PSYC414 Science of Sleep and Biological RhythmsCredits: 3
Prerequisite: PSYC100 and PSYC301; or permission of instructor.
Course Syllabus HERE
Restriction: Must be in a major within the BSOS-Psychology department; and restricted to psychology majors during the registration period. All other majors will be placed on a hold file.
Course Description:
Sleep is a powerful, inescapable, misunderstood, and mysterious presence in our lives. The course
will begin with a review the of the basics of sleep and biological rhythms with a focus on the underlying neurobiology. The bulk of the semester will be in-depth discussions of topics in sleep and circadian rhythms primarily chosen by the students. A few examples: narcolepsy, sleep in primitive cultures, lucid dreaming, racial and cultural differences in sleep and sleep disorders, the biology of sleep and circadian rhythms during adolescence, CNS control of dreaming, sleep and states of consciousness, sleeping to remember vs. sleeping to forget, legal ramifications of parasomnias, e.g. sleepwalking, and the relationships between sleep deprivation and obesity.
What students have to say about PSYC 441 Science of Sleep and Biological Rhythms
"This was the most interesting class I took all semester. I like that Dr. Yager made the class so discussion–based. He caused us to think critically and really let us guide the topics covered in the course."
"I really liked the use of journals in this class. Most psychology classes either don't include any or simply require them to be used in a paper. Dr. Yager did a great job of going out of his way to give us great resources that were relevant to the class."
