Psychological & Brain Sciences

• CAS PS 338: Neuropsychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 231 or CAS BI 325 or CAS NE 101.
  Survey of theoretical aspects and major empirical findings in human neuropsychology, including memory, language, spatial function, attention, emotion, and abstract thought. Emphasis is on the relation between brain disorders (resulting from head injury, stroke, degenerative disease, etc.) and abnormal behavior. Also offered as CAS NE 338.
• CAS PS 339: Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE 101.
  Cognitive neuroscience seeks to understand the brain basis of cognition. This course introduces research methods and human neuroanatomy, and provides a survey of topics including learning and memory, attention, perception, language, social cognition, and executive function.
• CAS PS 354: Psychology and Criminal Justice
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 101.
  The psychological perspective in understanding the offender and the offense and in dispositional planning, with special emphasis on the young adult offender. Concepts, realities, and problems in working at the interface of law and psychology.
• CAS PS 361: Racism, Sexism, and Prejudice
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 261; and junior or senior standing.
  Similarities and differences in racism and sexism examined as prejudice, cognitions, self-image, and group relations. Tactics, strategies, and programs of changing issues in schools and industry. Student projects.
• CAS PS 370: Psychology of the Family
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 101 or CAS SO 205; and PS junior or senior standing.
  Survey of psychological issues related to the family. Includes examination of psychological research and data on the individual's experience in the family, with special emphasis on developmental and clinical issues.
• CAS PS 371: Psychopathology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 101.
  A thorough review of psychopathology and related clinical issues are examined. The etiology, clinical characteristics, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of all major categories of adult psychopathology, as well as evidence-based methods to promote psychological health, are covered.
• CAS PS 401: Senior Independent Work
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS senior standing, one experimental course, and approval of the Honors Committee.
  Supervised independent research in some area of psychology.
• CAS PS 402: Senior Independent Work
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS senior standing, one experimental course, and approval of the Honors Committee.
  Supervised independent research in some area of psychology.
• CAS PS 471: Special Topics in Psychopathology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 371; and PS senior standing, or consent of instructor.
  Selected special topics in clinical psychology are be covered, such as the nature and treatment of specific psychological disorders in children or adults, novel treatment approaches, and/or current approaches to promote health and wellness.
• CAS PS 472: Family Violence: Theories and Research
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 370 or CAS PS 371; and PS junior or senior standing.
  Studies family violence, particularly child and spouse abuse. Students learn various theories while examining epidemiologic, cross-cultural, and clinical data. Through demonstrations, students also learn basic preventative and intervention techniques.
• CAS PS 473: Introduction to Clinical Psychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS 371; and PS junior or senior standing.
  Introduction to current diagnostic and treatment techniques in clinical psychology from empirical, applied, and theoretical perspectives. Topics covered include clinical interviewing, psychological testing, and a comparison of humanistic, analytic, and systems approaches to therapy.
• CAS PS 491: Directed Study in Psychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS junior or senior standing.
  Individual instruction and directed research in a selected topic. Application required - additional information/application available on the psychology department web site at www.bu.edu/psych/undergraduate.
• CAS PS 492: Directed Study in Psychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS junior or senior standing.
  Individual instruction and directed research in a selected topic. Application required - additional information/application available on the psychology department web site at www.bu.edu/psych/undergraduate.
• CAS PS 504: Trends in Contemporary Psychology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: four principal courses in psychology, or consent of instructor.
  Various contemporary trends in psychology presented. Content varies: consult department for emphasis and topics.
• CAS PS 512: The Political Psychology of Group-Based Politics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS junior standing and one previous course in political science or social psychology; or consent of instructor.
  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.
• CAS PS 521: Animal Models in Behavioral Neuroscience
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: PS junior standing and either CAS PS 231 or CAS NE 101. Strongly recommended: 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 NE 521.
• CAS PS 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 NE 528.
• CAS PS 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 NE 530.
• CAS PS 531: Imaging and Manipulating Memories
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PS231 or NE 101 or PS/NE 337 or PS339/NE202 or BI325/NE203; or consent 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 PS 532: Neurobiology of Motivation, Decision Making, and Learning
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS NE101 or PS231; one upper level NE course or BI108 and BI325; or instructor consent; majors must complete PS211, PS/NE212, or MA115 & MA116; minors must complete PS211, PS/NE212, or MA115.
  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.