Neuroscience
Program Overview
College of Arts and Sciences, Interdisciplinary Program
John Roach Center for the Liberal Arts (JRC) LL56, (651) 962-5030
Hankerson (PSYC); Heimovics (BIOL); Husak (BIOL); Illig (BIOL); Prichard (PSYC); Tong (BIOL); Vetter (BIOL); Wolfe (PSYC)
Neuroscience Department Website
The Neuroscience Program is an interdisciplinary, research-intensive major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. Training in neuroscience requires a broad foundation in the natural sciences, and the major requires students to complete foundational courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Psychology. Flexibility in course selection at the upper division level allows specialization in concert with student interest. Students who successfully complete this major will be well-prepared for graduate study in neuroscience or in related disciplines. The Program is administered in consultation with the Biology and Psychology Departments. Students choosing this major may not take a second major in either Biology or Psychology, or a minor in Biology.
Neuroscience Honor Society
Nu Rho Psi, the national Neuroscience Honor Society encourages professional interest and excellence in scholarship, particularly in neuroscience. The St. Thomas chapter was established in 2007. To qualify, students who must have a 3.2 or higher overall grade point average and a 3.5 or higher grade point average in specific neuroscience courses.
Major in Neuroscience (B.S.)
64 credits
Required Foundational Courses (16 credits)
- CHEM 111 General Chemistry I (4 credits) and CHEM 112 General Chemistry II (4 credits)
or CHEM 115 Accelerated General Chemistry (4 credits) - DASC 120 (or DASC 111 and 112) Introduction to Computational Statistics (4 credits)
- MATH 113 Calculus 1 (4 credits)
or MATH 108 Calculus with Review I (4 credits) and MATH 109 Calculus with review II (4 credits) - PSYC 111 General Psychology (4 credits)
Neuroscience Core Courses (20 credits)
- NSCI 201 Introduction to Neuroscience (4 credits)
or BIOL 208 Biological Comm & Energetics (4 credits)
NOTE: All pre-health students should follow the BIOL 208 pathway into NSCI 202, rather than taking NSCI 201. Note: BIOL 208 has a pre-requisite of BIOL 207 or a 100-level BIOL course. BIOL 207 is highly recommended. - NSCI 202 Principles of Neuroscience (4 credits)
- NSCI 203 Neuroscience Literacy (4 credits)
- NSCI 302 Neuroanatomy (4 credits)
- NSCI 303 Neurophysiology (4 credits)
Neuroscience Electives Courses (12 credits)
A maximum of four (4) credits of NSCI 389 can count for elective credit.
- NSCI 310 Cognitive Neuroscience (4 credits)
- NSCI 320 Human & Comparative Neurology (4 credits)
- NSCI 330 Neuropharmacology (4 credits)
- NSCI 340 Computational Neuroscience (4 credits)
- NSCI 350 Neurobio of Social Behavior (4 credits)
- NSCI 360 Neurobiology: Drug Use & Abuse (4 credits)
- NSCI 389 Research (2 to 4 credits)
- NSCI 398 Topics in Neuroscience (4 credits)
Electives in Consultation (12 credits)
- 12 credits selected in consultation with the academic advisor and approved by the Neuroscience Program Director
Capstone Experience Course (4 credits)
- BIOL 462 Molecular Biology (4 credits)
- BIOL 486 Seminar in Physiology (4 credits)
- BIOL 464 Bioinformatics (4 credits)
- NSCI 420 Sleep & Circadian Rhythms (4 credits)
- NSCI 430 Neuroecology (4 credits)
- NSCI 450 Integrative Neuroscience (4 credits)
- NSCI 490 Topics in Neuroscience (4 credits)
- PSYC 415 Research Issues in Cognition (4 credits)
Minor in Neuroscience
- NSCI 201 Introduction to Neuroscience or BIOL 208* Biological Communication and Energetics
- PSYC 111 General Psychology
- NSCI 202 Principles of Neuroscience
- Two 300/400 level NSCI courses
*Starred course has a pre-requisite not included in the minor