
Degrees | Neuroscience and Education | Biobehavioral Sciences
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Degree Information & Requirements
The MS in Neuroscience and Education degree requires 32 graduate degree credits at Columbia University, of which 20 must be taken at Teachers College (i.e., you can take up to 12 of your credits at other locations in the university such as Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), Barnard College, Columbia Medical School (College of Physicians and Surgeons) etc.) Please note that requirements may overlap, and individual courses may satisfy multiple requirements:
A. Core Requirements: At least 20 credits of courses in Neurosciences and data analysis. These are primarily offered in the Neuroscience and Education program (BBSN prefix).
In the first Fall Term students should take BBSN 4001 Foundations of Neuroscience I: Anatomy and Physiology, and BBSN 4002 Foundations II: Systems Neuroscience. These courses will be offered twice a week for the first and second half of the term, respectively. In addition, students should take the Proseminar in Neuroscience (BBSN 5575), andNeuroscience Methods (BBSN 4005).
In the Spring Term, Students should take BBSN 4000, Cognitive Neuroscience and BBSN 5044, Current Issues in Neuroscience and Education. Students with very strong preparation in neuroscience may test out of some of the foundation courses, but it is expected that students will take this sequence regardless of their previous training.
Students entering the program in the Spring or Summer Term should take breadth and methods courses, and begin the foundational sequence in their first Fall Term.
B. At least 9 credits in Methods and Data Analysis. Some courses may overlap with the requirements in A. Previous undergraduate or graduate coursework in this area may be petitioned to fulfill these requirements, but credits cannot be transferred from other institutions. Please consult your advisor if you wish to fulfill requirements in this way. Courses for this component can include BBSN 4005 Research Methods in Neuroscience. Other courses that satisfy this component include methods courses involving EEG, fMRI, neuropsychological testing, eye tracking (see course listing below.) In addition, statistics courses offered in the measurement program (HUDM) would satisfy this requirement.
C. Breadth Courses: At least 6 credits of breadth courses outside of BBSN. Most out of program courses (i.e., non BBSN) qualify for this requirement, and students should consider more than the minimum 6 credits to combine a content area with their neuroscience training. Teachers College presently requires that 2 breadth courses must be taken at Teachers College outside of BBSN although courses in BBS (department- wide), BBSQ (Communication Sciences & Disorders), BBSR (Movement Science) may count.
D. The Thesis is required to be completed by all students before graduation. This is a journal-style article in APA format that either reports on research conducted during training or is a review article that consists of an integrated analysis of an area of focus. Review articles should be proposing a hypothesis or point of view in the analysis, and should not just be a listing or previous research in the area. The thesis may also include research proposals for specific experiments to address questions raised in the analysis. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in BBSN 5199 Capstone and Thesis in their final Spring Term. This course provides guidance and feedback in the development and writing of the thesis. Students who are receiving guidance from other faculty members that they are working with do not need to take this course.
E. BBSN 4904 Practicum is strongly recommended for all students, especially those pursuing a research/scientific approach to their studies. Typically this consists of working/volunteering in a research lab or treatment center in the city. Such experiences can be very rewarding and are extremely useful for future employment and can often lead to publications if the student is highly engaged in a lab project. Students who are engaged in practicum should register for the practicum for 0-3 points. A zero-point enrollment allows the student to get credit for participation without paying tuition.
EXCLUDED COURSES:
Undergraduate courses generally cannot count toward the graduate degree (see not above.) Courses that do not fulfill the program aims of connecting neuroscience to a content area may not count toward the degree. Also, courses that offer non-traditional or alternative approaches to neuroscience may not be allowed to count toward your degree if they are not considered to be scientifically rigorous. Students should consult their advisor if in doubt.
Please note that to remain in good standing, students are expected to obtain a grade of B or better in the intro-level courses in neuroscience (Foundations I and II, and Cognitive Neuroscience). Students who fail to obtain a B grade in these courses will be required to repeat them. Advanced students may take Neuroscience courses outside of TC upon approval Websites for Registration and Course Selection
Teachers College |
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Columbia University |
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Columbia University GSAS |
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/dept/curriculum/index.html Note: Only 4000 level (graduate) classes and above |
College of Physicians & Surgeons |
http://www.neurosciencephd.columbia.edu/index.php?page=8 Note: Special Registration Required, Classes on Different Schedule than TC |
Academic Progress Audit
The college maintains an audit system that tracks your progress in courses. This audit can be accessed through the myTC portal. Please check on this regularly and look for courses that are not properly applied for the program requirements. You can fix some of these issues by moving courses into their appropriate category. If not, check with your advisor for help.
Available courses for program requirements:
** Required for all students
* Required for students in first term unless substituted by previous coursework
A. MINIMUM 20 CREDITS REQUIRED IN BBSN PROGRAM (including BBSN methods courses) |
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FALL TERM |
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BBSN 5575 |
**Proseminar in Neuroscience and Education |
BBSN 4001 |
*Foundations of Neuroscience I: Anatomy and Physiology |
BBSN 4002 |
*Foundations of Neuroscience II: Systems Neuroscience |
BBSN 4005 |
*Neuroscience Methods |
BBSN 5007 |
#Neuroscience Applications to Education |
BBSN 5122 |
^Psychoneuroimmunology & Education OFFERED SUMMER B 2016, NOT FALL 2016 |
BBSN 5005 |
Evaluation of Neuropsychological Instruments for Research |
BBSN 5199 |
#Neuroscience of Reading |
BBSN 4904 |
Practicum / Res Ind Stdy |
BBSN 5199 |
#Neuroscience, Ethics and the Law |
BBSR 5057 |
Movement Disorders |
SPRING TERM |
|
BBSN 5199 |
Capstone and Thesis Writing in Neuroscience and Education |
BBSN 4000 |
Cognitive Neuroscience and Education |
BBSN 5199 |
Affective Neuroscience |
BBSN 5070 |
#Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience |
BBSN 5044 |
Current Issues in Neuroscience |
BBSN 5199 |
#Neuroscience of Adversity |
BBSN 5199 |
^Human Functional Neuroanatomy |
BBSN 4904 |
Practicum / Res Ind Stdy |
BBSN 5199 |
Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology |
B. Neuroscience Research Methods and Statistics (MINIMUM 9 CREDITS) |
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BBSN4005 |
Neuroscience Methods |
BBSN 5199 |
Capstone and Thesis in Neuroscience and Education |
BBSN 5022 |
Eye Tracking Methods |
BBSN 5005 |
Evaluation of Neuropsychological Instruments |
BBSN 5000 |
EEG Methods |
BBSN 6000 |
EEG Data Collection and Analysis |
BMEN E4840 |
Functional Imaging of the Brain |
MARTINOS CENTER |
***WorkShops in fMRI, NIRS etc. (external courses offered in Boston MGH: Can count as credit for this requirement) |
Other courses qualifying for credit under B. Research Methods and Stat Courses offered in the program in measurement and Statistics (HUDM) |
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HUDK 5040 |
Development and Psychopathology |
HUDM 4120 |
Basic Concepts in Statistics |
HUDM 4121 |
Intermediate Statistics |
HUDM 4050 |
Introduction to Measurement (elementary statistics) |
HUDM 5122 |
Applied Regression (Advanced) |
HUDM 5123 |
Linear Models and Experimental Design (Advanced) |
NOTE: The following are examples of courses that can fulfill the breadth requirement. In effect you can choose almost any non-‐program courses to fulfill the requirement with the consent of your advisor. |
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HUDK 5024 |
Language Development |
HUDK 4023 |
Dev Psych: Adolescence |
HUDK 5023 |
Cognitive Development |
HUDK 4027 |
Development of Mathematical Thinking |
HUDK 4020 |
Theories of Human Development |
HUDK 4024 |
Developmental Psychology |
HUDK 4035 |
Technology and Human Development |
HUDK 5020 |
Development of Creativity |
HUDK 5037 |
Psych of Children's TV |
HUDK 5040 |
Dev Psychopathology: Atypical Contexts |
Learning & Cognition |
|
HUDK 5120 |
Dev of Creativity: Case Study Method |
HUDK 4015 |
Psychology of Thinking |
HUDK 4029 |
Human Cognition & Learning |
HBSK 5096 |
Psychology of Memory |
HUDK 5025 |
Spatial Thinking |
HUDK 5030 |
Visual Explanations |
HUDK 4080 |
Educational Psychology |
HUDK 5035 |
Psych of Media |
HUDK 5120 |
Psych of Language and Reading |
HUDK 5020 |
Development of Creativity |
HUDK 5125 |
Cross Cultural Psychology |
^ On-line course
# Class scheduled during business hours; lectures will also be video recorded and offered online