Curriculum

Studying Neuroscience & Behavior in the College of Science versus the College of Arts and Letters looks very similar. You will take the same number of credits in both colleges, with the main difference being the types of classes taken in the College Requirements. In the College of Science, you must take Organic Chemistry and Physics to satisfy the College Requirements. In the College of Arts and Letters, you must take a College Seminar and additional Language courses. Ultimately, the difference lies in the requirements for the colleges rather than for the specific NSBH major.

Courses Offered:

Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior

• BS Major Requirements
  • Core Curriculum Requirements
• BS Sample Curriculum: planning to attend medical school
• BS Sample Curriculum: not planning to attend medical school

Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and Behavior

• BA Major Requirements with Sample Curriculum: planning to attend medical school 
• BA Major Requirements with Sample Curriculum: not planning to attend medical school

NSBH Honors Program

To graduate with the transcript designation of “Honors in Neuroscience and Behavior,” students in the Neuroscience and Behavior B.S. Honors Program must be formally accepted into the program during the fall of their junior year and must:

1. Successfully complete a series of honor seminar courses offered during the junior and senior year. To best meet the needs of students working in labs in different departments across campus, there are multiple routes to meeting this requirement. Three seminars are required. The most common option is to take the 3 term sequence in NSBH in the College of Science. Approved seminars in other departments may be substituted.
2. Successfully complete at least three semesters of independent undergraduate research. At least one summer of full time research is highly encouraged. Students are expected to stay in the same laboratory for all terms (exceptions may be provided when a specific collaborative project is promoted by switching labs and this is approved in advance by the honors program director).
3. Achieve a final cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher in science courses at the time of graduation.
4. Complete an approved written thesis, prepared according to the standards described by the preparatory honors seminar courses and submitted by the designated deadline, typically set three weeks prior to the end of the Spring semester of a student’s senior year. The approval process will involve one or more critical reviews of the thesis by the faculty adviser, the honors program director, the instructor of the senior spring writing seminar, and/or an independent NS&B program reader. The same thesis can be accepted for Honors in Neuroscience and Behavior and Honors in the Glynn Family program, if it meets the requirements of both.
5. Present the thesis findings at a scientific conference. Presentations at either on or off campus venues are acceptable.

Please contact Dr. Sunny Boyd for more information.

Majors in the B.A version of the NSBH major should contact Dr. Anre Venter for more information about available options.

Senior Thesis

The psychology major offers senior psychology majors the option to complete a senior thesis that consists of a two semester sequence:

Prerequisite: To qualify for this track students need to be endorsed by a psychology faculty member.

Fall Semester: Student enrolls in the faculty advisor’s section of PSY 47809 and participates in a series of self-organized workshops that provide/enable peer-review and support. Workshops would focus on introduction of topics/elevator pitches (September), peer-review of drafts of literature review and methods sections (October and November)

Spring Semester: Student enrolls in the faculty advisor’s section of PSY 47809 and participates in a series of self-organized workshops that provide/enable peer-review and support. Workshops would focus on peer-review of results sections (February), peer-review of completed manuscripts (March), and practice for the symposium presentations (April). Departmental Honors in Neuroscience and Behavior. The honors designation in psychology is awarded by completing the following:

Fall Semester: Achieving an A grade in PSY 47809 and a passing grade in PSY 40210 Advanced Statistics.

Spring Semester: Achieving an A grade in PSY 47809. A nomination by the faculty advisor and an evaluation of the thesis as worthy of the honors designation by a faculty committee.

Information on applying to the NSBH Honors Program in 2023-2024 can be found here 

The deadline to submit this application for the Fall of 2023 is November 1, 2023.