Requirements for the Neuroscience Major

Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field of study that employs the tools and perspectives of biology, psychology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and medicine to achieve a better understanding of brain function, behavior and the mind. The Neuroscience major is designed for students interested in how the brain works and the relationship between the brain's operation and perception, thought, emotion, and behavior. Opportunities are available for students to use multiple approaches at many levels of analysis including molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels.

The Neuroscience major is appropriate for any student with an interest in the field. It will also serve those students interested in graduate study or professional work in any area of neuroscience or in fields such as animal behavior, behavioral genetics, biopsychology, pharmacology, clinical psychology, biotechnology, medicine, or public health. To be well prepared for graduate or professional study in these fields, students will generally need to take additional course work over and above the minimum required to fulfill the Neuroscience major. Students should consult closely with their advisors to determine the most appropriate set of courses consistent with their interests and goals.

Advanced Placement
At this time, there is no advanced placement examination in Neuroscience. Advanced placement credit for a course within the Neuroscience major that is taught by another department will be accepted for credit toward the Neuroscience major if the relevant department accepts advanced placement credit for the course toward its major.

Entry-Level Course Sequence Suggestions
Students intending to major in Neuroscience are advised to take Biology 118 in their first semester. (Well-prepared students should consider taking Chemistry 101 or 103 in their first semester, as well.) By the end of their sophomore year, students should have completed Chemistry 102 or 103, Biology 118, a course in statistics, and either Neuroscience 201 or 204.

Neuroscience Major.

Any variation in meeting the major requirements indicated below must be approved in writing by the Chair of the Neuroscience Department. Similarly, the department chair must approve course credit earned away from Oberlin before it can serve to satisfy requirements for the major.

Courses in which a student has earned a letter grade lower than a C- cannot be used to fulfill the requirements of the Neuroscience major.

The requirements for the Neuroscience major are as follows:

                    BIOL 118 - Organismal Biology (Lecture Only)                 
                    CHEM 101 - Structure and Reactivity in Chemistry
                    CHEM-102 - Principles of Chemistry
                    (Qualified students may take CHEM 103-Topics in General                       Chemistry in place of CHEM 101 and 102.)
                     
One of the following statistics courses:
                      MATH 113 - Stat Methods for the Social & Behavioral Sciences
                      MATH 114 - Statistical Methods for the Biological Sciences
                      PSYC 200 - Research Methods I

One of the following courses:
                      BIOL 120-Genetics, Evolution and Ecology
                      BIO 213-Cell and Molecular Biology (Lecture only)
                      CHEM 205-Principles of Organic Chemistry

One of the following two courses and the Lab:
                     NSCI 201 - The Brain: An Introduction to Neuroscience
                     NSCI 204 - Human Neurobiology
                     NSCI 211 - Laboratory in Neuroscience

Two of the following lecture/discussion courses in Cellular and Systems Neuroscience:
                         NSCI 319-Neurophysiology: Neurons to Networks to Cognition
                         NSCI 320-Neuroanatomy
                         NSCI 325-Neuropharmacology
                         NSCI 331-Hormones, Brain and Behavior
                         NSCI 339-Developmental Neurobiology

Two of the following lecture/discussion courses in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience:
                        NSCI 200-Introduction to Animal Behavior
                        NSCI-350-Behavioral Neuroscience
                        PSYC 214-Abnormal Psychology
                        PSYC 219-Cognitive Psychology
                        PSYC 305-Advanced Methods in Human Psychophysiology

Two of the following laboratory courses (at least one of which must be a NSCI Cell/Systems Lab)
                       NSCI-321-Studies in Neuronal Function
                       NSCI-324-Laboratory in Neuroanatomy
                       NSCI-327-Neuropharmacology Laboratory
                       NSCI-332-Neuroendocrine Research Methods
                       NSCI-341-Laboratory in Developmental Neurobiology
                       PSYC-303-Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology

Senior Seminar in Neuroscience
                       NSCI 400: Seminar in Neuroscience

Supporting Courses
Neuroscience is inherently an interdisciplinary field, and experience suggests that certain additional courses outside the major may be useful or necessary for gaining admission to graduate programs in particular specialties. For instance, a student preparing for graduate school in cellular neuroscience might consider taking courses in molecular biology, physics, physiology, immunology and biochemistry. A student planning to pursue graduate work in cognitive neuroscience could consider advanced work in mathematics, computer science and other courses listed in the Cognitive Sciences Concentration section of the catalog. A student with particular interests in animal behavior or brain evolution might wish to select additional courses such as animal physiology, evolution, vertebrate structure and evolution, and biological anthropology.

Minor
The Neuroscience Department does not offer a minor.

Research Opportunities
Students interested in research on or off campus are encouraged to discuss with their advisors the various research options available. Enrollment in NSCI 607-Independent Research is by consent only. Information on the Honors Program is available below.

Honors
During the second semester of the junior year or earlier, student wishing to enter the Honors Program in Neuroscience should discuss their interest with one or more of the Neuroscience Faculty. If a faculty member is able to work with a student, he/she will help the student develop an appropriate research project proposal. To be formally accepted into the Honors Program, a student’s research proposal us submitted to the Neuroscience Department early in the first semester of the student’s senior year. Proposals are judged for their quality and feasibility. Students whose proposals are approved enroll in NSCI 607 Independent Research. Admission to the Honors Program requires a minimum of GPA of 3.1 in the major.

Pre-Medical
Students planning to apply to medical school may major in any subject, provided they take those course required by medical schools for admission. Early in their academic careers at Oberlin, students should discuss their health career plans with one of the Health Career advisors. For a list of these advisors see http://www.oberlin.edu/hcf/Health/healthcareeradvisors.html

Transfer of Credit
The Neuroscience Department accepts courses taken at other colleges and universities as meeting requirements for the major if, and only if, the courses are judged to be equivalent in content to courses offered at Oberlin College. In all cases, at least half of the courses a student counts toward meeting major requirements must be taken at Oberlin. A request to the Chair of the Neuroscience Department for permission to substitute a course taken away from Oberlin for the major should be made in advance--prior to enrolling in the course. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure proper transfer of credit forms are completed and placed on file in the Registrar’s Office.

Winter Term
During Winter Term, the Neuroscience Department offers a number of individual research opportunities in the laboratories of faculty members. Also, students are encouraged to participate in one or more of the many off-campus research and internship opportunities in laboratories, hospitals and clinics throughout the country.