2023/24 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC2518 Cognitive Neuroscience

10 creditsClass Size: 300

Module manager: Dr Christina Sotiropoulou Drosopoulou
Email: C.SotiropoulouDrosopoulou@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of all pass for progression modules in Level 1 of: BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology or BA Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Thought (and its International and Industrial variants), or BSc Psychology with Education.

This module is mutually exclusive with

PSYC2555	Neuroscience
PSYC3455	Neuroscience

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Brain functioning underlies all human and animal behaviour and so is critical to our understanding of psychological phenomena. As such, neuroscience has the potential to explain human behaviour, and in turn, provide considerable benefits to society, for example intervention strategies. This module explores how neuroscientific knowledge and theory can be used to inform effective experimental work addressing real-world problems. IT also considers the challenges facing Neuroscience and critically draws upon contemporary issues in experimental/research development and implementation science. In addition, given that this module is delivered int he form of problem-based Learning, it offers students a unique learning context that allows them to develop valuable research-specific and transferrable skills.

Objectives

This module aims to provide in depth coverage of key concepts in Neuroscience, especially 'Behavioural Neuroscience and 'Cognitive Neuroscience'.
The module will be taught by a team of experts in the subject.
Students will continue to develop their knowledge of this discipline with particular emphasis on the research expertise of the module team.

Learning outcomes
Students will be able to:

(1) a critical understanding on how several cognitive, affective and motivational processes are underpinned by neurobiological processes.
(2) Students should also be able to effectively communicate themes and arguments in Human Cognition.
(3) They will also be expected to have a robust and up to date knowledge on how structural and dynamical aspects of the human brain relate to several psychological processes.
(4) They will also be expected to have acquired a critical understanding of the main epistemological and methodological issues related to human cognitive neuroscience. This knowledge will be critical to prepare students for Level 3 modules from the Biological and Cognitive range of options.

Skills outcomes
Students will have the opportunity to develop skills in the critical analysis of published behavioural and cognitive neuroscience research.
This module supports the development of:
- analytic and creative thinking of neuroscience research
- information retrieval, synthesis and evaluation of neuroscience research
- Development of a rationale and literature review relevant to neuroscience research

Syllabus

Syllabus includes:
1. Historical and epistemological foundations of cognitive neuroscience
2. Methods in behavioural and cognitive neuroscience
3. Ageing
4. Appetite and Motivation
5. Language
6. Lateralisation in the Brain

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Group learning	2	1.50	3.00
Group learning	6	1.00	6.00
Lecture	2	1.00	2.00
Independent online learning hours			6.00
Private study hours			83.00
Total Contact hours			11.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Final assessment (Evaluation of Research Proposal): 30 hours
Group assignment (Research Proposal): 40 hours
Independent reading: 13 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

There will be formative MCQs throughout the semester to support students understanding and knowledge. These will allow students to gauge their understanding, and will provide formative support for the Critical Evaluation and the Funding Research Proposal.

One peer review session will provide formative feedback. This will be an interactive and reflective piece, which will help students to prepare for the Research Proposal.

Students will be also be provided with feedback in the group-based teaching sessions. Group-based teaching sessions will be an opportunity for students to work on their group assignments and so staff members can provide formative feedback during these sessions. Students will also work on tasks during the group teaching sessions, staff will be able to provide students with feedback during these sessions which will help students to clarify their understanding of the module content. This will be helpful for the completion of their Funding Proposal and Critical Evaluation.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Group Project	Research Proposal	40.00
Self/Peer Assessment	Evaluation of how much each member of a group contributed to the group work according to their peers in the group	10.00
Critique	Critical Evaluation. Students will receive three funding proposals submitted by other groups and they will need to evaluate the quality of those proposals.	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The Research Proposal and Critical Evaluation must be completed. To pass the module, students need to attain over 40% in both the Critical Evaluation and the Research Proposal.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/07/2023 08:58:38

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