Program Overview

Neuroscience - Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The neuroscience major provides a fundamental understanding of brain function that emerges from knowledge of the interplay of the molecular, cellular, and systems-level operation of the nervous system. Our distinguished faculty also teach excellent upper-division courses in areas of expertise that include, but are not limited to, learning and memory, addiction, mental illness, stress, neuroendocrinology, neurogenetics, and neurocircuits of motivated behavior.

Requirements

• Prerequisites: It is policy to enforce the course prerequisites listed in the course descriptions. If a student has not either taken and passed (C- or better) the prerequisites for a course, or obtained permission from the instructor or a departmental advisor to take the course based on equivalent preparatory coursework or experience here or elsewhere, the student may be administratively dropped from the course.
• Degree Requirements: The neuroscience major requires a minimum of 37 credit hours in neuroscience coursework, including a minimum of 21 upper-division credit hours, and additional ancillary foundation coursework in biology and chemistry.
  • Required Major Courses:
    • Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
      • NRSC 2125 | Introduction to Neuroscience I: Foundations | 4
      • NRSC 2150 | Introduction to Neuroscience II: Systems | 4
      • NRSC 2200 | Laboratory Techniques in Neuroscience | 2
      • Select one of the following genetics courses:
        • MCDB 2150 | Principles of Genetics (preferred) | 3-4
        • EBIO 2070 | Genetics: Molecules to Populations | 3-4
      • Select one of the following statistics/computation courses:
        • PSYC 2111 | Psychological Science I: Statistics (preferred) | 3-4
        • EBIO 1010 | Introduction to Statistics and Quantitative Thinking for Biologists | 3-4
        • ECON 3818 | Introduction to Statistics with Computer Applications | 3-4
        • IPHY 3280 | Intro to Data Science and Biostatistics | 3-4
        • MATH 2510 | Introduction to Statistics | 3-4
        • BCOR 1025 | Statistical Analysis in Business | 3-4
        • CSCI 3022 | Introduction to Data Science with Probability and Statistics | 3-4
        • SOCY 2061 | Introduction to Social Statistics | 3-4
      • Upper-division Neuroscience Requirements:
        • MCDB 3135 | Molecular Biology (one will count as an UD elective if both are taken) | 3
        • or MCDB 3145 | Cell Biology | 3
        • Select at least four of the following Neuroscience courses:
          • NRSC 4032 | Neurobiology of Learning and Memory | 3
          • NRSC 4062 | The Neurobiology of Stress | 3
          • NRSC 4545 | Neurobiology of Addiction | 3
          • NRSC 4572 | Developmental Neurobiology | 3
          • NRSC 4072 | Clinical Neuroscience: A Clinical and Pathological Perspective | 3
          • NRSC 4082 | Neural Circuits of Learning and Decision Making | 3
          • NRSC 4092 | Behavioral Neuroendocrinology | 3
          • NRSC 4132 | Neuropharmacology | 3
          • NRSC/MCDB 4420 | Genetics of Brain and Behavior | 3
      • Upper-division major electives:
        • Select 6 credit hours of upper-division elective coursework by taking additional courses from the upper-division requirements above or from the following neuroscience and general science electives.
          • BCHM 3300 | Genetic Engineering: Science, Technology, and Society | 3
          • BCHM 3450 | Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology | 3
          • BCHM 4312 | Quantitative Optical Imaging | 3
          • BCHM 4720 | Metabolic Pathways and Human Disease | 3
          • BCHM 4611 | Principles of Biochemistry | 3
          • BCHM 4631 | Computational Genomics Lab | 3
          • EBIO 3240 | Animal Behavior | 3
          • EBIO 4420 | Computational Biology | 3
          • IPHY 3410 | Human Anatomy | 3
          • IPHY 3430 | Human Physiology | 3
          • IPHY 3590 | Health and Function over the Adult Lifespan | 3
          • IPHY 4200 | Physiological Genetics and Genomics | 3
          • IPHY 4580 | Sleep Physiology | 3
          • IPHY 4720 | Neurophysiology | 3
          • IPHY 4780 | Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Health | 3
          • IPHY 4880 | Advanced Data Analysis in Biomedical Research | 3
          • MCDB 3450 | Biological Data Science | 3
          • MCDB 4312 | Quantitative Optical Imaging | 3
          • or BCHM 4312 | Quantitative Optical Imaging | 3
          • MCDB 4426 | Cell Signaling and Developmental Regulation | 3
          • MCDB 4444 | Cellular Basis of Disease | 3
          • MCDB 4680 | Mechanisms of Aging | 3
          • MCDB 4777 | Molecular Neurobiology | 3
          • NRSC 4011 | Senior Thesis | 3
          • NRSC 4015 | Affective Neuroscience | 3
          • NRSC 4042 | Systems Neuroscience | 3
          • NRSC/PSYC 4155 | Cognitive Neuroscience/Neuropsychology | 3
          • NRSC 4561 | Special Topics in Neuroscience | 3
          • PSYC 4152 | Research Methods in Behavioral Genetics | 3
          • PSYC 4165 | Psychology of Perception | 3
          • PSYC 4526 | Social Neuroscience | 3
          • PSYC 4543 | Clinical Neuropsychological Disorders | 3
          • SLHS 4576 | Communication Neuroscience | 3
  • Required Ancillary Foundation Courses:
    • Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours
      • Ancillary Introductory Biology and Laboratory Requirement:
        • Select one of the two following:
          • MCDB 1150 | Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology (with 2 credit lab MCDB 1161, MCDB 1171, MCDB 1181/IPHY 1181, MCDB 2161, MCDB 2171) | 4-5
          • EBIO 1210 & EBIO 1230 | General Biology 1 and General Biology Laboratory 1 | 4-5
      • Ancillary General Chemistry Sequence Requirement:
        • Select one of the following options:
          • Option 1: - CHEM 1113 & CHEM 1114 | General Chemistry 1 and Laboratory in General Chemistry 1 | 5 - CHEM 1133 & CHEM 1134 | General Chemistry 2 and Laboratory in General Chemistry 2 | 5
          • Option 2: - Biochemistry/Chemistry double majors and Engineering double degree students: Please check with your NRSC advisor for approved alternative options, including the “for-majors” CHEM courses.

Graduating in Four Years

Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major.

To maintain adequate progress in neuroscience, students should meet the following requirements:

• The neuroscience major ideally should be started in the first semester. Adequate progress is defined as cumulative completion of at least one fourth of the required coursework for the major during each academic year, including the following specific requirements:
  • a) The ancillary introduction to biology requirement and the genetics requirement ideally should be completed during the first year;
  • b) All ancillary requirements and Introduction to Neuroscience I and II ideally should be completed by the end of the second year.
• The neuroscience major requires at least 51 hours of required coursework.
• The four-year guarantee also requires completion of 30 hours of General Education courses by the end of the sophomore year.

Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study

Through the required coursework for the major, students will complete all 12 credits of the Natural Sciences area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement, including the lab component, and possibly the QRMS component of the Gen Ed Skills Requirement.

Plan of Study Grid Year One

• Fall Semester:
  • MCDB 1150 | Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology | 3
  • MCDB 1161 or MCDB 1171 | From Dirt to DNA: Phage Genomics Laboratory I or Antibiotics Discovery Through Hands-on Screens I | 2
  • MCDB 1152 | Problem Solving Co-Seminar for Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology | 1
  • NRSC 1020 | Exploring the Neuroscience Major (OPTIONAL) | 1
  • General Education Requirement (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3
  • General Education Requirement (example: Arts & Humanities, Social Science) | 3
  • Elective | 3
  • Credit Hours | 16
• Spring Semester:
  • Genetics (MCDB 2150 or EBIO 2070) | 3-4
  • MCDB 2152 | Problem Solving Co-Seminars for Genetics | 1
  • CHEM 1021 | Introductory Chemistry | 4
  • General Education Requirement (example: Arts & Humanities, Social Science) | 3
  • General Education Requirement (example: Arts & Humanities, Social Science) | 3
  • Credit Hours | 14-15

Year Two

• Fall Semester:
  • CHEM 1113 & CHEM 1114 | General Chemistry 1 and Laboratory in General Chemistry 1 | 5
  • NRSC 2125 | Introduction to Neuroscience I: Foundations | 4
  • General Education Requirement (example: Arts & Humanities, Social Science) | 3
  • General Education Requirement (example: Diversity) | 3
  • Credit Hours | 15
• Spring Semester:
  • CHEM 1133 & CHEM 1134 | General Chemistry 2 and Laboratory in General Chemistry 2 | 5
  • NRSC 2150 | Introduction to Neuroscience II: Systems | 4
  • General Education Requirement (example: Diversity) | 3
  • General Education Requirement (example: Arts & Humanities, Social Science) | 3
  • Credit Hours | 15

Year Three

• Fall Semester:
  • NRSC 2200 | Laboratory Techniques in Neuroscience | 2
  • MATH 2510 | Introduction to Statistics | 3
  • MCDB 3135 or MCDB 3145 | Molecular Biology or Cell Biology | 3
  • Upper-division Elective | 3
  • Upper-division Elective | 3
  • Elective (lower-division or upper-division) | 1-3
  • Credit Hours | 15-17
• Spring Semester:
  • Upper-division NRSC Core course | 3
  • Upper-division NRSC Core course | 3
  • General Education Requirement (example: Upper-division Written Communication) | 3
  • Upper-division Elective | 3
  • Upper-division Elective | 3
  • Credit Hours | 15

Year Four

• Fall Semester:
  • Upper-division NRSC Core course | 3
  • Upper-division NRSC Core course | 3
  • Upper-division Elective | 3
  • Upper division Elective | 3
  • General Education Requirement (example: Arts & Humanities, Social Science) | 3
  • Credit Hours | 15
• Spring Semester:
  • Upper-division NRSC Elective | 3
  • Upper-division NRSC Elective | 3
  • Upper-division Elective | 3
  • Elective (lower-division or upper-division) | 3
  • Elective (lower-division or upper-division) | 3
  • Credit Hours | 15
• Total Credit Hours | 120-123

Learning Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the structural organization and functional components of the nervous system, including intracellular and intercellular signaling.
• Demonstrate understanding of the systems and circuits of the brain and nervous system that control specific functions.
• Demonstrate understanding of the important mechanistic relationship between nervous system function and health (physiological, neurological, and psychological health).
• Read, evaluate, and interpret primary literature in the neuroscience field.
• Design experiments, critically evaluate experimental design, and analyze experimental data related to the neuroscience field.
• Effectively communicate information in the neuroscience field.