Research Practicum in Exploring the Brain: fMRI and Beyond

For over a century, scientists have mapped the human brain by linking regions to functions. Today, noninvasive techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allow us to see the brain in action during thought, memory, and attention. This course introduces students to modern human brain mapping with a focus on fMRI. Designed as a research practicum, it blends lectures with hands-on practice in reading, evaluating, and designing imaging studies. While technically a methods class, it is designed for undergraduates at all levels of psychology and neuroscience. Students will learn not only how imaging works, but also how researchers use it to answer big questions about the mind.