Neuroscience Major (BSOS)
Program Director: Hilary Bierman, Ph.D.
The Neuroscience major is jointly offered by the Departments of Biology in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences and Psychology in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
The Neuroscience major offers rigorous training in the interdisciplinary study of brain and behavior. Students complete a required set of NEUR courses as well as a supporting sequence of coursework in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology. Students then choose an upper-level specialization and coursework in (1) cellular, molecular, and physiological neuroscience or (2) behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. The Neuroscience major prepares students for a broad range of career paths including: scientific research, medicine, clinical psychology, allied health professions, or science-related government, nonprofit, or private sector employment.
Admission to the Major
The Neuroscience major is a Limited Enrollment Program. Information on limited enrollment programs can be found at: http://lep.umd.edu.
Transfer Admission Requirements
Students beyond their first semester and those off campus wishing to transfer are required to meet the following gateway criteria:
- Completion of MATH130, MATH135 or MATH140 with a minimum grade of C-
- Completion of BSCI170 AND BSCI171 and BSCI160 AND BSCI161 with a minimum grade of C-. Note that BSCI180 may substitute for BSCI171 or BSCI161.
- Completion of CHEM131 AND CHEM132 and CHEM231 AND CHEM232 with a minimum grade of C-
A minimum grade point average of 2.7 in all courses taken at the University of Maryland and all other institutions is required for internal and external transfer students.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Apply foundational knowledge of neuroscience to ask scientific questions.
- Apply techniques and strategies in neuroscience research.
- Explain complex neuroscience concepts and research to identified audiences in oral, written, and graphical formats.
- Describe the role of neuroscience in social and cultural contexts as well as the influences of social and cultural context on neuroscience.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NEUR Required Courses | ||
| NEUR200 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 3 |
| NEUR305 | Neural Systems and Circuits | 3 |
| NEUR306 | Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience | 3 |
| NEUR405 | Neuroscience Laboratory | 4 |
| Required Supporting Courses | ||
| MATH135 | Discrete Mathematics for Life Sciences | 4 |
| or MATH140 | Calculus I | |
| MATH136 | Calculus for Life Sciences | 4 |
| or MATH141 | Calculus II | |
| STATISTICS | BIOM301, EPIB315, PSYC200, STAT400, STAT464, or DATA400 | 3 |
| BSCI160 | Principles of Ecology and Evolution | 3 |
| BSCI170 | Principles of Molecular & Cellular Biology | 3 |
| BSCI180 | Principles Biology Laboratory (BSCI161 and BSCI171 can count for BSCI180) | 1 |
| CHEM131 & CHEM132 | Chemistry I - Fundamentals of General Chemistry and General Chemistry I Laboratory | 4 |
| CHEM231 & CHEM232 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 4 |
| CHEM241 & CHEM242 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II 5 | 4 |
| or MATH243 | Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | |
| CHEM271 & CHEM272 | General Chemistry and Energetics and General Bioanalytical Chemistry Laboratory 5 | 4 |
| or MATH243 | Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | |
| PHYS131 | Fundamentals of Physics for Life Sciences I | 4 |
| or PHYS141 | Principles of Physics | |
| or PHYS161 | General Physics: Mechanics and Particle Dynamics | |
| PHYS132 | Fundamentals of Physics for Life Sciences II 1 | 4 |
| or PHYS142 | Principles of Physics | |
| or PHYS260 | General Physics: Electricity, Magnetism and Thermodynamics | |
| PSYC100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Track Courses 2,3 | 16-20 | |
| Complete a minimum of 15 credits, including at least 9 credits within your declared track, and at least one lab course. A maximum of 4 credits may be earned through approved electives below the 300-level. The track elective lab requirement must be met with a 300 or 400-level lab course. | ||
| MOLECULAR, CELLULAR, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL TRACK 4 | ||
| Biochemistry of Physiology | ||
or BCHM461 | Biochemistry I | |
| Principles of Genetics 6 | ||
or HLSC322 | Principles of Genetics and Genomics | |
| Cell Biology and Physiology and Cell Biology and Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Special Topics in Biology (only specific versions) | ||
| Cellular Mechanisms of Aging and Disease | ||
| Neurobiology of Chemosensory Systems | ||
| Molecular Neuroethology | ||
| Biology of Vision | ||
| Molecular Genetics | ||
| Molecular Genetics Laboratory | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| The Origin and Evolution of Nervous Systems | ||
| Undergraduate Advanced Selected Topics in Biology (only specific versions (letters)) | ||
| Mammalian Physiology | ||
or BSCI450 | Mammalian Systems Physiology | |
| Mammalian Physiology Laboratory | ||
or BSCI451 | Mammalian Systems Physiology Laboratory | |
| Advanced Systems Neuroscience | ||
| Diseases of the Nervous System | ||
| Biology of Hearing | ||
| Advanced Cellular Neuroscience | ||
| Motor Development | ||
| Neural Basis of Human Movement | ||
| Special Topics: Research in Neuroscience (Three credits for NEUR379, 379H, 479, or 479 can count toward Track coursework. BSCI399(H, L) or PSYC489(H) may be substituted with permission.) | ||
| Advanced Research in Neuroscience (Three credits for NEUR379, 379H, 479, or 479 can count toward Track coursework. BSCI399(H, L) or PSYC489(H) may be substituted with permission.) | ||
| BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE TRACK 4 | ||
| Neurobiology of Extraordinary Senses | ||
| Principles of Animal Behavior | ||
| Animal Communication | ||
| Behavioral Genetics | ||
| Your Brain on Education: The Neuroscience of Learning and Development | ||
| Applications of R for Data Science 6 | ||
| Python Programming for Data Science 6 | ||
| Motor Control and Learning | ||
| Exercise and Brain Health | ||
| Introduction to Matlab 6 | ||
| Introduction to Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (Can count as Track Course OR Required Supporting Course) 5 | ||
| Know Thyself: Wisdom Through Cognitive Science 6 | ||
| Philosophy of Mind | ||
| Research Methods in Psychology Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Learning and Behavior | ||
| Collective Behavior and Decision Making in Human and Animal Groups | ||
| Perception | ||
| Child Psychopathology | ||
| Introduction to Memory and Cognition | ||
| Adult Psychopathology | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Introduction to Behavioral Pharmacology | ||
| Neuroethology | ||
| Behavioral Neurobiology Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging | ||
| Science of Sleep and Biological Rhythms | ||
| Data Science for Psychology and Neuroscience Majors | ||
| Human and Animal Intelligence | ||
| Psychology of Language | ||
| Advanced Special Topics in Psychology | ||
| Special Topics: Research in Neuroscience | ||
| Advanced Research in Neuroscience (Neuroscience Research Lab; BSCI399(H, L) may be substituted with permission) | ||
| Total Credits | 74-78 | |
- 1
PHYS260 must be taken with PHYS261 to earn 4 credits
- 2
A maximum of three pre-approved Neuroscience Research credits can be applied to the major. NEUR379(H) and NEUR479(H) credits do not count toward a specific track.
- 3
Four pre-approved NEUR479 credits in the same faculty research laboratory can satisfy the lab requirement.
- 4
Courses may be occasionally added or removed from this list. Not all courses may be available each semester.
- 5
MATH243 can be used either as a Track Course OR as a Required Supporting Course, in place of four 200-level CHEM credits.
- 6
A maximum of 4 credits of 100 or 200-level coursework can count toward Track coursework.
Additional information on developing a graduation plan can be found on the following pages:
- http://4yearplans.umd.edu
- the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog
Advising for Neuroscience Majors
Students in the Neuroscience major have to complete mandatory advising every semester. Mandatory advising serves as consistent touch points throughout a student's undergraduate experience. Our advising office takes a holistic advising approach. Though our first priority is to guide students to achieve academic success and graduate from our major, advisors are available to discuss research, academic, and career interests, extracurricular involvement, as well as personal successes and challenges.
Students are assigned a Neuroscience Academic Advisor during their first semester in the major.
Student advising appointments are scheduled through TerpEngage. For brief matters, majors can also utilize drop-in advising hours.
Additional information regarding advising for current Neuroscience majors can be found here.
Advising for Prospective Neuroscience Majors
Current UMD students that are interested in becoming Neuroscience majors are encouraged to visit our webpage, Advising for Prospective Internal Transfer Students. We offer workshops to provide prospective students with advising support.
Currently, we are not able to provide advising appointments for external prospective majors (transfer students or incoming freshman). We encourage these students to visit our website and attend open house events.
Additional information regarding advising for prospective majors can be found here.