Nov 21, 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:

Three Core Courses
- BIO 331 or PSY 303 - Behavioral Neurscience
- BIO 332 or PSY 324 - Functional Neuroanatomy
- BIO 333 - Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience
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.
- PSY 195 - Independent Study*
- PSY 231 - Abnormal Psychology
- PSY 245 - Psychology of Aging
- PSY 276 - Cognitive Psychology
- PSY 280 - Human Neuropsychology
- PSY 282 - Learning or PSY 305 - Psychological Research-Learning
- PSY 284 - Drugs & Behavior or PSY 302 - Psychological Research-Behavioral Pharmacology
- PSY 301 - Psychological Research-Perception & Attention
- PSY 304 - Psychological Research-Memory
- PSY 323 or BIO 223 - Animal Behavior
- PSY 330 , PSY 331 , PSY 332 ,Psychology Tutorial*
- PSY 350 -380 - Advanced Seminars in Psychology*
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)

Recommended Courses (none are required)
- HHV 391
- PHI 130
- PHI 213
- PHI 217

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

Students must take:
- PSY 303 - Psychological Research-Behavioral Neuroscience (= BIO 331) or
- BIO 331 - Behavioral Neuroscience (= PSY 303)
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.