3445 Neuroscience
Programs Offered:
- Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
- Pre-Medical Concentration
- Minor in Neuroscience
- Dual B.S./M.S. Program in Neuroscience
Neuroscience Institute
Georgia State University
880 Petit Science Center
neuroscience.gsu.edu
Nancy G. Forger, Interim Director
Joseph J. Normandin, Director of Undergraduate Studies
Neuroscience asks how the brain and body produce our sensations, our thoughts, our behavior and the behavior of other animals. Neuroscientists address fundamental and health-related questions that affect every aspect of our lives and society. To answer them, neuroscience bridges the biological, chemical, physical, behavioral and computational sciences, as well as philosophy, engineering, and medicine. Neuroscience is among the fastest growing fields of science and medicine. Neuroscience is interdisciplinary, as shown by the Neuroscience Institute’s faculty and the neuroscience course offerings. Faculty are drawn from multiple departments, including Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Communication, Education, Law, Mathematics and Statistics, Neuroscience Institute, Nursing, Philosophy, Physics and Astronomy, and Psychology (see neuroscience.gsu.edu/contact-us-2/ni-faculty/ for a full list). They teach courses in cell and molecular neuroscience, computational neuroscience, neuroethology (animal behavior), drugs and the nervous system, cognitive neuroscience, neuroethics, and medical neuroanatomy, among many others. For questions about the major, students should contact the Undergraduate Coordinator who will help connect them with an appropriate faculty member.
Academic Advisement for Undergraduate Students
Academic advisement for undergraduate students is provided through the University Advisement Center (freshman through junior status/fewer than 90 hours) and the college’s Office of Academic Assistance (senior status/90 or more hours). See section 3040 for additional information.
B.S. in Neuroscience
Program Degree Requirements
In addition to the Program Degree Requirements, students must fulfill the College of Arts and Sciences Degree Requirements (see section 3030) and the University Degree Requirements (see section 1400).
Area A:
- Recommended course: MATH 1112 College Trigonometry (3) or MATH 1113 Precalculus (3) or higher level MATH course. MATH 1113 recommended.
Area B:
- Recommended course: PHIL 1010 Critical Thinking (2)
Area D:
- Recommended courses (select one of the sequences below):
- PHYS 1111K Introductory Physics 1 (4) and PHYS 1112K Introductory Physics II (4)
- PHYS 2211K Principles of Physics I (4) and PHYS 2212K Principles of Physics II (4)
- Required course: Any mathematics course not taken in Area A from the following choices: MATH 2201, MATH 2202, or any comparable higher-level math.
Area F: Courses Appropriate for the Major (18)
- Required Courses (16):
- BIOL 2107K Principles of Biology I (4)
- BIOL 2108K Principles of Biology II (4)
- CHEM 1211K Principles of Chemistry I (4)
- CHEM 1212K Principles of Chemistry II (4)
- Select additional elective courses from the following to complete 18 hours in Area F:
- ANTH 2010 Introduction to Biological Anthropology (3)
- BIOL 2240 Human Physiology (3)
- BIOL 2800 Introduction to Molecular Biology (2)
- CHEM 2400 Organic Chemistry I (3)
- NEUR 2000 Brain Basics: Introduction to Neuroscience (3)
- PHIL 2010 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
- PSYC 2050 Introduction to Drugs and Behavior (3)
- Students who decide to major in neuroscience after completing BIOL 1103K may take it for credit toward Area F if they complete BIOL 2108K and BIOL 2800] before enrolling in major courses (Area G).
- Students who decide to major in neuroscience after completing BIOL 1103K and BIOL 1104K may use these courses for credit toward Area F if they complete BIOL 2800 before enrolling in major courses (Area G).
- All courses above ending in K are commonly offered as separate lecture and lab (L) courses by GSU’s Perimeter College. The combined (K) courses and separate lecture and lab (L) courses cover the same subject matter and are considered equivalent courses.
- Any credit hours exceeding 18 earned to complete the Areas A-F requirements will count toward elective hours.
Area G: Major Courses (36)
(A grade of C or better is required in all area G courses)
- Neuroscience Core Requirements (16)
- Neuroscience Electives (at least 10 hours from the following list of courses):
- NEUR 2010 Professional Development in Neuroscience (2)
- NEUR 4010 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (4)
- NEUR 4020 Cognitive Neuroscience (4)
- NEUR 4030 Computational Neuroscience (4)
- NEUR 4040 Neuroethology (4)
- NEUR 4050 Statistics for Neuroscience (4)
- NEUR 4060 Neurophysiology (4)
- NEUR 4070 Sensory Neuroscience (3)
- NEUR 4080 Clinical Neuroscience (4)
- NEUR 4100 Developmental Neurobiology (4)
- NEUR 4115 Medical Neuroanatomy (4)
- NEUR 4150 Drugs and the Nervous System (3)
- NEUR 4200 Neuroscience of Memory (3)
- NEUR 4250 Neuroscience of Motivation and Emotion (3)
- NEUR 4330 Functional Neuroimaging (3)
- NEUR 4340 Neurophysics (3)
- NEUR 4350 Numerical Methods for Neuroscience (3)
- NEUR 4360 Mathematical Biology (3)
- NEUR 4370 Applied Dynamical Systems (3)
- NEUR 4420 Hormones and Behavior (4)
- NEUR 4576 Neurovirology (4)
- NEUR 4610 Neurorobotics (4)
- NEUR 4700 Neural Plasticity (4)
- NEUR 4910 Topics in Neuroscience (1-4)
- Neuroscience-related Electives (at least 10 hours from courses on the list below, or from the list of Neuroscience Electives above, if the course is not being used to fulfill the Neuroscience Electives requirement). Other neuroscience-related electives not on this list may fulfill this elective requirement with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- ANTH 4300 Human Evolution (3)
- BIOL 3440 Fundamentals of Evolution (3)
- BIOL 3800 Molecular Cell Biology (3)
- BIOL 3810 Molecular Cell Biology Lab (3)
- BIOL 3840 Animal Biology (3)
- BIOL 3850 Animal Biology Lab (1)
- BIOL 3900 Genetics (3)
- BIOL 3910 Genetics Lab (1)
- BIOL 4045K General Ecology (4)
- BIOL 4074 Developmental Biology (4)
- BIOL 4240 Endocrinology (4)
- BIOL 4246 Advanced Human Physiology (4)
- BIOL 4248 Cell Physiology (4)
- BIOL 4630 Enzymology (3)
- BIOL 4744 Biostatistics (3)
- BIOL 4800 Principles of Cell Biology (4)
- CHEM 4600 Biochemistry (5) (unless used to meet requirement for Pre-Medicine Concentration)
- MATH 2652 Differential Equations (3)
- MATH 2641 Linear Algebra I (3)
- NEUR 3690 Honors Readings (1-3)
- NEUR 4870 Neuroscience Honors Thesis: Research (3-6)
- NEUR 4880 Neuroscience Honors Thesis: Writing (3)
- NEUR 4900 Advanced Neuroscience Laboratory (4)
- NEUR 4920 Internship in Neuroscience (2)
- NEUR 4930 Internship in Science Education (2)
- NEUR 4950 Supplemental Laboratory in Neuroscience (1)
- NEUR 4980 Undergraduate Research in Neuroscience (up to 5 hours may be applied to requirement)
- PHIL 3330 Mind and Brain (3)
- PHIL 4130 Philosophy of Science (3)
- PHIL 4330 Philosophy of Mind (3)
- PHIL 4340 Philosophy and Cognitive Science (3)
- PHIL 4770 Moral Psychology (3)
- PHIL 4780 Neuroethics (3)
- PHIL 4790 Topics in Neuroethics (3)
- PHYS 3500 Electronics (3)
- PSYC 3140 Abnormal Psychology (3)
- PSYC 4100 Cognitive Psychology (3)
- PSYC 4116 Primate Behavior (3)
- PSYC 4120 Learning (3)
- PSYC 4140 Introduction to Psychophysiology (4)
- PSYC 4560 Psychology of Animal Behavior (3)
- PSYC 4660 Applied Animal Behavior (3)
Pre-Medicine Concentration
A pre-medicine concentration is available for B.S. in Neuroscience majors. Please contact the Undergraduate Coordinator for further information.
Pre-med students are also required to take:
- CHEM 2400 Organic Chemistry I (3)
- CHEM 2410 Organic Chemistry II (3)
- CHEM 2100 Intermediate Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (2)
- CHEM 3110 Intermediate Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (2)
- CHEM 4600 Biochemistry (5)
Minor in Neuroscience
Students who wish to minor in Neuroscience must take NEUR 3000 and at least 12 additional hours in Neuroscience courses (any courses with NEUR prefix). A grade of C or higher is required in all courses counting toward the minor.
Area H: Minor and Additional Courses
- Students majoring in Neuroscience are encouraged, but not required, to take a minor.
- Students majoring in Neuroscience must take additional courses as electives to complete 120 hours. Students are encouraged to choose electives from the lists above.
Dual B.S./M.S. Program in Neuroscience
The Neuroscience Institute offers a dual Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Neuroscience. The dual degree opportunity enables qualified students to enroll in graduate courses late in their undergraduate program and apply the coursework toward both the bachelor’s and master’s programs.
Students must be formally accepted into the dual degree program by the Neuroscience Institute and College of Arts and Sciences to be able to take graduate courses as an undergraduate. Additionally, acceptance into the dual program does not constitute admission to the master’s program. Students must fulfill regular graduate admissions requirements and apply for the master’s program following college processes.
Information about the dual program, including application instructions and program requirements, can be found at cas.gsu.edu/dual-degrees/.
Graduation with Distinction in the Major
This program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to earn the designation of graduation with distinction in the major. To graduate with distinction in the Neuroscience major, the student must have at least a 3.5 GPA in the major and a 3.5 GPA overall, and must be in good academic standing. The Undergraduate Program Committee may make rare exceptions (e.g. for students with a record of outstanding research or other accomplishments in neuroscience).