The departments of Biology and Psychology offer an interdisciplinary concentration in Neuroscience. The Neuroscience concentration consists of 12 courses.
In 2024 the Program faculty made modifications to the Neuroscience Curriculum that apply to concentrators in the class of 2027 and after. Below are Neuroscience concentration requirements for student in the Class of 2025 and 2026 (first section), followed by the Neuroscience concentration requirements for student in the Class of 2027 and later (second section).
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE
Student can choose a one-semester (Neuro 500) or a two-semester (Neuro 500/501) senior project in Neuroscience.
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE ONE INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY COURSE (BIO 100x)
| BIO-100A | Explorations in Biology: The Secret Life of Plants | 1 |
| BIO-100B | Explorations in Biology: Frankenstein Fish | 1 |
| BIO-100C | Explorations in Biology: Water and Life | 1 |
| BIO-100D | Explorations in Biology: A Diagnostic Odyssey | 1 |
| BIO-100E | Explorations in Biology: Microbes Rule | 1 |
| BIO-100F | Explorations in Biology: Genetic Engineering | 1 |
| BIO-100G | Explorations in Biology: Reproducing Life | 1 |
| BIO-100H | Explorations in Biology: Disease Ecology in a Changing World | 1 |
| BIO-100I | Explorations in Biology: You Are What You Eat | 1 |
| BIO-100J | Explorations in Biology: Our Blue Planet | 1 |
| BIO-100K | Explorations in Biology: Coming to Life – Embryogenesis and Development | 1 |
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE ONE INTRODUCTORY NEUROSCIENCE COURSE
Neuroscience concentrators are encouraged to take both 204 and 205 to provide a solid foundation in Neuroscience and to prepare students for the advanced labs and the senior project in Neuroscience
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE ONE HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE LABORATORY COURSE
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE TWO NEUROBIOLOGY LABS (AT LEAST ONE MUST BE 330 OR 357)
Concentrators can take both 330 and 357 to fulfill the Neurobiology lab requirement
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE TWO DEPTH COURSES (select two courses; must be from different options)
Option 1: Take Neuro/Psych 204 or 205
Option 2: Take a 200-level or higher Biology course (must count towards the Biology concentration)
Option 3: Take a 300-level or higher Psychology course (must count towards the Psychology concentration)
Option 4: Take a 300-level Neuroscience course
Concentrators may take the second 200-level Introductory course to fulfill one of the depth courses. For example, if you have already taken 205, you can take 204 to fulfill one half of the depth bin requirement.
NEUROSCIENCE CONCENTRATORS IN THE CLASSES OF 2025 and 2026 MUST TAKE ONE AFFILIATED COURSE (select one course from among three options)
Option 1: A Psychology course at the 300-level or above
Option 2: CHEM 190, CHEM 270, CPSCI 375, PHIL 310 or PHIL 440
Option 3: A Physics course at the 100- or 200-level
THIS IS THE END OF THE NEUROSCIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLASS OF 2025 AND CLASS OF 2026
The section below describes the Neuroscience requirements for concentrators in the class of 2027 and later.
100-LEVEL COURSES (3)
Neuroscience concentrators in the Class of 2027 and later must take THREE 100-level courses.
From the list of 100-level courses below, select one Psychology course, one Biology course, and one Chemistry course.
| CHEM-120 | Principles of Chemistry | 1 |
| PSYCH-101 | Introductory Psychology | 1 |
| PSYCH-109/NEURO-109 | Cognitive Neuroscience in Film, Art, and Media | 1 |
| BIO-100A | Explorations in Biology: The Secret Life of Plants | 1 |
| BIO-100B | Explorations in Biology: Frankenstein Fish | 1 |
| BIO-100C | Explorations in Biology: Water and Life | 1 |
| BIO-100D | Explorations in Biology: A Diagnostic Odyssey | 1 |
| BIO-100E | Explorations in Biology: Microbes Rule | 1 |
| BIO-100F | Explorations in Biology: Genetic Engineering | 1 |
| BIO-100G | Explorations in Biology: Reproducing Life | 1 |
| BIO-100H | Explorations in Biology: Disease Ecology in a Changing World | 1 |
| BIO-100I | Explorations in Biology: You Are What You Eat | 1 |
| BIO-100J | Explorations in Biology: Our Blue Planet | 1 |
| BIO-100K | Explorations in Biology: Coming to Life – Embryogenesis and Development | 1 |
200-LEVEL COURSES (4)
Neuroscience concentrators in the Class of 2027 and later must take all FOUR 200-level courses that are listed below.
NOTE: NEURO 201 is a statistics course that is offered by Psychology faculty, and NEURO 211 is a cellular/molecular course that is offered by Biology faculty. The content of these two courses are highly relevant to your growth as a Neuroscientist, but students will quickly recognize that, as planned, neuroscience-specific content is not the focus of these courses.
HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE LABORATORY COURSE (1)
Neuroscience concentrators in the Class of 2027 and later must take ONE human neuroscience laboratory course from the list below.
NEUROBIOLOGY LABORATORY COURSE (1)
Neuroscience concentrators in the Class of 2027 and later must take ONE neurobiology laboratory course from the list below.
DEPTH COURSES (2)
Neuroscience concentrators in the Class of 2027 and later must take two depth courses (select two courses; must be from different options).
Option 1: Take a 200-level or higher Biology course (must count towards the Biology concentration)
Option 2: Take a 300-level or higher Psychology course (must count towards the Psychology concentration)
Option 3: Take a 300-level Neuroscience course
THE SENIOR PROJECT IN NEUROSCIENCE (1)
Concentrators in the Class of 2027 and later must take at least one semester of Senior Project in Neuroscience.