Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Neuroscience


Professors: Lom, Ramirez, Smith
Associate Professor: El Bejjani
Assistant Professor: Barsoum
Adjunct Assistant Professor: Icard

Life scientists have come to recognize that an understanding of how the brain, the “organ of consciousness,” functions and endows human beings with the capacity to know, to feel, and to value, requires a multidisciplinary research effort.  The Neuroscience interdisciplinary minor and major introduce students to a field of science that has experienced an explosion of information and technological innovation.  Neuroscience provides students with a model for understanding how the conventional boundaries separating disciplines appearing to be incompatible can evaporate when new intellectual challenges confront us.  In keeping with the liberal arts tradition, the interdisciplinary minor and major provide students with opportunities to explore another dimension of our humanity-the biological substrate of all our moral and mental faculties.

Neuroscience Major (B.S. Degree)


To major in Neuroscience, students must apply for the major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS) prior to spring break of their sophomore year.  Identifying a faculty member’s research lab in which to conduct the thesis research is a critical first step of the application process that must start well in advance of the application deadline.  Students interested in the neuroscience major are strongly encouraged to enroll in PSY 303/BIO 331 in the fall of their sophomore year to ensure that majors have access to the subsequent required courses in the neuroscience major that are typically offered biennially (i.e. every other year).  Students should initiate conversations with faculty members doing neuroscience research as early as possible to begin to develop a thesis research topic well before the CIS application deadline.  Application information can be found on the CIS website.

Prerequisites


  • PSY 101  - General Psychology
  • BIO 111 - Molecules, Genes & Cells or BIO 113 - Integrated Concepts in Biology I 
  • BIO 112 - Organisms, Evolution, & Ecosystems or BIO 114 - Integrated Concepts in Biology II 

Requirements


The Neuroscience major requires 12 courses, including:

  1. Three Core Courses
  2. Three Psychology Courses
    Select three from the following list, including one 200-level and one 300-level course.
    *Signifies topics must be approved by the Neuroscience Director.
  3. Three Biology/Biochemistry Courses
    A. The following biology course is required.
    • BIO 201  - Genetics (preferably in advance of BIO 333) 

      B. At least one of the following biology courses that include laboratory sessions.

  • BIO 208   - Cell Biology
  • BIO 218   - Human Form & Function
  • BIO 303   - Biochemistry or CHE 230 - Introduction to Biological Chemistry
  • BIO 306   - Developmental Biology
  • BIO 307   - Immunology

C.  A second lab course from section B above or one of the following biology courses.
      *Signifies topics must be approved by the Neuroscience Director.

BIO 209   or CSC 209   - Bioinformatics Programming

BIO 238   - Cell Biology & Signaling

BIO 251   - Light Microscopy

BIO 261   - Neuroscience of Exercise

BIO 336  - Animal Development

BIO 337   - Principles of Immunology

BIO 309   - Genomics

BIO 310   - Human Physiology

BIO 371   - Research in Biology I* 

BIO 393   - Advances in Genome Editing

4. One Statistics & Research Design Course (Select one.)

BIO 240   - Biostatistics for Life Scientists

MAT 105  - Introduction to Statistics

PSY 310  - Psychological Research-Design & Analysis

          5. Thesis (Both courses are required.)

                      CIS 495   (fall)

                      CIS 496   (spring)
 

  1.  Recommended Courses (none are required)

 

Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Minor


Application Procedures


The Neuroscience interdisciplinary minor is administered by the Neuroscience Advisory Committee.  The faculty liaison is Dr. Julio Ramirez, Director of the Neuroscience Program. Students shall submit a written proposal to the Advisory Committee by the last day of the spring semester of the junior year.  The proposal should specify the courses that will be used to satisfy the interdisciplinary minor requirements.  If any of the courses are to be independent studies, research courses, or seminars, the student must provide the Advisory Committee with a complete description of that course before the semester of enrollment.  Certification of completion of all requirements for the interdisciplinary minor is made by the Registrar upon recommendation of the Neuroscience Advisory Committee.

Requirements


The Neuroscience Interdisciplinary minor requires a minimum of six courses and involves two components:

Required Courses


  1. Students must take:
  2. Students must take at least one of the following two courses.  Taking both is highly recommended.  If both are taken, one may be counted as an elective toward the interdisciplinary minor.

Elective Courses


At least three electives chosen from a list periodically reviewed and approved by the Neuroscience Advisory Committee (one from outside the student’s major and one - and only one - must be independent study/research). 

*Signifies topics must be approved by the Neuroscience Director.

ANT 102 Human Evolution  

BIO 201 Genetics   (in advance of BIO 333)

BIO 208 Cell Biology   (lab) or BIO 238 Cell Biology and Signaling  

BIO 209 Bioinformatics Programming   or CSC 209 Bioinformatics Programming  

BIO 218 Human Form and Function  

BIO 223   or PSY 323 Animal Behavior  

BIO 240 Biostatistics for Life Scientists   or PSY 310 Biostatistics for Life Scientists   or MAT 105 Introduction to Statistics  

BIO 251 Light Microscopy  

BIO 261 Neuroscience of Exercise  

BIO 303 Biochemistry   or CHE 230 Introduction to Biological Chemistry   

BIO 306 Developmental Biology   or BIO 336 Animal Development  

BIO 307 Immunology   or BIO 337 Principles of Immunology  

BIO 309 Genomics  

BIO 310 Human Physiology  

BIO 371 Research in Biology I  *

BIO 393 Advances in Genome Editing  

CHE 330 Experimental Biological Chemistry  

CHE 351 Pharmacology  

CHE 374 Medicinal Chemistry  

MAT 210   or CSC 210 Mathematical Modeling  

PHI 130 Medical Ethics  

PHI 217 Philosophy of Mind  

PSY 195 Independent Study  *

PSY 231 Abnormal Psychology  

PSY 276 Cognitive Psychology  

PSY 280 Human Neuropsychology  

PSY 282 Learning   or PSY 305 Psychological Research-Learning  

PSY 284 Drugs and Behavior   or PSY 302 Psychological Research-Behavioral Pharmacology  

PSY 301 Psychological Research-Perception and Attention  

PSY 304 Psychological Research- Memory  

PSY 330-332 - Psychology Tutorial*   

PSY 350-380 - Advanced Seminars in Psychology*

Additional Information


No more than two courses in the interdisciplinary minor may also be counted toward the major.  A grade of “C” or higher is required in all courses applied toward the interdisciplinary minor.