PSYC 2272 Cognitive Psychology: Mental Processes and their Neural Substrates

This course is a survey of cognitive psychology, the scientific study of the human mind and human thinking. During the semester we will discuss many different aspects of cognition: perception, attention, memory, language, concepts, reasoning, problem solving, expertise, creativity, and decision making. The emphasis will be on how psychologists have used experiments to help construct theories of how the human mind works and how human thinking occurs.

Course overview

Department
Psychology and Neuroscience
School
MCAS
Credits
3
Level
Undergraduate
Offered
Every Fall,Every Spring

Catalog details

Prerequisites
PSYC1110

Catalog text is imported from the reviewed Boston College course snapshot. Confirm eligibility in EagleApps.

Requirements fulfilled

  • Neuroscience B.S.: Foundation (24 Credits) — One of the following (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
  • Psychology B.A.: One course from the Biological/Cognitive cluster (3 credits) (Class of 2028 and After)
  • Psychology B.S.: One course from the Biological/Cognitive cluster (3 credits) (Class of 2028 and After)
  • Psychology B.A. (Class of 2027 and Before): Three 2000-level courses — Cognitive area (Class of 2027 and Before)
  • Psychology B.S. (Class of 2027 and Before): Three 2000-level courses — Cognitive area (Class of 2027 and Before)
  • Psychology: Courses That May Be Applied to the Minor (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)

Requirement eligibility can vary by school, cohort, and section. Confirm the selected section in EagleApps or with an advisor.

Official evaluation summary

3.72 / 5

Based on 332 aggregate responses from BC Avalanche/Blue evaluations.

Data freshness

Course and evaluation data last updated 2026-08-02. Source details and limitations are documented in Data Sources and Methodology.

Instructors

  • Alexander Noyes
    Fall 2026, Spring 2026, Spring 2025 · Official rating 3.83/5
  • Sean Macevoy
    Summer 2026, Summer 2025, Summer 2024, Summer 2023, Summer 2022 · Official rating 3.83/5
  • Hiram Brownell
    Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 · Official rating 3.87/5
  • Jaclyn Ford
    Spring 2026, Fall 2024 · Official rating 4.01/5

Sections

  • Section 01
    Summer 2026 · Sean Macevoy · On-line Asynchronous · Offered
  • Section 01
    Fall 2026 · Alexander Noyes · Gasson Hall 202 TuTh 03:00PM-04:15PM · Offered