Schedule Adjustment NEUR Drop-in Hours

 

Federal Work Study Opportunity - Join the Neuroscience Team

 The Undergraduate Neuroscience Program is hiring a Federal Work-Study Student Administrative Assistant for the upcoming academic year!

This is a great opportunity to gain professional experience while supporting the Neuroscience Program through administrative projects, student engagement initiatives, digital communications, and program events. Students will work closely with program staff in a collaborative and welcoming environment while developing valuable leadership and professional skills.

Position Details

• Pay: $15.00/hour
• Schedule: Approximately 10 hours per week (up to 20 hours/week)
• Eligibility: Current UMD undergraduate students with a Federal Work-Study award

To be considered, applicants should complete the employment form by August 17th at 9:00 AM at the following link: go.umd.edu/NEURStudentworkerFA26.

Seats available in Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue (WEID 139)

 Are you interested in a half-semester course featuring open and honest conversations, relationship building across difference, identity exploration and self-reflection that offers one DVCC credit, the Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue course (WEID 139)? 

There is still room to enroll. Read on or click here for more info:

The Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue course (WEID 139) invites students to examine their own beliefs and lived experiences, how these may shape interactions, and ways in which understanding others might expand awareness.  Over seven weeks in facilitated dialogue sessions, students will practice self-reflection, listen deeply, share openly and communicate across difference. This course offers a departure from a traditional class structure and requires active participation and discussion. WEID 139 is offered by Belonging & Community at UMD in partnership with the InDi Training Hub in the College of Education. The course takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings during the second half of fall semester and satisfies one DVCC credit.

Learning to Learn Biology/BSCI155/TLPL 155

Ready to design solutions for human needs with absolutely no prior science experience required? Join BSCI 155 (4 credits) this Fall to discover how biotechnology can become your ultimate creative tool for learning and teaching about life science. You will get to genetically engineer bacteria to create custom scents and design stunning biological art pieces. Collaborate with passionate peers to build a unique synthetic biology project that directly impacts your community. Ditch traditional memorization and unlock your inner innovator with Dr. Justice Walker this Fall 2026 semester!

Enroll Today!

Course Flyer: https://tinyurl.com/BSCITLPL155FLYER 

Course Location: EDU 3233 (Mondays and Wednesdays) and AJC 1121 (Fridays for lab)

Instructor: Justice Walker, Ph.D.

Email: jtwalker@umd.edu 

 

Kick Off the Semester at the NEUR Fall Welcome!

 The Undergraduate Neuroscience Program invites all Neuroscience majors to join us for our NEUR Fall Welcome on Friday, September 4, from 12:30–2:30 p.m. in the Biology Research Building (BRB) Courtyard and Ground Level.

This annual event is a great opportunity to connect with fellow students, meet faculty and staff, and learn about the many resources and opportunities available within the Neuroscience community and across campus.

Attendees can enjoy:

• FREE Maryland Dairy ice cream
• A Student Resource Fair featuring campus partners and student organizations
• Fun activities and opportunities to connect with the Neuroscience community

Whether you’re joining the program for the first time or returning for another semester, we encourage you to stop by, meet new people, and start the year off with the Neuroscience community.

We look forward to welcoming you on Friday, September 4, from 12:30–2:30 p.m. RSVP at go.umd.edu/neurwelcome26

Register for SOCY325: The Sociology of Gender Today

 Need a course that works around your summer schedule? Want to expedite your degree progress? SOCY325 fulfills a 300-400-level SOCY Substantive course requirement or a general elective course for non-majors. 

SOCY325: The Sociology of Gender is offered in a fully online, asynchronous format, allowing you to complete coursework on your own schedule while earning 3 credits in just three weeks.

Explore how gender shapes our experiences, opportunities, identities, and interactions in society. Through engaging readings, discussions, and activities, you'll examine the role of gender in education, work, family life, media, politics, and culture.

Why Take SOCY325?

100% Online & Asynchronous:  No required class meetings
Flexible Schedule:  Complete coursework when it works for you
3 Credits in 3 Weeks: August 3–21, 2026
Relevant & Thought-Provoking: Connect sociology to real-world issues

Topics Include:

• Gender socialization
• Masculinity and femininity
• Gender and inequality
• Work and family dynamics
• Media and cultural representations

Course Information

SOCY325: The Sociology of Gender
Fully Online (Asynchronous)
August 3, 2026 – August 21, 2026
3 Credits

Complete a full 3-credit course from anywhere and on your own schedule.  Register Today!

AAAS 2026 Summer II Courses

 There are still seats available in the following AAAS courses for the 2026 Summer Session II:

• AAAS100: Introduction to African American and Africana Studies 
• AAAS101: Public Policy and the Black Community
• AAAS187: The New Jim Crow: African-Americans, Mass Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
• AAAS202: Black Culture in the United States
• AAAS298E: Special Topics in African American and Africana Studies; Reproductive Justice: An Introduction
• AAAS468B: Special Topics in Africa and the Americas; Excavating Lives: Women & Girls of the Black Atlantic, 1622-1855

For students looking to get ahead/catch up, GenEd, or an upper-level course. See Testudo for details.

2026 Summer II course_The Future of the Brain

Explore the Future of Brain Research This Summer

Interested in learning more about the brain — one of the most complex systems in the universe? This Summer II course, BSCI339P: The Future of the Brain, offers students an exciting overview of cutting-edge neuroscience research and emerging technologies shaping the future of the field.

Students will explore topics including next-generation neurotechnologies, large-scale brain mapping and recording, big data, teamwork in science, open science initiatives, and more.

 Dates: July 13 – August 21, 2026
 Instructor: Dr. Chan Lin
 Location: Online
 Prerequisites: BSCI330 or NEUR200

For additional information, students are encouraged to contact Dr. Lin at linc@umd.edu.

Summer GenEd Engineering Courses: ENES 197 & ENES 256

 Discover the Story Behind the Numbers: ENES 197 – The Fault in Our Data

Are you ready to uncover the hidden truths in the data shaping our world? ENES 197: The Fault in Our Data – What Counts and Who’s Counting is your chance to dive into the fascinating world of data science, even if you’ve never programmed before! In this exciting online summer course, you'll use Python and cutting-edge tools like numpy, pandas, and matplotlib to explore how computational methods reveal insights about social issues such as inequality and bias. From analyzing datasets to creating impactful visualizations, this hands-on experience will empower you to ask big questions, tackle real-world problems, and share your findings with confidence. Whether you’re curious about machine learning, big data, or ethical debates in AI, this course is your gateway to understanding how data shapes the stories we tell—and the ones we don’t. No prior programming experience required—just bring your curiosity!

ENES 256: Partnering With Artificial Intelligences to Reimagine Our Future is being offered this Summer (June 1 to July 10). This fully online course is open to all majors, satisfies GenEd requirements (DSSP and SCIS), and requires no prior experience. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in how we learn, work, and solve problems, the ability to use it effectively is quickly becoming an essential skill across all fields.

In this course, you will learn how to think and work with AI as a teammate by understanding the strengths and limitations of both humans and AIs, and how to combine them to solve meaningful problems. You will apply these ideas to a human+AI team project that interests you, whether that involves launching a startup venture, tackling a real-world problem, or supporting academic or research work. Enroll today in ENES256!

NEED A 1 CREDIT CAREER COURSE? CHECK OUT EDCP108i and PSYC123 FOR FALL 2026

 Our 1-credit career courses, EDCP108i and PSYC123, are open for students to register in fall 2026.

A reminder that EDCP108i is focused on students seeking that first internship experience.  PSYC123 is a little more general with career development topics.  Both require students to engage in a one-on-one resume review and mock interview in two separate experiences.

 

EDCP108i

 

 

 

 

EDCP 108i: Academic Transitions to Internships is a 7-week (half-semester) course recommended for students who have never had an internship and are actively searching for one. The one-credit, online asynchronous course takes students through key exploratory and preparation activities, including:

• Understanding the components of an internship
• Increasing knowledge about an intended career field
• Developing a resume and cover letter
• Identifying potential internship sites
• Introducing students to interviewing and networking skills

Through this course, students will be provided the full experience of searching for an internship. Students will also have opportunities for synchronous activities with the instructor and career professionals through mock interviews, resume reviews, and group meetings.  **Please note this course is only for students who have less than 105 cumulative credits.

View the fall 2024-spring 2025 learning outcomes for over 350 EDCP108i students.

 

PSYC123

PSYC 123: The Psychology of Getting Hired introduces students to the science behind the hiring process and how you can apply with a competitive edge. The one-credit, online asynchronous course paces students through through six modules including activities intended to:

• Identify strengths, interest and professional development goals
  
• Learn how to use Handshake to location internships and professional positions
• Develop a high-quality professional resume
• Establish an effective professional social media presence and network
• Practice and refine crucial interview skills
• Create a career development plan

Two significant activities - a resume review with University Career Center staff, employer, or alumnus and a mock interview with volunteer professionals - occur live through Zoom.

View the fall 2024-spring 2025 learning outcomes for 580+ PSYC123 students.

 

Updates to Core Competencies for Med/Dent Students: Pre-Health Advising

 

Hi Terps! The AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) has updated their Core Competencies. These are soft skills that medical schools expect you to show evidence of by the time you apply (dental, PA, and other health professions programs also highly value and look for these competencies).  

Please note the changes: they have removed "Cultural Awareness" and "Cultural Humility" and added "Self-Awareness" and "Understanding Others." 

You can read the full descriptions on the AAMC website; we have also updated the Pre-Med/Pre-Dent Tracker and Applicant Workbook to reflect the changes. 

Why Graduate School? Check out this Virtual Information Session for UMD Undergraduate: Registration Required.

 

Information Sessions from The Graduate School

The University of Maryland offers over 200 degree granting graduate programs. Attending graduate school offers countless opportunities for professional, intellectual, and personal growth. The Graduate School at UMD is holding 2 virtual information sessions this semester to learn more about earing a graduate degree. 

• Preparing for Graduate School
  This session will explore what it means to prepare for graduate school beyond having a strong academic record. 

•  Monday, April 13 at 4:00pm | Registration

• Why Graduate School?
  This session will explore the benefits of pursuing a graduate education at UMD or any institution.

• Tuesday, May 5 at 3:30pm | Registration

Preparing for Graduate School: Check out this Virtual Information Session for UMD Undergraduate: Registration Required.

Information Sessions from The Graduate School

The University of Maryland offers over 200 degree granting graduate programs. Attending graduate school offers countless opportunities for professional, intellectual, and personal growth. The Graduate School at UMD is holding 2 virtual information sessions this semester to learn more about earing a graduate degree. 

• Preparing for Graduate School
  This session will explore what it means to prepare for graduate school beyond having a strong academic record. 

•  Monday, April 13 at 4:00pm | Registration

• Why Graduate School?
  This session will explore the benefits of pursuing a graduate education at UMD or any institution.

• Tuesday, May 5 at 3:30pm | Registration

WEID 139: REGISTER FOR DIALOGUE COURSE!

 Fulfills Ged Ed: DVCC 

Register for a dialogue course!

The Words of Engagement Intergroup Dialogue course (WEID 139) invites students to examine their own beliefs and lived experiences, how these may shape interactions, and ways in which understanding others might expand awareness.  Over seven weeks in facilitated dialogue sessions, students will practice self-reflection, listen deeply, share openly and communicate across difference. This course offers a departure from a traditional class structure and requires active participation and discussion.

WEID 139 is offered by Belonging & Community at UMD in partnership with the InDi Training Hub in the College of Education. Please contact dialogue@umd.edu with any questions. Register in Testudo!

NEUR Track Courses for Fall 2026

Looking for something new that hasn't been offered in a few semesters? Look no further! As you begin to plan your fall 2026 schedule, consider one of these NEUR track courses! 

BSCI403: Biology of Vision (NEUR MCP track course) 

BSCI443: Advanced Systems Neuroscience (NEUR MCP track course) 

BSCI355: Neurobiology of Extraordinary Senses (NEUR BC track course) 

AOSC Courses

AOSC has two upper-level courses being offered in the spring with potentially wide appeal and minimal pre-requisites. They both count toward our climate change fluency minor. Could you send them out over the UGST ADVISE list? I've attached a flyer for each course as well.

AOSC365 Climate Change - Cutting through the Noise

This course is designed for the non-scientist to increase their scientific literacy on climate and climate change. We will discuss what "weather" is, why our planet has it, why we need it, and how we have learned to monitor, understand, and predict it. We will discuss the link between climate and weather, how weather prediction informs climate monitoring, what we know about the climate of the Earth, past and present, how we know it, and how that helps inform our perspective on future climate. We will then discuss how weather and climate information is used for decision-making by individuals, businesses, the military, local, state and national government, and what that implies for the scientists who work on these problems.

AOSC375 Introduction to the Blue Ocean (DSNS)

The global ocean is a major component of the Earth System that shapes life on earth, including our weather and climate. We explore the observation-based interdisciplinary science of oceanography, identifying its strong connections to related sciences like meteorology, and geography. We apply this developing understanding to environmental issues such as marine pollution, fish and fisheries, as well as to climate variability and to the changes to the marine environment that are resulting from steadily rising levels of atmospheric greenhouse gasses. Focusses include the biogeochemical and physical changes we can observe in the nearby Chesapeake Bay and the coastal waters of Eastern Shore, Maryland.

Spring 2026 Drop-In Advising:

Neuroscience Advisors will be available for drop ins on Tuesdays 10:30am - 11:30am and Thursdays 2:30pm - 3:30pm in the Neuroscience Advising Suite (1107 BPS). 

Students will be seen on a first come, first serve basis, and it is okay if you do not meet with your specific advisor.

Please note: These meetings are meant to be brief, and should last approximately 10-15 minutes.

*The Neuroscience Advising Suite will be closed on Wednesdays, from approximately 10:00am to 11:30am for staff meetings.

Drop-In Advising should be used to for questions/concerns about:

• Your Spring 2026 schedule and classes
• Academic policies on grading method, add/drop/withdraw
• High Credit Load Request
• Campus Resources 
• Signatures on campus forms 

Drop-In Advising should not be used for:

• Graduation Plan review
• Mandatory Advising
• Study Abroad
• Requesting Letters of Recommendation

If you have extenuating circumstances and require a virtual meeting, please email with your request. Be sure to include your name, UID, and preferred meeting days and times.

Spring 2026 Offerings from the Learning Success Team at TLTC

 

: Open Seats-MLAW378T:Employment Discrimination and the Law

There are quite a few seats left in  MLAW378T: Employment Discrimination and the Law, offered on Tuesdays 3pm-5:30pm. The course is being taught by Marley Weiss, who is an esteemed professor at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. Professor Weiss is an excellent and well-sought-after instructor. Students at UMD have really enjoyed this course. 

This course will examine the law, public policy, human resources practices, as well as sociology and economics underlying federal and state law regarding discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. There is a detailed review of the various practical and administrative processes within employment and human resources law.

EDHD488G: “Wired to Change: Brain Plasticity in Human Development and Experience”

EDHD488G: “Wired to Change: Brain Plasticity in Human Development and Experience”

Did you know that your brain physically changes as you learn, face challenges, or bounce back from stress? In this course, you'll discover how experience shapes the brain across life - from building skills to adapting under pressure. We'll dive into the science of brain plasticity to understand how everyday experiences, big and small, rewire who we are. No prior neuroscience coursework is required. BC TRACK COURSE

Topics will include:

• What Is Brain Plasticity? — What does it mean for the brain to be plastic, and why doesn’t the same experience change every brain in the same way?
  
• Developmental Plasticity and Sensitive Periods — When does experience matter most, and why are some changes harder later in life?
  
• Perceptual Learning — Can experience change how we perceive the world?
  
• Reorganization and Compensation after loss — What happens to the brain when expected input disappears?
  
• Learning, Training, and Expertise — Can extended practice and training reshape the adult brain?
  
• Constraints on Plasticity Across the Lifespan — Why isn’t the brain infinitely flexible?
  
• Memory as Plasticity — How does experience leave lasting traces in the brain?
  
• Language, Culture, and Thought — Does language shape how we think and perceive the world?
  
• Stress, Adversity, and Calibration — How does stress shape the brain for adaptation or vulnerability?
  
• Resilience and Recovery — Why do some brains adapt better than others after adversity?
  
• Maladaptive Plasticity — When does plasticity go wrong?
  
• Plasticity, Technology, and the Future Brain — How far can brain plasticity extend, and should all forms of change be encouraged?