NUM Survival Guide 2017 2018 PDF

2017-2018
NUM Survival
Guide Your Guide to McGill’s Neuroscience Courses
Disclaimer: These course reviews have been written by students in the program. Though we ask our writers to
provide a balanced review of the class, these entries are inherently subjective. If you strongly disagree with
anything written here or would like to suggest an edit, fill out this form: goo.gl/hnyYkQ
Introduction
A Guide to this Guide
Introduction
Every year we must make tough decisions on what courses we want to devote our time and attention to, and deciding which
ones to take can be tricky. While the official course descriptions can provide you with an idea of what is taught in the class,
it tells you little of what the actual course experience is like. To help fill this gap we have created the NUM Survival Guide.
We have recruited actual students of McGill’s Neuroscience Program to share their experiences with the courses and to give
you some tips for success. Not every course is reviewed here, but we have tried to cover the most important and enjoyable
courses within the program.
What this is not

While we have tried to ensure everything in this guide is accurate, it is not and should not be used as a replacement for your
advisor or the official program material. Students of the Neuroscience program wrote this guide and the opinions expressed
within it are of theirs alone, which are not necessarily reflective of the opinions of McGill University. The opinions may
also vary from those of other students who have taken the class, so don’t take these reviews as definitive. So before making
any important course decisions please talk to your advisor to ensure you are getting the best advice. That said, we still hope
you find it useful.
How to navigate the guide

The entries are listed in alphabetical order. For quick navigation, use command + F (or ctrl + F) and type in the class you’re
looking for.
About Textbooks
In this guide we have tried to indicate how important the textbook is for each course. Often textbooks are useful for
contextual information but aren’t needed for the actual midterms and final, so we have tried to indicate when that is the
case. Still, when in doubt, buy the textbook. Buying used textbooks can also save you money, so be sure to check out
McGill Classifieds or the various used bookstores around McGill. You may not get the latest edition, but you may save
hundreds of dollars for a very similar text.
About Prerequisites
If you really want to take a course but you don’t have the prerequisites, don’t give up! Often professors will let you register
for classes if you express enough interest. Many profs know that neuroscience students are willing to put in extra effort to
make up for their lack of background knowledge. Just know that you may be disadvantaged relative to other students in the
class.
ANAT 321 Instructor:
Prof. David Ragsdale
Semesters:
Circuitry of the Human Brain Fall
Course Overview Prerequisites:

The course focuses on how neuronal systems are designed to subserve ANAT/BIOC 212 or BIOL 201; and
specific motor, sensory, and cognitive operations as well as some modern one of PHGY 209, NSCI 200 or PSYC
topics in neuroscience like brain imaging and Alzheimer’s. With Professor 211; or permission of instructor
Ragsdale, the class is NSCI200/201 lite, presenting a simplified version of
the material covered in these courses. 3 hours of lectures per week. Class Size: ~280
Method of Evaluation Textbook:

5% readings + 35% midterm + 60% final. Lecture-based midterm and final None.
are entirely multiple choice. Reading reports were a completion mark.
Lecture Recordings:
The Experience Yes! Slides are usually posted in
advance.
Dr. Ragsdale teaches ANAT321 as a conceptual anatomy class. He is an
engaging lecturer, and his neuroanatomy explanations are very elegant. This
course is a nice overview of the organization of the nervous system and is
taught at a level of detail that is less than what neuroscience students will
already know coming into the course. That being said, it is still a very
interesting class. Evaluations for the class were extremely straightforward; as
a result, the class had an A- average in Fall 2017.
Tips for Success

The midterm and final exams for the course are straightforward multiple
choice on concepts about the nervous system, however Professor Ragsdale is
under pressure from faculty to lower the class average in future years and in
Fall 2017 he did succeed at adding in a few tougher, less fact-based
questions. Understand the overlapping concepts he continually stresses in
class as well as the facts and you’ll be good to go!
Bio
BIOC 212 Instructors:

Jason Young, Thomas Duchaine, Arnim
Pause, Maxime Bouchard
Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function Semester: Winter
An introductory course describing the biochemistry and molecular biology in BIOL 200
selected key functions of animal cells, including gene expression,
mitochondrial production of metabolic energy, cellular communication with Class Size: 250
the extracellular environment and regulation of cell division.
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation Molecular Cell Biology, 7e (Lodish)
Supplementary; all testable information
Non-cumulative, multiple choice 46% midterm and 54% final.
is provided in lecture.
The Experience
Lecture Recordings:
All of the lecturers are quite good. They are experts in their field (ex. Arnim
Lectures are recorded, and slides are
Pause is a cancer researcher and teaches the cancer part of the course) and posted
generally clear with their speaking and slides. This course consists
of a lot of work and memorization. The material is completely from lecture,
but it is very thorough, especially the material for the first midterm which is
quite difficult and detail-oriented while the final is less so.
Tips for Success

Making clear notes is key. This may be true for any course, but BIOC 212
throws a lot of information at you. It is in your best interest to keep that
information understandable to you. Dr. Young provides practice problems for
the first midterm, which are very helpful in getting used to his particular
question writing style. His section especially requires attention to details from
the slides and lecture.
BIOC 212 vs. BIOL 201

BIOL 201 seems to have a greater emphasis on cell cycles and specifics of
metabolism (glycolysis, citric acid cycle) and BIOC 212 has a greater
emphasis on specific proteins and their interactions (heat shock proteins, how
cancer affects cell growth) as well as pathways and cascades. Different
students have different opinions on both courses, but most agree that both
courses are quite challenging. BIOC 212 is non-cumulative. BIOL 201 is
cumulative with 2 midterms and a final all with cheat sheets.
Instructors:
BIOC 311 Maxime Denis, Sidong Huang, Robert
S. Kiss, Uri David Akavia, Vincent
Metabolic Biochemistry Giguere, Michel Tremblay
Semester: Fall
Prerequisites:
Course Overview BIOL 200, BIOL 201 or BIOC 212,
CHEM 222
The course delves further into some of the ideas and concepts covered in BIOL
201 and BIOC 212, as well as introducing new topics. Metabolic systems
Class Size: ~400
and their regulation are covered at a molecular, cellular and organ level.
Chemical concepts and mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis are also emphasized.

Textbook:
Biochemistry (Voet)
Topics include carbohydrate, lipid and nitrogen metabolism, complex lipid and Supplementary; all testable information
biological membranes, and hormonal signal transduction. is provided in lecture.
Method of Evaluation Lecture Recordings:

Midterm (40%) and final (60%) exams are entirely multiple choice (type B is on Lectures are recorded, and slides are
both tests, but most questions are type A). posted.
The Experience
While the course is not conceptually difficult, it is rather memorization heavy.
There is a huge number of enzymes and tons different pathways that you need
to memorize. If memorizing is very challenging for you, this course is not
necessarily recommended, but if you work hard at it you can do well. However,
memorization also means that this course does not require a huge time
commitment outside of studying for midterms and exam.
Tips for Success

Understanding how the various processes and pathways work will be very
helpful on the exam, as most concepts are fairly intuitive. Everything you need
to know is in the slides, you just need to make sure you understand it. While the
final is not cumulative, some concepts from the midterm are involved in post-
midterm material (ie: pentose phosphate pathway) so be sure you understand the
midterm material even after the exam. While the two exams are not overly
difficult, do not underestimate the amount of information you need to memorize
and understand.
BIOL 200 AM Instructor:
Thomas Bureau and Richard Roy
Semesters:
Molecular Biology Fall
The course studies the molecular makeup of the cell building from the simple BIOL 112 or equivalent
macromolecule components, to organelles, to complex cellular processes. A
large portion of the course is centered around the central dogma in great detail; Class Size: ~630
the pathway by which DNA is made into RNA, and ultimately proteins. There is
a significant section studying transposable elements and their effects in the cell. Textbook:
The course also covers research methods and techniques in biology such as Molecular Cell Biology 8e (Lodish)
northern, southern and western blots as well as DNA sequencing technology. Used Textbook may be purchased for
Ultimately the course material culminates in a section on advanced discoveries in ~60$ and might also be found online.
genetic engineering and systems biology approaches such as the genome editing. Not necessary for success in the class
but can aid learning
Method of Evaluation
5 Quizzes (10%), Midterm (25%), Final (65%) Lecture Recordings:
Lectures are recorded and slides are
The Experience posted
The content of the course can be overwhelmingly detailed and complex at first
but if the work is put in there is a very satisfying point where one can fully
understand how the cell makes a protein from a gene. The first half of the course
up to the midterm is taught by Professor Bureau. He is a great lecturer who
illustrates concepts clearly and thoroughly. His research is on transposons so
there is an emphasis placed on that section. Professor Roy is also a good speaker
but, tends to cover a lot of material in each lecture and therefore talks fast and
does not go over things once he has gone through them once. The slides are
useful resources for both professors, but it is critical that one makes note of what
they are saying, not just what is written on the slides. Anything that the
professors mention is testable material.
Tips for Success

For success in this class it is important to memorize details as well as understand
the processes as a whole and how the lectures connect. The questions will rely on
a thorough understanding of concepts and require you to apply the knowledge
that you learn. It is critical to have the details memorized as questions will often
reference very specific components of the processes. The key to success is to
create a transcript of what the professors say in class by re-watching the lecture
recordings. The material moves very fast so it is important to keep up to date as
you cannot cram for this course. The quizzes are a useful tool and are fairly
representative of exam questions. Overall this course requires a broad view
understanding of the pathways in the cell as a whole but the real devil is in the
details so get memorizing!
BIOL 200 PM Instructors:
Hastings, Lasko, and Ohyama
Semesters:
Molecular Biology Fall

The physical and chemical properties of the cell and its components in BIOL 112 or equivalent
relation to their structure and function. Topics include: molecular genetics
and genomics, protein structure, enzymes and enzyme kinetics; nucleic acid Corequisites:
replication, transcription and translation; the genetic code, mutation, CHEM 212 or equivalent
recombination, and regulation of gene expression.
Class Size: ~650 Students
5 Quizzes (10%), Midterm (25%), Final (65%) Textbook:
Molecular Cell Biology 7e (Lodish)
The Experience Used textbook may be purchased for
Professor Hastings is an interesting lecturer and is very passionate about ~$60 and might also be found in full
biology. The material will sometimes feel dry but make sure to pay close online.
attention to the points the professors emphasizes for these are the ones that
Lecture Recordings:
come up often on exams. Professor Lasko goes over concepts at a very
reasonable pace, has well written slides, and will take time to answer
posted
questions. Great professor! Professor Ohyama teaches the second midterm
of this class and is not a very clear lecturer. Reading the textbook and going
over slides in groups to try and figure out what is going on for her section is
extremely useful. Her exam questions however are the easiest of any of this
section’s lecturers.
Tips for Success

The key to success for this class is re-watching the lecture recordings. No
matter how minute it is, every detail brought up in lecture might end up on
the midterm and/or final. Prof. Bureau tends to highlight and address the key
parts of his lectures. He sometimes leaves questions unanswered in lectures
and these questions often pop up on his exams. Get together with a group of
friends/classmates to do the quizzes but make sure you understand why the
answer you’re selecting is the correct one. It is very easy to fall behind in this
course but the quizzes help you gauge your understanding of the material. If
this class was to be summed up in three words it would be memorization,
memorization, memorization…. so get memorizing!
BIOL 201 Instructors:
Gary Brouhard
Semester:
Cell Biology and Metabolism Winter

This course introduces the student to our modern understanding of cells and BIOL 200
how they work. Major topics to be covered include: photosynthesis, energy
metabolism and metabolic integration; plasma membrane including secretion, Class Size: 600
endocytosis and contact mediated interactions between cells; cytoskeleton
including cell and organelle movement; the nervous system; hormone
Textbook:
signaling; the cell cycle. Molecular Cell Biology, 8e (Lodish

2 Midterms (25% each), 6 online quizzes with worst mark dropped (10% or
posted
2% each) final exam (40%). Evaluations are mix of short answer (1 word-
4/5 sentences) and MC with “select all that apply” and “select best answer”
types
The Experience
Biol 201 is a very interesting course that is quite a bit different from the
experience in Biol 200. Dr. Brouhard emphasizes application of concepts and
doesn’t focus heavily on the proteins and complex names that the processes
he discusses rely on. He is an amazing lecturer that goes over concepts at a
reasonable rate, has obvious passion for the subject that he teaches, and is
interested in the success of his students. All slides and lectures are posted
online if you can’t make it to class. The final section of the class overlaps
quite a bit with NSCI 200/201, which can prove helpful.
Tips for Success

Gary Brouhard does not ask you to memorize anything and allows you to
bring in a hand-written crib sheet into all of the exams. He claims that any
exam question that can be answered by google is a bad question. He heavily
focuses on the concepts discussed in class and pushes you to think about how
the components of the cellular system interact. Many of the questions require
consideration of what might happen if the cellular systems are perturbed.
Knowing the facts does serve as a tool for understanding how different
cellular processes fit together. The best approach is to focus on understanding
the problems that the cell is trying to solve, and then learn how the problem
is solved. As with any class, it is important to stay up to date, and not leave
everything to the last minute. Learning the concepts takes time and the crib-
sheet, though helpful in reminding you about a protein name when trying to
answer a short-answer question, will not be sufficient to answer the
complicated conceptual questions he will inevitably ask. You will come out
of this course having learnt a lot about how to think critically and apply
knowledge in order to make conclusions given limited information.
BIOL 202 Instructors: Daniel Schoen, Laura
Nilson, Nam Sung Moon (Winter);
David Dankort, (Summer)
Basic Genetics Semesters: Winter and Summer

This course is an applied approach to learning about the genetics of organisms. BIOL 200
How are traits inherited? What regulates gene expression? How do genes
interact within the organism? How are genetics analyzed at the population and Class Size: 600
ecological level? How can genetics help us understand cancer, its inheritance,
and its pathogenesis? Finally, how does gene expression change through
Textbook:
organismal development and how does the environment influence this? The first Introduction to Genetic Analysis, 11th
half of the course is taught by Dr. Schoen and is assessed by a problem-solving- edition (Griffiths et al.) + Solution
based midterm exam. The second half of the course is taught by Dr. Nilson and Guide (Also available as a e-book)
Dr. Moon and ends with a final exam that does not include pre-midterm material. Highly recommended. The problems
provide a lot of the practice that is
Method of Evaluation necessary to develop a familiarity
Multiple choice midterm (35%) and a non-cumulative final (65%). with genetic analysis and the
chapters assigned as readings help
The Experience clarify material.
BIOL 202 is not all about memorization; it requires you to memorize a few
Lecture Recordings:
details, but the application of knowledge to actual problems and experiments is
more important. While the lectures present key examples and basic concepts,
posted
solving problems often requires an extrapolation of what was covered in
lecture. This course can be challenging, as it involves a lot of thinking and
problem-solving, but it is also a refreshing break from pure memorization
classes. While the midterm material tends to be more straightforward application
of probability and Mendelian genetics, the final brings in the added complexity
of molecular genetic concepts and cancer genetics, which can prove to be quite
tricky.
Tips for Success

Do all the assigned practice problems, even the ones you think are easy. You can
find practice material in the textbook, conferences, and in lecture slides.
Often, it is only through doing the practice questions that you realize you do
not truly understand a concept. In addition, the practice problems cover
intricacies of the concepts that are not clearly focused on during lectures. Aim
for a high mark on the midterm; it provides a cushion for tougher final. The final
exam is a little bit more similar to BIOL 200 in how it tests a lot of molecular
concepts and requires more memorization than seen in the midterm exam. A
more strategic approach to memorizing that synthesizes small details with larger
concepts will lend well to preparing for the final.
BIOL 301 Instructors:
Huanquan Zheng, Paul Harrison, Rodrigo Reyes
Lamothe (Fall & Winter)
Cell and Molecular Laboratory (4 credits) Semesters:
Fall & Winter

An introduction to laboratory techniques with a focus on methods used to PHYS 102 or PHYS 142, BIOL 200,
investigate fundamental questions in modern cell and molecular biology. BIOL 201 or ANAT/BIOC 212, and
Techniques including gene cloning, DNA and protein isolation and BIOL 202, with BIOL 206. However,
manipulation are covered, along with functional analysis of genes and neuroscience students with BIOL 200,
proteins, basic bioinformatics, and computer-based experimental design and BIOL 201 or BIOC 212 will be
data analysis. prepared for the course. Prior
experience in a (biology) laboratory is
Method of Evaluation extremely beneficial, although not
Lab portion (60%, includes pre-lab quizzes and reports), midterm (10%), required for success.
final (30%); midterm and final consists of ~3 questions with a focus on
Class Size: 200-ish
determining an appropriate experimental procedure, and explaining the
appropriate controls.
Textbook:
The Experience Molecular Cell Biology (Lodish)
The textbook is not required, but
The six-hour weekly lab complements the 1-hour weekly lecture, for a total
certainly helpful if you kept it,
of 7 hours per week of commitment (at the bare minimum). The labs
especially to clarify confusing topics.
typically DO last all six hours, with few exceptions. Although the six hours
can be a physical and mental drain, the course teaches a lot about laboratory Lecture Recordings:
techniques and prepares you well for research in a laboratory. If you don’t The lecture portion is recorded, labs are
have lab experience, this class would be a great idea to prepare you, and the
not recorded
profs are sometimes willing to write you a recommendation! The course
focuses on teaching when certain laboratory techniques are appropriate given
a situation (ie. we need to know what genes are upregulated in an infected
mouse compared to a normal mouse - what are the experimental steps?)
Tips for Success

The actual lab research reports make up most of your grade, so learn what
you are doing in the labs beforehand, so you are prepared for the pre-lab
quizzes and understand what you are doing for those 6 hours. Know which
situations are appropriate for the experimental techniques you have learned to
answer questions on the midterm and final... and don’t forget positive and
negative controls! Find a lab partner you like working with, since you’re
stuck with them 6 hours every week! Move quickly in the lab and be precise -
lost marks in the lab add up quickly!
BIOL 306 Instructor: Prof. Joseph Dent, Prof.
Jon Sakata, Prof. Alanna Watt (Coord.)
Semesters:
Neural Basis of Behaviour Fall
The first part of the course, taught by Professor Dent, covers cellular PHYS 102 or PHYS 142 or CEGEP
neurophysiology very similar to Professor Ruthazer’s section of NSCI 200. Physics and one of the following: BIOL
Keep your NSCI 200 notes - they will prove useful in this course! Professor 201, ANAT 212, BIOC 212 or NSCI
Sakata focuses primarily on sensory modalities (visual, multimodal, etc.), how 200
they translate into behaviour, and their neural bases. Professor Watt examines
the neural networks of population coding, central pattern generators, and Restrictions:
command systems are also covered. The last part of the course is taught by Dent BIOL 306 and PHGY 314 cannot be
again, about genes and behaviours such as language, circadian rhythms, sleep, both taken for credit.
aggression, and sexual behaviour.
Class Size: ~200
Midterm 1 (18%), short assignments on Dent’s material (2%), midterm 2 (35%), Textbook:
final (45%). Midterms were a mix of multiple choice and medium-length written Nerve Cells and Animal Behaviour
questions. Final was multiple choice. Format may change from year to year. All (Simmons PJ, Young D)
exams are not cumulative. The text is recommended, but not
required. Exams will cover only material
The Experience given in lectures. The textbook is short
and cheap, but completely unnecessary!
This course presents a unique perspective in the neuroscience degree. It focuses
on animal physiology to study animal physiology - rather than to primarily Lecture Recordings:
explain human physiology, although this is touched on in the genes and Lectures are recorded, slides are posted.
behaviours sections at the end of the course. Dr. Dent’s neurophysiology
midterm is calculation based regarding the electrophysiological properties of
neurons. The remaining exams are more memorization/evidence based.
Professor Sakata emphasizes the designing of experiments and application of
knowledge in his midterm. A lot of the exam questions emphasize what
experiments/evidence led to certain conclusions. Compared to PHGY 314, there
is much less information to memorize for this course and there is no paper.
There is a lot of overlap between BIOL 306 and NSCI 201.
Tips for Success

For the electrophysiology section, do the practice questions Dent gives! For the
neuroethology and genes and behaviour material, Q-and-A-style study notes are
very helpful. The professors do a good job of citing the research they cover in
class, so if there’s an important experiment you don’t understand, look it up!
Full understanding of the experiments really helps with the written questions and
understanding the abstract can make you look like a genius on the exam. Make
sure you thoroughly understand the purpose and associated concepts for each
animal model.
BIOL 309 Instructor:
Professor Leon Glass
Semesters:
Mathematical Models in Biology Fall

Application of finite difference and differential equations to problems in cell One year of calculus
and developmental biology, ecology and physiology. Qualitative, quantitative
and graphical techniques are used to analyze mathematical models and solve Class Size: ~50
biological problems.
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation Understanding Nonlinear Dynamics
Five homework assignments 10%, class quiz (midterm) 20%, research article (Daniel Kaplan and Leon Glass)
critique 20%, final exam 50%. $50 used. Absolutely essential and very
helpful.
The Experience
Lecture Recordings:
Very interesting course. Though the material may at first seem confusing and
No lecture recordings. Mainly
somewhat daunting, the pace moves relatively slowly and there are many
blackboard teaching with some slide
resources (textbook, conferences, office hours) to help you better understand
use, which aren't posted.
the material. Professor Glass can be somewhat disorganized at times, but he
keeps class interesting and is extremely knowledgeable on the subject.
Tips for Success

Taking the course as a U1 student can be helpful, as calculus will be fresh in
your mind. Do assignments and practice with previous exams. Professor Glass
tends to re-use certain question “types”, which you will get good at identifying
and answering with practice. Go to tutorials, they are very helpful. Find a
study/assignment group to tackle tougher problems! Try to do as many practice
problems as you can.
BIOL 309 vs MATH 222

Many students may find this to be a more relaxed and more neuroscience-
relevant alternative to Calculus 3. You’ll leave the course with a different
perspective on mathematics and computation in neuroscience.
Dr. Brian Leung
Semesters:
Biometry Fall

This course provides a great introduction to the statistical analysis of MATH 112 or equivalent
biological data. There is a large emphasis on the assumptions that statistical
tests and models make, as well as how to choose the correct test for the data Class Size: ~100
rather than necessarily how to implement the test itself. The statistical
software R is used in the laboratory. Tests discussed include: t-test, single-
Textbook:
and multiple-factor ANOVAs, MANOVAs, repeated measures, regression, Biostatistical Analysis, 5 ed.
chi-square, and post hoc tests, among others. General themes include: Prentice Hall (Zar JH)
probability, normal distributions, data transformations, and general issues Used: $80;
not followed very much in class. Helpful
with statistical analysis of data.
for theoretical understanding, however
lacking in practice problems
Class Assignments (20%), Lab Assignments (25%), Final Exam (55%). Class
Lecture Recordings:
assignments are due 24h after every lecture. They take approximately 15-30
minutes if you know what you are doing, but much longer if you do not.
posted
There are about 11 laboratory sessions with assignments based on using the
statistical software R. The final examination is short and long answer.
The Experience
This course is much more demanding than PSYC 305, but students do learn a
lot. Dr. Leung has fairly straight-forward slides, and he does an adequate job
explaining complex concepts. He is very willing to take questions in class
and to speak to students after class if they have problems. The class does
move quickly, but assignments following each lecture ensure students stay on
top of concepts.
Tips for Success

The final is hard. Focus on doing well on lab and class assignments since
these are much easier and there is a lot of support to help you do well on
them. TAs are a great resource for both the lab and class assignments. They
will meet with you to answer questions before each assignment is due. Talk
to Dr. Leung after class as he tends to be better at explaining things in a one-
on-one setting. Finally, the most essential aspect of the class is knowing the
assumptions of each test and understanding exactly when and why to employ
them. Look for alternative avenues of practice problems—Dr. Leung is a
good lecturer, however that is not enough to succeed in this course; you need
to practice a ton of problems until you understand the assumptions.
Instructor:
BIOL 389 Joseph Dent, Alanna Watt, Rudiger
Krahe
Laboratory in Neurobiology Semesters:
Winter

The main objective of the course is to allow students to experience firsthand BIOL 306 or NEUR 310 or NSCI 200
how neurobiological questions are asked and answered. In each of the or PHGY 311 or permission of
following three course sections, you will first be introduced to the relevant instructor.
experimental techniques and then conduct a small independent research
project. The course is divided into three main sections: the control of C. Class Size: 25 people in the lecture,
elegans pharynx, synaptic plasticity in rat hippocampal slices, and 12 in lab
intracellular physiology of leech neurons, each of which are covered over
four labs.
Textbook:
Selected journal articles
Lecture Recordings:
Course evaluation is divided into three 33% lab reports for each professor’s
No
section. You will have 3 weeks to finish the first two lab reports, but the
deadline for the third one is one week after the last lab.
The Experience
This class is great opportunity to work with three different animal models.
Students work in pairs but the reports are done individually. The techniques
can be challenging; however, the professors are very nice and will help you
master them. Keep in mind that these weekly lab sessions go through the
entire afternoon and end in the evening for scheduling purposes.
Tips for Success

Start doing your data analysis early to make sure you end up with enough
data as you may have to redo a recording if it did not come out correctly. Ask
the professor for help will the data analysis/programs if you need it. Don’t
think of an overly complicated project otherwise it will be impossible to
finish in the lab time you’re allotted. Furthermore, make sure you get your
positive and negative controls. The lab reports take a long time to complete so
make sure you start early.
Sarah Woolley
Semesters:
Advances in Neuroethology Winter

This class serves as an in-depth survey of current research in neuroethology. BIOL 306 or NSCI 200 or PHGY 311
It takes some of the basic concepts learnt in BIOL 306 and delves deeper into or permission of instructor
recent work on the neural basis of behavior (from a range of different model
systems). Quite a bit of ground is covered, from vocal learning in songbirds, Class Size: 20
to hippocampal memory in rodents, to aggression in Drosophila, to name just
a few behavioral studies from model systems that were examined. Each
Textbook:
seminar is on a recent paper from the field and is self-contained. None
Each class is a student-run seminar on
Method of Evaluation a recent paper in neuroethology
Oral presentation on an assigned paper (35%), contribution to class
Lecture Recordings:
discussions (15%), short assignments before each seminar (5%), final term
Lectures are not recorded but slides
paper (35%) and peer review of drafts of 2 other students’ term papers (10%)
from each student seminar are posted
The Experience
This is a great class for anyone who enjoyed BIOL 306 and is interested in
learning more about current research in neuroethology. Because there are no
exams, there is considerable freedom to learn about topics that interest you
and forget about the rest. There is huge emphasis on class discussion, and
much of the learning in this class comes from your peers. The course is
rigorous in that you are responsible for running an entire seminar on a paper
(in detail), but Dr. Woolley provides a lot of support. Most neuroscience
students agree that this course encourages real learning through heated in-
class debate and discussion. There is definitely no rote memorization!
Tips for Success

Grading in this class is very fair. Attendance is mandatory and participation
is a big part of the grade. You must read each paper before class, not just to
be prepared to discuss it, but also in order to complete the short assignments
that precede each class. Attend class, complete the assignments, and engage
with the material, and you will definitely do well! When it comes to the
presentation and term paper, take advantage of the professor’s offer to meet
to discuss the topic and to review a draft.
Instructor:
BIOL 532 Donald van Meyel, Edward Ruthazer,
Artur Kania, Jean-Francois Cloutier,
Developmental Neurobiology Seminar Alyson Fournier
Semesters: Winter
This course covers many different topics, ranging from nervous system BIOL 303 or 306, or permission of
development, cell migrations, axon guidance, how neurotrophic factors instructor
influence development, visual system development, and regeneration and
repair in the CNS. However, the overall theme of the course is what is most Class Size: 16
important. This course teaches you to not only learn information from papers,
but how to think critically about it, and form your own opinions about what
Textbook:
the authors’ findings actually mean. 2-4 scientific papers/week

No recordings, lecture slides are posted
Questions for lectures (14%), class participation (14%), 2 presentations in
pairs (24% each), and a final paper (24%)
The Experience
The evaluation is based on two one-hour presentations, each on one of the
assigned papers. The presentations are very thorough, but the marking is very
fair and helps to improve your presentation and analytic skills. Overall, this is
an excellent course, and it helps to improve your thinking from just
memorizing material to understanding and critiquing it. It is also a great
opportunity to interact with professors and graduate students in a small class.
If you want to get a feel for what graduate school is like, take this course!
Tips for Success

The presentations comprise the majority of your grade so be sure to really
polish off a clean presentation! As an undergraduate you might find the
graduate students have an advantage in critiquing the papers during the in-
class discussions, but don’t fret! Although this class has quite the learning
curve to attack, it’s extremely rewarding as you acquire an invaluable skillset
for any research-related work in the future. Pairing with a graduate student is
what most undergraduates try to do, which is a wise choice, but this does not
reduce the workload in any way. The large advantage of pairing with a
graduate student is that they might be able to help with the critique and
organization of the presentation. However, pick your partner wisely! You
don’t want to be stuck with a heavy workload for these presentations, which
can be quite intense. The final paper is very straightforward as it is a review of
an article from the primary literature on the range of topics presented in the
class. The course material is very molecular-focused; keep that in mind if you
are comparing this with BIOL 530, which has more of a concentration on
model systems and their relation to behaviour.
Instructor:
BIOL / PSYC 514 Karim Nader
Semesters:
Neurobiology of Learning & Memory Fall (& Winter depending on
registration numbers)

The class will cover the foundation and recent developments in the BIOL 306 or NEUR 310 or PHGY 311
neuroscience of learning and memory. Topics will range from principles of or NSCI 201, or permission of
synapse formation and plasticity to memory systems and memory instructor
organization.
Class Size: 15
Textbook:
Class participation and presentation (33.3%), 48-hour take-home midterm
None. Freely available readings assigned
(33.3%), 48-hour take-home final (33.3%). each week.
The Experience Lecture Recordings:

Dr. Nader is a very relaxed and extremely intelligent professor so the class is No
quite enjoyable. Since this is a class on memory, neuroscience students will
find that they have covered quite a few of the topics before. The first class
each week is a lecture on a selected learning or memory topic. The second
class each week is composed of student presentations on that topic. Lecture
slides are not always posted but Dr. Nader is happy to take the time to clarify
figures and concepts within the lecture. Presentations are 20-25 minutes long
and based on a research article of your choosing. You get to choose the date
and topic of your midterm at the start of the semester, so you can balance it
with your midterm schedule. Classes can be a little disorganized in
scheduling and content at times, but the class is on the whole an enjoyable
experience.
Tips for Success

Go to class and do the associated readings. Lecture slides are not always
posted and the lecture material is directly relevant to the midterm and final
questions. The weekly readings will be especially valuable for the take-home
assessments. For the presentation, Dr. Nader is happy to confirm whether the
paper you have selected is both a good fit for the week’s topic and if it is a
strong paper overall for a presentation, so make sure you choose a paper and
email it to him in advance. Get to know Dr. Nader! He is friendly, super
knowledgeable, and a superstar in his field.
BMDE 519 Instructor:
Robert Kearney
Semesters:
Biomedical Signals and Systems Fall

An introduction to the theoretical framework, experimental techniques and Satisfactory standing in U3 Honours
analysis procedures available for the quantitative analysis of physiological Physiology;
systems and signals. Lectures plus laboratory work using the Biomedical or U3 Major in Physics-Physiology;
Engineering computer system. Topics include: amplitude and frequency or U3 Major Physiology-
structure of signals, filtering, sampling, correlation functions, time and Mathematics;
frequency-domain descriptions of systems. or permission of instructor
Method of Evaluation Class Size: 25

The final grade will be determined using the algorithm:
Textbook:
TG = .5 AS + .15*max(ME,FE) + .35*FE where
None
TG = final grade %
AS = assignment grade % (total of 10 assignments) Lecture Recordings:
ME = mid-term exam grade % Not available
FE = final exam grade %
The Experience
This course is extremely useful if you want to do further graduate and/or
industry work with biomedical signals and systems and/or data science. The
concepts learned and applied will enable you to work with large data sets of
biomedical data (neuroimaging, electrophysiology, etc.) and develop
complex algorithms to analyse them.
Tips for Success

All of the assignments are done on MATLAB so students are expected to be
familiar with MATLAB and be able to write simple scripts and functions.
The lecture itself is very theoretical and heavy on math so it’s very useful to
have a decently strong math background (i.e. at least MATH 315). It is your
job to understand that theory and apply it in order to complete the assignment
for the week. Keep up with all of the assignments and start early in the week.
Some of them can take as long as 30 hours per week so give yourself enough
time to complete it. Make sure you’re able to balance it with the rest of your
course work and extracurricular courses so you don’t fall behind.
The midterm and final are both take-home exams which you can take
anytime you’d like within the assigned exam period (usually a 1-week
period) but you only have 72 hours once the code has been accessed. Make
sure that you are completely free for the 72 hours that you choose to write it
because they are very long and do require significant time and thinking.
CHEM 212 Instructor:
Laura Pavelka and Hanadi Sleiman
Semesters:
Organic Chemistry 1 Fall/Winter/Summer
The main focus of the course is understanding how chemicals behave in order CHEM 110 and 120
to predict reactivity as well as how chemicals transform Properties, Reactivity
and application of hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon derivatives (i.e alkyl halides) Class Size: >650 students
are studied as well as nomenclature, stereochemistry and modern concepts of
bonding. Multiple different mechanism pathways are learnt including radical
Textbook:
halogenation, substitution, elimination and aromatic reactions. Organic Chemistry (Solomon and Fryhe)
11e or 12e: Any organic textbook is
Method of Evaluation suitable as the problems are
40% Midterms (2x 20%); 35% or 40% Final; 20% Laboratory, 5% or 0% supplementary but useful for practice.
Sapling Online Learning. Sapling is an online resource of practice questions
with the option of them counting for 5% of your grade. If you choose not to do Lecture Recordings:
the questions, the 5% will be weighted to your final. Lectures are recorded and slides are
posted
The Experience
Both Professor Pavelka and Professor Sleiman are extremely dedicated to the
success of their students. They thoroughly explain concepts in class, provide
useful flowcharts and tools for problem solving, and allow time for practice in
class. They both are very clear and passionate about chemistry. They go above
and beyond in proving resources which will help students excel such as Fresca
tutorials, an online discussion board, a facebook group, suggested textbook
problems, sapling, organic bytes (pre-lecture learning modules), and in class
“clicker” questions.
Tips for Success

This course is challenging but is very rewarding if you dedicate time to doing
many practice problems. With the resources available it is very possible to
excel in the course. The key to success is practice, practice, practice! Do all the
problem sets, attend lectures, and do the practice finals. The labs take a
significant amount of work but are marked fairly and tend to help students
understanding. The midterms and final are reflective of the example problems
are the questions are fair. Overall, organic chemistry is about solving puzzles.
By doing lots of example problems you can become familiar with the different
mechanisms so nothing on the exams will come as a surprise!
Instructor:
CHEM 222 David Noble Harpp, Bruce Arndtsen,
Michel Daoust (Lab)
Organic Chemistry 2 Semesters:
Fall, Winter, Summer

The course begins with an overview of the structure of organic molecules. CHEM 212 or equivalent
Mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance
are covered. The course then moves on to explore the chemical properties of Class Size: 600+
various functional groups like alcohols, ethers, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic
acids, amines and more.
Textbook:
Organic Chemistry (Solomon and
Method of Evaluation Fryhe)
Midterm 1 25%, Midterm 2 25%, Final Exam 30%, Lab Component 20%. Supplementary, but useful for practice
questions and if you want more a
The Experience theoretical understanding of the
material covered in class.
The course focuses on creating a practical understanding of the chemistry
covered. Almost all questions are based on problem solving and mechanisms.
Lecture Recordings:
Both professors write notes by hand. Professor Harpp is very enthusiastic, and
Yes. Slides are also posted online
has breaks during every lecture where he talks about interesting topics. Both
professors are very approachable and seem to genuinely care about the
success of their students.
Tips for Success

Practice is key! Many previous exams and practice questions are posted; do
them until you understand the material. For the first midterm, try to do all the
problems posted on myCourses. Organic chemistry requires both
memorization and problem solving so make sure to study the class notes but
don’t forget to do lots of practice problems. Keep up with the material during
the semester and try to score as high as possible on the midterms and the lab
because the final is infamous for being very difficult.
COMP 202 Instructor: David Romero (Fall), Giulia
Alberini (FWS), Bentley Oakes (Winter)
Semesters:
Foundations of Programming Fall/Winter
In COMP 202 you learn how to program using Java as your first programming None
language. The basics of creating loops, setting variables, and being introduced
to object oriented programming are covered. This is an introductory Class Size: 100-150
programming course where you need no prior knowledge of programming.
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation How to Think Like a Computer
4 assignments (35%), a midterm (25%) and a final (40%). If you perform better Scientist
on the final the grading scheme automatically switches to drop your midterm Not necessary but can be helpful if you are
altogether and have the final worth 65%. struggling

Because there are so many sections for this course, it is difficult to generalize Recorded slides are provided.
about the in-class experience. Generally, the pace is quite relaxed, and there is
lots of example code written and explained during class which prepares you
well for assignments. If it is your first time programming the assignments can
take a long time, but in retrospect they are really quite simple. The difficulty of
the midterm and final seems to vary year to year, but typically it is not overly
difficult. The midterm and final exams now each have a multiple choice and
written component.
Tips for Success

Talking about the concepts with friends is a great way to gain a better
understanding of the material or solve some of the problems in the
assignments. However, it is cannot be stressed enough that you need to try
everything yourself first. If you need help the TAs for the course are very
knowledgeable. There is plenty of support online for learning java as well,
which are relatively easy to navigate your way through. PRACTICE
PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!
COMP 206 Instructor:
Joseph Vybihal
Semesters:
Introduction to Software Systems Fall, Winter

COMP 206 aims to provide students with a wide range of programming COMP 202 or COMP 250
methods. The course begins with how the UNIX operating system functions
and then moves on to BASH scripting, C, PERL, and Python programming, Class Size: 200
and the basics of HTML. Developmental tools like make and various version
control systems are also introduced.
Textbook:
Software Systems (Vybihal & Azar)
Method of Evaluation Required for the first assignment. Note
that there are some errors in it.
4 Assignments (20%), midterm (30%) and final exam (50%) consisting of
both multiple choice, short answer, and long answer questions. This year,
Lecture Recordings:
Professor Vybihal gave the option to skip the midterm and instead have a
Availability of audio recording depends
80% final, but students were required to email him about their decision
on what room the class is in for the
beforehand.
semester. Slides are posted online.
The Experience
In contrast to COMP 202, COMP 206 is far more technical. Concepts are
covered at a much greater pace, and they often aren’t covered is as much
detail as one would desire. The professors do the best to teach the core
concepts, but due to the nature of the material, much of it ends up being self-
taught. Professor Vybihal is a confusing lecturer and often leaves mistakes in
his slides or when teaching. Assignments can be long and tedious (and poorly
worded) but are ultimately rewarding, and truly allow you to learn how to
program. The midterms and exams are challenging and they require you to
write code by hand.
Tips for Success

Make use of internet resources! Not surprisingly, there are many
programmers on the internet, and they can offer all kinds of help from
answering specific questions to explaining concepts in an accessible manner.
Professor Vybihal also has a COMP 206 Facebook group that he (and your
fellow students) regularly checks to answer questions. This is especially
helpful if you need clarification on the assignments. For the midterm, be sure
to study the different components of Unix computers. Also ensure that you
practice your programming. You may conceptually understand the material,
but you must be able to use it to solve practical problems. Be sure to practice
writing code by hand or you may have difficulty on the exam.
COMP 250 Instructor:
Michael Langer (Fall)
Semesters:
Introduction to Computer Science Fall & Winter
This course introduces you to two core topics in computer science: data Familiarity with a high-level
structures and algorithms. For the data structures, you will learn about programming language and CEGEP
various types of lists (arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues), trees, and graphs, level math.
and you will also learn the basic algorithms that use these data structures.
You will also learn how to analyze such algorithms in terms of the amount of COMP 202 for those with limited
computation they use. These analysis tools will be used heavily in many programming experience.
subsequent courses, in particular, COMP 251. The course uses Java which is
an object-oriented programming language. As such, the course will also Class Size: 600 (flexible)
teach you some of the basic ideas of object-oriented design. You will learn
how classes can be organized into hierarchies, and how variables and
Textbook:
N/A.
methods defined in the classes of the hierarchy are related to each other.
Lecture notes available online.
These relationships will be developed more fully in subsequent software
courses.
Lecture Recordings:
Yes
6 quizzes (10%), 4 assignments (40%, 10% each), and a multiple choice final
examination (50%). Option to shift quiz weight onto the final (i.e. 60%).
6
Final accounted for guessing: final score = 5 * raw score – 10 (eg. raw score
of 40/50 yields a final score of 38/50).
The Experience
Professor Langer is an extremely organized lecturer. Slides and notes for the
entire term are available online. He generally approaches topics in a linear
and structured fashion. He is also very available for extra help within and out
of office hours. The assignments align well with course material. Most of the
coding done in class is in pseudo-code as lectures focus more on algorithms
and theory.
Tips for Success

This class does not focus on teaching you how to code; it will provide the
theory behind the code, but you will have to translate this into real code more
independently. Start the assignments early because they generally have
multiple parts and can be quite time consuming to finesse. Stay up-to-date
with classes because the quizzes are biweekly. Professor Langer also posts
practice problem sets. These are quite useful in testing whether you actually
understood what was taught in class as well as strengthening your
understanding. The problems generally match the level of difficulty of final
questions, but some can be more difficult (especially the abstract and long-
answer style questions). Try to talk through difficulties with peers! Professor
Langer is fantastic and is always willing to help.
Instructor:
MATH 222 Stephen Drury
Calculus 3 (Intermediate Calculus) Semesters:

Fall/Winter

The course picks up with a review of the last section covered in MATH 141. MATH 140/141
Topics in MATH 222 include Taylor’s series and Taylor’s Theorem (one and
several variables), multiple integrals, parametric curves and arc length, Pre/Corequisite:
partial differentiation, directional derivatives over polar and spherical MATH 133
coordinates. The basics of vector geometry are also reviewed.
Class Size: ~150 / section
Textbook:
15% Webwork + 15% Midterm + 70% FinalMaxo
Stewart (or Adams Intermediate
The Experience Calculus)
With many calculus professors, you will find that you are left to make sense Find out which one you prefer by
of the material via the textbook, and using online references to clarify topics skimming through in the bookstore.
when needed. In Professor Drury’s section, the material is covered at a brisk However, Adams is traditionally
and vigorous pace, but he follows the Stewart textbook examples very needed for engineers, and professors in
closely. The class sometimes gets frustrating when it becomes clear that the MATH 222 generally use Stewart to
professor himself is not terribly excited about the material but the way he give examples in class.
breaks down problems on the board makes it worthwhile to attend the
Lecture Recordings:
lectures.
Lectures are not recorded
Tips for Success
Give yourself more than the last day to finish assignments before they are
due. Also be sure to keep organized notes to know which notes you should
draw from for certain assignments. And go to class! These lectures are not
recorded and the best way to learn is in the lecture environment instead of
from someone else’s notes. If you are not learning well from class, still attend
if you can, but make sure to read through the textbook and understand the
practice examples. Professors tend to use similar examples on their exams.
Pay attention to possible mistakes in the assignments, and be aware that the
midterm is often given in class, and/or is short in duration. When studying for
the midterm and the final try to complete practice questions within an
appropriate time limit, as the time-factor can often trip students up more than
the difficulty of the questions themselves.
Instructor:
MATH 315 Jean-Christophe Nave (Fall), Jean-
Philippe Lessard (Winter)
Ordinary Differential Equations Semesters:
Fall, Winter

Higher order differential equations will be introduced and applied to real MATH 140, 141, 222
world concepts that would normally be seen in classes taken by physics and Corequisite: MATH 133
engineering students. The majority of these concepts involve a mix of basic
linear algebra and differential equations. Very important class for any other Class Size: ~100
upper year math classes involving complex differential equations and/or
advanced calculus.
Textbook:
Differential Equations with
Method of Evaluation Boundary-Value Problems (Dennis
Jean-Christophe Nave: 2 in-class quizzes (between 1 hour and 1 hour and G. Zill) Depends on the professor.
20m each) throughout the semester: 40% of the final grade. Assigments
(10%), and Final Exam (40%) Lecture Recordings:
No.
Jean-Philippe Lessard: WebWorK Assignments (20%), Midterm (30%), and
Final Exam (50%)
The Experience
Probably the most important math course you can take at McGill (in terms of
the tools and techniques that you learn). The class is very interesting as you
learn multiple mathematical tools that you can use to solve different types of
differential equations – it’s almost like an algorithm class. There is some
memorization as for the exams you will have to memorize all different types
of differential equations and methods to solve them, but the amount you need
to memorize isn’t bad at all. Try to really remember these tools because they
will become increasingly important for other math classes (especially for us
neuroscientists!)
Tips for Success

There are generally no recordings or notes. However, there are so many
online resources (ex. Paul’s online math notes) that you can use to
complement your lectures. Professors for this class are generally very good,
meaning that they are great at covering all material and providing with a great
number of examples. Just practice, practice, and practice!
Instructor:
MATH 323 David Wolfson (Fall),
Chien-Liu Su (Winter)
Probability Semesters:
Fall/Winter

This course includes sample spaces, events, probability and conditional MATH141 or equivalent
probability, independence; discrete and continuous random variables,
multivariate distributions; expectation and conditional expectation, and Class Size: ~200
different distributions such as normal, beta, Poisson, binomial,
hypergeometric, etc. It is a good overview of probability systems.
Textbook:
Mathematical Statistics with
Method of Evaluation Applications (Wackerly,
Wolfson: 15% Assignments, 25% Midterm, 60% Final (or 15% Assignments Mendenhall, and Scheaffer).
and 85% FInal) Strongly Recommended
The Experience
This is deceptively a very difficult class. Class material scales in difficultly Lecture Recordings:
quite rapidly as you go towards the end of the semester – the midterm will Typically none, but some professors
seem reasonable, but the final catches a lot of students off-guard. It is will post lecture notes.
incredibly helpful to review the textbook and work out all the examples that
are being offered, as well as reviewing assignment questions for the exams.
The class requires you to have an in-depth understanding of all the material
from beginning to the end. If you fall behind or if you are lost near the
beginning of the semester, work hard because the material builds on top of
each other really quickly.
Tips for Success

Masoud Asgharian (Fall 2016): Probably the hardest and the most
frustrating math class I have taken at McGill. The midterm exam and the
course material up until the midterm was extremely easy and understandable.
A lot of course material was crammed towards the end of the semester and
the final had a huge curve to adjust the class average to a B. Work really hard
to understand the last few chapters and really try to do the assignments
without googling them. This should apply similarly to all professors.
.
MATH 324 Instructor: Christian Genest
Statistics Semesters: Fall and Winter

By the end of the course, students should be able to determine the distribution MATH 323
of simple statistics based on Normal random samples; estimate parameters in
Class Size: 160
classical models by the methods of moments and maximum likelihood;
compare estimators in terms of bias, variance, and mean squared error; derive
Textbook: Mathematical Statistics
with Applications, 7th Edition by D.D.
classical confidence intervals by inversion and pivotal techniques; construct
uniformly most powerful and likelihood-ratio tests of simple hypotheses for Wackerly, W. Mendenhall, and R.L.
one- and two-sample problems; carry out inference in the context of simple Scheaffer
linear regression and one- or two-way analysis of variance. Lecture Recordings:
Slides are posted; lectures recordings
and slides will vary by prof.
4 Assignments (20%) + Midterm (30%) + Final (50%).
OR
4 Assignments (20%) + Final (80%).
The Experience
First of all, only take this course if you like math or care about statistics.
Otherwise you should be able to take MATH 204 and be able to make good
statistics decisions just fine. The main draw of this course is understanding the
relationships between distributions and to get a bit of insight into why
statistical tests are set up the way they are. Lectures are straightforward and
easy to understand. Homeworks follow the lectures quite closely, and are not
tricky. The exams are similar to the practice questions provided.
Tips for Success

Do all the assigned practice problems, even the ones you think are easy. Often
times, it is only through doing the practice questions that you realize you do
not truly understand a concept. In addition, the practice problems cover
intricacies of the concepts that may not be highlighted during lectures. Aim for
a high mark on the midterm; it provides a useful cushion for the final.
MATH 437 Instructors:
Professor Anmar Khadra
Mathematical Methods in Biology Semesters: Winter

If you enjoy math and neuroscience or studying theoretical physiology, this MATH 326 (Not 100% required but
will be the highlight of all your courses. This course is a direct application of recommended for an easier time),
mathematical tools that you would learn from your previous math classes MATH 315 (Personally most important
(MATH 223, MATH 315, and MATH 326). The course is heavily focused on for this class)
deriving models of physiological systems: Autoimmune diseases, immune
synapse, Hodgkin-Huxley model, and Neural Networks. Class Size: ~20

None but Strogatz’s “Nonlinear
Three Assignments (30%) + Term Paper (20%) + Oral Presentation (10%) +
Final Exam (40%) Dynamics and Chaos” is good to
have handy in case you didn’t take
The Experience MATH 326
My favourite class at McGill so far without a doubt. Every classes are
extremely interesting and exciting because you’ll develop the accuracy and Lecture Recordings:
the details of the models as the classes go. Dr. Khadra is a great lecturer, and None
he really knows his models. Class attendance is mandatory as the notes are
not posted online and Dr. Khadra will also give bonus marks for students that
participate often in classes. The material involves a lot of differential
equations (MATH 315), concepts from MATH 326, and Markov Models
(MATH 447). The class is definitely doable without MATH 326 and 447, but
MATH 315 is strongly strongly recommended. The assignments are quite
tough – he really expects you to have a full understanding of the class
material and then also be able to derive multiple models from the models that
we have discussed in class. However, the assignments are very enjoyable and
very fulfilling when you submit them!
Tips for Success

Go to class. You will not succeed in this class unless you attend every class
and participate in model derivations. Also, really utilize Dr. Khadra’s office
hours as he is very helpful and also drops a lot of hints. For the assignments,
some of the models are coming straight from Nature Immunology papers or
published books, so if you are stuck on a question, it’s always a good idea to
run a google search to see if you can find the corresponding papers. The term
paper is in pairs so pick a good partner that is hard-working, or you’ll be in a
big trouble.
MIMM 214 Instructor:
Claire Trottier
Semesters:
Introductory Immunology: Elements of Immunity Winter
An introduction to molecular and cellular players of the immune system that BIOL 200
act to maintain human defenses against pathogens. The course first covers
different aspects of the innate and adaptive immune responses, which cells are Corequisites:
responsible for them, and then transitions into application of this knowledge to BIOL 201 or BIOC 212
clinical cases and to pathologies.
Class Size: ~200
Multiple choice midterm (25%) and final (40%) exams. Formative Textbook:
assignments (10%) are released weekly, which are either comic strip or Janeway’s Immunobiology, 9e
concept map diagrams. There are a total of 13 assignments, each scored 0, 1 or (Murphy)
2. To get the full 10 marks, you need to get a score of 2 on 5 assignments, as Recommended but not absolutely
only the top 5 scores count. The Immunology & Society Assignment (25%) necessary. Online versions can be
involves either group poster project which involves small reports and a found.
presentation at the end of the semester, or a newspaper article that is peer
reviewed and peer marked (you get to decide). Lecture Recordings:
Lectures are mostly recorded. Slides are
The Experience
also posted.
While the course requires memorization of specific proteins, cell types, and
immune response profiles, the key material is clearly indicated by the “Take-
away Messages” boxes on most slides. Many of the details are mentioned just
as examples; the main focus on exams is on big picture concepts. Professor
Trottier uses “Think Pair Share” sessions in class where students are given
time to think about a multiple choice question, pair up (or group up) with
students nearby to discuss the question, and then share it with the whole class.
The groups (3-4 people) for the poster assignment are randomly assigned by
the professor, and the newspaper assignment is marked by your fellow peers.
Both have their advantages and challenges, but neither is necessarily more
difficult nor more time consuming.
Tips for Success

The textbook readings (indicated for each lecture) are helpful for
understanding the course content; however, the level of detail in the text goes
far beyond examinable material. Professor Trottier tends to include one
question testing information only found in the textbook. The professor
emphasizes the importance of reading the textbook and the lectures follow the
textbook quite closely. Participation, while sometimes intimidating, can be a
good test for your level of understanding of the material.
Instructor:
MIMM 314 Ciriaco Piccirillo (coordinator), Irah King,
and Sylvie Fournier
Intermediate Immunology Semesters:
Winter

The topics presented are very interesting, and represent different domains of MIMM 214
immunology. The topics discussed this year: Innate and Inflammatory
processes, Lymphocyte Development, Molecular Basis of Immune Class Size: 275
Responses, Immune Response Regulation and Immune Disease and Therapy
in Humans. Because the topics are presented by different professors there is
Textbook:
discontinuity in the flow of material. That being said, the course is a great None
choice if you are interested in immunology and are planning on taking more Assigned Readings (on average 1 per
courses in the field. lecture). Janeway’s Immunology can be
used to refresh basic knowledge or for
Method of Evaluation clarification if you did not take MIMM
214
Midterm (30%), group case study presentation (10%) and final exam (60%).
All exams are multiple choice with either a single answer being correct or
Lecture Recordings:
multiple answers being correct. The questions are very fair. There are no
Lectures are recorded, and slides are
details from the readings, and the exams are designed to test your
posted
understanding. Each professor creates questions for his/her section.
The Experience
The class is fairly interactive and offers many opportunities for critical
thinking and problem solving. As mentioned above, you end up having to
read one reading per lecture. Articles might seem challenging at first, but it
gets better once the material has been covered in the class. Details from the
readings are not tested on the exam, and are there to improve your
understanding of class material.
Tips for Success

Strategies depend on the professor. One professor had mostly pictures in his
slide, so it was very important to attend the class and note all his comments
and explanations. Another professor had a lot of text, but all important
information was on the slides and she really did not introduce additional
material in her talks. The other professor was a mix of the two. After you
cover the material, it might be very helpful to prepare diagrams and pictures
to ensure you understand where the process is taking place and what
cells/receptors/ligands are involved. There are NTCs available for the class.
Instructors:
NEUR 310 Jean-Francois Cloutier, Alyson
Fournier, David Ragsdale, Edward
Cellular Neurobiology Ruthazer, Wayne Sossin
Semesters: Winter
This course covers many concepts in molecular neuroscience, including neural One of BIOL 201, PHGY 209, or PHGY
development, ion channels, neurotransmission, and synaptic plasticity. The 210
course evaluation consists of a written midterm and final, as well as a term AND
paper. One of ANAT 321, ANAT 322, PHGY
311, or BIOL 306
Class Size: ~35 people
Midterm (20%), Term paper (30%), and Final (50%)
Textbook:
The Experience
None
This course is essentially a continuation of topics you saw in NSCI 200. You
will revisit concepts like axon guidance, cell lineage, and synaptic plasticity, Lecture Recordings:
but will go into some greater depth. The course overlaps a great deal with NSCI Yes, but they can be finicky.
200 and BIOL 201, so you will be very well prepared to take this course if you Recommended that you go to class if
have taken them both. The professors are friendly and approachable, and the you can
class has an intimate feel. If you enjoyed NSCI 200 and want to get solidify the
concepts covered in that class, then this is the course for you!
Tips for Success
The exam assessment is quite similar to the short answer questions in NSCI
200, where you are required to either describe what is known about a topic, or
come up with experiments to test certain hypotheses. Pay close attention to the
experiments covered in class, as you will likely have to discuss them on the
exams. For the term paper, make sure to start early as there can be an
overwhelming amount of literature to read and organize into a term paper.
NEUR 602 Instructor:
Dr. Mallar Chakravarty
Semesters:
Special Topics in Neuroscience: Computational Neuroanatomy and Neuroimaging
Fall and Winter
Graduate level course which can be approved as a 400/500 level course for the None.
program. There are several different sections; this will be completely in
reference to Dr. Chakravarty’s section of the course, which focuses on Restriction:
Computational Neuroanatomy and Neuroimaging - specifically, various types Requires approval to count as a 400/500
of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The entire course consists of reading level course.
several pretty dense (but wickedly interesting) papers each week, covering
topics from the basics of image processing/segmentation to graph theory to Class Size: ~8 Students
cortical thickness to diffusion MRI.
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation No Textbook, Assigned Papers
20% of the grade is made up of 8 summaries of articles read for the class, up to
Lecture Recordings:
2 pages long. These actually take quite a while to write, since you have to read
No. It’s a seminar course, so you pretty
a fairly complex paper, understand it, summarize it, and then describe the
much have to attend every class.
strengths and weaknesses of the paper. 20% of the grade is from in-class
presentations of a paper; these are supposed to be 20 minutes long but ended
up being at least 40 minutes for each one. Each student did 3 presentations
during the semester. 10% is participation. 50% of the grade comes from the
final project -- a written proposal and oral presentation of a grant that you
write based on one of the novel techniques presented in the readings.
The Experience
This class is definitely not for everyone -- however, if you are interested in the
topic of neuroimaging and willing to put in the work, you honestly can learn a
LOT, both in terms of general knowledge and in critical thinking as well as
presentation skills. I took the course with essentially no knowledge of
neuroimaging, and had to work really hard at the beginning to learn the
foundations of the topic, but it’s genuinely fulfilling once you learn enough to
understand the papers. Most of the students in the class also don’t have
background in neuroimaging, so it’s more of a collaborative rather than
competitive class environment. :)
Tips for Success

Write the article summaries early! Do everything early, if possible! A lot of
work can pile up at the end of the course, since you’re responsible for handing
things in as you go along. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek
clarification during presentations, even your own, because the point of the
class is to understand a complicated subject, and you can’t really do that if
you’re afraid to look silly by asking questions. Reading the background
articles is usually really helpful for understanding the main papers for the
week. And finally, enjoy the class -- it’s a super interesting topic.
Instructor:
NSCI 200 Professors Ruthazer, Stellwagen, and
Murai
Semesters:
Introduction to Neuroscience I
Fall
The course provides an introduction to how nerve cells generate action BIOL 112, CHEM 110, CHEM 120,
potentials, communicate with one another at synapses, develop synaptic PHYS 101 or PHYS 131, and PHYS 102
connections, early brain development, and the construction of specific neural or PHYS 142.
circuits.
Pre/Corequisites:
Method of Evaluation BIOL 200, CHEM 212 or permission of
2 Midterms (20% each), and a final exam (60% of grade). Combination of instructor
multiple choice and short answer questions.
Class Size: ~150 Students
The Experience
Textbook:
The course is 50% memorization and 50% application. All three professors were
Neuroscience (Purves)
good lecturers and had concise lecture notes. The lectures provide tons of
Not absolutely required, but highly
experimental examples and clarifications so it should be sufficient to understand
recommended as lecture material is
the concepts of the course. The challenging part is being able to make
largely derived from textbook content.
connections between different concepts yourself, and also applying concepts to
situations.
Lecture Recordings:
Tips for Success Lectures are recorded and slides are
This is not a course you can cram for. Since the material is cumulative, stay on posted
top of your readings, do the online practice questions which come with your
textbook, and go to tutorials. If you find you need more concise notes, consider
buying the NTCs for this course. Though it is not a transcript of the class, the
notes are organized in a logical manner and highlight key points. Remember a
lot of this course is application, so memorizing everything will not ensure you
do well in this course. Ask yourself questions while you’re studying such as,
“what will happen if this channel closes?”, “what does an overabundance of this
neurotransmitter do?”. Also remember formulas taught in class and do practical
application problems if you can!
Instructor:
NSCI 201 Prof. Rosemary Bagot + Guest
Lecturers
Introduction to Neuroscience II Semesters:
Winter

The course covers how the nervous system collects and integrates NSCI 200, PSYC 211 or permission of
information from the environment, and how that information is processed and instructor
used to shape behavior. The course is split into two general sections: inputs
to the nervous system (MT1 and MT2) and processing, integration, and Class Size: ~150 Students
outputs (Final Exam).
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation Neuroscience (Purves)
Highly recommended as there will be
2 Midterms and 1 Final. Midterms are ~60MC questions, Final ~100MC
questions from the appendix that are
questions. Each midterm is worth 25% and are non-cumulative, and the final
not covered in lecture
is 50% and cumulative. The weight of your first MT can go on your second,
(50% and 50%) or the final can be weighted 75% or 100% depending on
Lecture Recordings:
which is most beneficial.
The Experience posted
NSCI 201 is intense. Each lecture covers many slides of material. Though
seemingly overwhelming, this material can be understood if enough time is
dedicated to this course. Rosemary Bagot is a good, if not dry, lecturer. All of
the testable material on the examinations are taken off of her slides. She uses
many guest lecturers (~11 lectures of guest lecturers) whose testable material
comes strictly from the textbook, so it is highly recommended to follow the
textbook. Overall, the class is highly relevant to the major, and will leave you
feeling more prepared for the years to come.
Tips for Success

Do not fall behind. This course moves at an incredible rate so do everything
you can to stay on top of it. The TAs for this course run terrific tutorials that
help you look at the material in a different way. A lot of the information
presented may seem like tangents or side notes, but do not be fooled, if it has
been brought up in class it will be tested. When starting to study a section,
make sure you nail down the anatomy before moving into the physiology or
psychology, it’ll make things a lot easier later on. The textbook is also a great
source of information. NUM offers NTCs that are written by the U1 reps
each year. These will contain everything that is brought up in class and can
be a helpful resource and study aid when trying to organize all of the
information before the midterms & final. UNDERSTAND THE
PATHWAYS
Instructor:
NSCI 300 Profs. Armin Yazdani, Jennifer
Fishman and numerous guest lecturers
Neuroethics Semesters:
Winter

The course provides an introduction to ethical issues arising from basic and NSCI 200, NSCI 201 or permission of
clinical neuroscience. Topics include an overview of therapeutic, diagnostic, instructor
and research interventions in healthy individuals and those with mental and
neurological disorders, and the implications of these interventions on society. Class Size: ~75 Students
Certain lectures discuss the legal and philosophical aspects of these topics,
while others work from an ethical framework.
Textbook:
Pragmatic Neuroethics (Racine)
Method of Evaluation The textbook is not required although it
is an interesting read. Required readings
4 lecture commentaries (5% each for 20%, you can write 5 and have your are posted on myCourses each week by
lowest mark dropped), take-home midterm (30%), final paper abstract (10%) the lecturers.
and final paper (40%). The lecture commentaries (two pages double-spaced)
are worth 5% each and due 1 week after the lecture. They require critical Lecture Recordings:
reflection on lecture and reading material. The midterm is given over a Lectures are not recorded, slides are
weekend. The midterm consists of answering 2 of 4 essay questions (6 pages usually posted.
total) dealing with the topics discussed over various lectures and readings.
Unlike the midterm, the final paper is research-based and requires the student
to make a clear argument. It is 10-12 pages double-spaced and is written on a
topic of the student’s choice, and is due at the end of the semester.
The Experience
Neuroethics presents a variety of interesting topics in neuroscience that can
lead to very meaningful class discussions. The quality of the class is very
dependent on who is presenting, with certain presenters being better than
others. There is next to no memorization in this course, as most of the
evaluation is based on critical thinking and effective communication of ideas.
There are 2-3 readings for each lecturer that are necessary to do if you want to
do a lecture commentary on that lecture, so readings can pile up if not done
on time.
Tips for Success

Go to class and get involved in the class discussions. Be familiar with what is
expected from you, as that will help a lot. Keeping the 4 principles of
neuroethics in mind while writing will help your mark greatly. If you are
unhappy with a mark you receive, talk to the TAs or the professors about it. If
you can present a good reason why your mark should be raised, they will
likely do so. The TAs are an exceptional resource, so don’t be afraid to
approach them with any of your questions, especially when you are forming
the thesis or outline of your final paper.
NSCI 400
Instructor:
Course coordinator: Dr. Erik Cook
Course secretary: Ms. Vanessa Brunori
Semesters:
Neuroscience Seminar Fall and Winter
This course provides an opportunity to make use of your neuroscience NSCI 200, NSCI 201, and NSCI 300
background to analyze current research. Students attend seminars from a list
that includes research in neurobiology, physiology, psychology, and medicine. Class Size: ~100 People per Seminar
A list of about 10 seminars is provided at the beginning of each semester and
you get the choice of which you would like to attend and write about. If there
Textbook:
is another seminar you would love to attend that has to do with neuroscience, None
just email the course coordinators. They’re usually willing to accommodate.
Lecture Recordings:
Method of Evaluation Recording lectures are forbidden
Each semester, students submit reports on 3 seminars. One report has a 3-page
limit and is worth 25% (of the total 1 credit grade) and the other 2 reports
have a 1-page limit and are worth 12.5% each (of the total 1 credit grade).
Reports are due at 11:59pm one week after the seminar took place.
The Experience
The course involves more work than 0.5 credits, but completing the reports is
not overly hard. A common sentiment from students in the course is that the
grading for each report can seem inconsistent, as there is not a rubric provided
for what graders are specifically looking for. Seminars are usually pretty fast
paced and a lot of information is thrown at you, but the goal is to understand
the gist of the talk. The three-page assignment is actually a little bit easier
because it is difficult to fit it all in material into one page.
Tips for Success

You can attend any three seminars, but don’t wait until the last three of the
semester. Some of the speakers are not as good as others, and it can be very
hard writing an assignment for a seminar you didn’t understand. Also, in past
years, there have been cancellations of seminars, so ensure to check if the
seminar is still occurring before you leave to attend! When you go into the
seminar, write down the subheadings for the information you need to get
(hypothesis, results, etc.) before the speaker starts talking and then fill them in
during the talk. Have your ideas organized while the seminar is still fresh in
your mind. The marking is mostly based on content, so make sure to include
as much as you can from the seminar in each assignment but focus only on the
major details. It may be helpful to ask the TA who is marking your report
what they want you to focus on. In the past some TAs have expected all the
studies or experiments discussed in the seminar to be covered in the
assignment, while others rather you focus on one experiment in particular.
Contacting the TA is also important if you find you don’t have enough space
to include everything.
NSCI 410 & 420 Instructor:
Course Coordinator: Joseph Dent
Semesters:
Independent Research 1 & 2 (6 & 9 credits respectively) Split over Fall/Winter semesters

The goal of the course is to familiarize students with laboratory skills, data NSCI 200 and 201.
collection and interpretation, and communication skills. Students must find a Only open to Neuroscience Major or
supervisor and submit a Research Project Registration Form before the end of Honours U2 or U3 student. Students ca
add/drop. The minimum work consists of submitting two abstracts and a final nnot
report as well as the required laboratory hours. On top of that, students may take both NSCI 410 and NSCI 420.
have to attend lab meetings, journal clubs, and regular check-ins with your
supervisor, depending on the lab. It would be wise to check up on Class Size: N/A
responsibilities would be with the supervisor prior to registering for the
course.
Textbook:
N/A
Lecture Recordings:
Proposal Abstract (5%), Progress Abstract (5%), Final Written Report (40%),
N/A
Laboratory Performance (50%). The student’s supervisor evaluates the
student. The abstracts are one page double-spaced explaining the rational,
Note:
hypothesis, methods, results, and future experiments. The final written report
NSCI 430 is the Honours Research
is 15 (NSCI 410) or 20 (NSCI 420) pages double-spaced in a manuscript
Project, which is essentially the same
format.
as NSCI 420 but only open to Honours
The Experience Students in U3.
The experience can vary wildly depending on the supervisor, lab

environment, and project. Although the minimum laboratory requirements are
9 hours/week (NSCI 410) or 16 hours/week (NSCI 420), this may vary
depending on the project. Don’t expect regular hours - sometimes projects
must be carried out during the night or early mornings (e.g. due to animal
sleep cycles, culture incubation periods) or squeezed in between your classes.
This course tends to be a fantastic learning experience and very important for
students considering graduate school.
Tips for Success

Read up on supervisors whose work interests you. Send them a personalized
email explicitly stating why you are interested in their lab and try to sound
genuinely enthusiastic! Communicate with your supervisor and fellow lab
members! Keep your supervisor updated on progress and mistakes. Don’t be
afraid to ask them questions to clarify your project. Posters/publications
require that extra pinch of luck, but go for it if you have a chance! It may be
wise to discuss such possibilities with your supervisor ahead of time.
Taking it Over the Summer

As of the 2015-2016 academic year, students are only allowed to take these
courses over two semesters. However, Dr. Dent may consider allowing a
summer term if you present a good case to him for doing so.
Instructor:
NSCI 430 Course Coordinator: Joseph Dent & Monroe
Cohen
Semesters:
Honours Research (9 credits) Split over Fall/Winter semesters

The goal of the course is to familiarize students with laboratory skills, data NSCI 200 and 201.
collection and interpretation, and communication skills. Students must find a Only open to Neuroscience Honors
supervisor and submit a Research Project Registration Form before the end of U2 or U3 student.
add/drop. The minimum work consists of submitting an abstract and a final
report, two short progress-update presentations, as well as the required Class Size: N/A
laboratory hours. On top of that, students may have to attend lab meetings,
journal clubs, and regular check-ins with your supervisor, depending on the
Textbook:
lab. It would be wise to check what your supervisor expects before N/A
submitting your application.
Lecture Recordings:
Method of Evaluation N/A
Proposal Abstract (5%), Oral Presentation of proposal (5%), Oral
Note:
Presentation of Research Progress, Final Written Report (40%), Laboratory
NSCI 430 is the Honours Research
Performance (40%). Dr. Dent and Dr. Cohen grade the abstract and
Project, which is essentially the same
presentations, and your supervisor grades the lab performance. Both your
as NSCI 420 but only open to Honours
supervisor, and Dr. Dent and Dr. Cohen grade the final paper. The final
Students.
written report is 20 pages double-spaced in a manuscript format.
The Experience
The experience can vary wildly depending on the supervisor, lab
environment, and project. Although the minimum laboratory requirements are
16 hours/week, this may vary depending on the project. Don’t expect regular
hours - sometimes projects must be carried out during the night or early
mornings (e.g. due to animal sleep cycles, culture incubation periods) or
squeezed in between your classes. This course tends to be a fantastic learning
experience and very important for students considering graduate school.
Tips for Success

Read up on supervisors whose work interests you. Send them a personalized
email explicitly stating why you are interested in their lab and try to sound
genuinely enthusiastic! Communicate with your supervisor and fellow lab
members! Keep your supervisor updated on progress and mistakes. Don’t be
afraid to ask them questions to clarify your project. Posters/publications
require that extra pinch of luck, but go for it if you have a chance! It may be
wise to discuss such possibilities with your supervisor ahead of time. For
more information, check out the “Research” tab of num.sus.mcgill.ca.
Instructor:
PHAR 300 Professors Edith Zorychta and Barbara
Hales
Drug Action Semesters:
Fall

Principles of pharmacology and toxicology. Frequently encountered drugs BIOL 200, BIOL 201 (or BIOC
will be used as a focus to illustrate sites and mechanisms of action, 212), PHGY 209 and PHGY210 (if
distribution, metabolism, elimination and adverse side effects. Dr. Zorychta PHGY210 and both BIOL courses
teaches the majority of the course while Dr. Hales teaches a few lectures that have been completed, PHGY 209
are focused on her areas of research and expertise. This course is a standard can be requested as a corequisite.)
300-level biological science course in that it requires a lot of work but, once
the work is put in, is very reasonable to do well in. Class Size: 500
Textbook:
Human Pharmacology: Molecular
35% Midterm (~50 questions) + 65% Final (~100 questions), both multiple
to Clinical. Brody et al., 5th ed.,
choice
Mosby, 2010
The Experience Required according to the course
This course provides a solid background in two important aspects of drug instructors but it was not very useful
action: drug distribution (pharmacokinetics) and drug mechanism outside of clarifying concepts
(pharmacodynamics). The course is broken down into lecture segments that
discuss drugs that act on the different physiological systems of the body, Lecture Recordings:
including the brain. Overall, the course was helpful in preparation for more
Yes, but only if you are connected
advanced courses (such as PHAR 562) that assume you understand how
to MyCourses (unable to download)
drugs work and/or how different organ systems work. Overall, this was a
challenging experience but nothing drastically harder than the level of
difficulty seen in courses such as BIOL 200 and NSCI 201.
Tips for Success

This course is VERY memorization heavy and the lecture slides DO NOT
include most of the important information. Make sure you spend time
carefully reviewing each lecture and the small details that are given in class.
Having a way to organize all of the drugs discussed in class and their various
aspects will be critical. Prof Zorychta is notorious for her three types of exam
questions: (type A) standard multiple choice, (type B) choosing all of the
correct multiple choice options, and (type C) choosing the correct
relationship between two given statements. NTCs are offered by the
pharmacology student society and are comprehensive notes for each lecture
and are extremely useful if you are not comfortable taking very thorough
notes, especially since lecture slides contain minimal information. Prof
Zorychta herself edits them to make sure they are accurate! Working with a
group of people to generate flashcard and practice problems may be a good
strategy to make sure you do well!
PHAR 562 Instructor:
Professor Derek Bowie
Semesters:
Neuropharmacology Fall

Topics in pharmacology with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms of drug- PHAR 300 and 301
action and cellular targets in the nervous system. Dr. Bowie teaches the first If you lack these prerequisites, you will
half of the course while the second half is taught by a handful of researchers need to email Dr. Bowie before
that are expert in that field of study. Topics studied include: major registration with your transcript to be
neurotransmitter systems and their receptors, major ion channels, permitted to enroll.
neurodevelopmental disorders, drug addiction, and neurodegenerative
diseases. Class Size: 110

None – Dr. Clarke will provide a link to
Two in-class quizzes, short answer (15% each), two small group any required readings for his section
presentations (10% each), multiple-choice and short answer final exam
(50%) Lecture Recordings:
None –try and get an individual from
The Experience the class to audio record and share the
This course provided interesting information into how drugs act on the brain. lecture!
It is more similar to 200/300 level courses in that it provides a large amount
of surface-level information rather than recent findings from original research
articles (as are seen more at the 400/500 level). The opportunity you get to
dive into original research is in the small group presentations, so be sure to
prepare for these well so that you can get the most out of them! Overall, it is
a relatively interesting course that provides foundational concepts for
neuropharmacology.
Tips for Success

WRITE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN FOR EACH SHORT ANSWER. While
the caps lock might be aggressive here, this point cannot be emphasized
enough; the TAs grade your short answer questions based on the number of
concepts you include, making longer answers more likely to result in more
points. The quizzes themselves were pretty fair (provided you know that you
need to write a lot for each question) and tested concepts presented in lecture.
The small group presentations involved a 5-minute-long speech followed by
group discussion, so be prepared to discuss your topic in detail and ask
insightful questions. The final exam itself was difficult but emphasized more
post-quiz 2 material. Be prepared to both memorize details and extrapolate
the information from class to hypothetical scenarios. Dr. Bowie and Dr.
Clarke ask the most fact-recall questions whereas Professors Multhaup and
Trempe ask you to synthesize discoveries they showed in class to support a
larger argument.
PHGY 210 Instructors: John H White, Ann
Wechsler, Tomoko Takano, Michael
Guevara, Anne-Marie Lauzon
Mammalian Physiology 2 Semesters: Winter

This course is technically a continuation of PHGY 209 but looks into Introductory Biology (BIOL 111/112),
completely different systems than those covered in 209. Systems covered Introductory Chemistry (CHEM
include: cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine and renal systems. 110/120), Introductory Physics (PHYS
This course offers an introductory look into the anatomy and function of each 101/102), BIOL 200
system and how all systems work together to maintain homeostasis. Corequisites:
BIOL 201/BIOC 212, CHEM 212
Midterm (30%) and cumulative final (70%), both multiple choice
Class Size: 600
The Experience
(The two sections—morning and
If you have not taken PHGY 209 prior to PHGY 210, do not worry! There is afternoon—are identical in lecturers
barely any overlap between the materials and if you have taken NSCI 200
and course material)
you will be well-prepared for any references to the nervous system. Overall,
this course requires a lot of commitment but definitely focuses more on Textbook: Vander’s Human
conceptual knowledge. It is interesting to take in conjunction with Physiology, 7th or 8th editions
neuroscience courses (such as NSCI 201) because it provides insight into
(Widmaier et al.)
how the nervous system—mainly autonomic—controls bodily processes.
You will be expected to know not only what the components of the systems
are but how the system adapts to changes in the body. The midterm and final Lecture Recordings:
exams are both multiple choice and comprise of 2 question types: Type A
questions are normal multiple choice while Type B questions can have one,
posted
multiple, or none of the above answers. Students typically find Type B the
most challenging because they require you to really think about the processes
being discussed.
Tips for Success

Stay on top of the material! Before you know it, a lot of material will have
pile up and you will be moving onto the next system without as much as a
pause! The textbook is useful for some professors (Takano in the renal
section takes almost all her material directly from it) but for most others, it is
better to pay attention to the lecture and refer to the slides directly. The
TEAM TAs do a fantastic job at providing question sets for each lecture that
are pretty on par with the material and level of difficulties found on the exam.
With around 8 questions per lecture, you will have a lot of practice to help
prepare you for the midterm and final! Practice, practice, practice and know
the systems inside and out!
PHGY 311 Instructors:
Ellis Cooper, Reza Sharif--
Naeini, Arjun Krishnaswamy
Channels, Synapses, and Hormones Semester: Fall
This course basically takes Dr. Ruthazer’s section from NSCI 200 and goes PHGY 209 or equivalent (i.e. NSCI
much more in-depth and provides more experimental detail. Dr. Cooper 200) or permission of instructor
covers the basics: how different ions contribute to the resting potential of the
cells and the formation of action potentials. Dr. Sharif-Naeini’s section takes Class Size: 230
the ideas learned in the previous section and applies them to studying
neuropathic pain. Dr. Krishnaswamy’s section focuses on the physiology of
Textbook:
visual system signals, from the transduction in photoreceptors down to the Principles of Neural Science
output signals in the retinal ganglion cells. (Kandel)
You do not really need to use the
Method of Evaluation textbook; all of the questions are doable
The better of: from the lecture material and from the
sample questions provided. This is also
6 in-class tests (22%), term paper (13%), final exam (65%). the text for PHGY 314.
Term paper (25%), final exam (75%) Lecture Recordings:

No, but Physiology Undergraduate
The Experience League of Students (PULS) posts a
There is an in-class test roughly every two weeks, which is stressful, but it voice recording online that is accessible
forces you to stay caught up with the material. The course gives you a new to everyone. Slides are posted, but
perspective on how the brain functions at the level of neurophysiology. occasionally professors will use the
It gets you thinking about how the excitability of neurons and neural networks chalkboard.
can modulate behavioural outputs. This is course is both equation and
mathematical heavy (especially Dr. Cooper and Dr. Krishnaswamy’s sections),
but concepts must be understood in order to understand how to approach the
problem.
Tips for Success

Keep up with the material so you are prepared for the quizzes and go to the
professors if you need help (they are very accessible). Attend the TEAM TA
tutorials if particular concepts are unclear. Problem sets are posted and
are very similar to the exams, so make sure to do them. Check your
calculations carefully and compare solutions with a friend, since answers are
not posted. You are allowed to bring a single sided “cheat sheet” into the
exam, so you know the emphasis will be on understanding and not
memorization. In order to do well on the final exam, the concepts must be
thoroughly understood, as questions may appear unfamiliar otherwise. The
exam is quite long and you will most likely require the entire 3 hours to finish,
so be sure to work fast. An understanding of the experimental methods used
in electrophysiology is also required so pay attention to this material in class.
PHGY 314
Instructor: Kathleen E Cullen, Maurice
Chacron, Reza Sharif Naeini
Integrative Neuroscience Semesters: Fall

Overview of various sensory systems, supplemented with analysis of recent PHGY 209 (or NSCI 200/201)
papers (1-2 per professor, discussed in-depth during the lecture). The course
covers the auditory system, visual system, motor control, resting brain Class Size: ~200
networks (using fMRI) and cognitive functions (emotion, learning, memory).
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation Principles of Neural Science
(Kandel, Schwartz, Jessell)
32% midterm, 20% final paper, 48% final. Midterm and final are multiple Unnecessary but important for other
choice. classes, about $150 new.
The Experience
Lecture Recordings:
The course is very similar to NSCI 201. For the final and midterm, focus on Lectures are recorded, slides are
memorization, even of seemingly unimportant details. Overall, after taking posted.
NSCI 201, the course served as a refresher course and a chance to
consolidate material from NSCI 201. Less material was covered and the pace
is much slower. The course can feel disorganized at times due to the large
number of lecturers, but by the end everything is covered.
Tips for Success

Focus on slide content and papers posted on myCourses. Most professors will
ask conceptual and straightforward questions, however, keep an eye open for
bold writing on the slides or topics where professors spend more time during
class because these may be key details that will be on the exam. Do the
readings and understand the goal and results of each paper presented, but no
need to memorize protocol details, etc. The grading on the final paper was
not too strict, but it definitely depends on whose paper you have to write.
Using NSCI 201 slides or lectures to study for some of the topics of PHGY
314 can definitely be useful because of their many overlapping subjects and
the clarity of the delivery of the content of NSCI 201.
PHGY 425 Instructor:
Erik Cook, Mladen I Glavinovic, ,
Anmar Khadra
Analyzing Physiological Systems
Semesters: Fall

An introduction to the analysis of physiological data using MATLAB. The PHGY 311, PHGY 314, BIOL 200 or
course will focus on creative ways to think about data analysis and how to permission from instructor.
develop helpful analysis tools for understanding complex biological systems.
Examples will range from immunological to higher brain systems. Students Class Size: ~20
will model and analyze actual data collected by the instructors' labs and have
the opportunity to contribute to real scientific research.
Textbook:
None
Lecture Recordings:
Assignments (50%), term paper (35%), term paper presentation + class
No
participation (15%).
The Experience
This course is divided into different modules, each of which is taught by a
different professor. All assignments involve coding in MATLAB to analyze a
dataset and generate graphs, and are fairly straightforward. There is also a
term project that is done either in pairs or solo, which involves analyzing a
dataset from a professor’s lab in order to examine a hypothesis. The project is
a great experience, as you get to apply the programming skills learned in the
course, collaborate with a professor to design the project, get creative about
answering an open scientific question, and get experience in preparing a
research paper and giving a presentation on your findings. The class
atmosphere is collaborative and there is ample opportunity for working with
your peers and getting to know the professors.
Tips for Success
Having a background in programming (even COMP 202) is an advantage, as

most students in the course have no programing experience. MATLAB is the
main language used and it is very similar to Java. If you don’t fall behind and
you keep up with the assignments this course is a breeze. Keep in mind,
however, that some assignments might take you longer than you realize so
don’t leave them to the last minute!
Instructors: Ellis Cooper, Charles
PHGY 451 Bourque, Kathleen Cullen, Monroe
Cohen, Brian Chen
Advanced Neurophysiology Semesters:
Fall

The material presented in this course gives an excellent survey of current topics PHGY 311 or equivalent
of research in neurophysiology. Dr. Cullen’s section deals with neuronal
circuits and how sensorimotor information is mapped and processed in the Class Size: Up to 30
brain. Dr. Chen’s section covers experience-dependent and structural plasticity
of central synapses, which truly deals with Hubel And Wiesel’s experiments
Textbook:
and anything that stemmed from them. Dr. Cohen’s section focused on nerve- No textbook
muscle synaptogenesis and which molecular changes take place during the Professors post slides and any
formation or elimination of synapses at the neuromuscular junction. Dr. relevant/necessary papers to read on
Bourque’s section changes the pace to look at hypothalamic neurons as osmo- myCourses.
regulating cells that can induce physiological changes in the body. Finally, Dr.
Cooper’s section finishes to touch on plasticity again but focusing on the
Lecture Recordings:
No recordings except in the case of Dr.
molecular techniques currently in use in the primary literature to determine how
synapses are formed and eliminated in the CNS. Chen. He provides pre-recorded lectures
but encourages students to attend class
Method of Evaluation for active learning with discussions.
These pre-recorded lectures do cover the
Every 5th lecture there is a class test; comprising 5 class tests worth 20% each.
material but in a simplified way, so it
The class tests are somewhat different for each professor, but there will always
would be beneficial to attend classes to
be short answer or essay style questions. There is no final exam for this class.
get any topics he presents in class for
The professors try to make clear which concepts will be tested.
discussion.
The Experience
It is misleading to have PHGY 311 as a prerequisite as this there is no
computation or calculation in this course. The material presented is in the field
of each professor’s expertise, but they do try to help you as much as possible
with absorbing the same concepts that they have been working on/with for
years. There is really no textbook to teach you the topics that will presented in
this course because the papers discussed in class comprise the course material.
This makes it even more important to attend and engage in class discussions
and ask questions when necessary.
Tips for Success

With only four lectures per professor, the course material can pile up quickly if
you do not keep up. Leaving all the course material until the night before a
class test is not recommended, because in order to relay your thoughts in a long
answer question you will need to have your thoughts well-organized
beforehand. Try and explain model systems presented in class to your friends or
simply test yourself by writing everything you know about a topic on a page
after studying, as it is generally straightforward to predict what will be asked on
the tests. This should help you really get a feel for the topics you actually
understand. Memorizing is important, but understanding is even more
important! Good preparation is key for the A in this course, but it’s doable!
Instructor:
PHGY 520 Reza Sharif (course coordinator)
Ion Channels Semesters:

Fall

In this course, students will be exposed to the biophysical principles governing PHGY 311, Instructor’s approval
ion channel functioning and how alterations in these functions can be required (Reza Sharif)
associated with clinical pathologies. The course is divided in two sections. The
first section (until the start of November) will be didactic and provide a Class Size:
6 - 12
comprehensive overview of the voltage-gated, ligand-gated and mechanically
gated ion channel families. The second section will target specific types of ion
Textbook:
channels through student discussions of scientific articles and lectures
Ion Channels of Excitable Membranes, 3rd
presented by experts in the field. Edition by Bertil Hille
Method of Evaluation Not necessary but useful for the relevant

40% midterm on the first section of the class, 30% term paper on a selected chapters
channelopathy, 30% participation in second section paper discussions.
Lecture Recordings:
The Experience Not recorded.
The class is in some ways a conceptual follow-up to PHGY 311, without any
of the math or calculations. For the first half of the course, each lecturer
generally gives two consecutive lectures on a specific type of ion channel. The
first lecture and is normally focused on the channel itself, its biophysical
properties and characteristics, and the function it physiological function. The
second lecture is then focused on channelopathies, diseases that result from
mutations and/or the non-functioning of the channel, such as pain disorders
and cystic fibrosis. These lectures are quite interesting as they connect the
molecular biology to real-world diseases and treatments. The second section of
the course focuses on article discussions, and only 1 article is assigned each
week. When the class size is small enough Dr. Sharif reschedules some of the
discussions to bring students into the lab and actually shows them how to do
patch-clamp electrophysiology.
Tips for Success

The midterm has changed from year to year, as this is a new course. This year
students were given 12 half-page to full page long-answer questions (1 per
lecture) and graded on their best 8 responses. Midterm questions are mostly
memorization based, with some application. The individual lecturers do a good
job preparing you for what they will ask, so make sure to take note of
everything they emphasize. The article discussions are rather in-depth; so
make sure you are familiar with how the results were obtained in each figure.
Students are not always called upon at each discussion so be prepared to speak
when you do get called upon, and have questions ready.
Instructor:
PHGY 524 Nicolas Cermakian, Daniel Bernard,
Kai-Florian Storch
Chronobiology Semesters:
Fall

This course is an introduction to the field of chronobiology. The aim is to PHGY 209 and PHGY 210 (or NSCI
provide basic knowledge on different types of biological rhythms, with 200 and NSCI 201, and a relevant 300-
particular focus on circadian (daily) rhythms. level course (PHGY 311, PHGY 314,
At the end of the course, students should be able to: PSYC 318, or BIOC 311), or with the
1. Describe the main characteristics of circadian rhythms. permission of the instructor (Dr.
2. Distinguish between the basic characteristics of rhythms (τ, A, ΔΦ, etc.)
Cermakian)
and identify them in data sets.
3. Interpret data from standard circadian research procedures &
representations (e.g. actograms, luciferase recordings, phase response Class Size: 20
curves).
4. Explain how a feedback loop can give rise to molecular rhythms, and more Textbook:
specifically, to 24-hr rhythms. None required. 3 suggested textbooks
5. Name clock synchronizers and explain how they can affect clock function. listed. One is available from the library
6. Describe how the circadian clock controls physiological outputs, e.g. and the other two are available for free as
hormones, sleep, activity, and metabolism. e-books through WorldCat.
7. Explain the mechanisms through which clock dysfunction can lead to
health problems (e.g. sleep & mood disorders, cancer, health of Lecture Recordings:
shiftworkers).
No
8. Analyze and criticize research articles in the field of chronobiology
Midterm (20%), term paper (20%), group seminar presentation (20%),
participation (5%), short writing assignment after article discussions (5x1%),
short assignment after seminar presentations (4x1.25%), final exam (25%)
The Experience
PHGY 524 is an introduction to a field that most neuroscience students will
not have seen before. Almost all of the material covered in class is novel, and
so the class can be quite interesting. The course focus covers rhythms from
the molecular level all the way to the human behavioural level. The
professors do an excellent job of explaining concepts, and the tests are not
memorization heavy, instead focusing on understanding the key experiments,
figures, and results discussed in class. The small assignments do add up
however, and so the class can become quite time-consuming.
Tips for Success

Go to class! The class is not recorded, and the lecture slides do not have
much explanation on them. The professors also emphasize the most
important findings during lecture so attendance really helps with the midterm
and final. Make sure you understand the figures and graphs and can explain
them and what they show to someone else. The group presentation takes
some time, and the professors are available for feedback so start early!
Registration for this class is always difficult, so email the necessary people
early.
PHGY 556 Instructor:
Erik Cook, Daniel Guitton
Semesters:
Topics in Systems Neuroscience Winter

This course provides an overview of the field of systems neuroscience. This Permission of instructor
includes topics such as: the neural representations of sensory information and (Email instructors advance if
motor behaviour, current models of sensorimotor integration, and how we interested)
can computationally analyze problems in visual perception and motor
control. The major focus is at the level of neural circuits.
Class Size: 11
Textbook:
60% attendance and participation, 40% for the term paper (25 pages).
There is no required textbook, but there
are usually 3 - 4 scientific papers to
The Experience
read each week. The class meets once
There is a lot of reading to do each week and each student is expected to week as a three hour seminar.
present parts of the papers, thus, you have to read and understand all of them.
The term paper is a review and analysis of a topic in systems neuroscience of Recommended textbook: Kandel’s
your interest. It allows you to explore a field of your interest and can be very Principles of Neural Science for the
fascinating, but requires a fair bit of research and critical review of the relevant system
literature (and it’s a whopping 25 pages), so make sure to start early Overall,
this course teaches you how to be critical of scientific data, and gives you an Lecture Recordings:
in-depth understanding of how systems neuroscientists study the brain. This Not Recorded
is a challenging, but excellent, course to take if you are interested in how
neural circuits produce behaviour, as well as in research techniques in the
field.
Tips for Success

Do the readings well in advance (start on the weekend if you can) so that you
have enough time to fully understand the material. Generally, only the figures
from each paper are covered, so if you are running short on time, just make
sure you thoroughly understand those. The term paper is marked fairly so just
make sure to budget enough time to write a clear and convincing paper.
Overall, this class gives you a great opportunity to integrate knowledge from
previous neurophysiology courses (NSCI 201, PHGY 311, PHGY 314, etc)
and explore topics in much greater depth. The small class size facilitates
good discussion with your peers and the instructor, who is an expert in the
topic. It’s a challenging course but is very rewarding!
PSYC 213 Instructor:
Signy Sheldon
Semesters:
Cognition Winter, Summer

PSYC 213 is a broad introduction to human cognition, covering perception, One previous course in psychology is
attention, memory, language, and intelligence. recommended (but don’t sweat it if you
haven’t taken one)
Class Size: 600+
There are two midterms, and your midterm mark is worth 50%, but only the
midterm you did best on is counted. The final is worth 50% and is
Textbook:
cumulative. There is a 100% final option, if you choose to skip both
Cognition (6th edition)
midterms, but this is certainly not recommended for best results. Everything
by Smilek et al.
is multiple choice: 50-60 questions in 60 minutes! There is also the option to
participate in the psychology subject pool for an extra 2%!
Lecture Recordings:
Lectures are recorded.
The Experience
The material presented in this class is not difficult, but the vocabulary and
large number of theories covered means you do need to put some time into
studying for the exams. The lectures and textbook material overlap very well,
but it is still necessary to study from the textbook.
Tips for Success

There is a lot of jargon to learn (a lot of which is quite nuanced and many
theories overlap) and your performance on the multiple-choice format exams
will depend on knowing the definitions (Einstellug effect! Decision demons!
Hoffding function! Pandemonium! Oh my!). Also, go to the midterm review
sessions, even if you did well on the exam!
PSYC 302 Instructors:
Jeffrey Mogil
Psychology of Pain Semester: Fall; Taught in even years in
alternation with Genes and Behaviour.
Course Overview
An introduction to pain research and theory, with emphasis on the interactions of Prerequisites:
psychological, cultural and biological factors in pain perception. The role of Any of the following: NSCI 201, PSYC
these factors in clinical pain and its management by pharmacological and non- 211, PSYC 212 or permission of
pharmacological means will be discussed. The social impact of chronic pain as instructor.
well as the opioid epidemic will also feature prominently.
Class Size: ~150
Two midterms (22.5% each) and one final exam (45%), mostly multiple choice and
Textbook:
some short answer. There is also a research assignment (10%) that requires you to No textbook, papers were assigned as
critique a paper of your choice (anything published in the past 5 years with the word readings.
“Pain” in the journal’s title) by making annotations directly on the PDF file (due in early
December). Lecture Recordings:
All lectures are recorded. Class slides
The Experience and papers are posted on myCourses
It is easy to do well in this course as long as you put in the time and effort. The before class.
material is very interesting and is always framed in terms of its societal
relevance which makes it very topical. The exams were quite straightforward
and while Dr. Mogil often tests small details, he will readily drop any “unfair”
questions. The readings, which were mostly meta-analyses and reviews from
high impact journals, complemented the lecture material quite well. Overall, Dr.
Mogil is a fantastic lecturer who is deeply knowledgeable and world-renowned
within his field! He is super engaging, friendly and quite open to discussion after
class. This class provides a great foundation for reading and interpreting clinical
publications (RCTs & meta-analyses) and will definitely impact your outlook on
medical research in general.
Tips for Success

Stay on top of the material and you will be fine! Go to class because you will
remember the material more and Jeff Mogil is sooo worth it. Be wary of small
details that are on the slides (graphs, etc.), these are fair game and will show up
on tests! Forming reading groups and dividing up the labour of reading and
making summaries for each paper is very useful. There are questions on the
exams pulled directly from readings which aren’t covered in class but they are
big-picture things so don’t worry too much about the small details there. One big
bonus of taking this class as a neuro student is that there is a lot of overlap with
ANAT 321, NSCI 201, etc. so that helps make the work-load a bit lighter. Last
thing: start the assignment as early as possible, otherwise it will be close to
finals and you will regret procrastinating. In 2016, Mogil curved the final and
40% of the class ended with an A or A-.
PSYC 305 Instructor: Rhonda Amsel (Fall, Summer);
Heungsun Hwang (Winter)
Semesters:
Statistics for Experimental Design Fall/Winter/Summer

Basic statistics overview. Introduction to ANOVA, planned and post hoc PSYC 204 or MATH 203 (don’t be
tests and correlational analysis. Introduction to the consideration of statistics afraid to register without this)
in the design of experiments and to critical analysis of statistical methods in
psychology. Class Size: 300

Hwang: 8 assignments worth 40%, midterm worth 25% and final worth 35%
Course pack (Amsel) or No Book
(final and midterm are multiple choice).
Amsel: 3 assignments worth 25%, midterm worth 20% and final worth 55%
(Hwang)
(final and midterm are multiple choice). Available at the bookstore for about $20
which is a necessity
The Experience
Lecture Recordings:
Hwang: Lectures covered exactly what was in the slides. Assignments are
done in SPSS (stats software used in most labs) and can be completed during Lectures are not recorded
the mandatory labs. Note that class time is 50 minutes because of labs.
Amsel: Assignments are done by hand. Really good professor, moves at a

very reasonable pace to ensure proper understanding. Learning is centred
around the mandatory course pack, which is used for note-taking in
lecture. Lots of examples are used in class to illustrate concepts that will be
applied to a variety of problems (also provided in the course
pack). Emphasis is not especially placed on memorization apart from the
basic terminology (formulas are provided on exams for the most part), while
questions focus more on understanding basic statistical reasoning.
Tips for Success

Hwang: Assignments are very straightforward if you read the TA handouts.
If you fully understand them, the midterm will be no problem. The final tends
to be more challenging and requires memorizing every detail of all course
material (slides, assignments, TA handouts). It was definitely a surprise
compared to the rest of the course. Maximize your grade by speaking with
your TA to review your assignments before submission or go over any course
concepts you are not clear on! Doing this makes it very possible to get 100%
on every assignment. Lastly, labs are very useful and TAs do a good job at
showing you how SPSS works.
Amsel: Assignments are formative: submitted once, then marked by the TA

with the opportunity for making corrections and re-grading. Make sure to
correct mistakes and resubmit for full points. Bring the coursepack to class
and follow along with her. Understand the logic behind the calculations
because she will ask for definitions and explanations on the final.
Supplementary readings in optional texts Ferguson (text from PSYC 204)
and Olson (available in course-pack format at the bookstore) can help in
gaining additional background, especially if taking PSYC 305 without PSYC
204.
Prof. Michalakis Petrides
Semesters:
Human Cognition and the Brain Fall/Summer

PSYC 311 takes a lesion studies approach to understand the basis of human None
cognition. Topics covered include perception, attention, language, learning
and memory, planning and organization. While the effects of brain lesions on Class Size: ~350
cognition are the primary means by which these topics are explored,
neuroimaging techniques are also covered in detail.
Textbook:
Coursepack
Method of Evaluation ~$50 new, recommended especially for
the final exam
Midterm (30%) and Final (70%), all multiple choice. You are also offered the
choice of transferring the weight of the midterm to the final (100%).
Lecture Recordings:
The Experience No, but the Psychology Student Society
offer NTCs which are transcripts of the
While there are no slides or lecture recording for PSYC 311, the course is
class
still a favourite among neuroscience students. Dr. Petrides is an excellent
lecturer and he explains every topic in an extremely thorough and engaging
manner. Many of the students in the class don’t necessarily have a strong
science background, so you don’t have to worry about the topics being
explained in an overly complex manner. While the midterm is relatively easy,
the final exam is slightly more challenging. Note that Professor Petrides is
particularly fond of the “none of the above” option. Also, make sure to do the
readings as they are tested heavily on the final exam, but not so much on the
midterm.
Tips for Success

Attend every class and do the readings! Even though there are no slides
(other than some neuroanatomy booklet hand-outs featuring cortical cross-
sections) and the lectures aren’t recorded, everything is covered multiple
times so don’t worry if you miss something the first time. Also, while the
midterm doesn’t test heavily from the readings, knowing the reading material
is essential for the final exam and quite helpful on the midterm. Don’t be
afraid to ask questions; Professor Petrides is very friendly and is more than
happy to talk after class (the same goes for his TAs as well – especially
Trisanna).
Instructor:
PSYC 315 Thomas Schultz
Computational Psychology
Semesters: Fall

An introductory course on the field of computational psychology. Topics 15 credits in Mathematics and
covered include simulation of phenomena in behavioural and evolutionary Statistics, Computer Science,
psychology, neural networks, and rule learning. Focus is placed on the Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive
structure and logic of computational simulation models selected by the Science, or Biology
professor.
Class Size: ~35 people
Textbook:
One in-class LISP quiz worth 9%, a LISP assignment worth 9%, 3 lab reports There is no textbook, but there are
(4 reports total, but the lowest grade is dropped) worth 19% each, and a final resources for optional additional reading
multiple-choice exam worth 25%. that the professor will provide.

None. Slides posted online at the start
PSYC 315 offers hands-on, interdisciplinary introduction to computational
of the semester.
modeling. The course provides a unique perspective on phenomena that
might have been covered in anthropology or psychology courses (e.g.
learning by imitation, Neanderthal extinction, cooperative vs. competitive
interaction, etc.). For each of the 4 reports, students are given code for a
simulation introduced in class and expected to come up with a creative
extension or modification and present the data they generate in a formal
report. All programming is done in the language LISP. The basics of this
language are not especially difficult to pick up, and are trivial if you’ve taken
COMP 202 or 204.
Tips for Success
The first month of the course focuses on teaching students how to code in
LISP. Make sure to do the practice modules that Schultz assigns to get
familiar with LISP syntax. The quiz and final exam are multiple choice, and
you are allowed cheat sheets for both. The bulk of the work in this course
comes from the reports. To do well, give yourself ample time to come up
with an interesting question, and if you can, talk to the TA or Prof Schultz
about your idea before beginning to actually alter any code. They will be able
to help you gauge if your idea is complex enough, yet within the realms of
feasibility in terms of implementation. Overall, the assignments can be a fun
way of applying your LISP coding knowledge to phenomena in psychology
and anthropology, and can be excellent practice for writing formal papers and
for presenting data in a meaningful way.
Jeffrey Mogil
Semesters:
Genes and Behaviour Fall

Professor Mogil engages the class in a breadth of information all defining PSYC 211 or PSYC 308 or BIOL 306
what we know so far about the implications of genes in behaviour. What is or PHGY 314 or permission of
heredity? How many genes influence a trait? How can we test for these instructor.
things? A basic overview of the molecular biology concepts studied in BIOL
200 will be reviewed before explaining how they can be used in molecular Class Size: ~300
genetics research to study how they may influence behaviour. He also gives a
brief history of the field of genetics and how it has changed as knowledge in
Textbook:
No textbook, course slides and readings
the field has advanced.
provided online.
Lecture Recordings:
2 Midterms worth 20% each (non-cumulative). Final exam worth 45%
Lectures are recorded and all course
(cumulative). Research paper worth 15%, with a topic randomly selected by
materials are provided outside the
yourself (you take a piece of paper from a box with a topic on it).
classroom. The recordings and readings
are essentially the entire course, but
The Experience
then you miss out on interacting with
The lectures are not densely filled with information. The lecture slides THE Jeffrey Mogil himself!
provide give a good amount of information but you will definitely want to
take notes from what Professor Mogil says as well to get a complete
understanding. The midterms are easier because you have less information on
each, but keep in mind they prepare you well for the final! The research
paper is essentially a brief review of the literature available that implicates
your given gene in a behaviour. Make sure to do all of your readings. If you
are having a hard time finding out how to write this, the TAs are very helpful.
Tips for Success

Tutorials can be helpful, but studying with friends is always a good idea to
make sure you know the concepts from the lectures AND the readings. Make
brief summaries of the readings to aid in your memorization, as these will be
useful when you review for the final exam. The midterms are great indicators
of the final exam, and Professor Mogil is generally fair in dropping questions
that were unreasonable from readings or lectures. Be sure to attend (or at
least watch) all lectures and get through all the readings! As long as you get
through the material, you should do well in this course!
Jonathan Britt & Wayne Sossin
Semesters:
Behavioral Neuroscience 2 Winter
This course outlines the molecular and physiological bases of motivational NSCI 201 or PSYC 311 or BIOL 306 or
states, with respect to feeding, drinking, sexual behavior, reward, and PHGY 314
aggression, as well as the physiological molecular bases of learning and
memory. The course focuses on key findings in these areas and is satisfyingly Class Size: ~200
scientific. There is a large focus on neurotransmitter and hormone systems as
well as cellular and molecular mechanisms.
Textbook:
No textbook. All the testable
Method of Evaluation information is on the lecture slides.
Papers referenced are posted on
The course is evaluated by two multiple-choice exams: 2 midterms (25%
MyCourses and information in the
each) given in class and a cumulative final exam (50%) during the final exam
papers but not in the lecture will not be
period. Students can also participate in the Psychology Department Subject
tested.
Pool for 1% extra credit on the final grade.
Lecture Recordings:
The Experience
All lectures are recorded. Slides are
Dr. Britt’s lectures are remarkably easy to follow. Almost all of the posted prior to the lectures.
information is on his slides and he presents it logically with adequate
background information, making it very understandable. He teaches the
majority of the first half of the course on motivational states. Dr. Sossin
teaches the second half of the course on memory. His lectures might take a bit
of decoding but the tutorials can be helpful! Both professors are concerned
about the learning of their students. The exams are mostly based on
memorization of lecture material.
Tips for Success

The midterm exam includes general questions as well as questions requiring
memorization of details that may seem superfluous. Ensure that you know all
the details of the methods mentioned by Dr. Britt of the studies that he
presents in lecture. He wants you to understand the methods as well as the
applications, and also likes students to create analogous situations and ask you
if it sounds like something you have heard in class. For instance, terms like
sensory pre-conditioning might be extrapolated to real world situations to see
if you have really understood the concepts in a transferable way.
Anne Almey
Semesters:
Hormones and Behaviour Winter

The goal of the course is to have an understanding of what defines BIOL 111, BIOL 112, BIOL 115 or
Behavioural Neuroendocrinology as a science. Topics include the role of equivalent
hormones in behaviour, the functions of different hormones, the impact of
development on endocrine regulation, reproductive and sexual behaviours in Class Size: ~400 but attendance is
the context of hormonal regulation, the human endocrine system and how ~100
hormones interact within a greater social and cultural context.
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation Course Pack available at the McGill
Grading will consist of two exams: midterm (30%) and final exam (45%), bookstore (cost: $60-65)
and one written assignment (25%). Students can also participate in the
Psychology Department Subject Pool for 1.5% extra credit on the final grade. Lecture Recordings:
The Experience Slides posted online and lectures are
Moderately engaging lectures during which she clearly explains all concepts recorded.
and studies. There’s one class dedicated to a documentary on sexual
development disorders. class material is relatively straightforward with a fair
bit of memorization (it is the endocrine system after all) but most of the
content will be topics you have seen before in other neuroscience or
physiology courses. You will not miss much if you are not able to attend the
course and listen to the recorded lectures instead. However, do keep up with
the readings, or at least give the readings for each week a brief read-through.
No tutorials offered.
Tips for Success

Go through the lecture materials thoroughly and make sure to read the
required readings in the course pack as some relatively obscure content from
the readings will make it into the exam, especially the final. Self-learning is
more than sufficient. For the short answers, she wants you to think through
the information and research relevant points to form the answer. The marking
can be quite specific, so you should be to the point and include key
words/phrases. If you have any queries with regard to how the assignments
are graded, don’t be afraid to approach the TAs and they will be more than
happy to help you.
PSYC 410 Instructor: Jelena Ristic
Special Topics in Neuropsychology Semesters:

Fall
Prerequisites:
Course Overview PSYC311 or PSYC308. Knowledge of
basic neuropsychology at the level
This course focuses on a variety of neuropsychological topics, including
covered in PSYC 311 is assumed.
phantom limb syndrome, blindsight, temporal lobe epilepsy, and
synesthesia. Topics are usually presented in conjunction with relevant book
Class Size: 120
chapters and readings in both the course pack or journal articles. Each
week, a new topic is discussed at length. Textbook:
Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the
Mysteries of the Human Mind (V.S.
Weekly thought questions (15%), which involve writing a question about Ramachandran) +
the journal article or textbook chapter which should involve critical thinking Course Pack
about the design of the experiments or about conclusions explained. You
get one “free pass” over the course of the semester. Midterm (35%) and Lecture Recordings:
Final (50%) consist entirely of multiple choice questions. There are 3 types The lectures are not recorded but the
of questions, Recognize/Identify (1 point), Analyze/Compare (2 points), and slides are posted online.
Integrate (3 points). 50% of the questions are worth 1 point, about 30% of
the questions are worth 2, and 20% of the questions are worth 3 points.
The Experience
The one weekly seminar usually entails 1.5 to 2 hours of lecture, a small
break, and then an hour of discussion and/or debate about a certain topic.
Each lecture topic is presented and analyzed from the perspectives of
different groups of researchers, focusing on two or three theories and their
strengths/weaknesses. It can get quite confusing as many theories are very
similar, so it is important to find distinguishing features and focus on them
to help keep track of all the different ideas. The discussion/debate period
(where the class is split into different groups, and each group argues for a
certain theory) is also very helpful, although not mandatory. Videos are also
often shown during class, which provides a simplified explanation of
concepts and gives you a nice break from the content of lectures.
Tips for Success

There are many readings each week, and Professor Ristic asks fairly
specific questions on the examinations, so be sure to take fairly detailed
reading notes. In addition, be aware of the theories of each research group,
as you may be asked to compare group A’s ideas with group B’s. The exam
questions on lecture material often refer to bolded words or diagrams and
charts, so be sure to review the slides. Also, be sure to capitalize on the 2%
from participating in the Psychology Participant Pool! The 15% for reading
responses is also a nice boost to your grade.
David Ostry
Semesters:
Sensorimotor Behaviour Winter
Course Overview Class Size: 150

A systematic examination of the sensorimotor system, drawing on models
and data from both behavioural and physiological studies. Topics include: Textbook:
cortical motor areas, cerebellum, basal ganglia, spinal mechanisms, motor Principles of Neural Science (note: this
unit properties and force production, proprioception, muscle properties. text is also used for PHGY 314)
Additional readings will be assigned in
Method of Evaluation class for many of the topics; these are
available on my courses. While
35% midterm, 65% final - all long answer questions. textbook readings are not mandatory,
it’s essential to cover the articles that
The Experience he highlights in class - understanding
these articles is necessary to do well on
Professor Ostry tells you in the very first class, “I’m not out to trick you”. the midterm
The teaching and testing style of this class is relaxed, making it enjoyable
and fun. During each class, he takes you through the anatomy and theory Lecture Recordings:
behind motor systems. He discusses experimental methods and findings in Not recorded.
detail, providing comparisons of the strengths and weaknesses of each paper.
He’s always willing to repeat information to ensure the class understands key
material. Midterm and final are all written, long answer - but he provides
sample questions that are very similar to the actual questions you’ll see on
exams. He is very clear about what material to focus on and the long answer
format provides an opportunity to “show what you know”.
Tips for Success

Go to class, it’s not recorded! Pay attention to his favourite papers and read
them while pulling out the important details that were highlighted in his
lecture slides. Professor Ostry provides sample questions that are VERY
similar to the questions on the midterm. The best way to study for this course
is to practice writing long answer questions in a thoughtful, clear and
organized manner. Compare your answers with friends to make sure you’re
not missing key experiments or concepts. Some individuals had difficulty
with the midterm because when asked to compare perspectives on force-
coding vs. position coding for movement - just be sure to compare ALL the
main theories and not just two.
Dr. Ross Otto
Semesters:
Cognitive Science Winter

Students should ideally have some
The multi-disciplinary study of intelligent systems, with a specific focus on cognitive science background
modularity. Problems in vision, memory, categorization, choice, problem (preferably in the form of PSYC 213 or
solving, cognitive development, syntax, language acquisition, and rationality. PSYC 212). Can manage fine without
Rule-based and connectionist approaches. There is also a significant portion the prerequisites.
of the readings devoted to cognitive modeling in computers (AI and Neural
Networks etc.). Class Size: The usual size is 30 and it
is a relatively hard class to get into.
In-Class Assignments (30%), Take-Home Writing Assignments (30%), Final Textbook:
Paper (30%), Class Participation (10%), Participant Pool (Extra 2%). No textbook, just a lot of mandatory
weekly readings.
The Experience
Interesting class for anyone who wants to get a big picture look into the Lecture Recordings:
domain of Cognitive Science. The class is an even split between lectures Not recorded. Lectures are posted but
(once a week – often featuring specialists from the field(s) being covered) they are often incomplete and they
and discussion-based classes (in these classes you are expected to collaborate don’t cover all the topics of the class.
with peers and complete “Questions of the Day”). Dr. Otto posts a set of Most topics are covered in class
readings for each week and expects you to use them to answer the “Question discussions on questions related to the
of the Day” in the discussion-based classes (your answers to these questions readings, for which the answers are not
will account for 30% of your grade and are quite easy to do well on). The posted. Therefore, attendance is VERY
Take-Home Assignments are short essays (5 pages) based on either readings important.
given or brief prompts provided by Dr. Otto. This class contains a very large
amount of reading, but is ultimately very rewarding. Memorization is not
necessary as there is no formal testing (exams, midterms etc.), but, as stated,
a lot of work must be devoted to the readings. Nonetheless, the class averages
are usually quite high, and the class is quite manageable (even laidback at
times) if you manage the readings properly.
Tips for Success

Pay careful attention to the readings and take the time to understand the main
point(s). The lecture-based classes are ultimately just a compliment to the
readings assigned and so vigorous note-taking is not required if you
understand the material already (via the readings). In addition, seeing as
nearly 40% of your grade (10% participation and 30% In-Class Assignments)
hinges on your presence in class, it is highly recommended that you attend. In
order to get the participation grade, it’s very important that you try to speak
often during class and frequently engage in discussions with your peers.
Elizaveta Solomonova
Semesters:
Sleep Mechanisms and Behaviour Winter
Note Prerequisites:
This is the first time this course has been offered with this professor. One of PSYC 211, NSCI 201, PHGY
209
Course Overview One of PSYC 311, PSYC 317, PSYC
This course covers basic neurobiological mechanisms, possible functions, and 342
physiological and behavioural aspects of sleep. The course is divided into six Or permission of instructor
main themes: sleep psychophysiology, circadian regulation of sleep and
wakefulness, functions of sleep, sleep-wake regulation disorders, the variety of Class Size: ~200 students
conscious experiences in sleep, and parasomnias. There are guest lecturers
throughout the semester that present content related to the professor’s lectures.
Textbook:
No required textbook, all reading
Method of Evaluation material will be provided
2 midterm exams (25% each; multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank and short- Lecture Recordings:
answer questions), final exam (50%; same format as midterms), and optional Lectures are recorded.
research paper to replace 1 midterm (25%).
Note: For the final exam, multiple choice questions are non-cumulative, but
other questions are cumulative. Also, you will be given 6 questions on the last
day of class. You must answer 2 of them for the short-answer questions (you
choose 1 and the professor choses the 2nd one)
Note: You can miss 1 midterm without any reason and have the research paper
replace 25% of your grade. It is also possible to use the paper to replace both
midterms and count for 50% of your grade IF you have documented or valid
reasons for missing the second midterm.
The Experience
This was the first semester this course was offered by Professor Solomonova,
and she did not make this class or the midterms difficult. The material
presented was not conceptually difficult, but this class requires memorizing
course content. All relevant information was on the slides or clearly explained
in class. The content of the required readings overlaps nicely with the content
that was presented during lectures, so reading them was not too challenging.
Since the lectures are recorded and most of the information is on Dr.
Solomonova’s slides, many students decide to not attend the lectures. Lastly,
content from guest lecturers complements class material nicely.
Tips for Success

It is very possible to do well in this course. The content that is tested is not
particularly challenging, and does not require too much time to understand.
However, plan your studying time in advance so that you can have enough
time for memorization. TAs and the professor are available outside of class for
questions and are email-friendly, so don’t be afraid to ask them for help.
Professor Rosemary Bagot
Semesters:
Psychoneuroendocrinology Fall

At least one of PSYC308 (Behavioural
Neuroendocrinological mechanisms of action that underlie specific behaviors Neuroscience 1), PSYC311(Human
and their disorders. Hormones and cognitive functioning, sexual functioning, Cognition & the Brain), PSYC318
aggression, mood and stress in humans and will focus on methods of (Behavioural Neuroscience 2),
hypothesis-testing in these areas. PSYC342 (Hormones & Behavior)
Class Size: 30
Participation (10%), Weekly submitted questions (15%), Oral ‘journal club’ Register as soon as possible!
presentation (30%), Research proposal abstract (5%), Written research
proposal (40%) Textbook:
None
The Experience
This course was offered for the first time in several years under the guidance Lecture Recordings:
of a new professor, Prof Bagot. This course primarily used original research None
articles to explore major topics relating hormones to behavior and cognition,
in both preclinical models and in humans. While the topics themselves were
advanced, the course itself was not stressful or challenging in terms of
workload or grading. Prof Bagot gives you a lot of individual control over
your mark and the amount you get out of the course is relatively dependent
on the amount of work you put in. She also brings in a few guest lecturers
that talk about their research which provides great insight into the work
currently being done at McGill.
Tips for Success

Make sure you set aside time each week to do the readings (3/week) and
prepare class discussion questions. The term paper itself will also take quite a
bit of time, but since you have all semester, it is advisable that you start early
and make sure you keep track of your progress so that you are not rushing at
the end. Make sure you do substantial background research for the term paper
abstract as Prof Bagot grades each person’s individually and has pertinent
follow-up questions that she expects to be addressed in the term paper.
Finally, participate at least once per lecture to make sure you get the full
participation points (an easy 10%!).
Jelena Ristic
Semesters:
Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention Fall

An introduction to cognitive properties and neural mechanisms of human PSYC 213 and PSYC 311 and either
attention. The material will include an overview of the history of attention PSYC 305 or BIOL 373
research, contemporary theories of attention, the varieties of attention,
behavioral and neuroimaging experimental methods, the nature of attentional Class Size: 25
dysfunctions, and the links between attention and other cognitive functions
including memory and consciousness.
Textbook:
Course pack, selected readings available
online
15% group presentation, 35% critique paper, 35% final exam, 15% Lecture Recordings:
participation and attendance. Group presentations consist of summarizing the Slides posted online. No lecture
assigned readings for the week and leading a short discussion. recordings
The Experience
Classes typically begin with a group presentation on the readings assigned for
the week, followed by a lecture by Dr. Ristic. Lectures can get quite dry.
Readings are listed in the syllabus and can be found through the McGill
library website or PubMed. The course may be more difficult for some on a
conceptual level, as there is not a clear definition for attention, which Ristic
stresses from the get-go. While this makes some material confusing, it can
serve to your advantage come finals, as any answer can be correct with the
right empirical support. Final exam consists of definition and essay
questions.
Tips for Success

As with any 3-hour class, it’s easy to get distracted. Try your best to stay
engaged in the lecture and discussion. Read the assigned papers very
carefully and do the optional readings listed in the syllabus if you have time.
Most importantly, ask yourself questions about concepts all the time.
Attention as a concept is very nebulous, and you will often be asked to look
at things based on your own understanding of attention.
Frederick Kingdom, Kathleen Mullen
Semesters:
Advances in Visual Perception Winter

We examine in detail the structure of the visual system, and its function as None
reflected in the perceptual abilities and behaviour of the organism.
Parallels are also drawn with other sensory systems to demonstrate general Class Size: 40
principles of sensory coding.
Textbook:
Method of Evaluation "Basic Vision", Robert Snowden, Peter
Midterm (20%), two 5-6 page double spaced essays (15% each), final exam Thompson, and Tom Troscianko, Oxford
(50%) University Press. McGill Bookstore.
Revised edition. Useful for the essays and
The Experience genuinely a funny read.
PSYC 526 is a very interesting course, covering the visual systems from all Lecture Recordings:
angles and perspectives. Most of Dr. Kingdom’s classes begin with either a No
demo or a number of slides exposing common and uncommon visual
illusions. The remainder of the lecture is spent explaining why these illusions
occur. Dr. Mullen’s section meanwhile is quite interactive, as students are
broken into groups to discuss important papers on the visual system. At the
cellular level, the material does not expand much beyond what students will
have already seen in NSCI 201 and ANAT 321. The class is very enjoyable,
the illusions you see are super cool, and the material tends to be presented
quite well.
Tips for Success

Go to class and make sure you understand the paper discussions! The
professors for this course are quite friendly and willing to answer questions if
you find a concept confusing. The textbook is an amazing resource for
writing the papers and is available through the McGill library.
PSYT 455
Instructor:
Cecilia Flores, Tak Pan Wong, Mallar
Chakravarty, and Mark Brandon (Guest Lecture)
Semesters:
Neurochemistry Winter (Limited)

This course explores the neurochemical organization of the brain as it relates BIOC 311, BIOC 312, or permission of
to physiological neuronal function and the mechanisms underlying synaptic the instructor.
dysfunction in psychiatric disease. Emphasis is placed on the biochemistry of
Restriction:
neurotransmitters (synthesis and transporters), psychiatry behaviors
Not open to students who have taken
(schizophrenia, substance abuse, and depression), neuroimaging techniques,
BIOC 455.
and basic neuroanatomical organization.
Method of Evaluation Class Size: ~60 Students
Midterm (30%), 5-page term paper (20%), and cumulative final exam (50%). Textbook:
Exams have a mix of multiple choice (1/3), and short and long answer. Assigned Readings
There are no mandatory textbooks for
The Experience
this course, however assigned article
It is an interdisciplinary course that intersects the concepts that you have readings are mandatory. References
learned from previous biochemistry, neuroscience and pharmacology posted on the slides can be used to gain
courses. The professors were able to convey their information rather clearly. a deeper understanding of topics.
Course instructors have their own topics, and they speak about their own
research, which helps you get a rich experience of the material because you Lecture Recordings:
are getting it first-hand from experts in the field. Slides are posted. There are no
recordings for this course. Do your best
Tips for Success to attend every lecture because there is
This is a graduate level course, therefore have to memorize the content and ample information presented during
make sure to be able to apply it to experiments. Exams will test your class by the professor that is not on the
problem-solving capabilities and ability to apply the material and to use lecture slides.
experimental evidences to support your answers. Remember that although
BIOC 311, 312 are prerequisites, you can get by with having taken BIOC 212
or BIOL 201. This course is very interesting, and it is worth taking it if you
are able to! It is basically the sister of PSYT 500.
PSYT 500 Instructor:
Lalit K Srivastava, Tak Pan Wong
Semesters:
Advances: Neurobiology of Mental Disorders Winter

Current theories on the neurobiological basis of most well known mental BIOC 212 and BIOC 311, or BIOC
disorders. Professors Wong and Srivastava teach approximately 4 lectures 312, or BIOL 200 and 201, or PHGY
each and the rest of the lectures are taught by professors working in each of 311, or PSYC 308 and an upper-level
the specific fields. Each professor is an expert in the field and discusses their biological science course with
ongoing research. They present the genetic, physiological and biochemical permission of the instructors, or
factors of the specific illness (schizophrenia, alcohol-dependence, etc.) and equivalent.
then focus on the basis for current treatments and on treatments in
development. Restriction:
Restricted to U3 and graduate students
There is a midterm (25%), final paper discussing a research article from a list Class Size: ~50 Students
of assigned articles (25%) and a final exam worth 50%. Both exams are long
Textbook:
answer based.
No Textbook, Occasional Assigned
The Experience Article Readings
This course involves a lot of memorization. Most of the information for the
Lecture Recordings:
midterm is found in the slides, however, you need to supplement the slides
Lectures are not recorded but slides are
with your own notes to do well. Overall, it’s very interesting to hear the
posted. Lecturers usually do not mind
perspectives of people immersed in the fields they are discussing, and the
students recording the lectures with
course is very enjoyable. There are very few required readings.
their own devices which is always a
Tips for Success good idea!
To do well in the course, pay attention in class and memorize! Memorize the
slides and be sure to take lots of detailed notes during the lectures since many
of the professors have very bare slides that require your own notes for
explanations. All of the questions on the midterm and final are long answer so
make sure you know the material well enough to answer questions using free-
recall only. Tiny details, especially in the neurochemistry section, will be
tested (e.g. listing differences between serotonin receptor subtypes) and be
sure to understand all the supporting evidence for theories presented in class.
The final paper is only 5 pages double-spaced and is more based on your own
thoughts than research. Spots for this class fill up fast; students have been
known to email the course coordinators (Wong and Srivastava) months before
course registration opens to ensure a spot!

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Course Overview Prerequisites:

Method of Evaluation Textbook:

Tips for Success

BIOC 212 Instructors:

Tips for Success

BIOC 212 vs. BIOL 201

Chemical concepts and mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis are also emphasized.

Method of Evaluation Lecture Recordings:

Tips for Success

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Method of Evaluation Lecture Recordings:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

BIOL 309 vs MATH 222

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Method of Evaluation Lecture Recordings:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

The Experience Lecture Recordings:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Method of Evaluation Class Size: 25

Tips for Success

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

The Experience Lecture Recordings:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Tips for Success

Calculus 3 (Intermediate Calculus) Semesters:

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Tips for Success

Statistics Semesters: Fall and Winter

Course Overview Prerequisites:

4 Assignments (20%) + Final (80%).

Tips for Success

Mathematical Methods in Biology Semesters: Winter

Course Overview Prerequisites:

Method of Evaluation Textbook:

Tips for Success

Tips for Success