PSYC 350/450 HUMAN NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

PSYC 350/450: HUMAN NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
(3 credits, upper undergraduate/lower graduate level)
Mondays, 6:30-9pm, SCH 330
Fall, 2012
Professor:
Lisa Lu, Ph.D.
Email:
llu@roosevelt.edu
Schaumburg Office SCH-360
Schaumburg Office hours: M 4:30-5:30pm
Chicago Office:
Gage 400L
Chicago Office hours: T 12:30-1:30, W 3-4, or by appointment
Phone: 312-341-3759
Webpage:
http://sites.roosevelt.edu/llu
Course Description
Intriguing and puzzling phenomena that follow disorders of the brain challenge us to
understand how the brain is organized to allow for complex cognitive abilities specific to
humans. This course will introduce several neurological disorders and use them to
understand neural systems subserving cognitive functions such as attention, language,
and memory, and to gain insights on neural organization of these cognitive systems.
There is a service-learning component to this course (PSYC 350), which requires you to
volunteer at a community site to gain better appreciation of effects of brain compromise.
Course Prerequisites
Psychology: 9 course credits in Psychology. This is a 300/400-level course. Students
who have taken and passed a course in biopsychology (PSYC 310 or 336, BIOL 310)
as well as Introductory Statistics (PSYC 200) and Research Methods (PSYC 285) will
be in the best position to optimize learning from course content.
Course Goals
This course addresses the following goals:
Goal 1: Knowledge Base of Psychology. Students will demonstrate familiarity with the
major cognitive systems and associated disorders. At the end of the semester, students
should be able to describe neuroanatomical associates of major cognitive systems.
Goal 2: Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology. Students will learn some methods by
which scientists learn about brain-behavior relationships. At the end of the semester,
students should be able to analyze a complex behavior by breaking it down into
component parts.
Goal 3: Application of Psychology. Students will understand and apply
neuropsychological concepts to evaluate information about behavior, neurological and
mental illnesses.
We will achieve these goals by readings, lectures, exercises, discussions and term
projects (service learning for PSYC 350; research paper for PSYC 450). I will
supplement materials not covered in readings during our class time together. You are
responsible for materials in assigned readings, lectures, exercises, and discussions.
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PSYC 350/450 Human Neuropsychology, Fall 2012
Description of Instructor
I matriculated from University of Florida’s Clinical Psychology program in 2000, where I
specialized in neuropsychology. My clinical interests include problems presented by
pediatric neuropsychology populations, and my research interests include normal and
abnormal language development. I came to Roosevelt University from University of
California, Los Angeles, where I studied cognitive development using magnetic
resonance imaging techniques. I currently collaborate with the Pediatric Brain
Research and Intervention Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago to study
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
I am committed to the learning of each student in the course. If there is a problem that is
negatively impacting your course performance, please contact me immediately so that
we can develop an appropriate plan to help you succeed in this course. Please do not
wait until after an exam or after an assignment is due to inform me of your difficulty. You
are welcome to contact me by phone, voice mail, or email.
Grades
Undergraduate (PSYC 350):
Assignments/Exercises 15%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 2 20%
Exam 3 20%
Service-learning journal 20%
Participation 5%
-------
Total 100%
Graduate (PSYC 450):
Assignments/Exercises 15%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 2 20%
Exam 3 20%
Paper 15%
Presentation 5%
Participation 5%
------
Total 100%
Course grade assignment (percentage range):
Accrued course
Letter grade
percentage
Corresponding
GPA
97-100 A+ 4.0
93-96.99 A 4.0
90-92.99 A- 3.67
87-89.99 B+ 3.33
83-86.99 B 3
80-82.99 B- 2.67
77-79.99 C+ 2.33
73-76.99 C 2
70-72.99 C- (minimal acceptable grade 1.67
to count towards major/minor)
67-69.99 D+ 1.33
63-66.99 D 1
60-62.99 D- 0.67
0-59.99 F 0
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PSYC 350/450 Human Neuropsychology, Fall 2012
Your grades will be posted throughout the semester on Blackboard’s “My Grades” tab
(http://roosevelt.blackboard.com), so please make sure you know how to use this website. Any
errors must be brought to my notice via written format (e.g., email) and dated within two weeks
of posting in order to be considered for change. Otherwise, grades posted on Blackboard are
final. Thus you are encouraged to check this record each week to make sure your grades have
been posted accurately. Be sure to set up your Roosevelt email account
(@mail.roosevelt.edu) and check it regularly, or forward your mail to your regularly checked
account, as official emails from the University (including from me) will be sent to this address.
Internet access is available in the computer labs if you do not have a home computer.
Assignments/Exercises
We will have individual and group exercises to facilitate learning of course materials and to
encourage teamwork. Exercises will be collected at random to be graded. No exercises will be
accepted after the announced due time, and students must be present to obtain credit for
group work. That means that students who are not present at the time of the exercise will
forfeit the opportunity to earn these points. No make-up exercises will be given, even for
excused absences. To accommodate unavoidable absences, 2 lowest grades that contribute
to the Assignments/Exercises component will be dropped. For example, if 50 points were
accrued throughout the semester, and each exercise average 3 points, then the total
considered for this component will be 44. Your summed total will be divided by 44, then
multiplied by 15 to yield the number that will be added to calculate your semester grade.
Exams
Tests will be multiple choice, fill in the blank, matching, short answer, and/or essay questions.
Students will be allowed to bring half a sheet (8.5” x 5.5”, double sided) of handwritten notes to
each exam. Drawings and graphs are allowed, but they must be hand-produced by the student;
photocopies or typed material are not allowed. Exams will require students to demonstrate
understanding of course concepts by integrating course materials and applying those concepts
to real-life situations or problems. That is, students are expected to know not only “definitions,”
but to be able to apply newly learned knowledge. Students are encouraged to study for each
exam by reviewing course lectures, readings, assignments, and web quizzes associated with
each chapter on the textbook publisher’s website (access Blackboard’s Publisher’s Website
link). No make-up exams will be given. Students whose schedule conflicts with exam dates
must inform me within the first two weeks of the semester so that alternatives can be planned.
Students will have an opportunity to improve Exam 1 and 2 grades if they can demonstrate
mastery of the material post hoc. After grades are released, students have one week to write
one short paragraph for each item missed to demonstrate mastery of that item. Each
paragraph must be comprehensible as an independent unit (i.e., without the need to refer back
to the exam), and must be grammatically correct and clear. Demonstration of mastery may
include why your response was wrong and the rationale for the correct response. Satisfactory
completion of each item will earn half of the points assigned to that item on the exam. This
option is not available for the final exam.
Service-learning journal (undergraduate)/paper & presentation (graduate)
These are described in separate documents.
Participation
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PSYC 350/450 Human Neuropsychology, Fall 2012
Students are expected to attend all class sessions and participate in class discussions.
Frequent absences are detrimental to group dynamics and will result in point deductions.
Students are expected to facilitate each other’s learning by sharing thoughts and experiences
relevant to course content.
Extra Credit
You are allowed to earn up to three points extra credit for various psychology-related activities.
1. Research Participation: Roosevelt University uses the Sona system to track research
participation (http://roosevelt.sona-systems.com). Two Sona points converts to one
course point. You must indicate on the Sona system that you want your credit to go to
PSYC 350/450 Human Neuropsychology. Studies are posted on an on-going basis, so
check back frequently for new studies.
2. Attending faculty or psychology related lectures. One extra credit point will be awarded
for each psychology-related lecture or event. Check with me to make sure the
lecture/event qualifies. You must submit a one-page summary of the lecture/event,
which must include the name of the speaker, title of the talk/event, date, a summary of
the lecture, and what you learned from it.
Withdrawal and Incompletes
I will follow the Registrar’s policy for assigning “withdrawals” and “incompletes”. The deadline
for “withdrawal” is 10/29/12. Subsequent to that date, late withdrawals will be given primarily
for non-academic reasons. It requires completion of form, including statement and rationale for
request, explanation of why it was not requested by the deadline, documentation to support the
claim, and finally, signatures from the instructor, chair, and dean. Such signatures do not
guarantee approval of the petition (it will then be reviewed by committee). “Incomplete” will
only be assigned when a small portion of the total semester’s work has to be completed and
the student has a compelling reason why the work cannot be completed within the regular
timeframe.
Required textbooks and other materials:
1. Kolb, B., & Whishaw, I.Q. (2009). Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology, 6 th Edition.
New York: Worth Publishers.
This textbook comes with a companion website
(http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/kolbfhn6e). You must register in order to use this web
site. You are encouraged to answer the web quizzes associated with each chapter as
they may appear on exams.
2. Ogden, J.A. (2005). Fractured Minds: A Case-Study Approach to Clinical
Neuropsychology, 2 nd Edition. NY: Oxford University Press.
3. Pinel, J.P.J., & Edwards, M. (2008). A Colorful Introduction to the Anatomy of the
Human Brain, Second Edition. Boston: Pearson.
Course structure and schedule
Class sessions will consist of lecture intermixed with exercises, group work, and discussions
related to students’ service-learning experience. Students are expected to be active
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PSYC 350/450 Human Neuropsychology, Fall 2012
participants in all aspects of class activity, and to be prepared for such participation by
completing required readings before class.
Date Topic Required
Reading
8/24 (Fri) Introduction None
8/27 Organization of the Ogden 1
nervous system
KW Ch 3
9/3 Labor day – no class
9/10 Learning & memory Ogden 3
KW Ch 18
9/17 Epilepsy & other
neurological disorders
Assignments due
Color 7.1-7.3, 7.5-7.6
Color 2.1-2.3
KW 26 Color 10.1-10.4
Service-learning project
commitment form
(undergrad)
9/24 Language Ogden 5
KW 19
10/1 Catch up Color 12.1
10/8 Exam 1 1 st Journal due
(undergrad)
Paper topic due (grad)
10/15 My Stroke of Insight video
10/22 Neglect and parietal lobes Ogden 7
KW 14
10/29 Agnosias & occipital Ogden 8 Paper outline due (grad)
Lobes
KW 13
11/5 Frontal lobes Ogden 9 Color 8.1-8.2, PDF 6-8
KW 16
11/12 Exam 2 Color 12.4-12.5
2 nd Journal due
(undergrad)
Paper draft due (grad)
11/19 Thanksgiving – no class
11/26 Neural plasticity Ogden 10
KW 25
12/3 Dementia & other Ogden 17
psychiatric disorders KW 27
12/10 Exam 3 Color 10.5
3 rd Journal, poster, &
Service Learning
Evaluation due
(undergrad)
Final Paper due (grad)
Statement on diversity
All are expected to be respectful of others’ opinions and learn from those with different
backgrounds than ourselves.
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PSYC 350/450 Human Neuropsychology, Fall 2012
Academic Integrity
All students will be held to the University's standards on academic dishonesty, as described in
the Student Handbook and Planner and on the University's website. Academic dishonesty
includes cheating, plagiarizing, recycling, fabricating, or unauthorized collaborations.
Consistent with this policy, no form of academic dishonesty (e.g., using unauthorized aids
during exams, using the words of another to express an idea without giving credit to the
original writer) will be tolerated. Violations are taken seriously and may result in a failing grade
for the course, referral to the Assistant Vice President for Student Services, and/or dismissal
from the university in accordance with university policy.
Students with Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities or special needs must notify me of their specific needs
within the first 2 weeks of the course and provide documentation from the Office of Disability
Services of the Academic Success Center (312-341-3818, AUD 128; Schaumburg 847-619-
7978, SCH 363; http://www.roosevelt.edu/StudentServices/AcademicSuccessCenter.aspx) so
that accommodations can be planned. Please contact me even if you do not wish to make use
of accommodations at this time. This Office exists to facilitate the establishment of appropriate
accommodations.
Religious Holidays
Roosevelt University respects the rights of students to observe major religious holidays and
will make accommodations, upon request, for such observances. Students who wish to
observe religious holidays must inform me in writing within the first two weeks of each
semester of their intent to observe the holiday. However, all work missed for such absences
must be made up. Students who do not arrange for excused absences by the deadline are not
entitled to such accommodations.
Policies
The following policies are in place to ensure that everyone has an optimal learning
environment free from distractions:
• Students are expected to attend all class sessions.
• Please be on time. Late comers are disruptive to others in the class. If your schedule
prevents you from a timely arrival, please speak with me at the start of the semester.
• If you must eat or drink (non-alcoholic beverages only), please choose items that do not
make noise and clean up after yourself. If your food is fragrant, you have to share.
• Please turn off cell phones and MP3 players.
• No audio or video-taping unless approved to do so.
• Please ask me before bring guests to class.
MISSION: “Roosevelt University aspires to be a national leader in educating socially conscious citizens
for active and dedicated lives as leaders in their professions and their communities.
The University’s student-centered faculty and staff inspire academically qualified students from
diverse backgrounds and all ages to benefit from rigorous higher education and professional
development opportunities in the dynamic Chicago metropolitan environment.
Deeply rooted in practical scholarship and principles of social justice expressed as ethical
awareness, leadership development, economic progress and civic engagement, Roosevelt University
encourages community partnerships and prepares its diverse graduates for responsible citizenship in a
global society” (Adopted April 24, 2003).
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