Short course

Brain and Mind

This course will equip you with the knowledge of how the brain works and give you the skills to detect and quantify abnormal behaviour caused by changes in cerebral function.

Start date
October 2024
Duration
10 days
Mode
Face-to-face
Cost
24/25 Home microcredential fee: £1170 International microcredential fee: £3260 Non-credit fee: £970
Level
Postgraduate Microcredential
Credit
20 credits

This is the first module of the MSc Clinical Neuropsychiatry course and is designed to give students an overview of brain function and brain behaviour relationships.

The module will involve sessions on basic neuroscience (anatomy, physiology and pharmacology), diagnostic tools (radiology, neurophysiology) as well as sessions on observation and documentation of abnormal mental states. Philosophical approaches to mental disorder (especially mind brain dualism) will also be observed.

  • The general anatomy and development of the brain and its functions.
  • Anatomy of the basal ganglia, temporal lobes, and major white matter pathways 
  • Basic concepts in the physiology of neurons, synapses and receptors
  • Basic pharmacology of neurotransmitters, and excitatory amino acids and how they relate to relevant neuropsychiatric disorders.
  • Localization of cerebral functions, including the effects of injury and disease 
  • Conceptual, philosophical and legal issues in neuropsychiatry

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module you should have:

  • Basic understanding of neuroanatomy
  • Understanding of neurophysiology
  • Understanding of brain chemistry
  • Understanding of mind/brain dualism
  • Understanding of philosophy of mind
  • Understanding of psychopathology and its relationship to brain function
  • Understanding of localisation of brain function
  • Understanding of medical law and introduction to mental health law.

Module Attendance Required

12 sessions of 3 hours, mostly on Friday afternoons.

Assessment

Short written answer exam.

Course dates

4 and 30 October
1, 8, 15, 22, 29 November
10, 12 - 13 December

Module Lead

Dr Bruno Silva - b.a.silva@bham.ac.uk  

Entry requirements

For information on requirements please contact the Programme Administrator. You are encouraged to get in contact no later than 6 weeks before the start date of the module to ensure we can consider your application.

More information

Please contact the Postgraduate Administrator, +44 (0)121 415 8118 or email clinicalneuro@contacts.bham.ac.uk

You can choose to study this course as either a microcredential or a non-credit CPD short course.

Why choose a Postgraduate Microcredential short course?

  • Microcredentials offer the perfect opportunity to boost your CV without the committment of a full-degree
  • Usually taken from exisiting modules within a Masters, they can be used as standalone credentials with some also counting as academic credits at postgraduate level
  • Add a postgraduate level qualification to your CV
  • Develop the specialist skills you need for your career goals
  • Alumni status with the University of Birmingham
  • Learners will have the same access to our student support and campus facilities as our students on full degree programmes.

Please note that once registered for the microcredential you cannot swap for the non-credit shortcourse version.

Apply for the Microcredential

Non-credit short course

The microcredential and the non-credit short course follow the same course structure, the difference between them both is with the non-credit short course you do not take the assessment at the end therefore you will not receive credits but will recieve a certificate of completion, this certificate cannot be converted to credits. 

Please note if you apply for the non-credit short course, you cannot swap to the microcredential version once registered. 

Apply for the non-credit CPD shortcourse