BCSC 252: Syllabus

Spring 2021

Time & Location

MW 10:25 AM – 11:40 AM
Class meetings on Zoom

Personnel

Instructor: Sarah McConnell, PhD, Assistant Professor, URMC Department of Neuroscience
Offices: Meliora 105 and URMC 5-6321
Email:
Office hours: By appointment

Course Description

This course examines the structure and function of the nervous system and considers the implications of relevant injuries and diseases. Learning objectives will be addressed through lectures, laboratories, discussions, and student presentations. 4 credits.

This course follows the College credit hour policy for four-credit courses. This course meets two times weekly for three academic hours per week. The course also includes independent out-ofclass group discussion assignments for an average of one academic hour per week. In these discussion assignments, students will reinforce, reflect on, and apply course concepts and explore related topics.

Required Textbook

Alan R. Crossman, David Neary. Neuroanatomy: An Illustrated Colour Text. Sixth Edition. 2020. Elsevier Limited. ISBN: 9780702074622
Note: This textbook is available as an ebook through the library at the University of Rochester

Course Prerequisites

BIOL 110 or equivalent

Grading

Course grades will be determined by the following criteria:

Three exams – lab midterm, lab final, and written final 30%
In-class presentation – on a neuroanatomical topic of your choice 10%
Lab assignments – questions to answer before and during lab 15%
Independent group discussion – one hour each week 15%
Online quizzes – one each week 15%
Reflection journals – one each week 15%
Total 100%

Detailed information and instructions for each item will be available as they become relevant.

Course Objectives

• Identify gross structures of the central nervous system in human brain specimens and diagrams.
• Describe the organization and function of each structure in the context of the neural system(s) to which it contributes.
• Predict the functional effects of lesions of different parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems, and determine likely sites of lesions from functional deficits.
• Identify and describe the structure and function of neurons and glia, and relate them to the cytoarchitecture of select structures of the central nervous system.
• Summarize the embryonic development of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
• Identify and describe the function of neural support structures, including the meninges, ventricles, cerebrospinal fluid, vasculature, skull, and vertebrae.
• Describe methods of studying the organization, connectivity, and function of neural structures.
• Develop creativity, critical thinking, and oral communication.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all class meetings on time. If you know about a conflict in advance, please notify me by email as soon as possible, noting the date and nature of the conflict. If you need to miss class due to illness, injury, or other unforeseeable emergency, please notify me as soon as possible by email. Students are responsible for all material covered, announcements made, and assignments due while absent. Habitual lateness or excessive unexcused absences will impact your course grade.

Make-up Exams

Make-up exams will only be given in the case of documented extenuating circumstances with the instructor's permission. If the extenuating circumstances are known in advance (e.g., scheduled surgery, conference presentation, application interview, etc.), permission must be obtained prior to the exam.

Late Penalties

Assignments submitted late will lose 10 percentage points per day.

Lecture Recording Policy

The instructor will record lectures and post them on Blackboard using Panopto in case students face technical issues during class. Making additional independent audio or video recordings of lectures raises issues regarding intellectual property and privacy of other students. Lecture recording by students is not permitted without approved disability accommodations or the instructor's permission.

Academic Honesty

All assignments and activities associated with this course must be performed in accordance with the University of Rochester's Academic Honesty Policy.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students requiring academic adjustments or accommodations because of a documented disability must contact the Disability Resource Coordinator for the school in which they are enrolled. Contact information