THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

 

FACULTY SENATE

 

Senate Document Number     6809S

 

Date of Senate Approval      04/09/09

 

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

 

APC Document 53:                               Delete PSYC 215, 320 and 325;

                                                            Replace above courses with PSYC 216, 321 and 322

 

Effective Date:  Fall 2009

 

1.  Delete:  On page 243, the entry for PSYC 215:

 

            215       Mind and Brain (3)

                        Coverage of current concepts, theory and research on the nature of mind

                        and brain with emphasis on recent developments in cognitive and brain

                        sciences as they relate to perception, consciousness, memory and decision

                        making.  Prerequisite:  PSYC 101.  Fall or Spring.

 

 

Add:  On page 243, in place of deleted entry:

 

            216       Fundamentals of Neuroscience (3)

An introduction to psychological neuroscience. Topics include research methods, basic anatomy and physiology of mammalian nervous systems, mechanisms of neuronal development and integration, vision and other senses, sensory-motor control, basic drives and behavioral systems. No credit given to students who have credit for PSYC 215. Prerequisite: PSYC 101. Offered every year.

 

Impact:

The same faculty who teach PSYC 215 will continue to staff the new course, which will be a prerequisite for two other new courses, PSYC 321 and 322. PSYC 216 will be taught every year as part of our 200-level “core” course menu, required of all majors. We do not anticipate any difficulties staffing this course, and this change does not impact hours required for our major, minor, or any other university requirement.

           

Rationale:

PSYC 215 evolved during our last curriculum revision in 1994; hence the content of this course must be updated to better represent contemporary knowledge in a rapidly changing field. The new course content will be standardized by faculty with expertise in neuroscience who have primary responsibility for teaching this course and establishing it as a prerequisite for upper-level neuroscience electives. The new course description allows for the development of a standardized skill set that is necessary if students are going to be successful in PSYC 321 and/or 322.

 

 

2.  Delete:  On page 245, the entry for PSYC 320:

 

            320       Biopsychology (3)

The relationship between brain and behavior: current theories of brain function in the context of perception, memory, emotion and drive. Prerequisite: PSYC 101. Previous introductory biology is helpful, but not required. Fall or Spring.

 

 

 

Add:           On page 245, in place of deleted entry:

 

            321       Advanced Neuroscience (3)

An evaluation of theories of brain function using current physiological evidence and computational models. Topics include the central and peripheral nervous systems, neuronal functioning, biological and computational models of perception, movement, and cortical organization; higher-level functions, biological bases of mental disorders, neuroscience research methods, and computer simulations of biological phenomena. No credit given to students who have credit for PSYC 320. Prerequisite: PSYC 216, or permission of instructor. Offered every year.

 

Impact:

This change in course content will not significantly alter our teaching pattern for this particular course, and we are adequately staffed to teach it. A moderate increase in enrollment is expected for two reasons: a) interest in neuroscience has increased significantly over the past decade, and b) the Psychology Department now has two faculty members with expertise in neuroscience. This change has no impact on hours required for the major or the minor.

 

PSYC 320 is currently a requirement for completion of the Health and Wellness major; hence, the Chair of HWP was consulted about this proposal. The Health and Wellness department is submitting an APC proposal, contemporaneous to this one, which states that HWP majors are no longer required to take PSYC 215 or 320, effective in the Fall of 2009. The Department of HWP may decide to add a required PSYC course for their majors in the near future, and the Psychology Department stands ready to assist them. 

 

Rationale:

The content of the course has not been updated since our last curriculum revision in 1994. It needs to better reflect both contemporary knowledge in this field, and the particular expertise of the faculty in our department who currently share primary teaching responsibility for this course. Our faculty has repeatedly observed that students who enroll in this course without first having completed PSYC 215 (216) are seriously disadvantaged; therefore, PSYC 216 will be a prerequisite to ensure that all students who enroll in PSYC 321 have exposure to the fundamental content before enrolling in the course with more advanced content. Because this course may also attract non-psychology majors (e.g., students who take courses in the neuroscience minor) who are adequately prepared for the content, the faculty wish to retain the ability to permit enrollment in this course at their discretion.      

 

 

3.  Delete:  On page 245, the entry for PSYC 325:

 

            325       Perception (3)

The study of human perception, with special emphasis on vision and audition. Prerequisite:  PSYC 101.  Fall or Spring.

 

Add:  On page 245, in place of deleted entry:

 

            322       Sensation and Perception (3)

A comparative study of sensory systems and perception in humans and other organisms.  Topics include computational and biological models of vision, audition, and chemo- and mechanoreception. No credit given to students who have credit for PSYC 325. Prerequisite: PSYC 216, or permission of instructor. Offered every year.

 

Impact:

This change in course content will not significantly alter our teaching pattern for this particular course, and we are adequately staffed to teach it. A moderate increase in enrollment is expected for two reasons: a) interest in neuroscience has increased significantly over the past decade, and b) the Psychology Department now has two faculty members with expertise in neuroscience. This change has no impact on hours required for the major or the minor.

 

PSYC 325 is currently an ILSS course in Cluster 4 (Perception: Senses, Self, and Society), and the change in a single prerequisite may impact the small number of students who select this course to complete Cluster 4. Dr. Mike Ruiz, the Coordinator for Cluster 4, has been informed of this change and indicated a minimal impact. In addition, there are 7 other ILSS courses that students in Cluster 4 could elect to complete, including PSYC 101 and 102, both of which have no prerequisites.

 

Rationale:

The content of this course has not been revised since our last curriculum revision in 1994. It needs to better reflect both contemporary knowledge in this field and the particular expertise of faculty in the department who currently share primary teaching responsibility for this course.  The new course content will require and assume completion of PSYC 215 (216) to ensure minimum levels of preparation. Because this course may also attract non-psychology majors (e.g., students who take courses in the neuroscience minor) who are adequately prepared for the content, the faculty wish to retain the ability to permit enrollment in this course at their discretion.