About
Welcome to the Neuroscience and Behavior major at the University of Notre Dame. Motivated by the clear benefit of developing programs that prepared students for careers in the challenging interdisciplinary fields represented by modern neuroscience, the Notre Dame neuroscience community introduced the Neuroscience and Behavior major during the 2014-15 academic year. The foundation of the field of neuroscience and behavior exists at the intersection of psychology and biology, and as the field has grown, now encompasses an expanse of study.
The major intentionally integrates perspectives from these anchoring fields and expands opportunities to include knowledge residing in a diverse range of the scientific disciplines of computational science, biochemistry, communication sciences, and physics (and more!). Given the diversity of the field and the wide variety of academic interests, vocations, and careers to which individuals are called, the Neuroscience and Behavior major is offered as either a B.A. or B.S. degree.
Both B.A. and B.S. Neuroscience and Behavior majors share a common set of core courses and options for elective coursework. The core courses of the major provide a solid foundation of knowledge to support the selection of upper-division elective courses based on student's interests and goals. The flexibility is designed to provide our students an opportunity to delve deeper into the specialized areas of most interest to them, ranging from inquiry into basic biological and psychological mechanisms to the study and treatment of various neurological and psychological disorders and human medicine, all the way to applied fields like speech and language pathology. Throughout the curriculum, students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities that enrich their learning and professional development with service and research experiences.
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Futures with an NSBH Major
The NSBH major leads to a diverse range of future careers and opportunities. Students choosing an undergraduate major in NSBH are well prepared for admission to medical school, physical therapy, or other allied health professions such as physician assistant or nurse practitioner. Many students pursue a PhD by continuing on to graduate study. Graduates who wish to enter the workforce directly from their undergraduate studies are desirable candidates in careers ranging from industry, biotechnology, health-related research or consulting, government, education, or policy.
Curious about where a degree in Neuroscience and Behavior can take you? Learn how our graduates excel in healthcare, technology, education, and beyond, or pursue advanced degrees and service opportunities.
A Community of Mentors and Educators
Students thrive through interdisciplinary teaching and mentorship provided by the majors’s dedicated faculty and staff, fostering a vibrant academic community.
Those interested in staff opportunities can explore open positions on the Notre Dame Jobs website. For faculty roles, please visit the Notre Dame Faculty Positions website or learn more through our NSBH Faculty Opportunities page.