2022-2023 Catalog

Neuroscience

Overview

Neuroscience is the study of the brain and nervous system. It encompasses questions about the structure and function of the nervous system, neural development and plasticity, and how behaviors and cognition arise from the brain. Neuroscience is an inherently multidisciplinary area of study, integrating approaches from a diverse set of fields at many levels of analysis.

Requirements

Minor

Students must complete six neuroscience-related courses to complete the minor. At least three of the classes cannot be counted towards the student’s major and must be classes offered by departments outside the student’s major department. Electives from outside departments allowed for a student’s major or courses used for a second minor cannot be double-counted for the Neuroscience minor. Students are strongly encouraged to talk with a Neuroscience adviser early in their academic career and to consult the catalog for course prerequisites when planning their Neuroscience minor.

Two Introductory Courses from Different Departments

BIO 130 is required. One additional introductory course can be selected from Psychology or Cognitive Science.

BIO 130Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology

4 units

COGS 101Introduction to Cognitive Science

4 units

COGS 104Introduction to Neuroscience

4 units

PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology

4 units

Methods or Statistics Requirement

One methods or statistics course selected from the following:

BIO 268Biostatistics

4 units

COGS 201Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science

4 units

PSYC 200Methods in Psychological Science

4 units

Neuroscience Elective I

One advanced course in Biology selected from the following:

BIO 320Developmental Biology

4 units

BIO 333Neurobiology

4 units

BIO 340Sensory Biology and Neurophysiology

4 units

Neuroscience Elective II

An advanced course in Cognitive Science or Psychology selected from the following:

PSYC 322Physiological Psychology

4 units

COGS 320Cognitive Neuroscience

4 units

PSYC 420Psychology of Addiction

4 units

Students looking to use COGS 320 to satisfy a minor requirement must also successfully complete COGS 320L.

Neuroscience Elective III

A final elective class can be selected from the 300-level classes listed above in Core Courses or one of the following 200- or 300-level classes in Biology, Cognitive Science, or Psychology.

BIO 221Molecular Biology

4 units

BIO 224Genetic Analysis

4 units

BIO 226Cell Biology

4 units

BIO 240Vertebrate Physiology

4 units

COGS 230Mind, Brain, and Behavior

4 units

COGS 242Computational Approaches to Cognition

4 units

COGS 292Brain Plasticity

4 units

COGS 303Topics in Neuroscience

4 units

PSYC 302Perception

4 units

PSYC 334Health Psychology

4 units

PSYC 336Evolutionary Psychology

4 units

COGS 270/PSYC 270Pain and the Brain

4 units

PSYC 330Abnormal Psychology

4 units

Transfer Credit Policies

Courses approved for transfer by the appropriate department or program will be considered to apply toward the Neuroscience minor, subject to the same restrictions that apply to Occidental courses. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for details.

Faculty

Renee Baran, chair

Associate Professor, Biology 

B.A., Macalester College; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley  

Other faculty associated with the Neuroscience minor can be viewed here.