Program Overview

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience is a comprehensive program that provides students with a broad foundational knowledge of neuroscience and an in-depth exposure to various subfields. The program is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in neuroscience or related fields.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the BS degree with a major in Neuroscience, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the biological basis for brain and neuron function and the experimental strategies that led to our current understanding.
• Understand proper experimental design in neuroscience, including how to apply the modern scientific method, statistics, and the most common experimental methods to measure and manipulate brain activity.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively to both a scientific and lay audience.
• Search through, review, and evaluate the scientific literature on neuroscience and related fields.

Additionally, upon completing the BS degree with a major in Neuroscience and a major concentration in Computational Neuroscience, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an advanced ability to analyze quantitatively, model, and interpret neuro-scientific data.

Requirements for the BS Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience

For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BS degree with a major in Neuroscience and a major concentration in Computational Neuroscience must complete:

• A minimum of 27-30 courses (73-77 credit hours), depending on course selection, to satisfy major requirements.
• A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
• A minimum of 29 credit hours taken at the 300-level or above.
• A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit after matriculation at Rice may be applied towards specific major requirements.

Core Requirements

The Bachelor of Science (BS) Core Requirements emphasize a broad foundational knowledge of neuroscience. The major concentrations provide an in-depth exposure to various subfields. The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major:

• Non-Neuroscience Courses:
  • BIOS 201: Introductory Biology I
  • CHEM 121: General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 123: General Chemistry Laboratory I
  • MATH 101: Single Variable Calculus I
  • MATH 102: Single Variable Calculus II
  • PHYS 125: General Physics (with lab)
  • PHYS 126: General Physics II (with lab)
  • PSYC 203: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
• Core Programming Experience Course:
  • CMOR 220: Introduction to Engineering Computation
  • or COMP 140: Computational Thinking
• Core Statistics Course:
  • Select 1 course from the following:
    • STAT 305: Introduction to Statistics for Biosciences
    • STAT 310 / ECON 307: Probability and Statistics
    • STAT 315: Probability and Statistics for Data Science
• Core Neuroscience Lecture Courses:
  • BIOS 385: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of the Neuron
  • NEUR 362 / PSYC 362: Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring the Living Brain
  • NEUR 380: Fundamental Neuroscience Systems
  • NEUR 383 / BIOE 380 / ELEC 380: Introduction to Neuroengineering: Measuring and Manipulating Neural Activity
• Core Neuroscience Laboratory Courses:
  • BIOS 212: Intermediate Experimental Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • NEUR 310: Independent Research for Neuroscience Undergraduates
• Core Laboratory Elective:
  • Select 1 course from the following:
    • BIOS 315: Experimental Physiology
    • BIOS 417: Experimental Cell and Molecular Neuroscience
    • ELEC 435: Neural Interface Engineering Laboratory
    • PSYC 366: Methods in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
    • PSYC 487: Functional Human Neuroanatomy

Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience

• Lecture Courses:
  • ELEC 240: Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering I Laboratory
  • ELEC 241: Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering I
  • MATH 211: Ordinary Differential Equations and Linear Algebra
  • MATH 355: Linear Algebra
  • NEUR 415 / CMOR 415 / ELEC 488: Theoretical Neuroscience: From Cells to Learning Systems
  • NEUR 416 / CMOR 416 / ELEC 489: Neural Computation
• Elective Requirements:
  • Select 2 courses from the following:
    • BIOE 422: Gene Therapy
    • BIOE 492: Sensory Neuroengineering
    • BIOS 128: Brainstem - Teaching STEM through Neuroscience
    • BIOS 321: Animal Behavior
    • BIOS 442: Molecules, Memory and Model Animals: Methods in Behavioral Neuroscience
    • BIOS 443: Developmental Neurobiology
    • BIOS 449: Advanced Cell and Molecular Neuroscience
    • CMOR 404: Graph Theory
    • CMOR 420: Computational Science
    • COMP 440 / ELEC 440: Artificial Intelligence
    • CSCI 340: Methods of Cognitive Science
    • ELEC 242: Signals, Systems, and Transforms
    • ELEC 301: Signals, Systems, and Learning
    • ELEC 303: Random Signals in Electrical Engineering Systems
    • ELEC 378: Machine Learning: Concepts and Techniques
    • ELEC 475: Learning from Sensor Data
    • KINE 419: Movement Disorders
    • NEUR 310: Independent Research for Neuroscience Undergraduates
    • NEUR 441 / BIOS 441: Molecular Membrane Biology
    • PHIL 130: The Sciences of the Mind
    • PHIL 230: Human Minds
    • PHIL 231: Animal Minds
    • PHIL 431: Advanced Topics in the Sciences of the Mind
    • PSYC 308: Memory
    • PSYC 310: Psychology of Aging
    • PSYC 311: Visual Cognition
    • PSYC 354: Introduction to Social and Affective Neuroscience
    • PSYC 375: Neuropsychology of Language and Memory
    • PSYC 430: Computational Modeling of Cognitive Processes
• Capstone Requirement:
  • Select one course from the following:
    • BIOS 442: Molecules, Memory and Model Animals: Methods in Behavioral Neuroscience
    • BIOS 443: Developmental Neurobiology
    • BIOS 449: Advanced Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

Policies for the BS Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

• Students pursuing the BS Degree with a Major in Neuroscience should be aware of the following program restrictions:
  • As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, under Declaring Majors, Minors and Certificates, students may not obtain both a BA and a BS in the same major.
  • Students pursuing the major in Neuroscience may pursue only one major concentration within the major.
  • As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, students may not major and minor in the same subject.

Transfer Credit

• For Rice University's policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit.
• Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit.
• Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course.

Program Transfer Credit Guidelines

• Students pursuing the major in Neuroscience should be aware of the following program transfer credit guideline:
  • No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards specific major requirements after matriculation at Rice.

Opportunities for the BS Degree with a Major in Neuroscience and a Major Concentration in Computational Neuroscience

Academic Honors

• The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate's academic history at Rice.
• For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work.

Research in Neuroscience

• Research is highly encouraged for all neuroscience programs, and many opportunities are available for independent research at Rice and other institutions of the Texas Medical Center.
• Students can receive course credit for independent research through the course NEUR 310.

Additional Information

• For additional information, please see the Neuroscience website.