Summer Springboard

Psychology & Neuroscience

ON THE CAMPUS OF UC SAN DIEGO

EXPLORE THE HUMAN MIND AND BRAIN THROUGH PSYCHOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE

THIS IS A TWO-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.

Psychology & Neuroscience

  • Discover how psychologists and neuroscientists study human behavior and the brain.
  • Conduct a mock clinical diagnosis based on case studies.
  • Visit the Neuroscience Institute at UC San Diego.
  • Explore current topics in abnormal and cognitive psychology.
  • Engage in discussions about real-world mental health challenges.
  • Learn from professionals in psychology and neuroscience fields.

Summer Springboard

Psychology & Neuroscience

About This Course

The adult human brain weighs approximately 3 pounds making up less than roughly 2% of a person’s body weight, yet it defines our humanity and makes us the individuals that we are – and yet no two are the same.

The brain is responsible for the generation of language, thought, attention, consciousness, memory, imagination, and more. But how? And what makes certain people in society behave one way, and others another? Nothing is more fascinating and mysterious than the inner workings of the brain and human psychology.

In Summer Springboard’s Psychology & Neuroscience course on the campus of UCSD, students will explore these fundamental questions and more. Our course will explore the anatomy of the human brain, how it functions, and how that correlates and influences human behavior.

Students will learn about how the brain works, how that affects behavior such as social dynamics, emotions, personality, mental illness, and how psychologists study them. Students will get to construct their own miniature psychology theory, design/run an experiment to test it, and present findings to the class.

TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE

Hands-on Learning

Students apply psychological and neuroscientific concepts through engaging activities like case study analysis, group projects, and a mock clinical diagnosis.

Career Exploration

Students gain insight into potential career paths by meeting professionals in the fields of psychology and neuroscience and touring research facilities.

RESOURCES

Course Infosheet

Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.

Program Catalog

Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.

Campus Page

Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.

“I had a great time! I was able to get a lot of freedom as a rising sophomore in high school. I was able to meet people from all over the world, network and cultivate long lasting friendships. Showed a lot of interesting things about myself and future career and college plans. Thanks SSB @ UCSD!”

– Remy K. | Alumni Student

Summer Springboard

Psychology & Neuroscience

Meet Your Instructor

Dr. Seraphina Solders (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Neurosciences Department at UC San Diego (UCSD).

She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Biology with the Honors Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies from San Diego State University (SDSU), and her Ph.D. in Neurosciences from UCSD. Her current research focuses on the role of the blood-brain barrier in aging and its contributions to Alzheimer’s disease risk.

Broadly, she is interested in the brain changes that occur with aging and risk factors that promote neurodegeneration and cognitive decline, and her overarching goal is to improve our understanding of modifiable lifestyle factors that contribute to pathological aging so we can help our communities live long, healthy lives.

Dr. Solders has also been tutoring or teaching for as long as she has been working in research, and has experience working with high school, college, and graduate students. Currently, she teaches Foundations of Neuroimaging for psychology students at SDSU.

SERAPHINA SOLDERS

Summer Springboard

Psychology & Neuroscience

Dates & Tuition

2026 Dates
Session 1: June 28 – July 10, 2026
Session 2: July 12 – July 24, 2026
Session 3: July 26 – August 7, 2026

Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.

Tuition
 Residential Tuition: $5,898
 Commuter Tuition: $3,298

Apply by November 30 to lock in the lowest prices of the year. Tuition increases on December 1.

Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.

Location
 City: San Diego
 State: California
Campus: UC San Diego

Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.