BSc (120 credit hour) Concentrated Honours in Neuroscience

The Honours program is intended to serve as a preparation for graduate work in Neuroscience, biological psychology, medicine, human communication disorders and related fields. Its interdisciplinary nature is reflected in the participation of faculty from several departments in the program. In the first year of study, students take courses which provide a firm grounding in the physical and biological sciences. In subsequent years, the program includes credits in courses drawn from Neuroscience, Psychology and Biology. These include a number of required core courses that emphasize the acquisition and application of laboratory skills.

Honours students complete a minimum of 54 (and a maximum of 66) credit hours above the 1000 level in Neuroscience, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and write a research-based Honours thesis. The Honours Thesis and Qualifying Examination requirements, outlined in the College of Arts and Science Honours Program Requirements, are satisfied through completion of NESC 4901.03 and NESC 4902.03.

Admission to Honours

Students must apply for admission to Honours programs. Students wishing to enroll in Honours in Neuroscience should consult with the Neuroscience Honours Advisor. Students may not apply for Honours before April of their third year of studies. A detailed description of the Honours application process can be found on the departmental website, www.dal.ca/psychandneuro. Admission requirements include:

• A grade of B+ (or higher) in NESC 2000.03: Methods in Experimental Psychology & Neuroscience (or equivalent)
• An average of A- (or higher) in the last six completed Neuroscience courses (excluding 1000-level courses and NESC 2000.03)
• A confirmed, eligible supervisor who has agreed to supervise the student's honours thesis

Departmental requirements

All students must fulfill the requirements outlined in the Academic Regulations and College of Arts and Science Degree Requirements sections. In addition, students in a Concentrated Honours program in Neuroscience must complete the following:

1000 level

• PSYO 1011.03: Introduction to Psychology and Neuroscience I: From Neuron to Person (or equivalent) with a grade of B- or better
• PSYO 1012.03: Introduction to Psychology and Neuroscience II: From Social Interaction to Psychopathology (or equivalent) with a grade of B- or better
• BIOL 1010.03: Principles of Biology I (or equivalent) with a grade of B- or better
• BIOL 1011.03: Principles of Biology II (or equivalent) with a grade of B- or better
• CHEM 1011.03: Concepts in Chemistry: Structure and Reactivity
• CHEM 1012.03: Concepts in Chemistry: Energy and Equilibrium
• MATH 1215.03: Life Science Calculus (recommended) or MATH 1000.03: Differential and Integral Calculus I
• An additional three credit hours in mathematics or statistics (STAT 1060.03 recommended)

Note that, together, SCIE 1506.03 and SCIE 1507.03 are considered equivalent to all of the above.

2000 level

• NESC 2000.03: Methods in Experimental Psychology & Neuroscience (or equivalent) with a grade of B+ or better
• PSYO 2501.03: Statistical Methods I
• NESC 2470.03: Systems Neuroscience (or equivalent)
• NESC 2570.03: Cellular Neuroscience (or equivalent)
• BIOL 2020.03: Cell Biology

Plus an additional six credit hours, selected from:

• NESC 2130.03: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
• NESC 2140.03: Learning: Conditioning & Motivation
• NESC 2150.03: Perceptual Processes
• NESC 2160.03: Animal Behaviour
• BIOC 2300.03: Introduction to Biochemistry
• BIOL 2030.03: Genetics and Molecular Biology

3000 level

Six credit hours of designated lab courses, selected from:

• NESC 3051.03: Research Methods in Sensation and Perception
• NESC 3131.03: Research Methods in Attention
• NESC 3133.03: Research Methods in Memory
• NESC 3134.03: Psycholinguistic Methods Across the Lifespan
• NESC 3137.03: Research Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience
• NESC 3161.03: Measuring Behaviour
• NESC 3165.03: Neuroethology
• NESC 3370.03: Advanced Methods in Neurobiology
• NESC 3371.03: Neuronal Organization Laboratory
• NESC 3440.03: Neuroanatomy
• NESC 3505.03: Neural Data Science
• NESC 3100.03/NESC 3101.03 Independent Research Project (Note: The full-year Independent Research Project may only be used to fulfill three-credit hours of 'laboratory courses')

An additional six credit hours, selected from:

• NESC 3162.03: Advanced Animal Behaviour
• NESC 3170.03: Hormones and Behaviour
• NESC 3180.03: Psychoneuroimmunology/Ecological Immunology
• NESC 3190.03: Psycholinguistics
• NESC 3227.03: Principles of Human Neuropsychology
• NESC 3237.03: Drugs and Behaviour
• NESC 3264.03: The Science of Sleep
• NESC 3270.03: Developmental Neuroscience
• NESC 3271.03: Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
• NESC 3670.03: Genes, Brain and Behaviour
• NESC 3770.03: Behavioural Neuroscience
• NESC 3970.03: Molecular Neuroscience
• BIOL 3020.03: Advanced Cell Biology
• PATH 4100.03: Critical Thinking in Neuropathology
• PHAC 3001.03: Pharmacology I (discontinued 21/22)
• PHAC 3030.03: Pharmacology: The Drugs Around Us
• PHAC 4001.03: Pharmacology I (discontinued 21/22)
• PHAC 4403.03: Systems Pharmacology I
• PHAC 4409.03: Systems Pharmacology II
• PHYL 3420.03: Sensory Physiology

4000 level

• NESC 4901.03: Honours Foundation (a grade of B- or better is required to continue to NESC 4902.03)
• NESC 4902.03: Honours Thesis
• PSYO 3502.03: Statistical Methods II
• Six credit hours of 4000-level NESC or PSYO seminar courses (the following courses may also count toward this requirement: BIOC 4301.03, BIOL 4510.03, PATH 4100.03, PHAC 4403.03, PHAC 4409.03)

Plus six additional credit hours of 3000/4000-level NESC courses (the following courses may also count toward this requirement: PHAC 3001.03, PHAC 3030.03, PHAC 4403.03, PHAC 4409.03, PHYL 3420.03)

Other regulations

• Courses that are counted towards the Honours program requirements must have a minimum grade of C.