Schedule of Classes and Assignments
Last Updated: January 5, 2026
All
assignments listed on the right are from Kalat’s (2019, 13th
edition) text
| Week |
Day |
Date |
Topic |
Assignment |
| Module
1: The Major Issues in Biopsychology:
General introduction |
||||
| 1 |
Mon |
Jan 12 |
General
Introduction to Course |
Syllabus |
| Wed |
Jan 14 |
The Biological
Approach to Behavior |
Introduction•
pp. 4-8 |
|
| |
Fri |
Jan
16 |
The Genetics of
Behavior |
Ch.
4.1 • pp. 104-114 |
| 2 | Mon | Jan 19 |
Martin
Luther King, Jr. Holiday • No Class |
|
| Module 2: Nerve Cells and Impulses | ||||
| Wed |
Jan 21 |
Cells
of the Central Nervous system [ppt] |
Ch. 1.1 • pp. 18-26 |
|
| Fri |
Jan 23 |
Neural
Impulse (a) [ppt] |
Ch. 1.2 • pp. 28-38 |
|
| 3 | Mon |
Jan
26 |
Neural Impulse
(b) [ppt] |
|
| Module
3: Synapses |
||||
| Wed |
Jan
28 |
The Concept of
the Synapse |
Ch.
2.1 • pp. 42-48 |
|
| Fri |
Jan
30 |
Chemical Events
at the Synapse |
Ch.
2.2, pp. 50-61 |
|
| 4 | Mon |
Feb
02 |
Synapses, Drugs,
& Addiction (Substance Abuse) |
Ch.
14.1 • pop. 460-466 |
| Module
4: Anatomy of the Nervous System |
||||
| Wed |
Feb
04 |
Structure of the Vertebrate Nervous System | Ch 3.1 • pp. 68-80 | |
| Fri |
Feb
06 |
The Cerebral Cortex (a) | Ch. 3.2, pp. 82-89 | |
| 5 | Mon |
Feb 09 | The Cerebral Cortex (b) Complete |
|
| Module 5: Research Methods | ||||
| Wed | Feb
11 |
Research Methods in Bio/Neuropsychology | Ch. 3.3 • pp. 91-99 | |
| Fri | Feb 13 | Complete Research
Methods... ------ Large Scale Brain Networks (not in our text; notes posted in Lectures) |
||
| 6 | Mon | Feb 16 | TBA |
|
| Wed | Feb 18 | Wellness Break • No Class | ||
| Fri | Feb 20 | Test #1 on Modules 1-4 (but not Module 5) | ||
| Module 6: Brain Development | ||||
| 7 | Mon |
Feb 23 | Development of the Brain | Ch. 4.2 • pp. 117-133 |
| |
Wed |
Feb 25 |
Development of
the Brain (cont'd) |
|
| Fri | Feb
27 |
Plasticity after Brain Damage | Ch. 4.3 • pp. 136-143 | |
| Module 7: Vision | ||||
| 8 | Mon | Mar 02 |
Visual Coding | Ch. 5.1 • pp. 148-159 |
| Wed |
Mar
04 |
Parallel Processing in the Visual Cortex | Ch. 5.2 • pp. 162-174 | |
| Fri | Mar
06 |
Test #2 on Modules 5-7 | ||
| Wed | Mar 05 | Test #2 on Modules 5-7 |
| Module 8: Wakefulness & Sleep | ||||
| 9 |
Mon | Mar 09 | Rhythms of Waking and Sleeping | Ch. 8.1 • pp. 258-266 |
| Wed | Mar 11 | Stages of Sleep & Brain Mechanisms; Sleep Disorders | Ch. 8.2 • pp. 268-278 | |
| Fri |
Mar 13 |
Why Sleep? Why REM? Why Dreams? [Mid-Term
Grades due]
|
Ch. 8.3 • pp. 280-285 | |
| Spring Break: March 17-21 • No Class | |
|||
| Module 9: Reproductive Behaviors | ||||
| 10 | Mon | Mar
23 |
Sex and Hormones | Ch. 10.1 • pp. 322-334 |
| Wed |
Mar 25 | Variations in Sexual Behavior | Ch. 10.2 • pp. 337-347 | |
| Module 10: Emotional Behaviors | ||||
| Fri | Mar
27 |
What is Emotion? | Ch. 11.1 • pp. 352-360 | |
| 11 | Mon |
Mar
30 |
Attack & Escape Behaviors | Ch. 11.2 • pp. 362-373 |
| Wed |
Apr
01 |
Stress & Health | Ch. 11.3 • pp. 376-380 | |
| Fri |
Apr 03 |
Good Friday • No Class |
||
| 12 |
Mon |
Apr 06 |
Easter Monday • No Class |
|
| Module 11: Learning, Memory,
Language |
||||
| |
Wed | Apr 08 |
Learning Memory & Memory Loss; Alzheimer's Disease | Ch. 12.1 • pp. 384-392 |
| |
Fri |
Apr 10 |
Test #3 on Modules 8-10 Last day to withdraw from classes with a grade of W. |
|
| 13 | Mon |
Apr
13 |
The
Hippocampus & the Striatum |
Ch.
12.2 • pp. 395-403 |
|
|
Wed |
Apr
15 |
Lateralization of Function | Ch. 13.1 • pp. 424-429 |
|
|
Fri |
Apr
17 |
McGilchrist's Master and His Emissary (The Divided Brain) | Notes from Instructor |
| 14 | Mon | Apr 20 | Evolution & Physiology of Language | Ch. 13.1 • pp. 430-438 |
| Wed | Apr
22 |
Complete Language... | ||
| Fri |
Apr
24 |
TBA | |
|
| Module 12: Psychological Disorders | ||||
| 15 | Mon |
Apr
27 |
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders & Psychosis | Ch. 14.3 • pp. 480-489 |
|
|
Wed |
Apr
29 |
Mood Disorders | Ch. 14.2 • pp. 468-477 |
| Fri |
May
01 |
Mood Disorder (cont'd) | ||
| 16 |
Mon |
May
04 |
TBA • Last Class |
|
| Test #4 exam •
Note this is NOT a cumulative Final Exam. Rather it
is Test #4 covering materials in Modules 11 &
12. It will take the same format as the previous
three tests and will take you one hour to complete.
It will be held in the same classroom, GH 219. |
||||