Social, Cognitive, & Affective Neuroscience, Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN) program enables graduate students and professionals preparing for a wide range of careers to work knowledgeably with neuroscience. Our program’s aim is to supplement your education if you have expertise in areas other than neuroscience, enabling you to incorporate some of the concepts and methods of neuroscience into your work. The curriculum focuses on the aspects of neuroscience that have the most direct application to the understanding of human behavior, specifically social, cognitive and affective neuroscience.
For more information: https://neuroethics.upenn.edu/scan/
Curriculum
Apply neuroscience to your field of interest
Penn’s Graduate Certificate in Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN) is a four-course program that can be completed in one to two years. The required courses provide a strong grasp of neuroscience for non-neuroscientists, emphasizing those aspects of the field that are most relevant to understanding human behavior. The curriculum is composed of two foundational requirements and two electives.
Students meet individually with the program directors in September of their first year to discuss their goals and possible elective courses. To fulfill the requirements of the SCAN certificate, students are expected to earn a B or higher in every course.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 5470 | Foundations of Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSYC 7470 | Contemporary Research Issues in Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience | 1 |
Elective Courses
The remaining two courses are intended to strengthen your mastery of specific areas of neuroscience and its relation to your fields of interest. Electives are organized into three categories, shown below. For these electives, students may take two Advanced Neuroscience courses or one course from any of these three categories: Advanced Neuroscience, Neuroscience & Society, Bridging. Approved electives for the upcoming semester can also be viewed below.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Upcoming Electives Offered | ||
| Advanced Neuroscience Courses | ||
| BE 5210 | Brain-Computer Interfaces | 1 |
| BE 5660 | Networked Neuroscience | 1 |
| NRSC 4421 | Functional Imaging of the Human Brain | 1 |
| NRSC 4430 | The Cognitive Neuroscience of Autism | 1 |
| NRSC 4440 | The Neuroscience behind the addiction to chocolate, wine, coffee and tobacco | 1 |
| NRSC 4482 | Clinical Psychopharmacology | 1 |
| NRSC 5585 | Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience | 1 |
| CRIM 6710 | Violence: A Clinical Neuroscience Approach | 1 |
| PSYC 3790 | Neuroeconomics Seminar | 1 |
| PSYC 3231 | Consciousness Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSYC 3233/NRSC 4233 | Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Development | 1 |
| PSYC 3280 | Neurological Insights into Cognition and Behavior Seminar | 1 |
| PSYC 3100 | Being Human: The Biology of Human Behavior, Cognition, and Culture | 1 |
| Neuroscience & Society Courses | ||
| PSYC 5570 | Neuroscience, Ethics & Law | 1 |
| PSYC 3231 | Consciousness Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSYC 3233/NRSC 4233 | Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Development | 1 |
| MKTG 7370 | Introduction to Brain Science for Business 1 | 0.5 |
| MKTG 8500 | Special Topics - Consumer Neuroscience 1 | 0.5 |
| Bridging Courses | ||
| PSYC 5570 | Neuroscience, Ethics & Law | 1 |
| MKTG 7370 | Introduction to Brain Science for Business 1 | 0.5 |
| MKTG 7390 | Visual Marketing | 1 |
| MKTG 8500 | Special Topics - Consumer Neuroscience 1 | 0.5 |
| Advanced Neuroscience | ||
| BE 5210 | Brain-Computer Interfaces | 1 |
| BE 5660 | Networked Neuroscience | 1 |
| NRSC 4421 | Functional Imaging of the Human Brain | 1 |
| NRSC 4430 | The Cognitive Neuroscience of Autism | 1 |
| NRSC 4440 | The Neuroscience behind the addiction to chocolate, wine, coffee and tobacco | 1 |
| NRSC 4475 | Neurodegenerative Diseases | 1 |
| NRSC 4482 | Clinical Psychopharmacology | 1 |
| NRSC 5585/PSYC 5390 | Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience | 1 |
| CRIM 6710 | Violence: A Clinical Neuroscience Approach | 1 |
| PSYC 3790 | Neuroeconomics Seminar | 1 |
| PSYC 3231 | Consciousness Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSYC 3233/NRSC 4233 | Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Development | 1 |
| PSYC 3280 | Neurological Insights into Cognition and Behavior Seminar | 1 |
| PSYC 3100 | Being Human: The Biology of Human Behavior, Cognition, and Culture | 1 |
| NRSC 4442 | Neurobiology of Learning and Memory | 1 |
| NRSC 4480 | Biological Basis of Psychiatric Disorders | 1 |
| COMM 8800 | The Social Neuroscience of Communication | 1 |
| PSYC 6000 | Proseminar in General Psychology | 1 |
| NRSC 4460/PSYC 3260 | Neuroendocrinology Seminar | 1 |
| NRSC 4110 | Neural Systems and Behavior | 1 |
| MKTG 8500 | Special Topics - Consumer Neuroscience | 0.5 |
| PSYC 3231 | Consciousness Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSYC 3233/NRSC 4233 | Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Development | 1 |
| PSYC 5570 | Neuroscience, Ethics & Law | 1 |
| PSYC 6000 | Proseminar in General Psychology | 1 |
| Neuroscience and Society | ||
| PSYC 5570 | Neuroscience, Ethics & Law | 1 |
| PSYC 3231 | Consciousness Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSYC 3233/NRSC 4233 | Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience: Brain Development | 1 |
| MKTG 8500 | Special Topics - Consumer Neuroscience 1 | 0.5 |
| MKTG 7370 | Introduction to Brain Science for Business 1 | 0.5 |
| COMM 8800 | The Social Neuroscience of Communication | 1 |
| BIOE 5550 | Bioethics and Technology: Neuroethics | 1 |
| PSYC 3770 | Educational Neuroscience Seminar | 1 |
| PSYC 7050 | Neuroethics | 1 |
| PSYC 7440 | Brain Development & Society | 1 |
| PUBH 5890 | The Public Health Challenges of Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Aging | 1 |
| Bridging | ||
| This category includes courses in the student’s home field or a closely related field that includes substantial neuroscience material. The availability of bridging courses varies by program and by year, and course eligibility depends on the syllabus used in a given year. Courses are approved on a case-by-case basis by the Advisory Board after reviewing the course syllabus. | ||
| PSYC 5570 | Neuroscience, Ethics & Law | 1 |
| MKTG 8500 | Special Topics - Consumer Neuroscience 1 | 0.5 |
| MKTG 7370 | Introduction to Brain Science for Business 1 | 0.5 |
| MKTG 7390 | Visual Marketing | 1 |
| LAW 7050 | Mental Health Law | 3 |
| LAW 9250 | Freedom, Responsibility and Neuroscience | 3 |
| PHIL 5840 | Philosophy of Psychology | 1 |
Other program requirements and opportunities
Students meet individually with the program directors in September of their first year to discuss their goals and possible elective courses. To fulfill the requirements of the SCAN certificate, students are expected to earn a B or higher in every course. In addition to the four courses, it is a requirement to attend the annual half-day retreat while enrolled in the program.
The SCAN program makes study space available near the required course classrooms, with textbooks on reserve. Students may propose local neuroscientists as SCAN-sponsored lunch guests for informal conversation in this same area.
Prerequisites
There are no course prerequisites required to apply to the SCAN program. However, some of the elective courses that can be taken to fulfill the SCAN course sequence do have prerequisites. Some requirements are waived for SCAN students via a permit issued by the Department of Psychology. All permits for SCAN students are submitted at the end of the application period. At that time, you receive notification that you can register for the course.
Please e-mail us if you have any questions about prerequisites and course registration.
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MKTG 8500 Special Topics - Consumer Neuroscience and MKTG 7370 Introduction to Brain Science for Business must be taken together for one credit.
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2023 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.