BCSC 242: Syllabus

Fall 2022

Time & Location

Monday 4:50-6:05pm and Wednesday 4:50-6:05pm
Classroom: Dewey Hall room 1-101
[This might change, as the University is changing room assignments based on enrollment. I will let you know if it changes.]

Personnel

Instructor: Mindy Patterson, Psy.D., Clinical Neuropsychologist
Office Hours: Tuesdays 4:15-5:15pm or by appointment
Contact:

Graduate TA: Olympia Mathiaparanam, Second Year Ph.D. Student
Office Hours: Thursdays 2:00-3:15pm or by appointment
In person: Meliora 418
Or Zoom by request
Contact:

Undergraduate TAs:
Charlotte Irwin ()
Angelique Johnson ()
Yui Kawakami ()
Rachel Young ()

Course Structure

This class is offered in person. Video of each class will be posted to BB.

Required Readings

There is no required textbook for the course. Required readings are posted on the Blackboard site. They are organized by course date, in chronological order. Multiple readings are taken from the following texts:

  • Elias, LJ & Saucier, DM. (2006) Neuropsychology: Clinical and Experimental Foundations, Allyn & Bacon: Boston.
  • Grant, I., & Adams, K. (2009). Neuropsychological Assessment of Neuropsychiatric and Neuromedical Disorders. Oxford University Press.
  • Kolb, B. & Whishaw, I. (2015). Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology, 7th ed. Worth: New York.
  • Ogden, J (2005). Fractured Minds: A Case-Study Approach to Clinical Neuropsychology. University Press.
  • Morgan J.E., Baron, I.S. & Ricker, J. (2011). Casebook of Clinical Neuropsychology. Oxford University Press.
  • Zillmer, E., Spiers, M., & Culbertson, W. (2007). Principles of Neuropsychology. Nelson Education.

*The overlap between material in the readings and lectures will vary from lecture to lecture. Readings are intended to provide you with a greater depth of understanding of the concepts and facts discussed in the lecture. Reading content will be found on the exam and may not be fully covered in the PowerPoints. You are responsible for reading the assigned materials and should expect to find it on the exams.

General Course Overview

This course provides an introduction to the field of clinical neuropsychology, which bridges the domains of clinical psychology, neurology, and neuroscience. History of the field and the practice of neuropsychological assessment will be covered. We will review domain-specific cognitive functions and highlight common neurological and psychological syndromes. The course will end with a series of special topic areas highlighting areas of interest in the field. Guest lectures will be provided by local clinical neuropsychologists and related professionals to allow for opportunities to learn from clinical experts in the field. Optional recitations will be offered by course TAs on select neuropsychological case studies as a way to provide further exposure and application of concepts. Pre-Requisites for this class are BCS 110 or BCS 240/NSC 201.

Students will be assessed in two areas: Exams and Journal Club. All graded tasks and assignments will be completed and submitted through BB.

Exams

There will be four (4) exams, consisting of multiple-choice, true/false, and short-answer questions. These exams are NOT open book or open notes. You are expected to complete the exam independently without use of any materials or support of any kind. The four exams will count for 80% of your grade (with each exam worth 20% of grade). The material on the exams will cover PowerPoint material, class discussion, AND assigned readings. All of the assigned readings are required to gain a depth of appreciation of the subject matter and provide a necessary foundation for engaging in class discussion. However, not all of the material in the readings will be covered on the exams (due to the bulk of the readings). Please note that exams are not cumulative. Exams will only be offered during class time.

Journal Club

Students are required to complete one journal club experience (small group learning experience). Students will be assigned a JC date (either 12/12 or 12/14) and will be required to read an assigned journal article before class and prepare a 1-2 page typewritten critique of the article. The critique must include a summary of the article and response to specific questions (further details will be provided). The JC paper must be submitted at the beginning of class (no later than 4:50pm on the day of the assigned class). During class, students will be split up into small groups to discuss and present on particular aspects of the article. Grades for each JC will be based on the written paper (50%) and class attendance and participation during the JC itself (50%). The JC experience will count for 20% of your total grade. Attendance is REQUIRED. Note that these dates are fixed and non-negotiable.

Course Grade

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the arithmetic mean of the scores of the 4 exams and 1 Journal Club grade. Your final average will not be rounded up. Grades represent a threshold of performance which is either exceeded or not.

Letter Grade = Numeric Grade

A = 93 - 100
A- = 90 - 92.99
B+ = 87 - 89.99
B = 83 - 86.99
B- = 80 - 82.99
C+ = 77 - 79.99
C = 73 - 76.99
C- = 70 - 72.99
D = 60 - 66.99
E = 0 - 59.99

Additional Course Information

Structure of Weekly Lectures

Each lecture will include a live PowerPoint and verbal discussion led by the instructor (or guest lecturer). Students are encouraged to actively participate by asking questions, making comments, and participating in relevant discussions. Please note that all portions of the lecture/class time will be recorded and posted to BB.

Accessing Exams/Quizzes/Assignments

All assignments can be access within BB and can be found by going to Course Materials and clicking on the dated folder.

Exam Review Sessions

Course TA’s will hold review sessions prior to each exam. Email questions to the TA’s prior to the review sessions to help structure the content. The first review session will be held on 9/15/2022 at 8:00 – 9:30pm. Times for the subsequent review sessions will be posted on BB.

Recitations

Course TA’s will also hold recitations on neuropsychological case studies as a way to provide small group discussion. There will be 4 sections of in-person recitations. Students will be asked to sign up for a time slot at the beginning of the semester. Attendance at recitation is not mandatory but will provide rich experiences for students to analyze clinical cases and further discuss and apply course content. Cases for recitation discussions will be pulled from: Morgan J.E., Baron, I.S. & Ricker, J. (2011). Casebook of Clinical Neuropsychology. Oxford University Press. *Please note that there will be extra credit items on the exams that will be pulled directly from recitation discussions.

PowerPoints

PowerPoints can enhance comprehension and note-taking, but they are not a substitute for attending class or for completing the assigned readings.

Academic Honesty

All activities and exams associated with this course must be performed in accordance with the University of Rochester’s Academic Honesty Policy. Students are expected to independently complete their own work and to complete exams and quizzes without use of any supportive material (e.g. books, notes, PowerPoint, etc.) or person.

Student Behavioral Expectations

You are expected to actively participate in class, pose thoughtful questions, and respect your fellow students, TA’s, and the professor of the course. Professionalism is expected in all of your course communications (including dress, emails, phone calls, and zoom meetings). Conduct should align with the University of Rochester’s Student Code of Conduct.

Attendance Policy

Attendance at weekly lectures is not mandatory but rather strongly encouraged to provide opportunity to review the reading and discuss clinical content. Attendance at exams and journal club is required. Exams will only be re-scheduled for documented illness, personal or family emergency or other extraordinary circumstances, or a conflict with religious observances or scheduled University commitments that prevent the student from being present/available. Scheduled conflicts must be discussed with the instructor at least one week prior to the scheduled exam or quiz. Note that the dates of the exams and journal clubs are fixed and non-negotiable.

Instructor Contact

Please do not email questions that require lengthy replies. Rather, set up a time to discuss via a scheduled zoom meeting with the instructor (preferably during office hours).

Online Etiquette

Communication online is different than that of face to face classes. Try to use good "netiquette" when communicating with your classmates on Blackboard. If there is a shift to online learning during the semester: Remember that your fellow students can't always see your facial expressions or gestures. All of these elements add to our face to face communication every day without us really noticing it. Please keep this in mind when you are commenting on others ideas, giving constructive criticism, or just interacting with the class/instructor in general. It is expected that everyone will treat others in this course with the same respect that they would wish to be treated (regardless of the modality of interaction).

COVID-19

The University is committed to protecting the health and safety of the entire community – students, faculty, and staff. At the start of this class (August 2022), the University’s COVID risk level is Medium. This means that wearing a mask is encouraged but not required. For more information see the University’s policy on masking on the University website. This policy may change during the course of the semester.

If masking is re-instituted as a requirement: Students who refuse to adhere to requirement for mask wearing in the classroom will be in violation of the COVID-19 Community Commitment and will be referred to the Student Conduct system through a COVID-19 Concern Report. Such referrals will lead to student conduct hearings and may result in disciplinary action. Students who feel unable to wear a mask for medical reasons may contact the Office of Disability Resources to explore options for accommodations.

Diversity Statement

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course. I will strive to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender identity, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, and culture. Your suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

The BCS Diversity page lists extra resources and a way to contact the Diversity Equity & Inclusion committee.

Inclusion Statement

The University of Rochester, this course, and I are committed to inclusion, and welcome students of all backgrounds and abilities. Services and reasonable accommodations are available to students with temporary and permanent disabilities, to students with DACA or undocumented status, to students facing mental health issues, other personal situations, and to students with other kinds of learning needs. Please feel free to let me know if there are circumstances affecting your ability to participate in class or your full participation in this course. Some resources that might be of use include:

  • Office of Disability Resources. ( ; (585) 276-5075; Taylor Hall)
  • Undocumented/DACA Student Support Contacts
  • University of Rochester CARE Network