Requirements for Majors
To fulfill the major, students must complete the following:
| Gateway Course |
- NS 101 (Neuroscience: Mind and Behavior)
| Core Courses |
- BI105 (Biological Sciences I: Unity of Life)
- BI106 (Biological Sciences II: Diversity of Life)
- CH105 (Chemical Principles I)
- CH106 (Chemical Principles II)
- PS217 (Statistical Methods in Psychology I)*
- PS304 (Physiological Psych) or PS306 (Experimental Psych)*
| Integrative Course |
- NS 277 (Integrative Seminar in Neuroscience Research)
| Elective Courses |
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.
- PS213 (Hormones & Behavior)
- PS231 (Neuropsychology)*
- BI242 (Introduction to Molecular Cell Biology)
- BI244 (Comparative Vertebrate Physiology)
- BI245 (Principles of Genetics)
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.
- PS 304 (Physiological Psychology)**
- PS 306 (Experimental Psychology)**
- PS312 (Computational Neuroscience)
- PS324 (Cognition)
- PS325 (Perception)
- PS 341 (Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience: Left Brain/Right Brain)
- BI 306 (Mammalian Physiology)
- BI 311 (Biological Electron Microscopy)
- BI 316 (Animal Behavior)
- BI 342 (Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience)
- BI 344 (Biological Clocks)
- BI 349 (Neuroendocrinology)
- BI 352/3 (Topics in Advanced Genetics) [when topic is appropriate for NS majors]
*The pre-requisite of PS 101 (Introduction to General Psychology) is waived for Neuroscience majors taking these courses **unless taken to fulfill the Core requirement
Note: With the exception of NS 277, none of the regular semester courses that count towards the major may be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
HONORS: Successful completion of two tutorial projects (PS 375 and 376 or two semesters of BI 375) is required for consideration for Honors.
| Tutorial Project |
Students are strongly encouraged to undertake 1-credit Introduction to Neuroscience Research (NS 275) and a tutorial project (PS 375, 376, BI 375) prior to completion of the Neuroscience major. Those students who plan on completing a senior tutorial project should consider taking the 1-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 courses Chemical Principles I and II (CH 105/106), 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.