This course focuses on the investigation of cognitive structures and processes through the assessment and treatment of patients following brain injury. The course consists of these modules:

1. Introduction to Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
2. Cognitive Neuroscience: Investigating Brain Networks
3. Clinical Neuropsychology: Clinical Neuropsychological Assessment
4. Behavioural Neuroscience: Spatial Memory and Navigation, and the Neurobiology of Dementia
5. Cognitive Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuropsychiatry
6. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation of Unilateral Visuospatial Neglect

You will have the opportunity to learn about, discuss, and evaluate methods including clinical neuropsychological testing and neuroimaging. You will also have the opportunity to learn about neuropsychological case studies. The focus will be on patterns of impaired performance in patients who, following brain injury, have disorders of cognition and perception. Topics will include: anosognosia and other delusions, episodic memory, unilateral visuospatial neglect, and neuropsychological rehabilitation.

The lectures will be matched to laboratory classes, in which you will gain the skills required to move confidently into clinical and academic research.

 

Note: This course is an Honours Pathway Course.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Explain and evaluate scientific methods for advancing psychological knowledge, with an emphasis on understanding both the neural basis of selected psychological processes and cultural influences on cognition.
2. Explain the strengths and limitations of various methodological approaches in cognitive experimental psychology, cognitive neuropsychology and clinical neuropsychology, with the goal of moving to independent neuropsychological research.
3. Evaluate the clinical research tools used to recommend treatment for neuropsychological disorders that occur following brain injury, such as disorders of visual and somatosensory attention, memory, and executive functions.
4. Research, integrate, and effectively communicate knowledge in the field by presenting the output as part of a small-group project. 

Research-Led Teaching

All of the PSYC3016 lecturers are established academic researchers in their respective areas of expertise.

Field Trips

NA

Additional Course Costs

NA

Examination Material or equipment

Unannotated paper-based dictionary is allowed for candidates with written approval from the School.

For approved dictionaries in accordance with ANU Policies, please see link http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/assessment-arrangements-for-students-from-language.

Required Resources

There is no textbook for this course.

Required readings (and supplementary readings) will consist of journal articles and book chapters, which will be assigned weekly by the lecturer.

All information related to PSYC3016: Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience will be available online on the Wattle site for this course.

The Wattle site is your key source of information about lectures, laboratory classes, PowerPoint lecture slides (as pdf), and everything else to do with this course.                                                 

Recommended Resources

Recommended student system requirements 

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online resources and activities including:

• video material, similar to YouTube, for lectures and other instruction
• two-way video conferencing for interactive learning
• email and other messaging tools for communication
• interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities
• print and photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings
• home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms:

• verbal comments
• written comments
• examination results
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, etc.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Neuropsychology	Module 1 Neuropsychology provides students with a brief introduction to five different approaches for studying human cognition, and with more extended discussion of clinical and cognitive neuropsychology.
2	Cognitive Neuroscience	Module 2 Cognitive Neuroscience provides students with background knowledge for a mechanistic understanding of how brain activity underpins cognition and behaviour (and consciousness).
3	Cognitive Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuropsychiatry	Module 3 Cognitive Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuropsychiatry provides students with background knowledge of the methods of cognitive neuropsychology, and these methods will then be applied to pathologies of belief (delusions).
4	Behavioural Neuroscience	Module 4 Behavioural Neuroscience provides students with an introduction to the field of navigation neuroscience – how the brain helps us find our way and why we sometimes feel lost – and an introduction to the integration of knowledge from neurobiology and neuropsychology, using the study of dementia as an example.
5	Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation	Module 5 Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation brings together the methods of clinical neuropsychology, cognitive neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience and experimental cognitive psychology in an extended investigation of unilateral visuospatial neglect, with an introduction to neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / labs so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Laboratory Class Exercises, including In-Class Tasks, In-Class Quizzes, or On-Line Reflection Posts (30%)	30 %	*	1,2,3,4
Laboratory Class Small-Group Presentation (20%)	20 %	19/05/2025	1,2,3,4
Final Examination (50%)	50 %	*	1,2,3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

The University has returned to on-campus only delivery for in-person courses.

Students are expected to attend lectures and contribute to discussions. In addition to lectures, attendance and participation in laboratories/practical's is crucial to successful completion of your course. The School of Medicine and Psychology considers the laboratory/practical components to be an integral part of each course. Laboratory/practical classes may supplement and consolidate material covered in lectures and/or they may introduce entirely new material pertinent to the objectives of the course.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Students are expected to engage with the two hours of lectures each week, as well as attend four 3-hour laboratory classes over the semester.

Lectures are very important, as they provide students with the central ideas and concepts for the course, along with seminal research in cognitive and clinical neuropsychology, and in cognitive and behavioural neuroscience.

Laboratory classes are important as they will provide a unique opportunity for small group discussion and interactive learning exercises. In addition, there is an expectation that students will regularly and consistently engage in the course readings, as selected and notified by the course convenor and lecturers.

On average, the expected workload for this course is approximately 130 hours, which includes:

• face-to face component, which may consist of 2 hours of lectures per week and 4 x 3-hour laboratory classes spread across the semester.
• approximately 94 hours of self-study, which will include preparation for lectures, laboratory classes, and assessment tasks.

Examination(s)

The final examination for this course will be administered In-Person during the Semester 1 Final Examination period. Students must be on campus to attend the exam. Information about the scheduling of the examination will be posted by the University at http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/examination-timetable

The final examination is a hurdle requirement. A Pass mark (50% or greater) is required in the final examination before the course can be passed as a whole.

Those failing to achieve this, but who otherwise have an overall grade of 45% or better, will be offered the opportunity to sit, and pass, a further (supplementary) invigilated examination.

Students achieving a passing grade (50% or better) in that supplementary invigilated examination will be eligible to pass the course overall but their final recorded course mark will be 50%.

Assessment Task 1

Laboratory Class Exercises, including In-Class Tasks, In-Class Quizzes, or On-Line Reflection Posts (30%)

Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4

Details of Task: All laboratory classes will include some form of assessment. In three of the four laboratory classes, the assessment involves an In-Class Task, an In-Class Quiz, or an On-Line Reflection Post (based specifically on information presented in the laboratory class). These exercises are intended to keep students on-track and engaged with the content of the laboratory classes.

Note. In one of the four laboratory classes, there will be a group presentation -- see Assessment Task 2.

Word Limit (where applicable): 250-word maximum for an On-Line Reflection Post; NA for In-Class Task or Quiz.

Value:30% of your final grade (10% for each of three laboratory classes).

Due Date: In-Class Tasks (or Quizzes) will be due at the end of the laboratory class; On-Line Reflection Posts will be due for submission in the week following the laboratory class.

Estimated Return Date: Assessments will be returned approximately three weeks after the due date.

Late submission is not permitted.

Assessment Task 2

Laboratory Class Small-Group Presentation (20%)

Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4

Details of Task: All laboratory classes will include some form of assessment. In one of the four laboratory classes, the assessment involves a small-group presentation. In a small group (approximately 5 students, depending on the size of the laboratory class), students will prepare a group presentation on a topic of current interest in 'Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience'. Two or three of the core journal articles for this presentation will be made available to each group of students in advance.

Value:20% of your final grade.

Presentation Requirements: Twenty-five minute small-group presentation, including 5 minutes of questions from your lab-group members.

Laboratory class PowerPoint presentation slides for the small-group presentation will be submitted at 9am on the day of the laboratory class.

Due Date: The laboratory class small-group presentation is currently scheduled for the week of 19 May 2025.

Estimated Return Date: NA. Comments will be provided by the tutor and the other students of your laboratory class during/following your presentation.

Late submission is not permitted.

Assessment Task 3

Final Examination (50%)

Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3

Details of Task: There will be a 3-hour final examination (based on the lectures and required reading in PSYC3016), which will be held during the university examination period. The examination will consist of multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and extended-answer questions. The exact format will be discussed in-class closer to the examination date.

Value:50% of your final grade.

The final examination for this course will be administered in-person during the Semester 1 Final Examination period. Students must be on campus to attend the exam. Information about the scheduling of the examination will be posted by the University at http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/examination-timetable

The final examination is a hurdle requirement. A Pass mark (50% or greater) is required in the final examination before the course can be passed as a whole.

Those failing to achieve this, but who otherwise have an overall grade of 45% or better, will be offered the opportunity to sit, and pass, a further (supplementary) invigilated examination.

Students achieving a passing grade (50% or better) in that supplementary invigilated examination will be eligible to pass the course overall, but their final recorded course mark will be 50%

Estimated Return Date: Exams are not returned; students can contact the course authority to view their examination papers if they wish to do so.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignments. Please keep a copy of the assignments for your records.

Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education), submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand-written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.), hard-copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard-copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof.

Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

Assignments that have been submitted on time will be marked and available to download from the Turnitin link on Wattle, approximately three weeks after the due date. The exact return date will be posted on Wattle.

Late assignments (even those with formal extensions) will not be marked within this timeframe; our priority will be to mark the assignments that were handed in on time. We will aim to get the late assignments back before the end of semester. Marking of the late assignments will commence once all on-time assignments have been marked and returned.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments is not permitted.

Re-marking Policy

From the time your assignment is available on Wattle, you have 10 working days in which to request a formal re-mark.

1. If you have any questions about the assessment of a submitted piece of work, or wish to have some of the comments clarified, email your questions to the course functional email account (the address for the course functional email account is on Wattle).
2. If you think, your assignment deserves a higher mark: It is your responsibility to outline in writing why, in your opinion, the original mark does not reflect the true worth of the work. Submit your request by email to the course functional email account.
3. If the Course Convener agrees to a remark of your work and, as a result, the mark is altered, and you accept this change, then the procedure ends, and you will not be eligible for any further re-marking of this work.
4. If you remain unhappy with the outcome, you can formally request a re-mark by an independent marker by sending your request to the course functional email account. 

The mark awarded by the independent marker for your assessment will become your final mark regardless, if it is higher, lower or the same as your original mark.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students