Program Overview

BA/BS in Biopsychology

Biopsychology is an interdepartmental major for students interested in neurobiology and behavior, and is offered jointly by the Department of Biology and the Department of Psychology.

Program Requirements and Policies

• Eleven courses of 3 semester-hour credits (SHUs) or more are required to complete the major. Six of these courses must be in biology and five must be in psychology.
• No course may be taken Pass/Fail.
• Biopsychology majors may not double major in either Biology or Psychology, or in any of the other majors housed in the Psychology Department.
• If you have more than one major, please see Bulletin for rules on double-counting courses across majors.
• If you have a minor, no more than two course credits used toward the minor may be used toward foundation, distribution, major, or other minor requirements.

Course Requirements

Biology Courses

1. Biology 13: Cells and Organisms
2. Biology 15: Cells and Organisms Lab
3. Biology 41: General Genetics
4. Biology 130: Animal Behavior
5. One of the following courses:

• Biology 75: Comparative Vertebrate Physiology
• Biology 110: Endocrinology
• Biology 115: Physiology- Circulation, Respiration, and Renal
• Biology 116: Physiology- Endocrine, Neural, and Digestion
• Biology 117: Physiology of Movement
• Biology 134: Neurobiology

6. One elective in Biology that has a course number of 13 or higher

Psychology Courses

1. One of the following courses:

• Psychology 31: Statistics for Behavioral Science
• Bio 132: Biostatistics
• CEE 6/CH 136: Biostatistics
• CEE 156: Biostatics
• CSHD 140: Problems of Research - Statistics

2. Psychology 32: Experimental Psychology
3. Psychology 103: Brain & Behavior

• Note: Students may substitute PSY 25 for PSY 103, but must then take an additional third course selected from the below list of electives.

4. & 5. Two electives in Psychology chosen from the following list:

• Psychology 22: Emotion
• Psychology 26: Animal Learning and Cognition
• Psychology 27: Perception
• Psychology 29: Human Neuropsychology
• Psychology 40: Physiological Psychology Lab
• Psychology 41: Perception and Cognition Lab
• Psychology 42: Emotion Lab
• Psychology 45: Laboratory in Functional Neuroimaging
• Psychology 46: Laboratory in Animal Cognition
• Psychology 48: Psychopharmacology Lab
• Psychology 49: Psychophysiology Lab
• Psychology 104: Advanced Seminar in Physiological Psychology
• Psychology 111: Psychiatric Medication in Children
• Psychology 112: Biological Bases of Psychopathology
• Psychology 116: Psychology of Fear
• Psychology 117: Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Psychology 122: Cognitive Aging
• Psychology 123: Psychopharmacology
• Psychology 126: Origins of Cognition
• Psychology 127: Behavioral Endocrinology
• Psychology 128: Advanced Seminar in Nutrition and Behavior
• Psychology 129: Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychology 131: Neuropsychology
• Psychology 142: Seminar in Affective Neuroscience
• Psychology 144: Memory and Retention
• Psychology 146: Comparative Cognition and Behavior
• Psychology 154: Psychosis
• Psychology 156: Long Term Memory Processes
• Psychology 159: Emotion, Stress and Health
• Psychology 196: Various, but not all, special topics PSY 196 offerings (check the current list of course offerings for details regarding which PSY 196 seminars in a given semester have been approved for biopsych credit)

Related Programs

• BS in Biology
• BS in Biochemistry
• BA/BS in Biopsychology
• BA/BS in Biotechnology (co-major)
• Minor in Biotechnology
• Environmental Studies Program
• Fifth-Year Master’s Degree Program: BS/MS in Biology
• MS in Biology
• PhD in Biology