Examination arrangement

Course content

The course is meant to deepen the student’s knowledge of a particular topic pertaining to the biological foundation of behaviour and cognition, and to strengthen the ability and confidence to present work to a public audience. Students are expected to assemble a list of relevant literature (from ~25 sources, including scientific articles, reviews and/or book chapters) and give an informed lecture on a topic. Topics could range from, but are not limited to, the neural mechanisms of sleep, motivation, learning and memory, language, attention, perception, or emotions. Other topics may include disease themes (e.g. stroke, dementia); a critical review of new developments in neuroscience methodologies (new techniques, etc.); computational themes, e.g. neuroinformatics, applied statistics, network models of brain function. Additional topics are welcome but all topics must approved by the course administrator.

For the exam the student will to deliver a 40-minute lecture, leaving 15 minutes for a post-lecture discussion with the examiners. The lecture should not be an open-ended survey of literature, but instead come to discuss a particular theme or debate within a sub-field of current neuroscience. The student is expected to develop a particularly deeper and broader knowledge of their topic (than if taking NEVR 3040).

Learning outcome

Knowledge

After completing the course the student will:

1. Have first-hand knowledge of what it is like to formulate a scientific question, and how to search for, locate and organize relevant literature in appropriate sub-themes related to a central topic.
2. Understand scientific papers in neuroscience, be critical and constructive, and be able to suggest alternative experiments.
3. Have sufficient knowledge to answer broader questions in neuroscience without reading books or papers first.

Skills

After completing the course the student will be able to:

1. Locate and organize primary scientific literature (journal articles, reviews, books, book chapters) related to a given theme or scientific question.
2. Give an up-to-date oral presentation of any topic in neuroscience by reading relevant literature.
3. Discuss scientific papers in neuroscience, be critical and constructive, and be able to suggest alternative experiments.

General competence

The student will develop the following competencies:

1. How to analyse relevant general issues in neuroscience including field specific theorems and ethical issue.
2. How to decide on animal and human research, and have general insight in ways to diminish research that causes suffering to humans and animals.
3. How to carry out literary research independently and how to formulate and express results and interpretations of the research outcomes.
4. Have better capability to carry out and analyse complex experiments in neuroscience.
5. Competence to summarize, document, report, and reflect on own findings.

Learning methods and activities

The student selects the appropriate reading list (if needed they can do this with their supervisor). Students familiar with the MSc Neuroscience program can gauge the target breadth by referring to lectures given in one of the master's level courses in the MSc Neuroscience program (NEVR3001, NEVR3002, NEVR3003, NEVR3004). The language of examination is English.

1. The reading list shall contain approximately 25 papers (not less than 23, not more than 26) and must be approved by the course coordinator.
2. In the reading list, the student will include a short (one sentence) statement under each paper describing the relevance of that paper to the topic.
3. The student delivers a 40-minute presentation followed by an open discussion on the topic, usually lasting 15 minutes.

Semester activities

Students are expected to assemble a list of relevant literature (from ~25 sources, including scientific articles, reviews and/or book chapters) and give an informed lecture on a topic. See description above for information on specific research topics.

The milestone activities during the semester are:

1. Defining & attaining approval for the self-study topic
2. Assembling a formatted literature list (template will be provided)
3. Attaining approval of final literature list
4. Presentation / exam

For the exam the student will to deliver a 40-minute lecture, leaving 15 minutes for a post-lecture discussion with the examiners. The lecture should NOT be an open-ended survey of literature, but instead come to discuss a particular theme or debate within a sub-field of current neuroscience.

Further on evaluation

The exam is in the form of a presentation, where the student delivers a 40-minute lecture, followed by a ~15-minute post-lecture discussion with the examiners. The discussion provides an opportunity to answer questions related to the lecture and to the field of neuroscience in general, and to share their knowledge and critical assessment of the state of the field for their topic, including ongoing developments and/or debates in that line of work.

*The exams for the autumn semester are held in December. The exact exam date is set ca. 1 month beforehand, depending on external examiner availability.

*The exams for the spring semester are in June. The exact exam date is set ca. 1 month beforehand, depending on external examiner availability.

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

The student should be enrolled in Master of Science in Neuroscience, Master of Science in Molecular Medicine or Medical Students on Student Research Programme. Candidates not enrolled (e.g. from Dept. of Mathematics) can be assessed individually by the course coordinator.

Required previous knowledge

Admission to a programme of study is required:

Neuroscience (MSNEUR)

Admission in a relevant MSc program (e.g. physics, computer science, psychology), evaluated by course coordinator on a per-student basis.

Course materials

The student selects the appropriate reading list themselves or with their advisor.

After the deadline for course registration is passed, the student will be contacted by an administrator providing information on submission of reading list and the exam date.

The topics may be based on the students own preferences, as long as the presentation topic is approved by the course coordinator.

Credit reductions