The American University in Cairo (AUC) has launched a new behavioural neuroscience minor.
In a Monday statement, the AUC said that this interdisciplinary program will allow students to study the relationship between the structure and function of the nervous system with an emphasis on the biological and psychological elements that affect emotions, behaviour, learning and memory.
“There has been increasing interest and requests from AUC students for a Neuroscience program,” explained Patricia Correia, assistant professor of behavioural neuroscience in the Department of Psychology.
“Internationally, behavioural neuroscience is a growing field, widely represented in top universities and research centres across the world. We believe this minor is an excellent first step towards opening a new, exciting field in Egypt at AUC.”
Co-administered by AUC’s Department of Psychology and Department of Biology, the program will provide students with a new perspective on biology and psychology and create a foundation for admission to graduate or professional programs, primarily for careers involving research, teaching, medicine, consulting and the pharmaceutical industry.
“Through this minor, I am hoping to broaden my knowledge and understanding of how the nervous system functions and how the brain is involved in everything we think or do,” said Mariam Elnahhas, a biology major. “Hopefully, completing this minor will be a great first step for me to continue to study neuroscience after graduation and possibly make a career out of it someday.”
In terms of research, Jacquelyn Berry, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, uses behavioural neuroscience to study learning and expertise in humans. “I am super excited about the new minor. It works well with my research and teaching about how people learn and I can focus more on how different brain areas are involved,” Berry stated.
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