Program Overview

Neuroscience: Biological and Biomedical Sciences

The Neuroscience: Biological and Biomedical Sciences program is a four-year, full-time course that leads to a B.A. (Moderatorship) Honours Bachelor Degree (NFQ Level 8). The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the nervous system in health and disease, and to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in neuroscience or related fields.

Overview

Neuroscience is the discipline concerned with the scientific study of the nervous system in health and disease. It probes the intricate processes of the nervous system in an attempt to understand how we think, move, perceive, learn, and remember. Research in the neurosciences is of considerable importance in medicine, considering the debilitating and costly effects of neurological and psychiatric disease.

Course Details

• Awards: B.A. (Moderatorship) Honours Bachelor Degree (NFQ Level 8)
• CAO Information: CAO Points 545 (2024), CAO Code TR060
• Course Director: Gabrielle McCabe, Course Administrator

Admission Requirements

To see admissions requirements for this course, view the main Biological and Biomedical Sciences program. All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band B (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Fees

For a full list of undergraduate fees, click on the relevant link.

Program Structure

The program involves in-depth instruction in the fundamentals of modern molecular and cellular biology, as well as in the structure and operation of the nervous system. Other modules focus on the development of the nervous system, its response to injury and disease, the relationship of the brain to behaviour, imaging the brain, and the drug treatment of brain disorders.

Third Year

The third year will cover core topics in Neuroscience, including:

• Neuroanatomy and Development
• Systems, Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neurophysiology
• Neurochemistry
• Neuropharmacology
• Neurogenetics
• Molecular Neuroscience
• Research skills
• Basic laboratory skills for Neurobiology

Fourth Year

The final year will examine some more specialized areas of Neuroscience and examine others at a more advanced level. Topics will include:

• Neuropsychology
• Neurochemistry
• Neuronal and Glial Physiology
• Neuropharmacology
• Developmental Genetics
• Neuroimmunology and Neurodegeneration
• Neuropsychiatric Genetics
• There will be a greater focus on research, with modules involving scientific literature skills (literature review and journal clubs) and all students will carry out a major Capstone research project in one of the many research groups in the schools that contribute to the Neuroscience degree.

Graduate Skills and Career Opportunities

Graduates in Neuroscience can expect to find employment in a wide range of areas, utilizing their general scientific training as well as their specialist skills. In the past, Neuroscience graduates have pursued careers in academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical research organizations. Some graduates study for higher degrees in neuroscience, biology, or psychology, or medicine or allied health-related disciplines. For those not seeking a research or medical career, the course provides transferable skills and experience that are suitable for a wide variety of careers, including in education, commercial, and management settings.

Research Areas

Trinity has a strong research focus in Neuroscience, centered around the Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN), with 45 research groups and 250 researchers within the Lloyd Building and in labs in the many affiliated academic schools and departments that drive Neuroscience activity in Trinity. These research groups investigate a wide variety of topics in Neuroscience, and Trinity neuroscientists are well respected by the neuroscience community worldwide, regularly contributing at international meetings and in high-impact publications.

Study Abroad and Internship Opportunities

Students may arrange to study abroad during their third year following discussion with staff. Students are also facilitated in seeking internships, in Ireland or abroad, during the summer, and some opportunities exist for research laboratory placements within the university.

Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University Dual B.A. Programme

Neuroscience is also available within the Dual B.A. Programme between Trinity College Dublin and Columbia University. Please note: The Dual B.A. is only open to Single Honours students. Joint Honours students cannot apply to the Dual B.A..

Biological and Biomedical Sciences Programme at Trinity College Dublin

Biology is the study of life in all its complexity and diversity. In the Biological and Biomedical Sciences programme, we explore how life first arose; the properties that distinguish living organisms from inert matter; how living organisms function and how the vast diversity of life forms was generated; and how organisms reproduce themselves and how they interact both with each other and with the environment.