COURSE DESCRIPTION AND APPLICATION INFORMATION
| Course Name | Code | Semester | T+A+L (hour/week) | Type (C / O) | Local Credit | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Neuroscience | MBG 308 | Fall | 03+00+00 | Elective | 3 | 5 |
| Academic Unit: | Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences / Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics |
| Mode of Delivery: | Face to face |
| Prerequisites: | None |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Course Unit: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | - - |
| Course Objectives: | To teach the basic concepts of neuroscience. The cellular and molecular structures of the nervous system. Molecular components and the molecular mechanisms synaptic transmission. Encouraging students to become active learners. |
| Course Contents: | A general introduction to neuroscience, physiology of the brain and neural circuitry. The nervous system cells and their features. Ion channels generating the membrane potential. Passive and active electrical properties. Synaptic transmission to neural cells and muscles. Modulation and integration of the signal. Neurotransmitters and their release. |
| Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit (LO): |
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| Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods: | PowerPoint presentations including important images and daily examples about the subject, which are also shared with the students through the Learn platform. Reading/discussing scientific discoveries and articles throughout the lecture. Assigning students to read papers and present them. Conversation with the students during the lecture. Watching mechanistic/explanatory videos during lectures and discussing with students. Suggesting videos to watch later. |
WEEKLY SUBJECTS AND RELATED PREPARATIONS
| Week | Subjects | Related Preperation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Brain and the Behavior (LO1) | Presentation |
| 2 | Nerve Cells, Neural Circuitry and Behavior (LO2) | Presentation |
| 3 | Electrical Signals of Nerve Cells (LO3) | Presentation |
| 4 | Membrane Potential and the Passive Electrical Properties of the Neuron (LO4) | Presentation |
| 5 | Action Potential (LO5) | Presentation, Quiz |
| 6 | Channels and Transporters (LO6) | Presentation |
| 7 | Synaptic Transmission (LO7) Midterm | Presentation |
| 8 | Neurotransmitters and their receptors (LO8) | Presentation |
| 9 | Molecular Signaling within neurons (LO9) Student Projects (LO15) | Presentation |
| 10 | Synaptic Plasticity (LO10) | Presentation |
| 11 | Early Brain Development (LO11) | Presentation, Quiz |
| 12 | Construction of Neural Circuits (LO12) | Presentation |
| 13 | Student Presentations (LO14) | Presentation |
| 14 | Experience-Dependent Plasticity in the Developing Brain (LO13) | Presentation |
At Kadir Has University, a Semester is 14 weeks; The weeks 15 and 16 are reserved for final exams.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED READING
| Lecture Textbook: Neuroscience 6th edition Sinauer Associates Inc. Publication Date: 2018 Edited by: Dale Purves, George J. Augustine, David Fitzpatrick, William C. Hall, Antony- Samuel LaMantia, James O. McNamara, Leonard E. White |
OTHER COURSE RESOURCES
| Principles of Neural Science 5th Edition. Publication Date: 2013 Publisher: The McGraw-Hill Companies ISBN-13: 978-0-07-139011-8 Edited by: Eric R. Kandel, James H. Schwarts, Thomas M. Jessell, Steven A. Siegelbaum, A. J. Hudspet Suggested video lectures from: Harvard edX, https://www.khanacademy.org/, as well as JoVE videos. |
ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA
| Semester Requirements | Number | Percentage of Grade (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance / Participation | 14 | 5 |
| Presentation / Jury | 1 | 20 |
| Midterms / Oral Exams / Quizes | 3 | 45 |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 |
| Total: | 19 | 100 |
WORKLOAD
| Events | Count | Duration (Hours) | Total Workload (hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Hours | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Preparation for Presentation / Jury | 1 | 15 | 15 |
| Midterms / Oral Exams / Quizes | 3 | 12 | 36 |
| Final Exam | 1 | 33 | 33 |
| Total Workload (hour): | 126 | ||
1 ECTS = 25 Hours Workload
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (LO) AND PROGRAM QUALIFICATIONS (PQ)
| # | PQ1 | PQ2 | PQ3 | PQ4 | PQ5 | PQ6 | PQ7 | PQ8 | PQ9 | PQ10 | PQ11 | PQ12 | PQ13 |
| LO1 | |||||||||||||
| LO2 | |||||||||||||
| LO3 | |||||||||||||
| LO4 | |||||||||||||
| LO5 | |||||||||||||
| LO6 | |||||||||||||
| LO7 | |||||||||||||
| LO8 | |||||||||||||
| LO9 | |||||||||||||
| LO10 | |||||||||||||
| LO11 | |||||||||||||
| LO12 | |||||||||||||
| LO13 | |||||||||||||
| LO14 | |||||||||||||
| LO15 |
Contribution: 1 Low, 2 Average, 3 High