PSYCHOLOGY: CONCENTRATION IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE

 

Purpose

The Behavioral Neuroscience Concentration within Psychology provides interdisciplinary training for students preparing for academic or professional careers in Neuroscience-related areas. The concentration brings together students from Psychology and Biology in a set of core courses and offers mentored research experience in faculty laboratories, opportunities for student research presentations, and talks by distinguished visiting neuroscientists. The neuroscience concentration is a particularly good option for students who plan to do graduate study in neuroscience or neuroscience-related fields or attend medical school for neurology, neurosurgery, or psychiatry specialties. Because of the large number of required courses in the concentration, it is very important that interested students meet with the Concentration Advisor as early in their college career as possible—no later than the start of their sophomore year. The current Concentration Advisor is Prof. Philip Zeigler, (Tel. 5363: R 626 HN)

 

Admission Requirements

Admission is by application at the end of the sophomore year. Applicants will need to have completed or be currently taking Biology 100/102, Chemistry 102/104 and Psychology 100, 180 and 248 with a minimum GPA overall of 3.0 and of 3.5 in the major. Selection will be based upon a combination of grades and an interview, and the identification of a faculty sponsor in whose laboratory the student’s research will be carried out. Application forms and names of faculty contacts may be obtained from the Psychology Advisor’s office.

Course Requirements for the Undergraduate Concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience

 

In addition to completion of the Psychology major and the introductory sequences in Chemistry and Biology, students in the concentration will take the introductory course in Calculus, additional courses in Biology and Chemistry and an interdisciplinary Behavioral Neuroscience Seminar. A year of laboratory research is required and an undergraduate thesis based on this research will be eligible for consideration for Departmental Honors. Completion of the concentration meets the requirements for the Minor in Biology. For continuation in the concentration, students must maintain the GPA required for entry.

 

Required Courses Credits Psych 100 Introduction 3.0 Biol 100 Principles of Biology I 4.5 Biol 102 Principles of Biology II 4.5 Chem 102/103 General Chemistry 4.5 Chem 104/105 General Chemistry 4.5 Math 150 Calculus 4.0 Psych 180 Brain and Behavior 3.0 Chem 222 Organic Chemistry 3.0 Psych 248 Statistics 4.0 Psych 250 Experimental Psychology 4.0 Biol 302 Molecular Genetics 4.5** Psych 395 Independent Research 3.0 Psych 396 Honors Research 3.0 Biol 471 Neuroscience Seminar 2.0   **Biology is prepared to waive the prerequisite for this course (Biol 300)

Electives (9 credits, at least 3 of which must be Biology) Psych 300 Physiological Psych 3.0 Psych 301 Sensation & Perception 3.0 Psych 309 Sex and Behavior 3.0 Psych 327 Motivation 3.0 Psych 369 Drugs and Behavior 3.0 Biol 370 Physiology of the Nervous System 3.0 Biol 376 Endocrinology 3.0 Biol 380 Molecular. Neurobiology 3.0

For questions or further information see the Concentration advisor: Prof. P. Zeigler, Tel 5363, [log in to unmask]