Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience

The Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience provides a strong foundation in the core sciences and related mathematical disciplines, along with a three-course specialization in one of six areas:  biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, or psychology. Distinctive features of the program include an emphasis on developing the quantitative, statistical, mathematical, and computational skills required in neuroscience, and meaningful hands-on laboratory experience.

Prescribed Work Common to All Options

All students pursuing an undergraduate degree must complete the University’s Core Curriculum . 

In addition, students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience must complete the following degree-level requirements. In some cases, courses that fulfill degree-level requirements also meet the requirements of the core.

1. Two courses with a writing flag. One of these courses must be upper-division.
2. One course with a quantitative reasoning flag.

Courses with flags are identified in the Course Schedule . They may be used simultaneously to fulfill other requirements, unless otherwise specified.

3. At least twenty-one semester hours of upper-division coursework, including eighteen semester hours in biology and neuroscience, must be completed in residence at the University. All students must complete at least thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework.

Option I: Neuroscience

4.  Mathematics 408C and 408D, or 408N, 408S, and 408M; Mathematics 362K or Statistics and Data Sciences 321 or 328M.
5. An eight-semester-hour sequence of coursework in physics chosen from the following:
   1. ​Physics 301, 101L, 316, and 116L;
   2. Physics 303K, 103M, 303L, and 103N; or
   3. Physics 317K, 117M, 317L, and 117N.
6.  Chemistry 301 or 301H, 302 or 302H, and 204.
7.  Biology 311C and 311D, or Biology 315H and 325H, and Biology 206L.
8. Three additional majors-level courses selected from one of the following supporting disciplines: 
   1. Biology: Biology 325 or 325H, 320, 344, and 349.
   2. Chemistry: Chemistry 328M and 128K, 328N and 128L, 353 or 353M, and Biochemistry 369.
   3. Computer Science: Computer Science 312, 314, Statistics and Data Sciences 335, 374E.
   4.  Mathematics: Mathematics 427K, 427L, 340L or 341, 358K or 378K, Statistics and Data Sciences 329C; students who chose Statistics and Data Sciences 328M for requirement 4, may not also count Mathematics 358K.
   5. Physics: Physics 345, 338K, 355.
   6. Psychology: Psychology 301, 323, 353K, 355.
9.  Neuroscience 330 or 365R, and Neuroscience 335.
10.  Neuroscience 366M.
11. Twelve-semester-hours of laboratory courses chosen from the following: Neuroscience 365L, 366L, 366P, 366S, and 377; the same section of Neuroscience 377, Undergraduate Research, may not count toward requirement 13 if used to fulfill this requirement.
12. Six-semester-hours of upper-division neuroscience to be chosen from: Neuroscience 337 (Topic: Sensory Neuroscience), 337 (Topic: Genetic Analysis of Behavior and Disease), Biology 365N, Neuroscience 365T, 365W, 366C, 366D, 466G, 366N, 367V, additional approved Neuroscience 337 courses, and Biology 359K, and Neuroscience 365D.
13. Three additional semester hours of either Neuroscience 377 (Undergraduate Research) or Neuroscience 379H (Honors Tutorial Course); the research topic in Neuroscience 377 or 379H must relate to neuroscience and be approved in advance by the faculty adviser.
14. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Option II: Neuroscience Honors

4. Breadth requirement: An honors mathematics course; Biology 315H and 325H; Chemistry 301H and 302H; and one of the following: Physics 301 and 101L; or Physics 316 and 116L; credit earned by examination may not be counted toward this requirement.
5. Three hours of statistics chosen from the following: Statistics and Data Sciences 321, 325H, or 328M; other statistics courses may be approved by the departmental honors adviser.
6. One of the following: Physics 315 and 115L, Physics 316 and 116L, Physics 338K, 345, 355; courses counted toward requirement 4 may not also be counted toward requirement 6.
7.  Chemistry 204.
8.  Chemistry 128K, 128L, 328M, and 328N.
9.  Biology 320 or 344.
10.  Biology 349 and 370.
11.  Neuroscience 365R or 330.
12.  Neuroscience 335.
13. Nine hours of laboratory courses chosen from: Neuroscience 365L, Neuroscience 366L, Neuroscience 366P, and Neuroscience 366S.
14. Six hours of upper-division neuroscience chosen from: Neuroscience 337 (Topic: Sensory Neuroscience), 377 (Topic: Genetic Analysis of Behavior and Disease), 365T, 365W, 366C, 366D, 366E, 466G, 366M, 366N, 367F, 367V, additional approved Neuroscience 337 courses, and Neuroscience 365D.
15. A section of Undergraduate Studies 302 or 303 that is approved by the departmental honors adviser.
16. A section of Rhetoric and Writing 309S that is restricted to students in the Dean's Scholars Honors Program.
17. Two semesters of Neuroscience 379H.
18. Eight additional semester hours of coursework approved by the departmental honors adviser.
19. Six semester hours of coursework in the College of Liberal Arts or the College of Fine Arts.
20. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours.

Special Requirements

Students must fulfill both the University's General Requirements for graduation and the college requirements . They must also earn a grade of at least C- in each mathematics and science course required for the degree, and a grade point average in these courses of at least 2.00. More information about grades and the grade point average is given in the General Information Catalog .

To graduate under option II, students must remain in good standing in the Dean's Scholars Honors Program, must submit an honors thesis approved by the departmental honors adviser, and must present their research in an approved public forum, such as the college's annual Undergraduate Research Forum .