BCS 242: SyllabusFall 2012Time & LocationTuesdays & Thursdays, 4:50 - 6:05 PM, Lattimore 201 PersonnelJohn Langfitt (Instructor) Bobby Emerson (TA) Bella Vishnevsky (TA) Required ReadingsThere is no required text. Required readings are posted on the Blackboard site. Click the 'Reserves' button, then click "Reserve Readings – Click to accept terms of use". References for texts from which multiple readings are taken are:
General OverviewThis course will introduce the student to the field of clinical neuropsychology, which bridges the domains of neurology, neuroscience and clinical psychology. It begins with a general overview and history of clinical neuropsychology. Then, principles of neuropsychological assessment and the assessment and interpretation of specific cognitive domains and the neuropsychological tests used to assess these domains will be reviewed. The remainder of the course will be "syndrome" oriented and will feature guest lectures by local clinical neuropsychologists on the specific syndromes and domains in which they specialize: dementia, stroke, epilepsy, head trauma, pediatric neuropsychology, and forensic neuropsychology. An optional lecture on training and professional issues will be held for those interested in pursuing a career in clinical neurosciences, with a particular focus on clinical neuropsychology. PowerpointsPowerpoints can enhance comprehension and note-taking, but they are not a substitute for attending class. A Powerpoint will be posted the day before the lecture under "Course Materials" in Blackboard for Professor Langfitt's lectures. Powerpoints of guest lecturers may or may not be posted prior to the lectures, although all will be posted afterward. Material may be discussed and included in the exam that is not included on the Powerpoints. ****Please note that Powerpoints will NOT be posted for the lectures on Forensic Neuropsychology, due to the nature of forensic practice****. ExamsThere will be four in-class exams, consisting of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and short-answer questions. The material on the exams will be determined from what we cover in class AND reading assignments. All of the assigned readings are required to gain a depth of appreciation of the subject matter. However, not all of the material in the readings will be covered on the exams. Study guides will be made available in the week before the exam to help focus your studying. The TA will hold BYOQ (Bring Your Own Questions) review sessions in the week before each examination. Announcements The time and location of study sessions will be announced in class and listed under 'Announcements' in Blackboard. Exams are not cumulative, but you are expected to understand the basic concepts from previous lectures. Exams are re-scheduled only in the event of documented illness, personal or family emergency or other extraordinary circumstances, or a conflict with religious or scheduled University commitments that prevents the student from being present. Schedule conflicts must be discussed with the instructor or TA at least one week prior to the scheduled exam. Course GradeFinal letter grades will be assigned based on the arithmetic mean of the scores of the four in- class exams. The final average is not rounded up. Grades represent a threshold of performance which is either exceeded, or it is not. Cut-offs for letter grades and sub-levels are as follows: A ≥ 90, B ≥80, etc.; + ≥ 7, - < 3. Upward adjustment (from one grade sub-level to the next, e.g., from B+ to A-, B to B+, etc.) may be made at the discretion of the TAs and instructor for students who participate actively and constructively in class and/or office hours and/or show evidence of steady improvement over the semester (i.e., improvement from one full letter grade to another). Due to the size of the class, there will be no term paper or "extra credit" projects. |
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