Neuroscience Curriculum

Major

PSYC 125, 325, one of the following 300-level courses: PSYC 310, 330, 380 (Research Methods in Drugs & Behavior), and one of the following 400-level courses: PSYC 425, 430, 480 (neuroscience-related topics course), BIOL 401(neuroscience-related topics course), 412 (neuroscience-related seminar course).

BIOL 124, 330 and one of the following: 216, 313, 327, 333
CHEM 131, 132 (OR CHEM 141), 241 and 242

One elective may be chosen from courses listed above that the student has not already taken or another upper-level science course related to neuroscience (300-level or above): BIOL 315, 318, 321, 326, 327, 334, 417 or 342, CHEM 490, PSYC 355, 380 or 455.

The other elective must be outside of Division III (200-level or above), and must be a course that examines science in a philosophical, environmental, or socio-cultural context. The following are currently courses which will satisfy this second elective:

ANTH 216 Medical Anthropology
ANTH 245 Selected Topic: Health & Healing in Africa
ANTH 331 Principles of Human Evolution
HIST 350 American Science, Technology & Medicine
LAWP 400 Law & Policy Seminar: Biomedical Technology, Policy & Law
PHIL 220 Biomedical Ethics
PHIL 254 Philosophy of Science
PHIL 261 Topics (as relevant)
PHIL 391 Seminar: Morality and Mind
PHIL 391 Seminar: Free Will and Science
RELG 241 Topics: Care of the Soul
RELG 260 Topics: Spiritual Dimension of Healing
SOCI 230 Selected Topics: Sociology of Health and Illness
SOCI 230 Selected Topics: Medical Sociology
SOCI 230 Selected Topics: Women's Health
SOCI 300 Deviant Behavior & Social Control

The elective courses must be approved in advance in consultation with the student's advisor and the neuroscience faculty. The student must be able to show how the electives fit into his/her neuroscience major.

All neuroscience majors are required to include a research experience as part of their undergraduate program. This requirement may be satisfied by the successful completion of one of the following:

1) an independent research project OR student/faculty collaborative reserach project;

2) a summer research project with a faculty member;

3) an off-campus internship with a significant research component;

4) a research experience not covered by the above but deemed equivalent by the contributing faculty.

NOTE: Two semesters of mathematical sciences (calculus and/or statistics), and two semesters of physics are strongly recommended for students intending graduate study toward an advanced degree in neuroscience or the health professions.

Honors in the Major

The Neuroscience Program will award Honors to a Neuroscience major based on the candidate's entire undergraduate Neuroscience program. This includes all Neuroscience-related courses with their grades, the nature of the curriculum selected, and the successful completion of a two-semester (or summer plus one semester) Independent Research Project. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required in those courses that count toward the Neuroscience major, including CHEM 141, 241 and 242, and transfer courses that receive Neuroscience credit. The Honors research project should be distinguished by the originality and definition of the research problem, the sophistication of the experimental design and its execution, and the analysis and presentation of the results. Generally, Honors reports should be of publishable or near publishable quality. For the specific guidelines and procedures see the Neuroscience Program web site.