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LSC-20076 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

LSC-20076 - Learning & Memory
Coordinator: Simon Trent
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

How we learn and remember events is a complex process that we often take for granted.
Learning is critical to how we adapt our behaviour in an ever-changing, and often challenging, environment. Memories allow us to draw from our experiences and come to define who we are. In fact, they are so crucial, it would be extremely difficult to function with any kind of impairment to our learning or memory. The human brain is highly plastic, changing significantly following experience and can support many different types of learning and memory. In this Learning Memory module, you will understand how the brain encodes, stores and recalls information, which are also important challenges in neuroscience research.
Tutorials and workshops throughout the module will support group discussion of core material and you will explore many of the fascinating behavioural, cellular and biological aspects of how we learn and remember.

Aims
The aim of this module is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the acquisition, consolidation, retention and recall of knowledge and information.

Intended Learning Outcomes

discuss different types of learning and memory in humans and animals (e.g., declarative vs non-declarative, short-term vs long-term and working memory): 1,2
describe how the brain acquires and retains new information, including fear and spatial forms of memory, and motor skills: 1,2
critically evaluate a primary source journal article and answer questions related to the content of the paper: 2
explain learning and memory with reference to the underlying physiological mechanisms (e.g., synaptic plasticity) and molecular mechanisms: 1,2
explain how learning and memory can be impaired in disorders and diseases of the brain: 1,2
communicate effective to non-specialist audiences through the production of a Textbook-style Chapter based on a Learning and Memory topic: 1

Study hours

- 14 x 4 hours engagement with asynchronous content (making notes and engaging wider reading)
- 10 x 1 hr live tutorials
TOTAL Active learning hours = 66hrs
- 42 hours for background reading, preparation and completion of Journal Comprehension class test
- 42 hours for preparation and completion of a Textbook Chapter-style essay
TOTAL independent learning hours = 84 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 50%
Textbook Chapter-style essay assignment (1,200 words)
Each student will produce a Textbook Chapter-style essay of 1,200 words based on any one of the following Learning and Memory topics: - Classical conditioning - Instrumental conditioning - Synaptic plasticity in learning & memory - Molecular pathways underlying learning & memory - Memory consolidation - Memory reconsolidation and extinction - Spatial navigation and memory Students will be given the choice of these 7 topics at the beginning of the Semester and submission of the completed essay will take place through Turnitin (at the end of the Semester). The essay should be written and formatted in a style that is appropriate as part of a textbook for an audience of 1st year undergraduate Life Sciences students. This assignment is an opportunity for students to demonstrate the following: i) research and information gathering skills; ii) writing for an undergraduate student audience and iii) creativity. The assignment is intentionally open in scope, whilst accessibility of information and formatting should be considered. There will be more information about this assignment in the introductory lecture for the module and a follow-up Q&A tutorial session.

2: Class Test weighted 50%
Journal Comprehension class test (2-hours)
The journal article will be released 7 days prior to test date. On the day of the class test, the assessment will be held in person and invigilated, over a 4 hour window (although 2 hours are recommended to complete). The assessment will take place towards the end of the semester. The test is divided into Section A containing MCQs and Section B, consisting of short answer questions, which will be based on critiquing the paper and require approximately 500 words in total. Both sections are weighted equally (50% each). Section B will contain SAQs based on critiquing the journal article that might include a) the study's limitations, b) strengths of the paper, c) whether the author's interpretation aligns with the data, d) how the findings link to the wider research field, e) relevance to understanding L&M and related disorders, and f) additional/next experiments that should be performed. Repeating the Author’s Discussion points should be avoided. Written notes can be brought into the test.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025