Neuroscience Major (BS)
The Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience. The program emphasizes the study of the brain and its functions, drawing on various scientific disciplines. Students will gain a rigorous overview of human neuroanatomy from a functional perspective and develop skills in empirical methods used to study the brain.
Core courses will cover topics ranging from basic principles of neuroscience to neuroanatomy, statistics, and research methods. Students can choose from an array of electives, including courses in psychology, anthropology, biology, and philosophy. Finally, students select from one group of interdisciplinary electives in biology, math, or computer science.
In addition to academic coursework, the program will incorporate High-Impact Practices (HIPS). Chief among them is access to active neuroscience research labs where students can complete independent studies under the mentorship of our faculty. Additionally, the program includes a senior capstone course where students and professors will discuss current research in neuroscience.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:\\n1. Understand the Relationship between Brain and Behavior: Apply neuroscience perspectives to understand brain behavior relationships.\\n2. Perform Neuroscience Research: Demonstrate the skills necessary to perform neuroscience research and demonstrate proficiency in some neuroscience research procedures.\\n3. Integrate Knowledge: Integrate relevant knowledge from a wide variety of fields to better understand brain, mind, and behavior interactions.\\n4. Data Analysis: Organize, manipulate, and analyze scientific datasets using statistical methods.\\n5. Critical Thinking: Demonstrate critical thinking skills by analyzing and evaluating neuroscience primary literature.\\n6. Communication Skills: Communicate scientific information in written and oral formats clearly.\\n
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 3 |
| PSYC 200 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYC 250 | Psychological Statistics | 4 |
| PSYC 300 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| PSYC 491 | Senior Capstone in Neuroscience | 3 |
| Core Courses Subtotal | 17 | |
| Breadth Courses | ||
| PSYC 205 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 325 | Biological Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 326 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYC 327 | Neuropsychology | 3 |
| PSYC 328 | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| PSYC 420 | Neuroanatomy | 3 |
| Breadth Courses Subtotal | 18 | |
| Interdisciplinary Core Courses | ||
| Select one pair of courses | 8-10 | |
| Bioscience and Organismal Biology | ||
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry I and Calculus and Analytic Geometry II | ||
| Computer Science I and Computer Science II | ||
| Interdisciplinary Elective Courses | 12 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Human Evolution | ||
| Anthropology of Language | ||
| Advanced Human Evolution | ||
| Human Physiology and Anatomy I and Human Physiology and Anatomy II | ||
or BIOS 300 | Human Functional Anatomy | |
| Discrete Mathematics | ||
or MATH 231 | Discrete Mathematics (Same As CSCI 231) | |
| Probability and Statistics | ||
| Programming Languages | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Introduction to Data Science | ||
| Data Mining and Machine Learning | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Logic | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
or PHIL 312 | Philosophy of Science | |
| Learning and Memory | ||
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Brain Development and Plasticity | ||
| Total Credits | 55-57 | |
General University Degree Requirements (Bachelor's Degree)
In addition to individual program requirements, students must also fulfill the following requirements:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Skills | 7-8 |
| General Education | 36 |
| Foreign Language** | 6-8 |
| Ethnic Diversity | 3 |
| Total | 52-55 |
** Transfer students in sustainable management, and health information management and technology collaborative, online degree-completion programs, the business management online degree-completion program, and the flexible option degree-completion program will be exempt from the university’s foreign language requirement. See appropriate academic section for further information.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| Computational Skills | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| College Mathematics with Applications | ||
| College Algebra I | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
Degree Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Minimum Total Credits | 120 |
| Upper Level Credits (300 level or above) | 36 |
| Residency | 30 |
Cumulative Degree GPA: 2.0 minimum