Neuroscience
Undergraduate · Biology
Syllabus focus
Topics typically covered
Standard syllabus
Cellular neuroscience
- Neuron and glia structure–function
- Resting potential and ion gradients
- Action potential generation and propagation
- Synaptic transmission: chemical and electrical
- Neurotransmitters and receptors
- Synaptic plasticity (LTP/LTD intro)
Systems neuroscience
- Anatomical organization of CNS/PNS
- Sensory transduction pathways survey
- Motor control and reflexes
- Autonomic regulation
- Hypothalamus and homeostasis links
- Development and critical periods (intro)
Cognition and methods
- Learning and memory systems
- Emotion and reward circuits survey
- Language and association cortex overview
- Sleep and circadian regulation (intro)
- Neurological/psychiatric disorder hooks
- Ethics of neurotechnology (survey)
STEM / applied
Methods
- Interpreting electrophysiology traces (intro)
- Imaging methods survey (fMRI, calcium imaging)
- Behavioral assay design basics
- Lesion/stimulation logic in experiments
- Reading primary neuro papers’ figures
- Quantitative Nernst/GHK calculations as required
Applications
- Clinical case correlations (stroke, epilepsy survey)
- Pharmacology of major drug classes (survey)
- Brain–machine interface awareness
- Neuroethics discussions
- Communicating neuroscience to public audiences
- Capstone: circuit diagram for a behavior
Notes
May be housed in biology, psychology, or neuroscience departments—tutoring follows local prerequisites and math expectations.