Courses

• CAS PS 512: The Political Psychology of Group-Based Politics
  The study of political psychology, integrating political science and social and cognitive psychology as it informs the dynamics of group-based politics, including especially race, gender, class, and political party affiliation. Also offered as CAS PO 409.
• CAS PS 521: Animal Models in Behavioral Neuroscience
  Examines the modern behavioral approaches and wide range of species across the animal kingdom used to model human behavior and neural function. Lectures present background material, and students lead discussion of primary research articles. Also offered as CAS NE 521.
• CAS PS 525: Cognitive Science
  Theories of human cognition which integrate findings from diverse fields: psychology, philosophy, linguistics, computer science, and neuroscience. Review of interdisciplinary research methodology, including connectionist modeling, and applications to questions on human thinking, problem solving, development, dysfunction, and social behavior.
• CAS PS 528: Human Brain Mapping
  Localization in the brain of human mental functions and the study of their neural mechanisms. Topics include methods (fMRI, PET, TMS, ERP), memory, perception, recognition, attention, and executive processes. Also offered as CAS NE 528.
• CAS PS 529: Neuroplasticity: Enabling the Brain to Heal Itself
  Review of neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the astounding reorganizational capacity of the brain. Critical examination of ways to promote this plasticity: early childhood experiences, positive thinking, meditation, exercise, visualization, physical therapy, computerized re-training, and sensory and motor prostheses. Also offered as CAS NE 529.
• CAS PS 530: Neural Models of Memory Function
  Computational models of neurobiological mechanisms for memory function and spatial navigation, with a particular emphasis on cellular and circuit models of the hippocampus and related cortical structures. Also offered as CAS NE 530.
• CAS PS 541: Social Development
  An examination of the development of social cognition and competence. Topics include: innate and early-emerging social knowledge, attachment, moral development and cooperation, theory of mind, group biases, and social learning.
• CAS PS 542: Child Development and Public Policy
  Impact of law and government institutions on the development of children in the United States. Federal and state policy toward social services, education, and welfare; laws concerning the family, custody, child abuse, delinquency, and the rights and disabilities of minors.
• CAS PS 544: Developmental Neuropsychology
  Study of the neural mechanisms underlying behavioral development. Topics include the plasticity of the developing brain in response to deprivation or damage and mechanisms underlying specific syndromes (e.g., aphasia, dyslexia, learning disabilities, hyperactivity, autism, and Tourette's syndrome). Also offered as CAS NE 544.
• CAS PS 545: Language Development
  Language development in children. The acquisition of phonological, morphological, and syntactic systems; the role of both parent and child in the acquisition of communicative competence.
• CAS PS 546: Cognitive Development
  Cognitive development from birth through early adolescence. Relationship of cognition to other traditional areas of psychology (e.g., perception, language, learning, memory, physiology, and psychopathology).
• CAS PS 549: Developmental Psychopathology
  Developmental deviations and psychological disorders of childhood. Examination of assessment techniques, treatment theories, and prevention methods. Developmental etiologies of neurotic and psychotic disturbances, effects of family patterns on the character of parent-child pathology, influence of childhood pathology on adult functioning.
• CAS PS 550: Childhood Adversity: Risk and Resilience
  Consideration of why some children overcome adversity while others have maladaptive outcomes. Concepts of risk and resilience are applied to contexts of childhood adversity: poverty, maltreatment, homelessness, orphanages, and natural disasters. Discussion of implications for prevention, intervention, and policy.
• CAS PS 554: Senior Seminar in Forensic Psychology
  Examines scope, empirical foundations, and ethical issues of forensic psychology. Topics include eyewitness testimony; use of hypnosis, polygraphs, and criminal profiling; scientific jury selection; risk assessment; child abuse evaluations; determinations of insanity, competency, and child custody.
• CAS PS 560: Cross-Cultural Psychology
  Comparative study of psychological variables under different cultural conditions in order to identify universal aspects of human behavior, and to identify cultural influences on behavior. Applications to psychotherapy, public health, child development, education, business, and foreign relations.
• CAS PS 572: Psychology of Women
  Consideration of research topics in the psychology of women. Topics covered include various stages in the life cycle, women's work and family lives, aspects of victimization, and women's position in the larger society.
• CAS PY 104: Physics of Health Sciences
  Recommended for students majoring in athletic training, physical therapy, or speech, language & hearing sciences. A one-semester physics course for students who do not require a two-semester sequence. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS PY105 or PY106. Students considering application to medical, dental, or veterinary schools should take PY 105/106 or another two-semester sequence instead of PY 104.
• CAS PY 105: Physics 1
  The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. PY105 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including forces and motion, momentum and energy, harmonic motion, rotation, and heat and thermodynamics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
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  • Scientific Inquiry I
  • Quantitative Reasoning I
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PY 106: Physics 2
  The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements. PY106 covers some of the basic principles underlying the physics of everyday life, including electricity and magnetism, direct-current circuits, waves, optics, and modern physics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
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  • Scientific Inquiry II
  • Quantitative Reasoning II
  • Critical Thinking
• CAS PY 107: Physics of Food and Cooking
  Physical science concepts of thermal / soft matter physics and molecular biophysics such as phase transitions and gelation, viscosity, elasticity illustrated via cooking. Labs and demos using molecular gastronomy methods of sous-vide cooking, pressure cooking, making desserts, cheese, emulsions, foams, gels, ice creams. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
  BU Hub Learn More

  • Scientific Inquiry I
  • Quantitative Reasoning I
  • Critical Thinking

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