Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - BPK 449 D100

Neuroimaging and Network Neuroscience (3)

Class Number: 6516

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 7, 2026: Thu, 8:30–10:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    BPK 306.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Explore how cutting-edge neuroimaging and computational tools reveal the brain as a network. This course examines MRI, EEG/MEG, graph theory, and brain connectivity in development, congnition, and disease. Students will critically engage with neuroscience research and learn to interpret and communicate complex data through presentations, discussions, and writing. Students with credit for BPK 423 under the title "Neuroimaging and Network Neuroscience" may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course examines the brain as a network — a dynamic system of interactions rather than a collection of specialised regions. We survey the empirical, methodological, and theoretical foundations of network neuroscience, from the anatomy of the structural connectome to computational models of large-scale brain dynamics, from the development of brain networks across the lifespan to their disruption in neurological and psychiatric disease, and ultimately to the network framework's implications for consciousness and subjective experience

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of BPK 449, successful students will be able to: 

  • Describe the structural and functional organisation of the human brain as a network, and explain how this organisation is measured using MRI, EEG, MEG, and computational modeling. 
  • Apply graph-theoretic and dynamical systems concepts to interpret connectivity data and reason about the relationship between network topology and brain function. 
  • Evaluate theoretical frameworks in network neuroscience — including computational models, clinical biomarker approaches, and theories of consciousness — with respect to their empirical support, predictive power, and acknowledged limitations. 
  • Communicate scientific ideas effectively in written and oral formats, synthesising primary literature and developing original arguments about network neuroscience questions. 
  • Identify and articulate open research questions at the frontier of the field, and situate them within the broader scientific and societal contexts that motivate them. 

Grading

  • Tutorial participation and discussion 10%
  • Journal article presentation (tutorial) 15%
  • Short critical review 10%
  • Midterm 20%
  • Term paper proposal 5%
  • Term paper 40%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

There is no required textbook. Readings are assigned each week from the primary literature. All readings are available through SFU Library and will be posted on Canvas. 

RECOMMENDED READING:

Students new to neuroimaging or network neuroscience may find the following useful: 

  • Sporns, O. (2011). Networks of the Brain. MIT Press. 
  • Bullmore, E., & Sporns, O. (2009). Complex brain networks. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10, 186–198. 
  • Rubinov, M., & Sporns, O. (2010). Complex network measures of brain connectivity. NeuroImage, 52, 1059–1069. 

Department Undergraduate Notes:

It is the responsibility of the student to keep their BPK course outlines if they plan on furthering their education.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.