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School of Life Sciences
Neuroscience Undergraduate Courses
Pre-Arrival Handbook 2015/2016
Monday 21st September 2015
10am-11.00am Engineering, Science and Learning Centre – Room B08
Neuroscience Introduction; Distribution of Lab Coats and Course Material
11am-12.00pm Med School Tutors
Meet Personal Tutor / Introductory Tutorial
13:00pm-14:00pm LT1 Med School
Life Sciences Welcome Lecture
Tuesday 22nd September 2015
13:30 – 14:30 Sports Centre, University Park
University Registration, Confirmation of Attendance
15:00 – 15:30 (optional Session) B3 Life Sciences
Information on Inter Faculty Language Modules
Wednesday 23th September 2015
08.00am-12.30pm Great Hall, Senate Chamber, Trent Building
Health Centre Registration (see booklet for more information)
14:30 – 16:00 Medical School Labs, C Floor, C33a
Meet your peer mentors
Thursday 24th September 2015
10.00am-11.00am Medical School LT1
Fire and Safety Talk
11.00am-12.00pm Med School, LT1
Introduction to C71101 (Lecture)
12.00pm-12.30pm Medical School LT1
Talk on Personal Safety and Security
14.00pm-15.00pm Coates Building, A150
B11101/02 Lecture
16.00pm-17.00pm Medical School LT4
C71101 Lecture
Friday 25th September 2015
14.00pm-15.00pm QMC Sth, C1052 (C50)
Introduction to the Universities Digital Services
15.00pm-16.00pm
QMC Sth, C1052 (C50) Plagiarism – What it is and how to avoid it
Welcome to
Congratulations on obtaining a place on one of our
Undergraduate Neuroscience degrees in the
School of Life Sciences, Nottingham University
BSc Neuroscience (B140) MSci Neuroscience (B141)
BSc Neuroscience with Biochemistry (B1C7) BSc Neuroscience with Pharmacology (B1B2)
We wish you a successful and enjoyable time during your
studies here at Nottingham.
PLEASE READ THIS HANDBOOK CAREFULLY. It has been
prepared to guide you through the start of the course and to help
familiarise you with the Neuroscience department within the
School of Life Sciences. You will be given a more detailed Student
Handbook when you arrive – we don’t want to overload you
before you get here!
If you have any further queries after reading this handbook
please do not hesitate to contact the Neuroscience Undergraduate
Administrator, Mrs Jane Thomas, either by email
[email protected] or telephone 0115 823 0148
Prof Fran Ebling,
Course Director
NEUROSCIENCE DEGREES PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION
A separate ‘Undergraduate Welcome Guide’ will have been sent to
you by the University’s central services which outlines some of
the steps you will need to take before you get to University and
when you arrive.
SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES CONTACTS
Postal Address: School of Life Sciences
Life Sciences Building, University Park
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8.30am-4.30pm
Neuroscience Undergraduate
Administrator:
Mrs Jane Thomas, Tel 0115 823 0148
Life Sciences Building, University Park
Neuroscience Courses Director:
Prof Fran Ebling, Tel 0115 823 0164
Head of School: Professor Ian Macdonald
DATES 2015-2016
Please note: The University requires you to remain in
residence throughout the full period of each term,
including the first and last days of term.
Terms
Autumn Monday 21 September 2015 - Friday 11 December 2015
Spring Monday 11 January 2016 - Friday 18 March 2016
Summer Monday 18 April 2016 - Friday 17 June 2016
Semesters Autumn Monday 21 September 2015 - Saturday 23 January 2016
Spring Monday 25 January 2016 - Friday 17 June 2016
Exams
Autumn Monday 11 January 2016 - Saturday 23
January 2016
Spring Monday 16 May 2016 - Friday 04 June 2016
Resits Monday 15 August 2016 - Wednesday 24 August 2016
NEUROSCIENCE INDUCTION
Please see the Fresher Week timetable inside the front cover of
this guide.
UNIVERSITY REGISTRATION
Please note that you are required to register online AND in person
(see Fresher Week timetable).
If you have not already completed your online registration please
follow the instructions given at the link below. Please read the
web page thoroughly, including the links regarding University
Regulations, Student Services etc. http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/currentstudents/r
egistration/onlineregistration.aspx
HEALTH CENTRE REGISTRATION
During fresher week you will have the opportunity to register with
the University’s local Cripps Health Centre (See the
Undergraduate Welcome Guide and Neuroscience Fresher Week
timetable) if you live within the catchment area. Please see the
following link for information on registering with a local doctor: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/currentstudents/r
egistration/registeringwithadoctor.aspx
MODULE ENROLMENT
Please see the information on ‘Choosing Your Optional Modules’ at
the end of this guide. Further details on module enrolment will
also be given at the Neuroscience Induction session.
INFORMATION SOURCES
Email: Once you have registered with the University you will be
issued with a University email address and a computer login
username and password. Your University email address will be
the main source of any notifications from staff so please ensure
that you check it on a regular basis. Please ensure that all email
communication with the University is via your
University email account – alternative, personal
email addresses should only be used in an
emergency as they could be filtered out as
spam or malicious content.
E-Learning (Moodle etc): Your University
login will also give you access to Moodle, the
online teaching resource where you will find
information related to the modules you are
registered for (e.g. lecture notes etc).
University Website: The University website has links to all sorts
of information so please take the time to explore all the different
areas. You will be able to find the answer to most questions
regarding University life, services, forms and regulations there
www.nottingham.ac.uk
DISABILITY ISSUES
Services for students who have a disability, dyslexia and/or a long
term medical condition: The University of Nottingham is
committed to promoting access for students who have a disability,
dyslexia and/or a long term medical condition. Entry to the
University is on academic merit. Services provided aim to enable
students to fulfil the inherent requirements of the course as
independently as possible. Please see the following for more
information:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/StudentServices/supportfo
ryourstudies/index.aspx
NEUROSOC – NEUROSCIENCE SOCIETY
NeuroSoc is a student run Society especially for Neuroscience
students. The Society arranges social and educational events
with the aim of creating links between students from all years. It
is clearly beneficial for students to interact and exchange
thoughts as this will create a sense of belonging. As a
Neuroscience student you are automatically invited to become a
member of the Society. Members of the NeuroSoc committee will
be on hand to provide more information and to enrol you during
Fresher week. You can also find information at the link below:
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/
COURSE REPRESENTATIVES
For each year of study we ask for volunteers to be Course
Representatives. The Students’ Union offers training sessions to
prepare Course Reps for this valuable role. Main duties involve
sitting on the Learning Community Forum meeting (LCF) which is
a forum for students to give feedback on the course. Reps would
be required to gather comments from fellow students and
represent them at the Neuroscience LCF meetings which are held
twice a year. Any student wishing to take on this important role
will have the chance to talk with representatives from the
student’s union at the Life Science welcome event, or contact the
Neuroscience Administrator.
This valuable opportunity gives the chance to enhance/gain skills
in problem solving; effective planning and public speaking;
communication; presentation skills; formal decision making;
negotiation and leadership skills. These are all skills that future
employers would be looking for and should give you the edge
over other students. You would be able to show to employers that
you are excellent at representing large groups of people, have
good communication skills, influencing committees, working
effectively and making decisions in a productive manner.
http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/advicesupport/ednetwo
rk/coursereps/
PERSONAL TUTORS
You will be assigned a personal tutor who will remain the same
(circumstances permitting) for all years of study. Your tutor will
take an interest in your academic and personal development
during the degree and will be responsible for providing your
academic reference and feedback
on exam results. Tutors provide a
valuable channel of communication
between student and staff.
Some tutorials are scheduled
during the year (such as exam
feedback tutorials) but should you need to see your personal tutor
at any other time please contact him/her to arrange an
appointment. Although all staff operate an open door policy,
sometimes they may be difficult to contact so we suggest using
email which is a reliable way of contacting them. Alternatively
leave a message in their pigeon hole or on their answering
machine.
If your tutor is unable to resolve a difficulty, he/she will be able to
point you in the direction of someone who can. For example, if
problems arise relating to the course that cannot be resolved by
your tutor, these matters will be referred to the Course Director,
Prof Fran Ebling or the Senior Tutor, Dr Maria Toledo. You may
also contact them directly if you wish, in the unlikely event that
you have irresolvable difficulties with your allocated tutor.
A record of your personal tutor meetings and any special tutorials
requested to discuss difficulties or illness will be kept in your
personal file.
We hope that you have a very enjoyable, problem free stay at
Nottingham University but in the event that you encounter
personal difficulties please speak to a member of staff - sooner
rather than later! – So that you can get help to resolve any
issues. A list of useful contacts will also be given to you on your
arrival at University.
Queries about individual lectures, practical classes or academic
work should be directed to the member of staff concerned with
that session. Most modules are accompanied by a tutorial/review
clinic just prior to the appropriate examination, which are also an
opportunity to discuss any such problems.
Student Liaison Officer
You will be introduced to Caroline Anderson, the School’s Student
Liaison Officer, during the Life Sciences Welcome Event. The
Student Liaison Officer will enhance the student learning
experience by providing opportunities for students to develop
their academic skills, and will provide additional support where
students feel they lack the skills to complete their studies. You
will find that your timetable includes sessions to give you
guidance about writing, researching and reviewing essays,
managing coursework deadlines and preparing for examinations.
Since some of these sessions will be delivered in partnership with
colleagues from the University’s Library Service and Academic
Support, you will be introduced to other useful contacts. There
will also be opportunities for you to seek advice from the Student
Liaison Officer during workshops and practical classes. In
addition, Caroline will be encouraging students to make the most
of the many opportunities available to them to plan for their
future careers and to enhance their employability. In order to do
this, she will be working in close conjunction with the University’s
Careers and Employability Service and the School’s Careers
Leads. Caroline can be contacted by email:
[email protected] or phone: 0115 823 0124
ATTENDANCE & EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
The University requires you to remain in residence
throughout the full period of each term, including the first
and last days of term.
We expect students to attend all timetabled sessions. It is easy
to get behind if you miss lectures or practicals and as a result
your progress on the course will probably suffer.
If you are unable to attend any part of the course, hand in
coursework or sit an examination, it is essential that you inform
your personal tutor and the class organiser as soon as possible.
When extenuating circumstances affect your ability to meet
coursework deadlines these must be discussed in advance (where
possible) with the member of staff responsible for setting the
work. If appropriate an extension period will be agreed with the
appropriate member of staff. For more details of the University’s
Extenuating Circumstances policy see the link below: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/academicservices/qualitymanual/aboutthequalitymanual.aspx
BOOK LIST & LIBRARY FACILITIES
Once registered at the University you are entitled to free access
to all of the libraries at the University. Library staff are very
helpful and willing to answer your queries regarding library
facilities.
Recommended reading / Book lists are given in each module
handbook where appropriate, giving some of the core texts that
would be useful for your studies. However, as books are
expensive we recommend that you do not buy books in
advance of coming to Nottingham but wait and select
appropriate books having seen the various options available in the
library. Many other books or recommended references will be
supplied for each module as the course progresses.
Some books will be used extensively as supplementary reading
material for several modules over more than one year and you
may find it helpful to purchase your own
copy of these books. However, if you are
going to buy a book, do so at the start of
your module so that you get maximum
use from it. Sharing the cost of a book
with your colleagues is also an
economical way of buying an expensive
text. Several copies of the recommend
texts are available on short term loan
from either the Greenfield Medical Library or the George Green
Science Library. However, these are normally heavily used and
you may have to go on a long waiting list to obtain them,
particularly near the examination period.
A tour of the Greenfield Medical Library in the Medical School has
been arranged for all first year students during the first week at
University. During this visit you will be
shown how to make full use of the
facilities offered to you. More intensive
instruction in literature searching
techniques, abstracting etc. is given in
the final year prior to embarking on your
project.
The following textbooks have been
recommended by Neuroscience students as the most useful for
general reference for the course. However, we would reiterate
our recommendation that you do not buy books in advance of the
course and check them out in the University library first:
Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain - Mark F. Bear, Barry
Connors, and Michael Paradiso. 3rd Revised edition. Lippincott
Williams and Wilkins; (2006)
Principles of Neural Science - Eric R. Kandel, James H.
Schwartz, and Thomas M. Jessell. 4th edition. McGraw-Hill
Medical; (1 Jul 2000)
Pharmacology - H.P. Rang, M.M. Dale, J.M. Ritter & P.K.
Moore. 6th Edition. Churchill Livingstone (2007).
Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology - Leslie
Iversen PhD, Susan Iversen PhD, Floyd E Bloom MD, and
Robert H Roth PhD. OUP USA (2009)
You may also find the following websites useful for reference:
Society for Neuroscience – http://www.sfn.org/home.aspx
British Neuroscience Association – http://bna.org.uk/
NEUROSCIENCE COURSE STRUCTURE
The University of Nottingham BSc Neuroscience degree was
established in 1991 following a survey of several pharmaceutical
companies, looking to ensure that
potential employers’ needs were
addressed. Many of the companies
surveyed now provide placements for
students who choose to do the MSci
degree. For 2006-2007 two additional
degree courses were added – BSc
Neuroscience with Biochemistry and BSc
Neuroscience with Pharmacology.
The Nottingham Neuroscience Degrees are
broad-based honours degrees and there are a significant number
of common compulsory modules across all Neuroscience courses.
These cover the structure, function and chemistry of the nervous
system in various species and how drugs act to produce changes
in function and behaviour.
The degrees are organized and taught largely within the Medical
School by the School of Life Sciences. There are also
contributions from clinicians, psychologists and other scientists
allowing the course to provide a wide experience of neuroscience.
Throughout the courses there are a substantial number of
laboratory classes that ensure thorough practical training in
modern neuroscience techniques. There is also plenty of
opportunity for specialization in a wide choice of research areas in
the final year project modules including studies on stem cells,
behaviour, brain imaging and drug treatments for Alzheimer’s
disease, schizophrenia, depression, multiple sclerosis, tumours
and stroke.
NB: Students on all Neuroscience courses undertake the
same compulsory modules in year 1 (qualifying year). You
may have the opportunity to transfer between the degrees at the
end of the first year, but please note that transfer to the MSci
requires a minimum average of 65% across modules in the first
year, and staying on the MSci course requires that the student is
successful in applying for a placement.
Whilst the BSc degrees are for 3 years, the MSci Neuroscience
degree is a 4 year course designed to provide specific training for
a future career in scientific research, either in the pharmaceutical
industry or in an academic environment. The third year of the
MSci degree is spent on an assessed research placement, usually
outside the university. Placements are normally with
pharmaceutical companies which offer 12 month salaried positions
or in a neuroscience laboratory of a UK or overseas university. In
recent years we have had students working in Howard Florey
Institute and Eli Lilly, while other students have spent a year at
universities in Japan, Vancouver and Melbourne. Projects
undertaken during the placement year have included development
of treatments for Alzheimer's disease, screening for molecular
markers of disease, stem cells, auditory processing of music and
functional magnetic resonance imaging. Although places are
competitive nationally, Nottingham Neuroscience students have
been very successful in obtaining placements. In the final, fourth,
year a further laboratory-based project is carried out together
with modules in specialist areas of clinical and experimental
neuroscience.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The degrees are comprised of a series of compulsory modules
(see the list of year 1 modules below) and some optional
modules, chosen from a list of recommended modules (see the
section ‘Choosing your Optional Modules’). Most modules
comprise a series of lectures and associated workshops or
tutorials. Others are laboratory based practical courses. Each
module has a module co-ordinator who is responsible for the
running and administration of the module and setting the
examination papers.
Modules usually have a weighting of 10 or 20 credits. A credit
represents approximately 10 hours of work, including all formal
tuition, such as lectures and practicals, together with private
study such as library-based work.
Each year of the course contributes 120 credits, therefore:
BSc Credits - Over the three year degree a student must
accumulate 360 credits by studying compulsory modules set
by the School and other optional modules in order to qualify for
an honours degree in Neuroscience, Neuroscience with
Biochemistry or Neuroscience with Pharmacology.
MSci Credits - Over the four year MSci course a student must
accumulate 480 credits by studying compulsory modules set
by the School and other optional modules in order to qualify for
an honours degree in Neuroscience.
The compulsory modules that will be studied on all 4
Neuroscience degrees during year 1 are as follows:
Neuroscience Compulsory Modules, Year 1 B140, B141, B1B2, B1C7
Semester Module Code
Module Title Credits
Whole Yr B11103 Fundamentals of Neuroscience 20
Autumn B11101 Fundamentals of Human Physiology and Pharmacology I
20
Autumn C71101 Cell Structure and Metabolism (L) 10
Autumn C71102 Cell Structure and Metabolism (P) 10
Spring C11211 Fundamentals of Human Physiology and Pharmacology II
20
Spring C41202 Genes and Cellular Control I (L) 10
Spring C41203 Genes and Cellular Control I (P) 10
Optional Modules – subject to approval by Neuroscience Course Director
20
Total Credits for Year 1 120
Some of you may not have studied A Level Chemistry, and a few
may not have taken A Level Biology. If this applies to you, DO
NOT WORRY. We find that such students may have to put in a bit
of extra effort, but the first year compulsory modules on
Fundamentals of Physiology and Pharmacology and Cell Structure
and Metabolism help to bring all our first year students to a
comparable level in Biology and Chemistry. If you do feel that
you have specific difficulties, these should be discussed with your
personal tutor as they arise. We do not feel that you should do
any extra preparatory work before commencing your degree at
this stage.
Any queries relating to modules should be addressed to the
module convenor. Specific problems on individual lectures or
practical classes should be addressed to the relevant member of
staff. Please don’t be embarrassed to ask questions!
TEACHING & LEARNING FORMAT
Lectures are used as the main method of conveying information
to a large group of students and in general are scheduled to last
for 50 minutes. It is important to realise that a lecture does not
give you all the information needed for a particular topic. You will
be expected to broaden your
knowledge by using recommended
texts, and by additional library
study. Approximately half the
module time is taken up in lectures
in the first two years of study and
the rest is allocated for private study
and revision. Where appropriate,
and more especially in third year modules you may be taught by
visiting staff with specialised knowledge, such as members of the
pharmaceutical industry.
Group work - some sessions include group discussion with a
member of academic staff who may ask students to prepare a
certain topic for discussion at the session or they may be post-
practical discussions where the student will discuss their results
prior to the formal write-up. These sessions will help you to
improve your oral presentation and communication skills as well
as reinforcing information obtained by other methods.
Workshops involve larger groups of students than group
discussions and often have more than one member of staff.
Students are usually given problems to solve within the duration
of the class. You can also use tutorial and workshop time to
consult and discuss other areas/topics with the members of staff
involved.
Practical classes are designed to complement aspects of
the course taught in lectures and
tutorials and to improve your
practical skills. An academic
member of staff will supervise
your practical sessions, often
with help from postgraduate
student demonstrators. A report
of the practical class prepared
during the class itself, or in your own time, is normally used
to assess practical modules. Safety spectacles and
laboratory coats must be worn whenever you are in the
laboratory unless otherwise instructed by the class organiser.
Order a laboratory coat. The School will provide you with
a laboratory coat free of charge. Please go to the WWW site
below and indicate the size you require (deadline 5.00pm,
13th September 2015) http://tinyurl.com/labcoat2015
Computer Aided Learning (CAL) coursework is used to
reinforce material which has been presented in lectures, tutorials
and practical classes. CAL enables you to work at your own pace
and is designed to be stimulating and interactive. You will be
required to register and sign a Code of Practice agreement before
you can use any University computer facilities and you should
read this form carefully. It is a serious offence to abuse these
facilities. You will be given a username and an initial password
when you register at the University.
Private Study - While studying for a degree in Neuroscience at
Nottingham, in addition to the formal, more didactic teaching
sessions, such as lectures, there is ample
time for private study. You must use this
time wisely. Plan out your work, read
through your lecture notes and expand
them by supplementary reading from
textbooks or recommended references.
Write up your laboratory reports as soon
as possible and use the library facilities to the full. A separate
Guide to Study Skills is supplied by the library and several specific
guides on the services provided by the library (such as the
Libertas on-line catalogue and BIDS publication database) can be
obtained from any of the libraries.
Please remember that a 10 credit practical module should
typically occupy 75 hours of study. Use your time sensibly to
ensure that you do not spend an excessive amount of time on one
aspect of the module at the expense of another.
ASSESSMENT
Modules will normally be examined in the semester in which they
occur, by coursework and/or a final examination. For 10 credit
modules, a typical examination might last for 2 hours whereas for
a 20 credit module it could be 3 hours or include coursework as
well as an exam.
Any student who has special requirements for assessments (e.g.
students with dyslexia) should discuss this well in advance of the
exam/coursework submission date with the Neuroscience
Examinations Officer. An assessment by Student Services may be
necessary if you feel that you need extra time or other alternative
arrangements for assessments on an ongoing basis. For further
information see:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/supportfor
yourstudies/academicsupport/index.aspx
Most exam papers are double marked or moderated to ensure
comparability. Some of the coursework (final year dissertations
and projects) is also double marked and moderated if necessary
to avoid bias. Before you sit them, all examination papers will
have been sent to a nominated external examiner for approval to
ensure comparability with other Neuroscience degree courses in
the UK.
Coursework: Some modules are assessed using coursework in
the form of practical reports, essays, oral presentations or
PowerPoint posters. Work should be handed in by the specified
deadline and is subject to the University’s regulations and the
School of Life Sciences’ regulations regarding plagiarism (this will
be outlined in the School of Life Sciences Teaching Policy
Handbook which will be given to you on arrival).
CHOOSING YOUR OPTIONAL MODULES
At your introductory tutorial session you will be given a Module
Entry Form which will already list the compulsory modules you
will take during Year 1, with a total of 100 credits. You will need
to choose 20 credits of optional Level 1 modules, usually from the
list of restricted options below.
The procedure for signing up for modules will be explained
further in the introductory tutorial session. The Module
Registration form should be completed and returned to the
Neuroscience Administrator during the first two weeks of term.
You will be given a further opportunity to change your optional
modules for Semester 2 during the first two weeks of that
semester.
Restricted Optional Modules for Year 1
Module Title Offering School
Credits/ Semester
C81COG Cognitive Psychology Psychology 20, Autumn
C41105 Microbiology Biology 10, Autumn
C11120 Genetics, Ecology & Evolution Biology 10, Autumn
C71205 Fundamentals of Biochemistry
Life Sciences 10, Spring
C81DEV Developmental Psychology Psychology 10, Spring
C11219 Immunity, Parasites and Control of Parasitic Diseases
Biology 10, Spring
Please note that availability of places is limited on some modules.
It is usual to balance your workload equally so that you have 60
credits per semester. However, as long as the total annual
credits are 120 you can choose to have a 55-65 credit
combination or in exceptions a 50-70 credit split.
We normally recommend that you choose your optional modules
from the list of ‘Restricted Options’ above as these have been
taken into account when scheduling your compulsory timetable
(please still check your timetable in case of clashes) and are
appropriate modules for Neuroscience students. However, you
may also choose alternative modules such as languages, social
sciences, maths if they fit around your compulsory timetable. If
you do choose alternative modules it is your responsibility to find
the appropriate information on modules and their timetables and
make sure they fit with your compulsory module timetable. You
must also seek the agreement of the Neuroscience Courses
Director.
Please note that although the University offers a wide range of
attractive subjects and modules, many of them will not fit with
your timetable (with the exception of language modules which
usually have a variety of options for most languages). Also,
students in the past have found that researching the timetabling
and entry requirements for modules in other schools is a major
task to take on during the first two weeks at University. For this
reason the ‘Restricted Optional Module’ system has been
introduced and has made the module selection process much
easier.
Also, it is important that you choose your
optional modules wisely as they count
towards your progression to year 2. You
are required to pass a minimum of 80
credits of modules with an average of
40% and no fails below 30% in order to
proceed to year 2. Some students have found in the past that by
choosing a module in a totally different field they have struggled
to obtain good grades due to the amount of extra studying
involved. You are therefore strongly encouraged to choose your
modules from the restricted list (unless choosing language
modules) as these are generally more closely aligned with science
subjects.
You can find information on all modules in the catalogue of
modules and on the Timetable web pages at:
Module details:
http://modulecatalogue.nottingham.ac.uk/Nottingham/
Module Timetables:
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/timetable/html/timetabl
es/teachingtimetables/timetables.php
