Graduate Calendar Archives: 2003 / 2004

Neuroscience

Life Sciences Research Building 325
Telephone: (613) 520-4017
Fax: (613) 520-3667
E-mail: kim_cook@carleton.ca

The Institute

Director: B.A. Pappas

Neuroscience is a dynamic academic discipline that includes physiological, anatomical, biochemical, and behavioural studies of the nervous system. At Carleton University, graduate neuroscience research and training are coordinated by the Institute of Neuroscience. Both M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees, with a Specialization in Behavioural Neuroscience, are offered through either the Departments of Psychology or Biology with supervision by one of the faculty members of the Institute.

Members of the Institute

• Hymie Anisman, Stress, brain-immune interactions, depression
• Jennifer Arnold, Neuronal apoptosis, gap junctions (Adjunct)
• Steffany Bennett, Neurodegeneration, apoptosis (Adjunct)
• James Cheetham, Membrane biochemistry, neurotransmitter release
• Bruce Hutcheon, Computational neuroscience, electrophysiology, neurodegeneration (Adjunct).
• Jack Kelly, Central auditory system, electrophysiology and behaviour
• Dan McIntyre, Epilepsy, kindling, learning and memory
• Zul Merali, Peptides, feeding behaviour (Adjunct)
• Bruce Pappas, Brain Development, dementia, Ischemia
• Carlos Plata-Salaman, Cytokines, cachexia, brain trauma (Adjunct)
• Michael Poulter, Electrophysiology, neurochemistry, molecular
• Arun Ravindran, Neurobiology of depression and dysthymia, brain/immune system interactions (Adjunct)
• Shu Hui Wu, Auditory brainstem, brain slice neurophysiology
• Robert M. Zacharko, Intracranial self-stimulation, stress, depression, dopamine, anhedonia

Specialization in Behavioural Neuroscience

Coordinator of the Specialization, B.A. Pappas

Application for admission, scholarships, and teaching assistantships should be made through either the Departments of Psychology or Biology, whichever is most appropriate to a student's research interest, and should indicate the intention to specialize in behavioural neuroscience. This specialization is a collaboration of the Departments of Biology and Psychology at Carleton University, the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa and the Institute of Mental Health Research (Psychiatry) at the University of Ottawa. It is intended to augment the research and training which the student receives and to provide opportunity in clinical neuroscience.

Master's Program

Admission Requirements

The requirements for admission to the master's neuroscience specialization are as follows:

• Prior admission to the master's program of the Psychology or Biology department.
• A letter of recommendation to the Director of the Institute from a faculty member of the Institute of Neuroscience, indicating the willingness of the faculty member to supervise the candidate's research program.
• Recommendation of admission by the graduate committee representative(s) from the Institute of Neuroscience faculty.

Students with less than a high honours average in their undergraduate and graduate courses will not normally be recommended for admission.

Program Requirements

• Fulfillment of the requirements of the master's program of either Psychology or Biology Department
• Successful completion of PSYC 5200 (BIOL 5304)
• Thesis research must concern a neuroscience topic and be supervised by a member of the Institute

Doctor of Philosophy

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements to the Ph.D. neuroscience specialization are as follows:

• Prior admission to the Ph.D. program of the Psychology or Biology department.
• A letter of recommendation from a participating faculty member of the neuroscience specialization, indicating the willingness of the faculty member to supervise the candidate's research program
• Recommendation of admission by the graduate committee representative(s) from the Institute of Neuroscience faculty.
• Students with less than a high honours standing in their undergraduate and graduate courses will not normally be recommended for admission.

Program Requirements

• Fulfillment of the requirements of the Ph.D. program of either the Psychology or Biology Department. A credit in Neuroscience Techniques (PSYC 6204) may be substituted for one of the following 0.5 credit courses normally required to satisfy the Psychology Ph.D. program requirements in statistics: PSYC 5401, PSYC 5402, PSYC 5403, PSYC 5406
• Successful completion of PSYC 5200 (BIOL 5304), PSYC 6200 (BIOL 6303) and at least one credit in PSYC 6204 (BIOL 6204)
• Thesis research must concern a neuroscience topic and be supervised by a member of the Institute.

Graduate Courses

Not all of the following courses are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for 2003-2004 and to determine the term of offering, consult the Registration Instructions and Class Schedule booklet, published in the summer and also available online at www.carleton.ca/cu/programs/sched_dates/

Course Designation System

Carleton's course designation system has been restructured. The first entry of each course description below is the new alphanumeric Carleton course code, followed by its credit value in brackets. The old Carleton course number (in parentheses) is included for reference, where applicable.

Neuroscience courses are available through the primary departments. Course offerings vary slightly from year to year and a complete listing can be obtained from the specialization coordinator.

Following are the core courses of the curriculum:

PSYC 5200 [1.0 credit] (formerly 49.520) (BIOL 5304, formerly 61.534)

Basics of Neuroscience

A comprehensive neuroscience course from cellular levels to neural systems and behaviour. Topics covered will include aspects of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuro-pharmacology and behavioural and cognitive neuroscience. (Also listed as PSY 6201 at the University of Ottawa)

PSYC 6200 [1.0credit] (formerly 49.620) (BIOL 6303, formerly 61.633)

Advanced Seminar in Neuroscience

A seminar focusing on the active research areas and interests of faculty, guest lecturers and graduate students and as well current trends in diverse areas of neuroscience.

PSYC 6204 [0.5 credit] (formerly 49.624) (BIOL 6204, formerly 61.624)

Neuroscience Techniques

Completion of a research project carried out under the supervision of a neuroscience faculty member. The student will learn a new neuroscience technique and apply it to a research objective. May be repeated for different projects. Students must obtain approval from the Director of the Neuroscience Specialization.

PSYC 6300 [0.5 credit] (formerly 49.630)

Special Topics in Psychology

An in-depth study of current topics in neuroscience. Course content varies yearly and has recently included cognitive neuroscience, neuropharmacology, neurodegeneration, behavioural medicine and molecular neuroscience.