Majors

To fulfill the major, students must complete the following:

1. Gateway course: NS 101 - Neuroscience: Mind and Behavior 
    
2. Core courses:

BI 105 Biological Sciences I: Unity Of Life  
BI 106 Biological Sciences II: Diversity Of Life  
CH 105 Chemical Principles I   and
CH 106 Chemical Principles II   , or
CH 107H Intensive General Chemistry Honors  ;
PS 217 Statistical Methods In Psychology I  **
PS 304 Physiological Psychology  or
PS 306 Experimental Psychology **

3. Integrative course: NS 277 - Integrative Seminar In Neuroscience Research 
    
4. Elective courses:
   
   
   1. Choose three courses from the following set of 200-level electives. Two of these electives must have a BI designation, and one must have a PS designation.
      
      PS 213 Hormones and Behavior 
      PS 231 - Neuropsychology **
      
      PS 232 - Introduction to Cognitive Science
       
      BI 242 Molecular Biology 
      BI 244 Comparative Vertebrate Physiology 
      BI 245 Principles Of Genetics 
      
      BI 247 - Cell Biology
       
      
      NS 212 - Psychological Topics In Neuroscience
        (will count as PS)
      
      NS 213 - Biological Topics In Neuroscience
        (will count as BI)
       
   2. Choose four courses from the following set of 300-level electives. At least two of these electives must have a PS designation, and at least one elective must have a BI designation.
      
      BI 306 Mammalian Physiology 
      BI 311 Biological Electron Microscopy  or
      BI 351
        Advanced Light Microscopy
      BI 316 Animal Behavior 
      BI 342 Frontiers In Molecular Neuroscience 
      BI 344 Biological Clocks 
      BI 352 Topics In Advanced Genetics  (when topic is appropriate for NS majors)
      BI 353 Topics In Advanced Genetics  (when topic is appropriate for NS majors)
      PS 304 Physiological Psychology ***
      PS 306 Experimental Psychology ***
      PS 323 Psycholinguistics 
      PS 324 Cognition 
      PS 325 Perception 
      PS 327 Computational Neuroscience 
      PS 341 Seminar In Cognitive Neuroscience: Left brain/Right Brain 

**The prerequisite of

  - Introduction To General Psychology is waived for neuroscience majors taking these courses.

***Unless taken to fulfill the core requirement; see Section 2 above.

With the exception of

 , none of the regular courses that count toward the major may be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Recommendations and Advice

Tutorial project: Students are strongly encouraged to undertake Introduction to Neuroscience Research (NS 275 ) and a tutorial project (PS 375 ,

 , BI 385) prior to completion of the Neuroscience major. Those students who plan on completing a senior tutorial project should consider taking the one-credit research experience during their junior year, which allows students to explore particular areas of research introduced in NS 101  or NS 277  . This additional experience will help students to make more informed decisions about the particular area of research they are most interested in pursuing for a senior tutorial project.

Advice on Choosing Electives: Students’ choices of electives (both within and beyond the requirements specified by the Neuroscience Major) may be guided by interests as well as professional goals. For example, in the Core course Chemical Principles I and II (CH 105 /CH 106 ), students are introduced to fundamental concepts of chemistry that are necessary for understanding basic mechanisms in the neurosciences; students wishing to deepen this understanding are encouraged to take additional courses in Chemistry, including Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry. Examples of Projected Paths through the Major are intended as illustrations of groupings of electives informed by different kinds of interests and goals. For each illustration, suggestions are offered for electives within and beyond the major.

Projected Paths through the Major

Path 1: A Biobehavioral Focus

Within major: Consider electives from the biology courses (e.g., BI 245 - Principles Of Genetics , BI 306 - Mammalian Physiology , BI 306 - Mammalian Physiology , or BI 342 - Frontiers In Molecular Neuroscience ), and PS 213 - Hormones and Behavior , PS 304 - Physiological Psychology , or PS 306 - Experimental Psychology .

Beyond major: Additional electives from such areas as philosophy, ethics, chemistry, and biology (BI 302 - Behavioral Ecology  and BI 370 - Computer Modeling Of Biological Systems ).

Path 2: A Cellular/Molecular Focus

Within major: Consider electives from the biology courses (e.g., BI 242 - Molecular Biology , BI 245 - Principles Of Genetics , and BI 342 - Frontiers In Molecular Neuroscience .)

Beyond major: Additional electives from Biology (BI 360 - Gene Expression I: DNA Metabolism , Maintenance and Function, BI 363 - RNA Metabolism , Processing and Turnover) and Chemistry (CH 221 - Organic Chemistry I , CH 222 - Organic Chemistry II  and CH 341 - Biochemistry: Macromolecular Structure and Function With Lab ).

PATH 3: A Cognitive Neuroscience Focus

Within major: Consider electives from the cognitive neuroscience courses (PS 231 - Neuropsychology , PS 324 - Cognition , PS 325 - Perception , and PS 341 - Seminar In Cognitive Neuroscience: Left brain/Right Brain ), and BI 245 - Principles Of Genetics  or BI 316 - Animal Behavior .

Beyond major: Additional electives from such areas as philosophy.

PATH 4: A Cognitive Science Focus

Within major: Consider electives from the cognitive neuroscience courses (PS 231 - Neuropsychology , PS 324 - Cognition , PS 325 - Perception , PS 327 - Computational Neuroscience , and PS 341 - Seminar In Cognitive Neuroscience: Left brain/Right Brain ).

Beyond major: Consider electives from computer science (CS 106 - Introduction to Computer Science I , CS 206 - Introduction to Computer Science II ), mathematics (MC 306 - Theory Of Computation , anthropology, philosophy, and psychology (PS 323 - Psycholinguistics , or interdisciplinary courses on cognitive processes.

PATH 5: A Health Professions Focus

Within major: Consider electives in physiology, neurobiology, neuropsychology, and genetics.

Beyond major: Organic Chemistry (

 ,   ), Physics ( ,   ), Calculus (  -  ) and a second EN course.

Note: Those students interested in pre-med and other health professions should consult with the Health Professions Advisory Committee for guidance in selecting options.

See Neuroscience