Neuroscience

BS Degree in Biological Sciences

These requirements apply to all students in the Class of 2019 and 2020. Students in the Class of 2021 and 2022 may complete the new major requirements or may opt in to these requirements.

Twenty courses (some with companion labs) are required to complete the neuroscience major. Some students may complete additional credits depending on the courses chosen. Independent study credits (e.g., NSCI 395) may not be substituted for any major requirements.

 

Introductory Biology Courses

One of the following:

  • BIOL 110: Principles of Biology I (Fall/Spring)
  • BIOL 112: Biology Perspectives I (Fall)

One of the following:

  • BIOL 111: Principles of Biology II (Spring)
  • BIOL 113: Biology Perspectives II (Spring)

Plus BIOL 117P: Introductory Biology Lab

One of the following:

  • BIOL 198: Principles of Genetics (Fall)
  • BIOL 190: Genetics and the Human Genome (Fall)
  • BIOL 210: Cell Biology (Spring)
  • BIOL 250: Intro to Biochemistry (Spring)
  • BIOL 252: Principles of Biochemistry (Spring)

Note: The genetics lab (BIOL 198P) is recommended but not required. BIOL 198P may substitute for BIOL 117P.

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Biology Diversification Electives

Students are required to take two biology diversification electives. These courses must be chosen from within the biological sciences, but from outside the neuroscience curriculum. Each diversification elective must be 200-level or higher. If a student takes more than one course from the introductory group above (e.g., BIOL 198 and BIOL 250), the additional course(s) may be used toward the diversification elective requirement.

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Neuroscience Core Courses

Three courses and one companion lab:

  • NSCI 201/P: Basic Neurobiology with Lab (Fall)
  • NSCI 203: Laboratory in Neurobiology (Spring)
  • NSCI 301 (Fall)/NSCI 302 (Spring): Senior Seminar in Neuroscience (2 credits)

Note: NSCI 201, NSCI 201P, and STAT 212 must be completed before NSCI 203 is taken.

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Neuroscience Electives

Student need to take three neuroscience electives, one from Group A, one from Group B, and one from either a Group A, B or C. Graduate courses (400- and 500-level) are available only to seniors with excellent academic records. These courses may not be available every year, and permission of the instructor is required.

Group A:

  • NSCI 243/BCSC 243: Neurochemical Foundations of Behavior (Fall)
  • NSCI 249/BCSC 249: Developmental Neurobiology (Spring)
  • NSCI 251/BCSC 251 Neurobiology of Sleep (Fall)
  • INTD 447: Signal Transduction (Spring)

Group B:

  • NSCI 241: Neurons, Circuits, & Systems (Fall, annual)
  • NSCI 244/BCSC 244: Neuroethology (Spring)
  • NSCI 245/BCSC 245: Sensory and Motor Neuroscience (Spring)
  • NSCI 248/BCSC 248: Neuroeconomics (Spring)

Group C:

  • NSCI 242/BCSC 242: Neuropsychology (Fall)
  • NSCI 246/BCSC 246: Biology of Mental Disorders (Spring)
  • NSCI 247/BCSC 247: Introduction to Computational Neuroscience (Spring, odd-numbered years)
  • NSCI 247A/BCSC 247A Advanced Computational Neuroscience (Spring, even-numbered years)
  • NSCI 250/BCSC 250 Acquired Brain Disorders (Spring)
  • NSCI 252/BCSC 252 Functional Neuroanatomy (Spring)
  • BME 415: Neuroscience of Neuroprosthetics (Spring)
  • BCSC 508: Cognitive Neuroscience (Fall)
  • BCSC 513: Intro to fMRI (Fall)

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Allied Fields

CHEM 131: Chemical Concepts, Systems, and Practices I (Fall)
CHEM 132: Chemical Concepts, Systems, and Practices II (Spring)

One of the following:

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

One of the following:

  • CHEM 204/208: Organic Chemistry II with Lab (Spring)
  • CHEM 172/210: First Year Organic Chemistry II with Lab (Spring)

One of the following sequences:

  • MATH 141 Calculus I (Fall/Spring) and MATH 142 Calculus II (Fall/Spring) [MATH 143 recommended]
  • MATH 161 Calculus IA (Fall/Spring) and MATH 162 Calculus IIA (Fall/Spring)
  • MATH 171 Honors Calculus I (Fall) and MATH 172 Honors Calculus II (Spring)

Two of the following:

  • PHYS 113: General Physics I (Fall/Spring) or PHYS 121: Mechanics (Spring)
  • PHYS 114: General Physics II (Fall/Spring) or PHYS 122: Electricity and Magnetism (Fall)

One of the following:

  • STAT 212: Applied Statistics for Biological and Physical Sciences I (Fall/Spring)
  • STAT 214: Biostatistics (Spring)

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Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Successful completion of the NSCI 203 laboratory and the senior seminar will satisfy the upper-level writing requirement for the neuroscience major.

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