Courses of the Neuroscience Graduate Program

The list below includes courses approved for students in the neuroscience graduate program to fulfill their course requirements. Students wishing to take a course not included below must receive approval prior to course registration by emailing the Director of Graduate Studies (and copying the supervisor and the NMHI) with the course description and rationale for wanting to take the course.

Every effort is made to keep this list accurate and up-to-date. As course and instructor information may change, ALWAYS consult current listings in Bear Tracks prior to course registration.


List of Courses

NEURO 500 - Research in Neuroscience

*6 (two term, 0-0-6). Individual study. A practical course in the neurosciences where students spend two months in each of at least three research laboratories approved by the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute Graduate Committee. Students are expected to complete a small research project, supervised by a member of the Institute, in each of the research areas chosen. Students are evaluated on both their performance in the laboratory and reports written.

  • Prerequisite: Consent of the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute. Credit may be obtained for only one of either NEURO 500 or NEURO 501.
  • Course Coordinator: William F. Colmers
  • Registration procedure: Have your primary supervisor and 2 rotation supervisors sign registration form and submit to Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute office.
  • List of potential NEURO 500 supervisors

** NEURO 500 or 501 MUST be completed in the student's first year of the program. Students can apply to defer this course to the second year only in exceptional circumstances.**

NEURO 501 - Graduate Research Project

*3 (fi 6) (either term, 0-0-6). Individual study. Restricted to students in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Students will spend one term in the laboratory of a faculty member and carry out a laboratory research project. Successful completion of an oral presentation is required at the conclusion of the project.

** NEURO 500 or 501 MUST be completed in the student's first year of the program. Students can apply to defer this course to the second year only in exceptional circumstances.**

NEURO 510 - Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Normal Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders

*3 (second term, 3-0-0). Designed to provide graduate students in the Neuroscience program a comprehensive overview of the neurobiology of normal aging and the cellular/molecular phenomena that may underlie various age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Aspects of neuronal and glial changes during the normal aging process will be covered. We also intend to include a video presentation of patients with neurodegenerative disorders to outline the impact of cellular/molecular changes on major clinical and psychological features. In addition, papers on the most recent developments in the field of aging research have been integrated into the course.

  • Prerequisites: NEURO 375 or PMCOL 371 or ZOOL 342 or consent from course coordinator. Credit may be obtained for either NEURO 410 or 510 but not both.
  • Course Coordinators: Satya Kar & Sue-Ann Mok
  • Registration procedure: Bear Tracks
  • Offered: Winter term
NEURO 511 - Clinical and Basic Science Aspects of Age-related Neurodegenerative Disorders

*3 (second term, 3-0-0) Designed to provide graduate students in the Neuroscience program a comprehensive overview on neurobiology of various neurodegenerative disorders. Both clinical and basic science aspects of major neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington disease, Prion disease, Motor neuron disease (MND), Frontotemporal Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy will be covered. We also intend to include a video presentation of patients with neurodegenerative disorders to outline major clinical and psychological features. In addition, papers on the most recent developments in the field of aging research have been integrated into the course.

  • Prerequisites: NEURO 375 or PMCOL 371 or ZOOL 342 or consent from course coordinator. Credit may be obtained for either NEURO 411 or 511 but not both.
  • Course Coordinator(s): Satya Kar and Sue-Ann Mok
  • Registration procedure: Bear Tracks
  • Offered: Winter Term
NEURO 520 - Neuroplasticity

*3 (second term, 3-0-0). An advanced course for graduate students in Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering that covers the cellular and systems level changes in sensorimotor and pain pathways in response to motor training and/or trauma to the nervous system. A background on experimental techniques and mechanisms of neuronal plasticity from key studies in cortical, spinal and dorsal horn systems will be provided. Students are expected to write and present on current topics in the field of motor and pain neuroplasticity. Students should have a basic background in neurophysiology. Prerequisites: PMCOL 371 and PHYSL 372 or equivalents or consent of instructor.

  • Prerequisites: PMCOL 371 and PHYSL 372 or equivalents or consent of instructor
  • Course Coordinator: Monica Gorassini
  • Registration procedure: Email the course coordinator (include transcripts)
  • Offered: Winter term
NEURO 525 - Neuroimaging in Neuroscience

*3 (first term, 3-0-0). Neuroimaging has developed rapidly in recent years, and has had a profound effect on how we understand the human brain. This advanced course is aimed to provide graduate students and senior undergraduate students a comprehensive overview of the neuroimaging techniques (structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), MRI spectroscopy (MRS) etc) currently used in neuroscience research. In addition, we will discuss how neuroimaging methods can advance our understanding of healthy brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders.

  • Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
  • Course Coordinator: Nikolai Malykhin
  • Registration Procedure: Bear Tracks
  • Offered: Fall term
NEURO 621 - The Art of Grant Writing

*3 (second Term 3-0-0). The purpose of this course is to train graduate students in preparing grant applications in order to improve their chances of future success in obtaining research funds from a major Canadian federal funding agency such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The course is targeted primarily towards students who have completed at least one year of graduate work. Preference will be given to those planning to pursue a PhD. Throughout the course, students will be instructed on how to prepare a complete grant application package on a topic that is different from their graduate project. The proposal will be prepared in stages and completed two weeks prior to the end of the semester. Students will then prepare and give presentations for a mock site visit by the funding agency. Students will also participate in a mock peer review committee and make final funding decisions. Enrolment is limited, and registration is by permission of the Department.

  • Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor
  • Course Coordinator: Vivian Mushahwar
  • Registration Procedure: Email the course coordinator (include transcripts)
  • Offered: Winter term
NEURO 698 - Undergraduate Research Mentoring

*1 (any term) A credit/no-credit course for graduate students who are actively participating in the mentorship of undergraduate students in a half term research course (e.g. NEURO 451, NEURO 452, NEURO 498, NEURO 499, other one-term research courses offered by the supervisor’s department, or summer students from their supervisor’s laboratory). Mentorship includes activities such as in-lab supervision, training, and help with reports and presentations. Can be taken in any year and Spring/Summer session. Credit may be obtained more than once. Requires the submission of an initial project summary with student learning objectives, monthly progress, and final reports. This course cannot be used to satisfy course requirements of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department of and the student’s supervisor.

  • Course Coordinator: Elena Posse de Chaves
  • Registration Procedure: Submit Registration form the nmhiedu@ualberta.ca
NEURO 699

*2 (two terms) A credit/no-credit course for graduate students who are actively participating in the mentorship of undergraduate students in a full - term research course (e.g. two-terms research courses offered by the supervisor’s department). Mentorship includes activities such as in-lab supervision, training, and help with reports and presentations. Can be taken in any year. Credit may be obtained more than once. Requires the submission of an initial project summary with student learning objectives, monthly progress and final reports. This course cannot be used to satisfy course requirements of the Neuroscience Graduate. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department of and the student’s supervisor.

  • Course Coordinator: Elena Posse de Chaves
  • Registration Procedure: Submit Registration form the nmhiedu@ualberta.ca
CELL 502 - The Birth and Death of a Cell

*3 (second term, 3-0-0). An advanced course dealing with cell differentiation, intracellular and extracellular signaling processes, the cell cycle, apoptosis and necrosis. Consists of lecture material and small group learning sessions. Topics include stem cell research, cancer therapy and human disorders involving cell death (e.g. Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease). Will require reading and discussion of current research articles. Lectures are the same as for CELL 402 but with additional assignments and evaluation appropriate to graduate studies.

  • Prerequisites: Consent of the Department of Cell Biology. May not be taken if credit has already been obtained in CELL 402.
  • Course Coordinator: Andrew Simmonds
  • Registration Procedure: Email the course coordinator (include transcripts)
  • Offered: Winter term
EDPY 500 - Introduction to Data Analysis in Educational Research

*3 (either term 3-0-3).

  • Prerequisite: Consent of Department of Educational Psychology
  • Course Coordinator: Various
  • Registration Procedure: Bear Tracks

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EDPY 505 - Advanced Univariate Statistics in Educational Research

*3 (either term 3-0-3).

  • Prerequisite: Consent of the Department of Educational Psychology
  • Course Coordinator: Ying, Ciu
  • Registration Procedure: Email the course coordinator (include transcripts)
  • Offered: Fall term

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PMCOL 612 - Drugs and the Nervous System Wi 2021

*3 (first term, 3-0-0). M, W, F 14:00. No disease can be cured without knowledge of the underlying cause and molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis. The goal of PMCOL412 is to learn about the molecular basis of disorders of the nervous system, current therapies in use, as well as novel potential treatments that are in clinical trials or at the preclinical experimental stage. Research frontiers in pain and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis and HIV-related neurodegeneration, among others, will be explored. Novel therapeutic targets and the potential treatments of tomorrow will be discussed.

  • Prerequisite: Consent of the Department
  • Course Coordinator: Simonetta Sipione
  • Registration Procedure: Email the course coordinator (include transcripts)
  • Offered: Fall term
PSYCI 511 - Biological Aspects of Psychiatry

*3 (second term, 3-0-0). Lectures and seminars on: classification, description and measurement of psychiatric disorders; sleep disorders; biochemical theories of psychiatric disorders and discussions of how the actions of the drugs used to treat these disorders relate to these theories; practical aspects of drug treatment; biological markers; brain imaging; women's health issues; herbal products and psychiatry.

  • Prerequisite: Consent of the Department of Psychiatry
  • Course Coordinator: Ian Winship
  • Registration Procedure: Email the course coordinator (include transcripts)
  • Offered: Winter term
PSYCO 574 - Advanced Topics in Neuroscience

*3 (both terms, 0-1.5s-0). See Bear Tracks

  • Prerequisite: n/a
  • Course Coordinator: Please check with the Department of Psychology
  • Registration Procedure: Bear Tracks
PSYCO 576 - Cognitive Neuroscience

*3 (either term, 0-3s-0). A graduate seminar in cognitive neuroscience. Topics include the neural bases of memory, language, emotion, and spatial orientation. Emphasis is given to interdisciplinary work that connects cognitive science to neuroscience. Although cognitive neuroscience is primarily concerned with humans, work with infra-human subjects that is directly relevant will also be discussed.

  • Prerequisite: Consent of the Department of Psychology
  • Course Coordinator: Please check with the Department of Psychology
  • Registration Procedure: n/a