Course Number Course Name Professor (last, first) Desc of Prof Helpfulness (TA and Prof) Grading Difficulty Requirements for Course Other Comments
BSCI 252 Cellular Neurobiology Page, Terry Wonderful professor, very amusing and entertaining, makes the info easy to understand and interesting. Always keeps us engaged and is clear in his explanations. Both Page and T.A. (Chris Ciarleglio) are helpful and available to answer questions. Grading is reasonable. Knowledge of basic bio and physics would be helpful. There are problem sets, which are helpful in the long-run for understanding the info and studying for the test. Other than that, itÕs just exams, which are doable as long as you understand the info. Good class, just make sure you know what youÕre talking about and really understand the info.
BSCI 254 Neurobiology of Behavior Catania, Kenneth One of the most enthusiastic, dedicated professors IÕve had. Dr. Catania truly brings new meaning to the word passionate. He is a wonderful lecturer and is definitely dedicated to his field and loves everything about his work and the material that he teaches. He is very kind and wants to do everything to keep students interested, engaged, and on top of the material. This course is definitely one of the most interesting IÕve taken at Vanderbilt. The nature of the course brings a very interesting spin to neuroscience as it focuses on the nervous systems of various animals. So, the focus is not on humans, which makes the course about as interesting as it gets! No TA for this course, but the professor is extremely helpful. He offers great review sessions and is always willing to meet with students to go over the material. The exams are long but not impossible. They cover all of the material so complete knowledge of all the material presented is necessary. But with that said, the tests are fair, and nothing is on the exam that isnÕt covered in lecture. The format of the exam consists of everything: multiple choice, matching, true/false, free response, labeling, etc. With thorough studying, the exams are not incredibly difficult.  NSC/PSY 201 is definitely helpful, and BSCI 110 A/B is a prerequisite. A solid background in biology will be very helpful. There are two exams and a two part final exam. One of these four components can be dropped, and your final grade is based on this. No homework at all, and no assignments other than the exams. [omitted]
BSCI 254 Neurobiology of Behavior Catania, Kenneth Dr. Catania is a very engaging professor. He has a way of making class seem like a show on discovery channel or animal planet. He is very knowledgeable and able to clearly explain things. Dr. Catania is very helpful. The tests are the only grades, but they are very fair. You must take notes in class and go over them, but if you do that, the tests arenÕt that bad. Also, you can drop one of the four test grades. You must come to class and take good notes. There is no textbook. For the first test, most every class had a packet of info that Dr. Catania had typed up full of info and figures. These were very useful and informative. However, for later lectures, we would sometimes have research articles but sometimes only the copies of figures that he would show during class. However, it is fine as long as you go to class and take notes. This is a really great class because it makes neuroscience fun. You use the info about sensory systems and the brain and look at animal systems. The best part is that sometimes animals come to class!
BSCI 254 Neurobiology of Behavior Catania, Kenneth Really nice guy, VERY intelligent, usually pretty clear but jumps around sometimes. No T.A., but prof. is very helpful. Average is inflated because there are a lot of smart people in the class. I think 201 is a pre-req; no assignments, no homework. He brings animals to class sometimes!
BSCI 254 Neurobiology of Behavior Catania, Kenneth Professor Catania, to put it simply, has mastered the difficult-to-achieve status of being both an extremely brilliant individual as well as a great professor. As a result, his classes are not only highly stimulating and enjoyable, but you are amazed by how well his lectures help you learn the material at hand. Prof Catania is so good at understanding the average studentÕs mindset, that he can often times clarify any topic of discussion on the second attempt during lecture if a student asks him to repeat something. On top of that, he is always more than willing to help make sure that students understand what he is trying to convey, even if that means slowing down the pace of the course and modifying the syllabus to compensate for that change.  The grading in this class is quite possibly the most straightforward type that you can expect. While it may seem somewhat detailed, the exam does not expect from you anything more than what you heard during lecture. DonÕt miss any classes, and especially pay attention during lectures (in fact, with the level of entertainment in this class, itÕs pretty hard not to). ThatÕs pretty much it. When will you get another chance to take a class with an individual who actually won an award called the Genius Grant? ThatÕs all I have to say.
NSC 201 Intro to Neuroscience Smith, Leslie Dr. Smith was amazing! She is very knowledgeable about the subject matter and is so excited about teaching. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she really inspires the students to learn. She also does a very good job of helping students to understand the material. Dr. Smith was extremely helpful. I missed a class due to the flu, but I went to her office hours and she went over the material with me. Also, she and the TA worked with me to take a test early so that it would not conflict with another exam. I felt that the grading was very fair. The material at times can be difficult, but is doable if you put in some time to do the assignments and listen in class. In this class, you had to read each chapter before class and do a set of online questions. Then in class, it was pretty much up to you to take notes because if there are slides they are only figures or pictures. The assignments were not overwhelming and doing them greatly helped me to keep up with the class and prepare for tests. This is a great class to take freshman year or as soon as possible because it teaches you the basics you need for all other courses and gets you excited about neuroscience.
NSC 201 Intro to Neuroscience Smith, Leslie Great class overall. You will not only learn a lot, but Prof Smith is very energetic and active while teaching the class. She wants you to learn the material, while also making sure you have fun. Prof Smith is really helpful when it comes to class performance. If she sees that the class as a whole is struggling, she usually makes adjustments to help everyone out. There is no getting around the fact that you have to study this material to do well, but Prof Smith tries very hard to be as fair and reasonable as possible with tests. She never tries to trick you and she always lets you know ahead of time what she expects you to know. Pay attention to the lectures and class and homework and you should be fine. Great class overall. Recommended class to take if you like to be engaged during lecture!
NSC 201 Intro to Neuroscience Smith, Leslie Great personality, very fun and entertaining. Unique teaching style with interesting demonstrations to keep class always engaging and fun. Could be more clear at times, though; was confusing at times with explanations. Other than that, a great professor. Always very helpful and T.A. (Peiyan) was very helpful as well. We were given great review sessions. Grading was appropriate. No pre-reqs necessary, but basic bio info might be helpful. There were no assignments besides reading and extra credit homeworks, but it was all reasonable. Fun class, but sometimes in trying to make the class engaging and do interesting demos, made explanations confusing. For example, demo of how ions flow during action potential was memorable, but didnÕt make much sense.
NSC 201 Intro to Neuroscience Smith, Leslie Great, friendly personality, makes sure you understand material, engaging lectures. Both professor and T.A. are VERY approachable and helpful. Tests cover a lot, but are graded fairly and curved. Do the homework and come to class; up to FOUR POINTS added to your final grade for good attendance. She's basically the coolest teacher ever.
NSC 201 Intro to Neuroscience Marois, Rene Very enthused about course material and teaching. He loves to incorporate some humor into his lectures, but his presentations can be rather boring from time to time. He doesnÕt seem as approachable as some professors but his course is of fantastic quality, and he is excited to help students that put forth the effort to solicit his help. He is clear about the material that you should know. The course is definitely enjoyable.  Very helpful. Professor Marois is extremely willing to help his students in any way necessary. He goes out of his way to ensure that students are enjoying the course and getting the most out of it that is possible. The grading for this course is very fair. Studying, of course, is necessary if you want an A, but all of the material on the exams is presented in lecture. He gives practice exams, and the TA offers review sessions. Exams consist of multiple choice and free response and sometimes include diagrams and labeling. Certainly not difficult if you put forth the effort.  A background in general biology would be helpful (i.e. BSCI 110A/B), but other than that, no prerequisites are required, and PSY 101 is definitely not required either! Coursework includes in-class exams and a final in addition to a final paper. No homework. [omitted]
PSY 232 Mind and Brain Tong, Frank Professor Tong is another brilliant individual and it immediately shows in his lectures. Not only is the material that he is teaching interesting, but he is so into it and trying to teach it to you that it makes the class even more enjoyable. There are no tricks when it comes to Prof Tong. His syllabus is straightforward and his style is thorough but in a story-telling fashion, which makes you feel as if he is this wise man bequeathing his knowledge to you each class.  Both Prof Tong and his TA are usually very helpful. You shouldnÕt hesitate to go see them about any questions that you have. The material is quite dense, and definitely requires a good amount of studying, but it is well worth it. Likewise, the tests are pretty straightforward as far as content goes. The only trick is to stay on top of the material. If you havenÕt taken [NSC] 201 yet, it is highly recommended. This knowledge will help you solidify and tie together concepts that are taught in the class. Mind and Brain is a class about cognitive neuroscience. That is to say, if you are interested in learning what scientists like Prof Tong have discovered about how the brain enables the mind, how we think, feel, and perceive the world around us, then this class is definitely for you.
PSY 232 Mind and Brain Tong, Frank Dr. Tong is a very engaging professor. He is very knowledgeable about the subject matter and is clear in his teaching. The slides that he used were very helpful for following along in lectures and studying. Dr. Tong and the TA were both helpful. This was not a difficult course. By coming to class and reviewing the lecture slides, the tests were very straightforward. Also, much of the info is review or extensions of things covered in other classes such as [PSY] 101 and [NSC] 201. For this class, the textbook was optional, and you could do the class fine without the textbook if you went to class and went over the slides. During the semester we had two short papers that summarized research articles. This was a really good class to take while taking other hard classes because it did not require too much time. This was a good course to take because it was not very difficult and I learned a lot. This class is about cognitive psychology and made a bunch of links between ideas I had heard about before in [PSY] 101 or [NSC] 201. This class was not super science based, more like the link between neuroscience and psychology. It does a good job of introducing you to how people investigate the relationship between the brain and the mind.
PSY 235 Biological Basis of Mental Disorders Smith, Leslie Dr. Smith is wonderfully enthusiastic and truly wants her students to learn everything that they possibly can. She is able to keep students engaged remarkably well, and she incorporates clinical examples and humor into her lectures. She is a great lecturer, and this course offers a very practical application of neuroscience principles to diseases/disorders of the brain. The course is a must for the major! Dr. Smith is always available to help her students, and she loves it when students come to visit her. She enjoys conversation and wants the class to do well. The course involves about three exams and a presentation on a mental disorder of your choice at the end of the semester. These presentations are extremely fun, and you get breakfast during class on each day that presentations are given! Better yet, there is no final exam. The examinations arc not incredibly easy, but with some studying, they are not very difficult. Dr. Smith gives several opportunities for extra credit and wants the class to do as well as possible.  NSC 201 is a prerequisite for this course and is definitely a must. A basic background in biology and chemistry is definitely helpful. The requirements for the course include examinations and a final presentation and paper. There is basically no homework for the course. Lectures are very interesting and clearly organized. [omitted]
PSY 235 Biological Basis of Mental Disorders Smith, Leslie Dr. Smith is, as usual, a ROCK STAR! Unfortunately, she doesnÕt do a lot of teaching in this class. Rather, the course is an opportunity to hear talks about the work of leading researchers at Vanderbilt, including the Neuroscience department, the Kennedy Center, and the Medical School. It is very interesting, but the course is not for the faint-hearted because the class is definitely more scientifically than psychologically based.  [omitted] The tests are pretty difficult, and require a thorough understanding of a relatively large amount of complex material. There is no text for the course, just scientific papers written by Vanderbilt researchers, which can be pretty rough going for students who rely on the text as a means for learning the material. The final project is actually graded by the class (so keep in mind that the students are doing the grading: it is a pretty arduous task to objectively read and evaluate every 10 page paper for some 25 presenting groups in the class!).  There are three exams and a final project in the course, and there are a couple of spot-checking homework assignments and extra credit opportunities.While not really necessary to understanding all of the subject material, I feel that a prospective student of this class would gain a lot more from the talks if they have taken genetics before PSY 235. Be sure to form a good study group early on in this course. And because the lecturers do not return to the class in person to clarify any questions that might be posed later on, make sure that at least one member of the group takes a tape-recorder to class!
PSY 235 Biological Basis of Mental Disorders Smith, Leslie This class is different from many others because almost every class was done by a guest lecturer who specialized in the mental disorder we were discussing that day. This was a very interesting format because you got to meet some really interesting people and learn about current research that they were doing. Some of the lecturers were better than others, but overall they all did a really good job. When Dr. Smith did a few lectures she was always engaging and was good at answering questions. Also, she was very helpful after many in the class did poorly on the first test; she gave make-up assignments for extra credit points. The TA Mary Baldwin was also very helpful and administered a test for me at an alternate time to help me with my schedule.  The grading was somewhat difficult because to get an A you needed a 95% in the class. 90-94 was all A-. The tests were also difficult because of the large amount of information, but by the last test, Dr. Smith worked out a format that was much better. At the end of the course there was no final exam, but rather a paper and presentation which was a good way to boost your grade. You definitely need to take 201 before this class. For each class, you would have to read an article or paper about the topic we would discuss. At the end of the course you did a 10 page research paper and a class presentation. Also at the end you would have to read the papers of your classmates and grade those as well as the presentations. This was a great course where I really learned a ton. It was also a good format that made it feel more like grad school or some upper level because of all the lecturers who are top in their fields. It was also a great way to network and find research sponsors.
PSY 235 Biological Basis of Mental Disorders Smith, Leslie Really nice person with a great, fun personality. Always tries to make class interesting and engaging. Does a great job with that, but teaching style not so great with upper level classes. Class was not very structured or organized well. DonÕt know if I learned much, just had time to barely make it through. The class was confusing and it was all about memorizing for the test, not learning new things. WasnÕt the most enjoyable class.  Smith was helpful, but the TA (Mary Baldwin) was not very helpful at all. Her answers to questions were pointless and there no use in asking her anything. There were no reviews, and we werenÕt given what we were told we would be. For example we wrote papers and did presentations and had to review each otherÕs work. We were told multiple times that we would get our reviews that others wrote about our paper and presentation, but we never did. Grading was ok. Need to have bio and basic neuro knowledge to keep up with the guest lectures and reading. There was a lot of reading to do, and it was very time-consuming and difficult to sort through. On top of that, we were expected to remember everything out of it and the lectures that were given by guest speakers, which was ridiculous. There was no way to know what we should remember and what we shouldnÕt, and it was difficult to take notes when the speakers just ran through everything quickly. We also had to grade each othersÕ papers and presentations, which is fine, but most of our grade was based off of what others said, which I didnÕt think was right. We shouldnÕt be giving out grades — thatÕs what the professor needs to be doing. I didnÕt agree with the grading system or structure of the class – it could have been organized in a better way. [omitted]
PSY 246 Schizophrenia Park, Sohee Dr. Park is an expert in her field and thoroughly covers the research of schizophrenia and its effects on society. The course is very interesting. Although Dr. Park is passionate, her lectures can sometimes be dry, but the course is extremely interesting. She has a bright personality and is always willing to help. She is very clear, and the course is definitely good quality.  Dr. Park is very helpful. ItÕs difficult for her to be available, but she offers a great deal of help when students need it. She definitely wants students to truly learn the material and have a greater appreciation for schizophrenia as a major disorder. Not difficult at all. (See next section). NSC 201 is a prerequisite, and a basic background in biology and chemistry will be helpful, though definitely not necessary. There is only one exam, which occurs around midterm, and it is all multiple choice. There are three one to two page papers, which are basically movie reviews on films that portray some aspect of schizophrenia. At the end of the course, there is a presentation on some facet of schizophrenia, and a brochure is produced from this presentation. This course is not difficult, but it is very interesting and enlightening. Dr. Park does a fantastic job covering all of the topics surrounding schizophrenia and truly fills the semester!  [omitted]
PSY 252 Human Sexuality Smith, Leslie This is a really fun class, and Dr. Smith is, of course, fantastic at creating an atmosphere in which students can openly discuss a subject that is considered taboo in our culture (although donÕt think that youÕre the only one risquˇ enough to take this course: there are nearly 200 students!). There are also some interesting videos and guest lecturers. This is one class in which you will not have to struggle to pay attention.  The TAs give review sessions before each test, which are pretty essential to making sure that you understood all of the material on the test (and, because the TAs make the tests, review sessions can also tip you off to what you should focus on while studying), however, we all know that tests made by graduate students are the worst kind, and there is no shortage of ambiguous questions on PSY 252 tests. Regardless, the TAs are not likely to give you back any points (no matter how convincingly you make your case!).  There is a lot of material covered on each of the tests (you will be amazed at how much you DONÕT know about Human Sexuality...). While it is usually not complex (save for the chapter on hormones), there are a lot of details, and if you are not a good multiple choice test-taker, this course will not be an easy A for you. No pre-requisites. Just 3 tests, each worth 33% of your grade. This class is a nice breath of fresh air and works well in your schedule if you are taking pre-med courses designed to kill you (physics, orgo, etc.).
PSY 252 Human Sexuality Smith, Leslie Professor Smith is the perfect individual to teach a class that might have otherwise made you feel uncomfortable or awkward at times with the topics being discussed. Her goofy, retro references and active attitude about the subject matter makes a room full of over 200 students start laughing and interacting with each other on a frequent basis, not to mention the hilarious and often intriguing anonymous electronic surveys that students fill out with their clickers during each lecture. This class is extremely straightforward, but if you do need help, both Prof Smith and the TAs are easily accessible. The material is nothing to be afraid of but at the same time itÕs nothing to scoff at either. After all, you will definitely be learning about mechanisms, functions, and important anatomical structures (even if they make you turn red and giggle!).  If you make a decent effort to pay attention in class and study the material, you are guaranteed to do fine.  The maturity to handle it when you hear the frequently spoken words penis, vagina, or various references thereof but also a good sense of humor about everything being taught. Fun class, and extremely educational about information directly concerning a whole lot of you! You will definitely be surprised by some of the stuff you didnÕt know, or had a complete misconception of. Take this class if you can!
PSY 269 Developmental Neuroscience Ebner, Ford Dr. Ebner is a very kind and intelligent man. He is very good at explaining things. However, at times the course material can be slightly dull and bog you down with molecules and genes. The textbook was difficult to read, but the in class lectures by Dr. Ebner greatly helped. Dr. Ebner and the TA were always helpful when needed. The course requires a decent amount off outside work and the material seems really difficult, but the tests are very fair. Dr. Ebner gives out an extensive sheet of review questions and does a good review session to go over the questions. These questions help to clarify the info and direct you to what to study for the tests. For each of the 10 chapters in the book, we would have to read the chapter, turn a list of the big points in the chapter, read a research article, and turn in a summary of the research article. This was definitely a decent amount of work, but not too terrible. This is definitely a very biology based course so I would recommend taking it after taking intro bio. Also, going to class is important because attendance is taken and he does not post slides.
PSY 270 Brain Damage and Cognition Gauthier, Isabel Professor Gauthier is kind of a big deal. She is one of the leading names in object recognition research, pioneering a model for human facial recognition during her graduate work at MIT that is still taught in cognition textbooks today. She is French Canadian, and (I believe) did her undergraduate work at McGill University in Montreal. Her teaching style is one of the most unorthodox IÕve encountered at Vanderbilt: only one day per week is devoted to lecture; one day is spent answering clicker questions that the students have come up with based on their understanding of the assigned reading, and on the remaining day students find and present interesting brain damage case studies. While it is refreshing to find a professor with original ideas about engaging students in subject matter, I found that this format mostly served to confuse students. However, if you provide time in your schedule to keep up with the readings and have taken neuroanatomy, this can be a very worthwhile course that allows a neuroscience student to truly appreciate the complexity of human cognition.  Dr. Gauthier holds regular office hours every week, and is extremely willing to help. However, she is not there to help you play catch up, and I found that it was most helpful if you went to her office hours prepared with the correct questions. Because of the courseÕs unusual arrangement, a lot was required of the TA, who was equally willing and helpful with questions.  The course does require a lot of work, and the grading standards are pretty rigorous. There is only one exam (the final), and a final project (a brain damage case study) that is completed in installments throughout the semester and compiled at the end of the term. In addition, each week students are required to complete the assigned readings and come up with a multiple choice question comparable in difficulty to a test question. The questions (and answers) are then put on PowerPoint slides and sent to the TA, who chooses the best ones for the weekly clicker question review session. While neuroanatomy is NOT a pre-requisite for this course, I believe that students will get a lot more out of PSY 279 if they have completed [NSC 274] neuroanatorny before taking it. Also, like many classes in the neuroscience major, this course is listed as psychology, but deals with a lot of complex systems in the brain and should probably be considered as a neuroscience course.
PSY 274 Neuroanatomy Roe, Anna Dr. RoeÕs teaching style is difficult to adjust to. She seems to know the subject pretty well, but conveying this knowledge through electronic material and lectures is where everything starts to fall apart. The slides are always spotted with mistakes and oftentimes she has to go back and notify the class of corrections. Likewise, she doesnÕt do that great of a job tying together concepts in class, but wonÕt hesitate to quiz or test you on those Ņtied togetherÓ concepts. Overall, it seems that the semester as a whole was a Ņtrial and errorÓ period in which she went through and made adjustments along the way. She is obviously a well educated professor, but sometimes I think this superiority of knowledge on the material builds a gap of understanding between what she expects from us and our abilities to grasp the material.  Prof. RoeÕs TA is extremely helpful most of the time. On occasions, she will definitely get frustrated at you, but overall she tries very hard to help you understand and learn the material. Grading is probably the biggest obstacle to overcome when taking the class. Many times, you may know the material fairly well, but if you make a minor mistake you lose credit for the entire problem. Quizzes are weekly, and they feel more like mini ŌexamsÕ than quizzes as far as studying stress factor goes. Of course, you must also consider that the material is not so simple. There is nothing you can really do to prepare for this course, short of making sure that you are aware that itÕs going to be a rough ride. Although this is an extremely challenging class, some key things to keep in mind are that you should definitely be able to manage the course if you are wise with your other course selections. Definitely do not pick any other study intensive courses during the same semester unless you donÕt plan on leaving your dorm room for the next three months. Finally, think about what your long-term plans are for post-graduate studies. Do you plan on going into medicine or a related field in the brain sciences? If so, it might be worth the semester long challenge to gain knowledge of material that will undoubtedly be a major help to somewhere down the road, even if you end up taking the same course years later.
PSY 274 Neuroanatomy Roe, Anna Professor Roe definitely loves what she teaches, and she is truly an expert in her field. With that said, she presents an incredible amount of material, and expects superior results from her students. But, she is available to help students, and her lectures are very engaging. They are never dull, and even at 8 am, I never fell asleep! The TA for my semester was a lifesaver, but Professor Roe is available as well. Her schedule is, of course, not as flexible as the TA, but when sheÕs available to help students, she offers a great deal of assistance and insight. She definitely wants students to do well, and she recognizes when youÕre putting forth the effort to do well. This course is probably the most difficult of any in the neuroscience curriculum, but it is also by far the most rewarding. I feel that any student that is serious about the neuroscience major should take this course. It truly offers an understanding of the human nervous system that canÕt be obtained from any other course. With that said, the grading is rigorous but not impossible. Extra time will certainly be required for this course, and it is necessary to study the material a little every day.  A general background in biology will be extremely helpful as will a background in general anatomy. NSC 201 is a prerequisite, and should definitely be taken prior to neuroanatomy. The course does involve homework, but itÕs not meant to be difficult – only to ensure that students are keeping up with the material. Quizzes are given every week (keep in mind they are more comparable to actual exams as opposed to the regular definition of a ŌquizÕ), and there is a midterm and a final. [omitted]
PSY 274 Neuroanatomy Roe, Anna Nice person, but has too many unreasonable expectations. Makes too many mistakes when teaching, which is really confusing when trying to remember whatÕs right and whatÕs not. Does an okay job of making the class engaging, but the class is interesting because of the subject matter – not because of her teaching ability. Both are helpful and always available to answer questions and explain things. Grading is very picky and thereÕs no partial credit, which is really annoying. One minor thing missing, and everything is wrong. Neuro knowledge is very helpful to have beforehand. There are homeworks practically every day and quizzes every week, which is very time-consuming and this class definitely should not be taken with a heavy course load. It takes over all of your time and is very demanding. The quiz questions are also very detailed and require some time and thought to answer, but weÕre not given enough time, so you end up doing not so well even though you may have studied a lot. ThereÕs way too much of a workload, and if she eased up a bit, it would be very helpful, but I doubt that will ever happen.  [omitted]