NOTICE OF INTENT
Joint Major Psychology/Kinesiology, B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience
Behavioural Neuroscience Joint Major Steering Committee
Simon Fraser University
February 22nd, 2007
Executive Summary
A B.Sc. Joint Major in Behavioural Neuroscience, is proposed by the Department of Psychology and the School of Kinesiology to be administered under the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences and the Faculty of Applied Science.
The intent of this proposal is to focus the neuroscience expertise in the Department of Psychology and the School of Kinesiology to allow for a broad and comprehensive undergraduate education in Behavioural Neuroscience.
The proposed curriculum will graduate Behavioural Neuroscience majors with both a behavioural and physiological science background together with sufficient concentration in this specialized field to be competitive among students coming from institutions with specialized departments/programs in Neuroscience.
The proposed program meshes well with two of the important dimensions in which our academic programmes should be improved as stated in the President’s Agenda 2005-2009 (Michael Stevenson, June 2005)
“ we must continue to increase the diversification of our programmes, increasing the number of professional and quasi-professional programmes, as well as creating new interdisciplinary specializations.”
“we should attempt to create a stronger balance of science programmes and enrolment.”
Based upon existing courses, with only two new courses required, this program can be mounted with minimum requirement for new resources.
The program will be directed by an undergraduate Coordinating Committee, comprised of two representatives from each of the Department of Psychology and the School of Kinesiology.
Students will be accepted directly into the Behavioural Neuroscience Joint Major program from high school (for those entering through Psychology, this option is expected to be available within the next year), meeting the program-specific admissions requirements (same as for direct admission into Kinesiology), with an option for students already registered at SFU to transfer to the program, as long as they follow strict qualification criteria upon review by the Coordinating Committee.
Graduates of this degree will be well-prepared to move on to:
Medical and other professional schools
Graduate degrees in a number of areas including kinesiology, bio-technology, pharmacology, neuroscience, psychology, or neuropsychology.
Employment in careers that intersect with behavioural neuroscience.
The Joint Major will be re-evaluated in the future and, depending on its success in attracting existing students to this stream, we will consider converting it to a program of its own and include other departments such as MBB, Biology, Computer Science and Health Sciences.
Approval History: Psychology Chairs Advisory Committee: ?? ?? 2007
Psychology Department Meeting: ?? ?? 2007
Kinesiology Undergraduate Program Committee: Feb 1st 2007
Kinesiology School Meeting: Feb 22nd 2007
Background
Simon Fraser University has a considerable history of interest as well as experience in Neuroscience. The intent of this proposal is to focus the considerable behavioural neuroscience expertise in the Department of Psychology and the School of Kinesiology to allow for a broad and comprehensive undergraduate education in Behavioural Neuroscience.
According to the Society for Neuroscience web page, in answering the question, “What is Neuroscience?”
“Only in recent decades has neuroscience become a recognized discipline. It is now a unified field that integrates biology, chemistry, and physics with studies of structure, physiology, and behavior, including human emotional and cognitive functions.”
(http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=whatIsNeuroscience§ion=aboutNeuroscience)
This definition perfectly fits the coverage of the proposed joint major in Behavioural Neuroscience. The combined offering allows for such coverage, unobtainable in a degree offered by one of the units alone.
Credential to be awarded:
Joint Major, Psychology/Kinesiology, B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience
Location:
SFU, Burnaby Campus
Faculty/Department/School offering the new program:
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, and
School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Sciences
Anticipated program start date:
September 2007
Description of proposed program:
The intent of this proposal is to focus the considerable neuroscience expertise in the Department of Psychology and the School of Kinesiology to allow for a broad and comprehensive undergraduate education in Neuroscience, with minimal requirement for new resources..
The proposed program meshes well with two of the important dimensions in which our academic programmes should be improved as stated in the President’s Agenda 2005-2009 (Michael Stevenson, June 2005)
“ we must continue to increase the diversification of our programmes, increasing the number of professional and quasi-professional programmes, as well as creating new interdisciplinary specializations.”
“we should attempt to create a stronger balance of science programmes and enrolment.”
The proposed curriculum will graduate neuroscience majors with both a behavioural and physiological science background together with sufficient concentration in this specialized field to be competitive among students coming from institutions with specialized departments/programs in neuroscience.
Many students will probably view this degree as excellent preparatory training for medical school1. Graduates would also be well-prepared for advanced degrees in a number of areas including psychology, kinesiology, bio-technology, pharmacology, and bio-engineering. Others will continue on with graduate work in neuroscience, psychology, neuropsychology or kinesiology. Further opportunities will lead students to pursue careers that intersect with neuroscience – for example, patent law or work in the biotech industry.
With an undergraduate degree in neuroscience entry level careers are also possible in biomedical research laboratories as technicians, in pharmaceutical or health product companies as marketing or sales representatives, as well as government public health programs as health analysts or managers.
Kinesiology LD Requirements: 9 required credits
Psychology LD Requirements: 15 required credits
Total Lower Division Requirements: 31 General Science + 9 Kin + 15 Psyc = 55 credits
Kinesiology UD Requirements: 6 required credits plus 15 additional credits (total 21 credits)
Total Upper Division Requirements: 21 Kinesiology + 21 Psychology = 42 credits
Subtotal: 55 Lower Division + 42 Upper Division = 97 credits
LD or UD Electives: 14 selected from any university LD or UD courses
UD Electives: 3 selected from any university UD courses
Total: 120 credits
Note: Students must obtain a grade of C or higher in all required courses.
University Breadth Requirement:
There are adequate B-Sci and B-SocSci courses in the required courses to satisfy those breadth requirements. However, 6 B-Hum credits will be required to complete the total breadth requirements.
University Writing Intensive Requirement:
University lower division writing intensive requirement is satisfied by Neuroscience program required course PSYC 201. One elective course must fulfill the upper division writing requirement.
Optional
Administered through the Kinesiology co-op coordinator
Since the program is based upon existing courses the standard delivery methods already in place for on campus education, Lecture/Lab/Tutorial, will be used.
The departments of Psychology and Kinesiology have some academic linkages through the study of neuroscience but have not previously had a formal connection. The proposed new joint major will benefit students who have otherwise been pursuing their interests through major/minor combinations. These interests are better accommodated by an interdisciplinary program.
Four years.
It is proposed that students be accepted directly into the Behavioural Neuroscience Joint Major program from high school (expected to be possible in FASS within a year), meeting the program-specific admissions requirements (same as for direct admission into Kinesiology), with an option for students already registered at SFU to transfer to the program, as long as they follow strict qualification criteria upon review by the Coordinating Committee. The Coordinating Committee will screen all applicants and set the level and number of admissions per year. Initially, the number of students admitted will be limited, with an anticipated maximum number admitted of 25 per year in future years. It is not anticipated that new students will be attracted into the program; rather these admissions would come from students who are already admitted as majors/minors in the departments of Psychology and Kinesiology.
As per general regulations of the University and the Faculty of Applied Sciences.
Continuing faculty will hold a PhD or equivalent.
All academic units at SFU are subject to external review every six years.
As per SFU’s transfer credit procedures, students may transfer from BC colleges or universities to enroll into this program. There is no applicable regulatory or professional body in the neuroscience field in BC.
Currently there are 21 students who have designed their own program as a Major or Minor in Psychology in combination with a Major or Minor in Kinesiology, MBB or Biological Sciences. Such students would be attracted to the proposed program requiring only 120 credits as opposed to the greater number required in their combination programs. This interest is further supported by report of professors working in neuroscience areas who receive enquiries from students who desire to focus their studies in this area.
There is no other B.Sc. in Neuroscience in B.C. There are only two programs in related areas. One is the Graduate Program in Neuroscience at U.B.C. which is a multidisciplinary program within the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of British Columbia. It offers a coordinated program of graduate studies leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Neuroscience. The other is a Full-time, Diploma of Technology in Electroneurophysiology Technology, aimed at training technologists to work in hospitals offered by the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
Additional Information Required by SFU:
Contact information for the faculty member responsible for program development
Mario Liotti, Department of Psychology, 604 291 4561
Summary of requirements for graduation (courses, project/thesis, etc.)
A minimum of 120 credit hours, including: at the 100-200 level, 63 credits including 31 credits of general science, 12 credits of Kinesiology, and 20 credits of Psychology; at the 300-400 level, 45 credits including at least 22 credits of upper division Kinesiology and 22 credits of upper division Psychology. Elective and breadth courses make up the balance of the University’s degree requirements.
Summary of resources (faculty members, space, and equipment) required to implement the program
Minimal additional resources are required. The program can be accommodated with present courses and faculty with the addition of only two new courses.
Brief description of any program and associated resources that will be reduced or eliminated when the new program is introduced
None.
____________________________________________________________________________________
NOI
- B.Sc. in Behavioural Neuroscience, Joint Major
Psychology/Kinesiology Page