Professor:      Eric Laws
Office:         202-A Wynne               (804)395-2841               elaws@longwood.lwc.edu
Office Hours:   M,T,W,R:  10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.; 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
                           also TBA.

Course Description (from catalog):  "A general introduction to, and overview of, the structure and function of the nervous system and its role in determining behavior.  Emphasis will be on the impact of biopsychology on the traditional areas of psychology, as well as its relationship to everyday behavior."

Texts and other materials:

    Bloom, F. E., Nelson, C. A., & Lazerson, A. (2001).  Brain, mind, and behavior (3rd ed.).  New York: Worth Publishers.

Prerequisites:    Psychology 101.

Course Content:

    The course is intended to be an introductory survey of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology,  and how they determine behavior and mental processes.  You will learn to apply neurobiological explanations to your own areas of interest in psychology and beyond.  You will also develop critical thinking skills with regard to biological explanations of behavior.

Attendance:

    Attendance will not be formally monitored.  However, your participation in this class is extremely important for your successful completion of the course.  You are responsible for all material discussed in class.

Honor Code:

    Longwood College does have an honor code (see current academic catalog) and this class will operate with strict adherence to it.  Any and all instances of cheating, stealing, falsification, plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will involve immediate notification of the Longwood College Honor Board.

Miscellaneous:

    Any student who believes that he/she is disabled should see me ASAP to discuss your needs and accommodations.  Your disability must be on record with the office of Disability Support Services.
    You are expected to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner in the classroom, respecting the rights and opinions of other students.  You are also expected to remain engaged in the subject matter of the course.  To this end, such behaviors as reading assignments or other materials during class, sleeping, talking and disturbing other students should be avoided.  Beepers, pagers, walkmans and cellular telephones will be turned off upon entering the classroom.  The professor reserves the right to remove, on a temporary or permanent basis, any student whose behavior becomes disruptive to the classroom environment.

    There will be a total of  four(4) exams throughout the semester, three of which will be worth 50 points.  Test 4 (Final Exam) will be given during the scheduled final exam period for the class.  Each test will be some combination of multiple choice, short answer and essay questions.  The exams will cover material from the lecture, textbook and any other ancillary materials used in class (videos, etc.).  Test 4 (Final Exam) will be half-cumulative and half-new material, and will be worth 100 points.  All exams will be taken during the scheduled time (see below for tentative test dates).  Exceptions will only be made for serious and unavoidable conflicts and emergencies, and only when I am notified before the scheduled exam AND when I receive proper written notification from the Dean's office, or other official source.

Other Assignments:

    Throughout the semester there will be small assignments which will be completed.  These assignments will consist of, but not be limited to: collecting instances of the application of biopsychologal principles in the popular media and/or your own experiences and completing portions of a neuroanatomy coloring book (will be provided for you).  These assignments will collectively be worth 25 points.

Grading Scale:

    Grades will be awarded on the following scale (out of 275 total points):

        246 - 275 (90% - 100%) =    A
        219 - 245 (80% - 89%)  =     B
        191 - 218 (70% - 79%) =      C
        164 - 190 (60% - 69%) =      D
        Below 164 (Below 60%) =     F

    You may keep track of your grades and progress below:

        Exam #1 (50 points)                   ________

        Exam #2 (50 points)                   ________

        Exam #3 (50 points)                   ________

        Exam #4 (100 points)                 ________

        Other (25 points total)                ________

        Total for Class (275 points)  = ________