Neuroscience Major

The major in Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary program of 16 courses maximum.

1. Common Core (7 courses)

Introductory Biology (two semesters: BIOL043L KS and BIOL044L KS , or BIOL042L KS and BIOL044L KS , or equivalent)
Basic Principles of Chemistry (two semesters: CHEM014L KS and CHEM015L KS , or CHEM042L KS , or equivalent)
Foundations of Neuroscience (NEUR095L JT or an approved substitute)
Neuroscience 1: Cell, Molecular: NEUR148L KS /NEUR148L KS
Neuroscience 2: Systems: NEUR149 KS /NEUR149 KS

2. Common Core Electives (3 courses)

Choose any 3 courses from the following:

General Physics: PHYS030L KS , PHYS031L KS , PHYS033L KS , PHYS034L KS ; only one semester of physics may count.
Mathematics: MATH031 SC (Calculus II or Calculus IIS PO).
Statistics: BIOL175 KS or PSYC103 SC , PSYC091 PZ, or PSYC109 CM, or an approved equivalent course.
Computer science: NEUR133L KS , PHYS100 KS , NEUR123 SC , NEUR123L SC , NEUR182 SC , CSCI005 HM , DS 002 SC , DS 001 SC , or an approved equivalent course.
Research Methods: PSYC104 SC /PSYC104L SC , or PSYC092 PZ, or PSYC110/111L CM, or an approved equivalent course.

3. Course elective specializations (4-5 courses depending on thesis)

A coherent grouping of four elective courses to be determined in consultation with an adviser in Neuroscience and approved by the Coordinator of the Intercollegiate Neuroscience Program. Areas in which a student may elect to specialize include, but are not limited to:

Behavioral Neuroscience
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Clinical Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Developmental Neuroscience
Motor Control, or
Neuropharmacology
Philosophy of Neuroscience

Students studying abroad are allowed to use a maximum of two courses towards their course elective specialization.
Courses from SAGE-approved study abroad programs must be approved by the Neuroscience coordinator.

4. Senior Thesis (one or two courses)

A one- or two-semester Senior Thesis on a topic related to the student’s elective course specialization.

NEUR188L KS , Senior Research in Neuroscience
NEUR190L KS , Senior Thesis in Neuroscience or equivalent for dual majors
NEUR191 KS *, One semester Senior Thesis

*Students who choose the one-semester thesis option are required to take 5 course electives for the elective course specialization

Please visit our website at neuro.kecksci.claremont.edu for more information on the neuroscience programs at the Claremont Colleges.

Honors Requirements

To be considered for departmental honors in neuroscience, a student must:

Achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.67 in courses in the major;
Complete a one- or two-semester thesis project in which the student has demonstrated excellence by making a significant contribution to the progress of the research and by producing a thesis document judged to be of honors quality by the department;
Present an oral progress report at the end of the first semester of a two-semester thesis and a poster at the conclusion of either a one- or two-semester thesis in which the student clearly explains the rationale for the project and the conclusions that were drawn, engages the listener, and knowledgeably answers questions; and
Attend at least six scientific seminars during the semester (each semester for a two-semester thesis) and submit a brief and clear summary of each.