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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - GMS6755
Tracking Number - 3051

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2013-04-22
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: to GC 1/25/13. for MSMS - MNM conc - Electives. GC apprpoved 1/28/13. to USF 1/28/13; to SCNS 2/5/13. Approved eff 4/1/13

Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2012-12-10
  2. Department: Deans Office
  3. College: MD
  4. Budget Account Number: 6108-000
  5. Contact Person: Michael J. Barber, D.Phil.
  6. Phone: 8139749908
  7. Email: mbarber@health.usf.edu
  8. Prefix: GMS
  9. Number: 6755
  10. Full Title: How the Brain Learns
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: Y
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?:
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): How the Brain Learns
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: -
  22. Prerequisites: None
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: This course is designed to provide participants with a detailed understanding of the important aspects of brain development and metabolism.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Replacing Selected Topics with Permanent number; already listed in program
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? Metabolic Nutritional Medicine represents a new and evolving discipline in the medical sciences that deals with an integrative and functional medicine approach to healthcare and disease prevention The discipline combines evidence based medicine with new approaches to therapeutics and patient wellness. Nutrition and metabolism represent a critical approaches to understanding and controlling obesity The Metabolic Nutritional Medicine concentration currently has 110 registered students and approx 19 registered for the first course offering.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 1 time
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) None
  29. Objectives: The course objectives include:

    Identification of important facets of declining memory fidelity and dementia.

    Discussion of how to evaluate the patient with memory loss.

    Exploration of the various diagnostic steps in dementia diagnosis.

    Discussion of the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.

    Discussion of the pathophysiology of mild cognitive impairment.

    Examination of the use of memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, memory loss and dementia.

    Discussion of behavioral and psychological effects of memory loss.

    Examination of pharmacological treatment of BPSD.

    Discussion of legal and financial aspect of caring for patients with memory loss and dementia.

  30. Learning Outcomes: At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

    •Describe the biology of the brain

    •Describe the anatomy of the brain

    •Describe the physiology of the brain

    •Discuss how the brain processes information

    •Identify and discuss the stages and types of memory

    •Identify and discuss factors that affect retention and learning

    •Discuss transfer of learning

    •Identify and discuss the cause of gender differences in learning

    •Discuss the relationship between the brain and the arts

    •Describe Bloom's Taxonomy

    •Discuss the molecular origins of human attention-the dopamine folate connection

    •Describe the process of healthy brain aging

  31. Major Topics: The major course topics include:

    Evaluating the Patient with Memory Loss.

    Pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s Disease.

    Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

    Memantine.

    Treatments for Memory Loss and Dementia.

    Differential Diagnosis of Memory Loss and Dementia.

    Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia.

    Pharmacologic Treatment of BPSD.

    Caring for and Educating the Caregiver.

    Life Adjustments, Legal and Financial Issues.

    Memory Systems in Dementia.

  32. Textbooks: •Budson, A. & Solomon, P., “Memory Loss: A Practical Guide For Clinicians”. Elsevier, New York, NY, 2011. ISBN: 978-1594480935

    •Sousa, D., “How the Brain Learns”, 4th Ed., Corwin Press., 2011. ISBN: 978- 1412997973.

  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Additional and appropriate readings will be identified and posted on Blackboard.
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: The course requires the completion of 3 case study research papers 15% each 45% of grade. Comprehensive midterm exam 23% of grade. Comprehensive final exam 23% of grade. 5 webcasts 9% of grade.
  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: The course requires completion of 4 unit self-assessment quizzes, 3 case studies research papers, a comprehensive midterm exam, a comprehensive final exam and 5 webcasts.
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: For documented student absences, such as for illness, students will be allowed to make up any missing case reports or exams. Students will be required to abide by USF policy on academic integrity as described in course syllabus.
  38. Program This Course Supports: M.S in Medical Sciences- Metabolic & Nutritional Medicine concentration.
  39. Course Concurrence Information: None


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.