Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• CAS NE 393: Junior Research in Neuroscience 3
  For students with junior standing. Third semester of research in neuroscience, involving active participation at group meetings and significant creative contributions by the student. Application through the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings, presentation at one or more group meetings, and final report required. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
• CAS NE 401: Honors Research in Neuroscience 1
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: approval of NE Director of Undergraduate Academic and Research Affairs, and College Honors Committee. - For students with senior standing. First semester of Honors-level mentored research (leading to graduation with Honors in Neuroscience) involving extensive use of the research literature, significant creative contributions by the student, and substantial independence. Application through the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience. Minimum 16 hours/week involving lab work, meetings, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS NE 402: Honors Research in Neuroscience 2
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: approval of NE Director of Undergraduate Academic and Research Affairs, and College Honors Committee. First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120) - For students with senior standing. Second semester of Honors-level mentored research (leading to graduation with Honors in Neuroscience) involving the writing of a senior thesis, preparation and delivery of a thesis defense presentation, and substantial independence. Application through the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience. Minimum 16 hours/week involving lab work, meetings, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course.
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  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS NE 445: Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 OR CASBI315 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE203) or consent of instructor. - Cellular and molecular basis of neural excitability and synaptic transmission. The molecular understanding of ion channels is extrapolated to higher brain functions such as learning, memory, and sleep. Three hours lecture, three hours lab, one hour pre-lab. Also offered as CAS BI 445.
• CAS NE 449: Neuroscience Design Lab
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI315 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE203) ; or consent of instructor. - Design and build devices for neuroscience experiments. Interface sensors with computers using Arduino microprocessors. Guided exercises followed by independent design projects to quantify human sensory and motor performance, or emulate animal sensory-motor circuits. All levels of programming experience accepted. Also offered as CAS BI 449.
• CAS NE 455: Developmental Neurobiology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE203) or consent of instructor. - Fundamental principles of developmental neurobiology, stressing molecular mechanisms that underlie early neural development, differentiation, process outgrowth, and behavior. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Also offered as CAS BI 455.
• CAS NE 456: Neurobiology of Sex and Aggression
  Examines neurobiological and genetic factors that influence sex and violence. Students review primary literature from the past century that highlights major scientific discoveries that have reconceptualized our understanding of the origins of sexual-determination, -attraction and - aggression. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II.
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  • Historical Consciousness
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS NE 481: Molecular Biology of the Neuron
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI203 OR CASNE102) - Topics include electrical properties of neurons, a survey of neurotransmitters, molecular structure and function of receptors, synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling, and the molecular biology of sensory transduction. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Also offered as CAS NE 481. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS NE 490: NeuroDiversity
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASNE 102, NE 202, NE 203, NE 212 and NE major; and junior or senior standing. Explore psychological disorders through a neurodiversity lens, engaging with case studies, films, and neuroscience research. This course offers tailored learning pathways, ensuring inclusive, meaningful engagement, and fostering deep understanding of neurodiversity, diagnosis, and treatment across diverse academic interests and careers. Effective Spring 2025, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Creativity/Innovation, Digital Multimedia Expression, Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
  • Philosophical Inquiry and Life's Meanings
• CAS NE 491: Senior Research in Neuroscience 1
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. - For students with senior standing. First semester of research in neuroscience, involving the use of research literature and active participation at group meetings. Application through the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings, presentation at one or more group meetings, and final report required. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS NE 492: Senior Research in Neuroscience 2
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor. - For students with senior standing. Second semester of research in neuroscience, involving the use of research literature and significant creative contributions by the student. Application through the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS NE 493: Senior Research in Neuroscience 3
  For students with senior standing. Third or more semester of research in neuroscience, involving active participation at group meetings and significant creative contributions by the student. Application through the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings, presentation at one or more group meetings, and final report required. Effective Fall 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
• CAS NE 503: Neuroimmunology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS BI 203/NE 102 or BI 213 and BI 325/NE 203. - Neuroimmunology is a burgeoning field in neuroscience. This course examines current topics including the role of glia in brain development, health, and disease, glia-neuron crosstalk, impact of stress and environment on the neuroimmune system, and cell trafficking into the brain.
• CAS NE 520: Sensory Neurobiology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI325 OR CASNE203) or consent of instructor. - Animals receive a constant stream of sensory input that they use to adjust their behavior. In this course we explore how sensory systems translate the physical features of the outside world into meaningful patterns of neural activity. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS NE 521: Animal Models in Behavioral Neuroscience
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing and either CAS PS 231 or CAS NE 101. Strongly recommen ded: CAS NE 102 and either CAS PS 337 or PS 338. - 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 PS 521.
• CAS NE 525: Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASNE 102 or CASBI 108, CASNE 203 or CASBI 325, and CASBI 203/213; and junior and senior standing.- An in-depth look at molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and their impact and relevance in clinical diagnosis and treatment. Topics include the molecular pathways of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and Creuztfeldt-Jacob Disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Ethical Reasoning, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS NE 528: Human Brain Mapping
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 336 or CAS PS 339/NE 202. - 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 PS 528.
• CAS NE 530: Neural Models of Memory Function
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: a course in neuroscience or physiological psychology or consent of the instructor. - 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 PS 530.
• CAS NE 531: Imaging and Manipulating Memories
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS231 or NE 101 or PS/NE 337 or PS339/NE202 or BI325/NE203; or con sent of instructor. - The nature of memory engrams, the physical manifestations of experiences in the brain, will be explored at the systems neuroscience level by surveying primary literature.
• CAS NE 532: Neurobiology of Motivation, Decision Making, and Learning
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE101 or PS231; and PS211 or PS212; or MA115 & MA116 and one upper level NE course or BI 108 and BI 325; or consent of instructor. - Exploration of the molecular and neural circuit mechanisms responsible for driving movement, selecting actions, and evaluating outcomes to drive adaptive learning. Examination of how disorders of motivation and decision making arise from the disruption of different neural circuits.