Neuroscience (BS)

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Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to the BS in Neuroscience:

  1. Complete PSYC 201 or (equivalent) and PSYC 305, earning a grade of C or higher.
  2. Complete Statistics Requirement (PSYC 301 or BIOL 350), earning a grade of C or higher. Completion of MATH 180 or MATH 205 is required for the degree. For admission to the major, students must have completed the necessary math coursework, or have a math placement score, to satisfy the prerequisites to enroll in MATH 180 or MATH 205.
  3. Have an overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 (no grades of C-minus or lower in core or supporting coursework may be counted toward requirements for the major).
  4. Have completed at least 30 hours of degree-applicable credit.

The Change Major Request form can be found under the Academic Progress tile on ULink.

General Education

General Education Requirements *31
The following courses are required by the program and can satisfy the respective General Education Requirement:
Introduction to Psychology - SB
Unity of Life - S
General Chemistry I - S
Introduction to Chemical Analysis I - SL
Elements of Calculus - QR
Calculus I - QR

*All degrees require the completion of the University-wide General Education Program (link provided above).  Some General Education requirements may be met in the requirements for the major or supporting coursework, in which case additional electives may be required to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

College/School Requirements

Arts & Sciences Requirements
GEN 100Student Success Center First Year Experience1
or GEN 101 Arts & Sciences First Year Experience
Foreign Language 16-8
Electives in Humanities or Social Sciences at 300+level 26
WR - two approved courses at the 300 level or above 3
Minimum Total Hours13-15

Program/Major Requirements

Program Coursework
PSYC 201Introduction to Psychology - SB3
PSYC 301Introduction to Social Statistics3
or BIOL 350 Biostatistics
PSYC 302Research Methods for Psychology3
PSYC 305Brain and Behavior3
PSYC 331Sensation and Perception3
BIOL 329Cellular and Molecular Biology3
PSYC 355Neuroscience3
PSYC 382Cognitive Neuroscience3
BIOL 465Principles of Physiology3
or BE 354 Anatomy and Physiology
ASNB 502Fundamentals of Neuroscience3
One of the following:3
Molecular Neuroscience - CUE
Seminar on Developmental Neurobiology - CUE
Origin of Mammalian Sensory Systems and Comparative Neurobiology - CUE
Synaptic Organization of the Central Nervous System - CUE
Minimum Total Hours33
Supporting Courses
BIOL 240Unity of Life - S3
BIOL 241Unity of Life Lab - SL1
BIOL 242Diversity of Life - S3
BIOL 243Diversity of Life Lab - SL1
MATH 180Elements of Calculus - QR4
or MATH 205 Calculus I - QR
CHEM 201General Chemistry I - S3
CHEM 202General Chemistry II - S3
CHEM 207Introduction to Chemical Analysis I - SL1
CHEM 208Introduction to Chemical Analysis II - SL1
CHEM 209Introduction to Chemical Analysis III1
PHYS 221Fundamentals of Physics I - S3
PHYS 222Fundamentals of Physics II - S3
PHYS 223Fundamentals of Physics Lab I - SL1
PHYS 224Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory II - SL1
Electives 413-15
Suggested Electives 6
Genetics and Molecular Biology
Genetics and Molecular Biology: Laboratory
Biology of the Cell - CUE, WR 5
Behavioral Endocrinology - WR, CUE 5
Metabolic Biochemistry
Organic Chemistry I
Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
Organic Chemistry II
Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
Biochemistry I
Technology and Human Values - AH
Philosophy of Science
Mind and Brain: Introduction to Cognitive Science
Foundations of Bioethics
Current Controversies in Health Care Ethics
Cognitive Processes
Life Span Developmental Psychology
Foundations of Psychopathology
Special Topics in Neuroscience - WR
Minimum Total Hours42-44
Minimum Total Degree Hours121-123

At least 50 of the total minimum hours required must be at the 300 level or above.

Students who wish to double major in the BS in Neuroscience and the BS in Psychology degrees must complete 18 credit hours toward the Psychology (PSYC) degree that do not count towards meeting the Neuroscience (NS) degree requirements. These 18 credits must include the following courses: PSYC 306, PSYC 307 and PSYC 308. If these courses are taken as electives for the NS degree, additional PSYC courses must be taken in their place. Students must also complete one PSYC CUE course and one NS CUE course. For elective courses that can count toward either degree, the student must specify whether each course will count for NS or for PSYC.

Culminating Undergraduate Experience (Graduation Requirement)
Requirement fulfilled by completing one of the following:
Undergraduate Psychology Research - CUE
Undergraduate Neuroscience Research - CUE
Honors Psychology Research
Honors Neuroscience Research
Honors Psychology Thesis - CUE, WR
Honors Neuroscience Thesis - CUE, WR
Molecular Neuroscience - CUE
Seminar on Developmental Neurobiology - CUE
Origin of Mammalian Sensory Systems and Comparative Neurobiology - CUE
Synaptic Organization of the Central Nervous System - CUE
1

Completion of the second semester of a single foreign language; hours will vary depending on the language taken

2

In addition to courses counted toward General Education

3

May be incorporated into other degree requirements

4

Students who satisfy General Education Requirements by courses defined by the program will require additional electives to complete the minimum hours for the degree.

5

Does not satisfy CUE requirement for the Neuroscience BS

6

Students may select any courses they wish to fulfill the elective credits; however, the faculty suggest that students consider taking electives from the provided list as these courses are aligned with training in the discipline or may be required to fulfill preparation for certain degree paths (such as completing the typical pre-med requirements). 

Flight Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallHours
GEN 101 Arts & Sciences First Year Experience 1
ENGL 101 Introduction to College Writing - WC 3
PSYC 201 Introduction to Psychology - SB 3
BIOL 240 Unity of Life - S 3
BIOL 241 Unity of Life Lab - SL 1
CHEM 201 General Chemistry I - S 3
CHEM 207 Introduction to Chemical Analysis I - SL 1
CHEM 208 Introduction to Chemical Analysis II - SL 1
 Hours16
Spring
ENGL 102 Intermediate College Writing - WC 3
BIOL 242 Diversity of Life - S 3
BIOL 243 Diversity of Life Lab - SL 1
CHEM 202 General Chemistry II - S 3
CHEM 209 Introduction to Chemical Analysis III 1
PSYC 305 Brain and Behavior 3
 Hours14
Year 2
Fall
BIOL 329 Cellular and Molecular Biology 3
PHYS 221 Fundamentals of Physics I - S 3
PHYS 223 Fundamentals of Physics Lab I - SL 1
PSYC 355 Neuroscience 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Oral Communication – OC 3
MATH 180
Elements of Calculus - QR
or Calculus I - QR
3
 Hours16
Spring
BIOL 465
Principles of Physiology
or Anatomy and Physiology
3
PHYS 222 Fundamentals of Physics II - S 3
PHYS 224 Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory II - SL 1
PSYC 301
Introduction to Social Statistics
or Biostatistics
3
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities – AH 1 3
Elective 3
 Hours16
Year 3
Fall
ASNB 502 Fundamentals of Neuroscience 3
PSYC 302 Research Methods for Psychology 3
PSYC 331 Sensation and Perception 3
Foreign Language 3-4
300+ Elective 3
 Hours15-16
Spring
Select one of the following: 3
Seminar on Developmental Neurobiology - CUE
Synaptic Organization of the Central Nervous System - CUE
Foreign Language 3-4
General Education: Cardinal Core Arts & Humanities – AH 1 3
General Education: Cardinal Core Historical Perspective – SBH 1 3
300+ Elective Elective in Humanities or Social Sciences 3
 Hours15-16
Year 4
Fall
300+ WR Elective 3
300+ Elective Elective in Humanities or Social Sciences 3
300+ Elective (Consider ASNB 530 as one option) 3
300+ Elective 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring
PSYC 382 Cognitive Neuroscience 3
300+ WR Elective 3
300+ Elective 3
Elective 5
 Hours14
 Minimum Total Hours121-123
1

At least two of the courses selected to satisfy these General Education/Cardinal Core requirements must also satisfy Diversity requirements (at last once course/3 credits each of U.S./D1 and Global/D2 Diversity coursework).