Greetings! I look forward to working with you this semester! This class will explain and explore the biological mechanisms that underlie the brain and behavior. This is a 16 week fully online and asynchronous course (8 weeks for summer), which means we have no set meeting times online or in person meetings, however you do have an online orientation and deadlines to help you keep the pace of the course. The goal of this orientation is to introduce you to the basics of online education and to familiarize you with your course requirements, as well as how to use the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) that your online courses are delivered in. The orientation includes a series of required exercises designed to ensure you know how to use of all the course tools and resources. Many of these tasks will apply to any online course you will take at CCSF while other items will apply specifically to this course. Learn more about Online Classes at CCSF. Best! Dr. A
Welcome to Biological Psychology Online!
This 16 week Fall course begins on Sept 2nd - Dec 19th 2025.
Summer Section is 8 weeks and begins on June 2nd - July 27, 2025.
Biological Psychology explores the interaction between the body and behavior. Topics include structure and function of the nervous system, neurotransmitters, psychopharmacology, hormones, behavioral genetics, neuroplasticity and cognitive neuroscience. It examines the biological correlates of sensation, movement, sleep, hunger, sex, emotions, memory, language, and neurological and psychological disorders. The course is CSU/UC transferable, meets the IGETC Area 5B Biological Science requirement, and articulates to UC Berkeley MCB C61/Psych C61. For psychology majors, it is required for the CCSF AT-T Psychology Major. The field of Biological Psychology has been identified by the American Psychological Association (APA) as one of the four major content areas required for psychology majors, and comprises about 20% of the items in the Psychology Graduate Record Exam (GRE). ** Course Prerequisite: Psych 1 General Psychology
Professor Contact Info
Michel B. Arnold, M.S., Ph.D.
All emails will be replied to Mon-Fri 9am-6pm within 24-48 hours excluding weekends and Holidays, click the Inbox to send an email from within Canvas; You may also use: marnold@ccsf.edu when outside of the Canvas course. Please resend email if you do not receive a reply within 48 hours.
Office Hours: By appointment only.
Required Textbook/Class Materials: The Pearson Revel Platform is a required purchase for this course. Use Follett Discover to access the Red shelf materials and access code for Revel. Students will have access to all course materials on the first day of class via your Canvas shell (pay later in Ram portal). Use the Pearson Revel links in your Canvas course modules to access Revel and sign up. Again Revel is a required purchase for this course. See instructions below:
(1) Choose YES (or opt in) to have access to course materials immediately from your Ram email. Students will not be charged for materials until the last drop date with a full refund for this for this class see syllabus tab. Students will be charged after this date and should make a payment to Follett Access Fee in the my Ram portal.
Be sure to use the same email you used to sign up in order to pay for this account. If you use another email your grades will not be synced into the Canvas course. Students must then contact Pearson Revel technical support for assistance.
When prompted to pay (meaning be charged later) choose the option that is best for your study needs. They all however link to your Revel course.
Textbook purchasing and Pearson Revel (or Revel the supplemental online system from Pearson Publishing that comes with an e text and access to all student materials and work) registration can be found within the textbook page in the online orientation. Or see video registration in the link below.
What is inclusive access?
Students will have access to all course materials on the first day of class via your Canvas shell (pay later).
See instructions below:
Textbook purchasing and Pearson Revel (or Revel) the supplemental online system from Pearson Publishing that comes with an e text and access to all student materials and work) registration can be found within the textbook page in the online orientation. Or see video registration in the link below.
Total cost: $96 (pretax) for Revel from Follett Discover Bookstore (using link in Canvas shell) and Separate Loose leaf (optional $20)
Revel includes a full eBook and everything necessary to complete this class. Direct Revel access without a print text is also available for 50-60% of the price of the print text. Used books DO NOT include Revel access. * You must use the Pearson navigation link to access Revel for your course. Your Revel course has been specifically designed for you by your Professor. You may not purchase Revel access anywhere else other than the Pearson link above and the Follet Discover, if purchased as a bundle.
Follett Access
How do I pay for Follett Access materials?
Charges will be posted to your student account after the add/drop period and you will pay the Bursar's Office.
How do I opt-in(enroll) to Follett Access?
If you are in a Follett Access participating class, you should receive an email to your email address on file in the registration system. Please allow 24 hours from the time you add the class until you can opt-in to access. You can opt-in by visiting htttp://includedcp.follett.com:80/optin/1325.
Highly Recommended Optional text: The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat and Other Clinical Tales. Paperback. Author: Sacks, Oliver
Description: Presents a series of stories about men and women who, representing both medical and literary oddities, raise fundamental questions about the nature of reality.
New: $16.99 Used: $12.75
ISBN : 9780684853949
** REVEL access may also be purchased once your Canvas course is open.
APA style Reference for your textbook for this course:
Pinel, J. P. J., & Barnes, S. J. (2021). Biopsychology (11th ed.). Pearson.
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Revel is required for this course: What is Revel? How Can it help me in this class?
Getting started with Revel in Canvas
Get the Revel App for your Android or iPhone
We will use 7th edition APA format for this course. Students wishing to late add the course must be on the course waitlist. Waitlisted students will be notified via RAM portal ID when or if authorized to enroll in the course. After students are provided with course authorization students must add the course within RAM portal themselves.
Log-in Instructions
Go to the RAM ID Portal and Login.
Username: CCSF ID, examples: W12345678 or @12345678
Your Canvas password is your RAM ID password.
Instructions for new students
Once logged in, Click on the Canvas Tile.
Shortcut: Login directly to Canvas.
Canvas Chat Support is available 24/7.
Online Learning
What are the real challenges encountered by both new and experienced online students, and how can you be successful? Tune into this short tutorial video to help debunk common myths about online learning.
What Makes a Successful Online Learner? Valuable tips for success and what to expect.
Dept. Of Behavioral Sciences
Meet Your Professor!
My name is Michel (Me-kel) Arnold, and I am from San Diego, Ca, however I currently reside in sunny Oakland, Ca near Lake Merritt. Please refer to me as Professor Arnold or Dr. Arnold. I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from a small private historically black liberal arts college, in Greensboro, NC (Bennett College for Women) in May of 1999.
I received my Master of Science in Clinical Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback from the California School of Professional Psychology (now Alliant International University) in San Diego, Ca in August of 2000. I have been teaching academically for over 23 years. I currently teach courses in Human Sexuality, Child Development, Personality Theories, Adolescent Psychology, General Psychology, Biological Psychology and Lifespan Development just to name a few. For the past 10 years I have worked in both the Clinical and Academic settings. As a Health Educator II and Biofeedback Therapist for Kaiser Permanente where I facilitated groups in Stress Management, Smoking Cessation and saw individual client’s with Psychophysiological disorders such as hypertension, headaches and chronic pain to Family and Children services where I facilitated parenting classes for those court mandated by San Mateo County. I also began simultaneously teaching at Grossmont College and Southwestern College in San Diego, Ca, as an adjunct Psychology Professor, teaching Human Sexuality and Introduction to Psychology. I obtained my Ph.D. in Psychology from Capella University in the Fall of 2019.
My research areas of interest include: HIV, sexology, cognition and death and dying. Since 2005 I have been exclusively teaching at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Ca and in the Fall of 2008 acquired a position as a full-time tenured Professor of Psychology and I am currently the Chair for the Psychology Department at this institution.
I enjoy yoga, cooking, films (old and new), traveling, live music, reading and the beach! I have one pet an 8lb Yorkshire Terrier named Juliette! Please feel free to ask questions for anything you are unsure about, (after reading the syllabus of course!).
You can contact me via email at: marnold@ccsf.edu Monday-Friday between 9am-6pm, or click on the inbox under your calendar between those hours. I will reply to all emails within 24-48 hours excluding holidays. Please resend the email if you receive no reply within 48 hours.