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 368 - Advanced Light Microscopy
      BI 316 - Animal Behavior
      BI 342 - Frontiers In Molecular Neuroscience
      BI 344 - Biological Clocks
      BI 352 - Topics In Biology with Lab (when topic is appropriate for NS majors)
      BI 353 Advanced Topics in Genetics (when topic is appropriate for NS majors)
      NS 312 - Advanced Psychological Topics in Neuroscience (will count as PS)
      NS 313 - Advanced Biological Topics in Neuroscience (will count as BI)
      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 PS 101 - 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 NS 277, 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 enroll in Introduction to Neuroscience Research (NS 275) and Research Experience in Neuroscience (NS 371) prior to completion of the Neuroscience major. These courses allow students to obtain valuable research experience by working directly with Neuroscience faculty.  Highly motivated students may wish to pursue a senior tutorial project (NS 375/NS 376), which is a year-long, intensive research thesis conducted in collaboration with a Neuroscience faculty. Generally speaking, majors should consider taking NS 275 in their sophomore and/or junior year, and NS 371 in their junior year as a prelude to senior research.

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, BI 363 - RNA Metabolism) 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 (CH 221 - Organic Chemistry I,  CH 222 - Organic Chemistry II), Physics (PY 207 - General Physics I,  PY 208 - General Physics II), Calculus (MA 111 - MA 113) 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