Neuroscience

BS Degree in Biological Sciences

Twenty courses (some with companion labs) are required to complete the Neuroscience major. Independent study credits (e.g., NSCI 395) may not be substituted for any major requirements.

Introductory Biology Courses (4 courses)

One of the following:

  • BIOL 110: Principles of Biology I (Spring)
  • BIOL 110L: Principles of Biology I with lab (Fall)
  • BIOL 112L: Perspectives in Biology I with lab (Fall)

One of the following:

  • BIOL 111L: Principles of Biology II with lab (Spring)
  • BIOL 113L: Perspectives in Biology I with lab (Spring)

One of the following:

  • BIOL 190: Genetics & the Human Genome (Fall)
  • BIOL 198: Principles of Genetics (Fall)

Required:

  • BIOL 250: Introduction to Biochemistry (Spring)

The BIOL 198P and BIOL 250P labs are recommended but not required.

Biology Diversification Course (1 course)

Students are required to take one biology diversification elective. This course must be chosen from within the biological sciences, but from outside the neuroscience curriculum. The diversification elective must be 200-level or higher and 4 credits.

Neuroscience Core Courses (3 courses + 1 lab)
  • NSCI 201: Basic Neurobiology (Fall)
  • NSCI 201P: Basic Neurobiology Lab (Fall)
  • NSCI 203: Laboratory in Neurobiology (Spring)
  • NSCI 301 or NSCI 302: Senior Seminar in Neuroscience (Fall or Spring)
Neuroscience Electives (4 courses)
  • NSCI 241: Neurons, Circuits, & Systems (Fall)
  • NSCI 242: Neuropsychology (Fall)
  • NSCI 243: Neurochemical Foundations of Behavior (Fall)
  • NSCI 244: Neuroethology (Spring)
  • NSCI 245: Sensory & Motor Neuroscience (Fall)
  • NSCI 246: Biology of Mental Disorders (Spring)
  • NSCI 247: Introduction to Computational Neuroscience (Fall, even-numbered years)
  • NSCI 249: Developmental Neurobiology (Spring)
  • NSCI 250: Acquired Brain Disorders (Spring)
  • NSCI 251: Neurobiology of Sleep (Fall)
  • NSCI 252: Functional Neuroanatomy (Spring)
  • NSCI 257: Advanced Computational Neuroscience (Spring, odd-numbered years)
  • BME 415: Neuroscience of Neuroprosthetics (Spring)
  • IND 447U: Signal Transduction (Spring)

For breadth in the discipline, students are recommended to take at least one cellular/molecular neuroscience course (NSCI 243 or 249) and at least one systems neuroscience course (NSCI 241 or 245).

Allied Fields (8 courses)

Both of the following general chemistry courses:

  • CHEM 131: Chemical Concepts I (Fall)
  • CHEM 132: Chemical Concepts II (Fall)

One of the following organic chemistry I courses:

  • CHEM 203/207: Organic Chemistry I with lab (Fall)
  • CHEM 171/173: First Year Organic Chemistry I with lab (Fall)

One of the following statistics courses:

  • STAT 212: Applied Statistics I (Fall & Spring)
  • STAT 214: Biostatistics (Spring)

Four additional allied field courses, chosen from at least two of the following categories:

Chemistry

  • CHEM 204/208: Organic Chemistry II with lab (Spring)
  • CHEM 211: Inorganic Chemistry (Fall)

Math

  • MATH 141/161/171: Calculus I (141/161 Fall & Spring, 171 Fall)
  • MATH 142/162/172: Calculus II (142/162 Fall & Spring, 172 Spring)
  • MATH 150: Discrete Mathematics (Fall & Spring)
  • MATH 164: Multidimensional Calculus (Fall & Spring)
  • MATH 165: Linear Algebra with Differential Equations (Fall & Spring)
  • MATH 218: Intro to Mathematical Models in Life Science (Spring)

Physics

  • PHYS 113/121/141: General Physics I/Mechanics (113 Fall & Spring, 121 Spring, 141 Fall)
  • PHYS 114/122/142: General Physics II/Electricity & Magnetism (114 Fall & Spring, 122/142 Fall)
  • PHYS 123/143: Waves & Modern Physics (Spring)

Statistics

  • STAT 216: Applied Statistics II (Spring)
  • STAT 218: Intro to Categorical Data Analysis (Fall)
  • STAT 201: Intro to Probability (Fall & Spring)
  • STAT 203: Intro to Mathematical Statistics (Spring)
  • STAT 276: Statistical Computing in R (Spring)

Programming

  • BIOL 208: Intro to Programming for Biology (Fall)
  • 1CSC 161: Intro to Programming (Fall & Spring)
  • 1CSC 171: Intro to Computer Science (Fall & Spring)
  • 1CSC 172: Data Structures & Algorithms (Fall & Spring)

Data Science

  • DSCC 262: Computational Intro to Statistics (Fall)
  • DSCC 265: Intermediate Statistical & Computational Methods (Spring)

Applied Ethics

  • PHIL 225: Ethical Decisions in Medicine (Spring)
  • PHIL 257: Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence (Spring)
  • PHIL 311: Seminar in Bioethics (Spring)
  • PHIL 312: Neuroethics (Spring)

Writing

  • WRTG 262: Reading & Writing about Research in the Social, Natural, & Applied Sciences (Spring)
  • WRTG 265: Argument & Evidence Across Contexts (Fall)
  • WRTG 282: Research Methods, Writing Studies (Spring)
Upper-level Writing Requirement
Successful completion of NSCI 203 and NSCI 301 or 302 satisfies the upper-level writing requirement for the Neuroscience major.