Professor: Berson Course format: Lecture w/lab Number of respondents: 25 Total Enrollment: 27

Class Composition Froshs: 0 Sophs: 0 Jrs: 6 Srs: 17 Concs: 22 Non-Concs: 2 Don't Know: 1	Instructor Average: 1.11 Course Average: 1.31

"Structures of the Nervous System" provided a comprehensive and detailed overview of the structures and functions of the nervous system with emphasis on the central nervous system. It is designed to give students an integrated understanding of the nervous system as it relates to function, development, and techniques of experimentation. The prerequisites include the three introductory neuro courses (1, 92 & 93) and some found knowledge of physiology (Bio 80) to be very useful.

Students had nothing but words of praise for Professor Berson. He was described as clear, organized, sensitive to the students' level of understanding, warm, patient, and approachable. In short, he was loved by all. People found the lecture notes and study questions that gave out at the beginning of the semester to be extremely helpful because it helped them keep up with the fast pace of the course. Others appreciated Professor Berson's flexibility with the syllabus in trying to keep the class interactive and still get through the material.

The classwork included two midterms, a fifteen page research paper, and a final exam. Some noted that the reading assignment seemed unnecessary and supplementary at best. People found the exams to be fair and to require a reasonable amount of preparation; on the other hand, the research paper took a large amount of time and effort. Students spent anywhere from two to ten hours a week on this course.

The respondents were unanimous in recommending this course. Everyone felt that the professor is a fabulous lecturer and served to make the tough subject material digestible and fun to learn. All came away with a better "picture" and knowledge of the nervous system. But this class is by no means easy. There is a tremendous amount of information to work through, though with Dr. Berson by your side, it is destined to turn out for the best.

View BN/0166 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.