Neuroscience is an Interdepartmental Program administered jointly by the Department of Psychology and the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB).

Neuroscience (B.S.)

May be elected as an interdepartmental major, supervised by the Undergraduate Neuroscience Steering Committee

Effective Fall 2012

Exclusions: Students who elect a major in Neuroscience may not elect the following majors: Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences; Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience; Biology, General Biology; Cell and Molecular Biology; Microbiology; Plant Biology; or Biochemistry. They may also not elect a minor in Biology; Plant Biology; Chemistry; or Biochemistry.

The overall goals of this major are to:

  1.  provide a course of study in the discipline of Neuroscience that integrates cell/molecular and behavioral components of the field; and 
  2. provide a course of study that better prepares students for graduate training in the field of Neuroscience than do the current majors in Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB), Biology, or Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN). 

An understanding of how the nervous system functions spans both molecular and cellular activity that is best taught by cell and molecular neurobiologists, and behavior that is best taught by psychologists. The well-trained student will receive instruction that allows her or him to understand the usefulness of genetics, cellular biology, and behavioral tests in this complex field. This degree will provide the cross-disciplinary training that will provide a head-start into postgraduate studies in Neuroscience.

Prerequisites to the Major

  • BIOLOGY 171 and 172/174; or BIOLOGY 195; or BIOLOGY 162 or 163; and
  • CHEM 210/211 and 215/216.

It is recommended that students interested in pursuing advanced training in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience elect MATH 115 and 116, CHEM 230, PHYSICS 125/126 & 127/128 or 140/141 & 240/241, or 135/141 and 235/241. Those interested in advanced training in Behavioral Neuroscience should take at least one Statistics course.

Students intending to go to graduate school should have at least two terms of research experience. These can appear as graded courses, UROP participation, or be independent of the graded curriculum. Most graduate school-bound students will have 1-2 graded research courses (2-4 credits/each) on record. Students intending to go to graduate school in Neuroscience within a CMB-type program will need research experience as well as two terms of Calculus and two terms of Physics. Students intending to go to medical school will need to take two terms of Physics and CHEM 230.

Program of study in a major

A minimum of 36 credits are required.

  1. Core:
    1.  Neurobiology: BIOLOGY 225 [This course should be taken as early as possible but no later than the end of the first term of the student's fourth year]
    2.  Genetics:BIOLOGY 305
    3.  Biochemistry:  one of MCDB 310, BIOLCHEM 415, or CHEM 351
    4.  Biopsychology:  PSYCH 230.
  2. Electives (6 courses, minimum 18 credits).
    1. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. At least two courses from the following:
      • MCDB 351, 352, 401 (appropriate sections), 402, 403, 418, 422, 426, 450, 455, 456
    2. Behavioral Neuroscience. At least two courses from the following:
      • PSYCH 240, 245, 345, 346, 347, 402, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437, 438, 500, 531, 532, 533;
      • NEUROSCI 520.
    3. Additional Courses. Up to two courses from the following:
      • BIOLOGY 205,
      • MCDB  401 (appropriate sections), 405, 411, 427, 428, 435, 436, 469;
      • EEB 492;
      • PSYCH 420, 430, 447;
      • STATS 250 (or 350) or 400; 401 or 405.
    4. Additional elective courses may be approved as cognates by the department advisory panel.
  3. Lab requirement. At least two different courses for a minimum of five credits total from the following categories, with at least one course being a Methods-Based laboratory:
    1. Method-Based Laboratory courses:  Choose at least one course from:
      • PSYCH 231/UC 261;
      • BIOLOGY 226;
      • MCDB 306, 308, 419, 423, 429.
    2. Research-Based Laboratory Courses: 
      • MCDB 300, 400;
      • PSYCH 326, 331, 332, 422, 424/426.
    • Note:  Each course must be taken for a minimum of two credits each and be completed in a single academic term. Only three credits of independent study may count toward the major program.
  4. Quantitative Requirement Cognate. Two courses are required. (While 100-level courses may be used to satisfy this requirement, the credits for 100-level courses may not be used toward the minimum number of credits required for the major.)
    • STATS 250 (or 350) or 400 (only allowed if not used in Group C)
    • STATS 401 or 405 (only allowed if not used in Group C)
    • PSYCH 448
    • MATH 115 or 185
    • MATH 116 or 186
    • PHYSICS 125 or 135 or 140 or 160
    • PHYSICS 126 or 235 or 240 or 260.

Advising

Students choosing Neuroscience as a field of the major develop an approved plan for the major with a department advisor who must approve the original plan for the major and any exceptions to the stated requirements for the major. Students should also consult a department advisor when planning the final term's elections to ensure that all requirements for the major have been met and to secure an advisor's approval on a Major Release form.

To make an advising appointment, go to

the Program in Biology website at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/biology/

or

the Psychology Department website at http://www.lsa.umich.edu/psych/flash.asp .

Honors Plan

The Neuroscience B.S. degree is the basis for the Honors degree in Neuroscience. Students must elect two terms of independent research (under PSYCH 424 & 426, MCDB 300, or MCDB 400), maintain an overall and major GPA of 3.4, complete an Honors thesis and give a research presentation based on their Honors work. 

Prior to applying to the Neuroscience Honors Program students must identify a research mentor in the Department of Psychology or MCDB. Students may conduct Honors research with faculty in other units on the University of Michigan campus, but must have a formal co-sponsor relationship with a research track or tenure-track faculty in Psychology or MCDB. 

Students apply to the Honors Program in Neuroscience by submitting a Neuroscience Honors Application with a research proposal to either Psychology or MCDB, depending on the affiliation of the mentor/sponsor or co-mentor/co-sponsor. Students must submit the Honors Application no later than the first two weeks of the term in which they intend to turn in their thesis. 

Written evaluations of the Honors thesis must be submitted by the mentor and up to two faculty readers. Honors theses must be submitted no later than one calendar month prior to the date of graduation.


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