BS in Neuroscience

There are two tracks of study for the Neuroscience major, the Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience track (NRCB) and the Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience track (NRMC).  Both tracks require the same basic science and math foundations courses and neuroscience foundations courses, but differ in the specialty area courses as described below.

Basic Science and Math Foundations (applies to both tracks)

• PSYC 101 (General Psychology)
• BIOL 101 (General Biology I)
• BIOL 111 (General Biology I Lab)
• BIOL 102 (General Biology II)
• BIOL 112 (General Biology II Lab)
• CHEM 160 (Structure and Properties Lec/Dis) [or CHEM 101 (General Chemistry A Lec/Dis) before Fall 2023]
• CHEM 161 (Structure and Properties Lab) [or CHEM 111 (General Chemistry Lab A) before Fall 2023]
• CHEM 180 (Chemical Reactivity I Lec/Dis) [or CHEM 102 (General Chemistry B Lec/Dis) before Spring 2024]
• CHEM 181 (Chemical Reactivity I Lab) [or CHEM 112 (General Chemistry Lab B) before Spring 2024]
• BIOL 251 (Cell Biology)
• BIOL 282 (Genetics)

  One of the following two classes:

• BIOL 252 (Cell Biology Laboratory)
• BIOL 283 (Genetics Laboratory)

  One of the following two classes:

• MATH 131 (Applied Calculus I)
• MATH 161 (Calculus I)

  One of the following three sets of classes:

• PHYS 111 (College Physics I Lec/Dis) plus PHYS 111L (College Physics Lab I)
• PHYS 111K (College Physics I Lec/Dis-Calculus Based) plus PHYS 111L (College Physics Lab I)
• PHYS 125 (General Physics I Lecture/Discussion plus PHYS 125L (General Physics Laboratory I)

  One of the following three sets of classes:

• PHYS 112 (College Physics II Lec/Dis) plus PHYS 112L (College Physics Lab II)
• PHYS 112K (College Physics II Lec/Dis-Calculus Based) plus PHYS 112L (College Physics Lab II)
• PHYS 126 (General Physics II Lec/Dis) plus PHYS 126L (General Physics Laboratory II) and PHYS 126F (Freshman Projects)

  One of the following two classes:

• BIOL 335/STAT 335 (Introduction to Biostatistics)
• PSYC 304 (Statistics)

Neuroscience Foundations Courses (3 courses, applies to both tracks)

• NEUR 101 (Introduction to Neuroscience)
• BIOL 362 (Neurobiology)
• PSYC 382/BIOL 284 (Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience)

Choose one of the following tracks of study:

1. Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience
2. Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience

 Track 1: Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience Specialty Areas Courses

• PSYC 306 (Research Methods in Psychology)
• COMP 150 (Introduction to Computing), COMP 170 (Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming), or COMP 180 (Computing and Data Analysis for the Sciences)
• NEUR 300/BIOL 303 (Seminar in Neuroscience)

Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience Lecture Electives (choose three of the following courses)

• BIOL/ANTH 320 (Animal Behavior)
• BIOL 351 (Sleep and Circadian Rhythms)
• BIOL 352 (Neurobiology of Feeding in Health and Disease) [not currently offered]
• BIOL 357 (Neural Disease, Degeneration, and Regeneration)
• BIOL 395 (Special Topics in Biology, Cellular and Gross Functional Neuroanatomy (other 395's do not count))
• COMP 386 (Computational Neuroscience)
• PSYC/BIOL 240 (Psychology and Biology of Perception)
• PSYC 251 (Learning and Memory)
• PSYC 332 (Affective Neuroscience)
• PSYC 350 (Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience)
• PSYC 352 (Neuropsychology)
• PSYC/PHIL 355 (Neuroethics)
• PSYC 378 (Drugs and Behavior)
• For students declaring the major PRIOR to Fall 2021:
  • PSYC 250 (Cognitive Psychology)
  • PSYC/PHIL 279 (Judgment and Decision Making) [no longer offered]

Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience Lab Electives (choose two of the following courses)

• NEUR 301/BIOL 373/PSYC 388 (Neuroscience Lab I)
• PSYC 311/BIOL 313 (Lab in Psychobiology)
• PSYC 312 (Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience)
• PSYC 314 (Lab in Experimental Psychology: Cognition)
• PSYC 316 (Lab in Experimental Psychology: Sensation and Perception)
• One of the following independent research options:
  • PSYC 397 (Independent Research—with a Cognitive/Behavioral focus)
  • PSYC 369/370 (Honors Research—with a Cognitive/Behavioral focus)
  • BIOL 396 (Independent Research—with a Cognitive/Behavioral focus)

Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience Capstone

• PSYC 387 (Seminar in Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience)

 

Track 2: Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience Specialty Areas Courses

One additional year of chemistry lecture (not lab) is required.

• CHEM 240 (Chemical Reactivity II Lec/Dis) [or CHEM 221 (Organic Chemistry I) or CHEM 223 (Organic Chemistry A before Fall 2024]
• CHEM 260 (Quantitative Methods in Chemistry Lec/Dis) [or CHEM 222 (Organic Chemistry II) or CHEM 224 (Organic Chemistry B before Spring 2025]

Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience Lecture Electives (choose three of the following courses)

• NEUR 300 (Seminar in Neuroscience)
• PSYC/BIOL 240 (Psychology and Biology of Perception)
• BIOL 307 (Biology of Stem Cells)
• BIOL 351 (Sleep and Circadian Rhythms)
• BIOL 352 (Neurobiology of Feeding in Health and Disease) [no longer offered]
• BIOL 357 (Neural Diseases/Degeneration/Regeneration)
• BIOL 358 (Developmental Neurobiology)
• BIOL 366 (Cell Physiology and Biochemistry) 
• BIOL 381 (Epigenetics) 
• BIOL 382 (Molecular Genetics)
• BIOL 395 (Special Topics in Biology, Cellular and Gross Functional Neuroanatomy (other 395's do not count))
• COMP 386 (Computational Neuroscience)
• PSYC 378 (Drugs and Behavior)

Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience Lab Electives (choose two of the following courses)

• NEUR 301 (Lab in Neuroscience I)
• BIOL 313/PSYC 311 (Lab in Psychobiology) OR PSYC 316 (Lab in Experimental Psychology) 
• BIOL 315 (Introduction to Immunology Lecture/Lab) 
• BIOL 366L (Lab in Cell Physiology and Biochemistry)
• BIOL 367 (Bioimaging)
• BIOL 390 (Molecular Biology Laboratory)
• BIOL 395L (Special Topics Laboratory—if offered: Bacterial Genomics (other 395L's do not count)).
• Independent Research Options: BIOL 396/397H/398/CHEM 300

Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience Capstone

• BIOL 376 Seminar in Molecular/Cellular Neuroscience

 

Double-Dipping with Other Majors/Minors

Course requirements for either track of the Neuroscience Major or the Neuroscience Minor may be satisfied by courses that are also counting toward requirements for the following majors and minors:

• BS in Biology (BIOL-BS)
• BS in Biology with Ecology Emphasis (BIOE-BS)
• BS in Biology with Molecular Emphasis (BIOM-BS)
• BS in Psychology (PSYC-BS)
• Minor in Biology (BIOL-MINR)
• Minor in Psychology (PSYC-MINR)

Students may not double-major in both tracks of the Neuroscience Major or combine the Neuroscience Major with the Neuroscience Minor.  For all other majors/minors, the CAS Academic Council's double-dipping policy shall apply.