1,000 words worth 20% times attendance multiplier
| At the end of the week-subject | 20% |
One written literature review on the chosen research topic related to this area, of minimum 4,000 words excluding cited references, worth 80% times attendance multiplier.
| To be submitted by the first week in September | 80% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- March
Coordinator Christina Perry Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 23 March 2020 to 27 March 2020 Last self-enrol date 24 March 2020 Census date 15 May 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 27 July 2020 Assessment period ends 7 September 2020
Time commitment details
170
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Doctor of Philosophy - Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Course Ph.D.- Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences
Last updated: 3 November 2022