BSc (120 credit hour) Major in Neuroscience
The 120 credit hour Major is suited to students who want to focus on Neuroscience, but wish to have a program that is somewhat less constrained than the Honours program. It provides a four-year survey of Neuroscience, and is designed for students not anticipating subsequent graduate-level training in Neuroscience or related disciplines. Neuroscience Majors complete a minimum of 45 (and a maximum of 60) credit hours in Neuroscience courses above the 1000 level and do not have thesis (or related) requirements. Research and other experiential learning opportunities are available through laboratories and research project classes.
Students should plan their programs carefully and, if required, obtain advice from an academic advisor. Advisors can be consulted by visiting the Psychology and Neuroscience website or by contacting the Psychology and Neuroscience Main Office (Life Sciences Centre, Room 3263 or 902-494-3417).
Departmental requirements
All students must fulfill the requirements outlined in the Academic Regulations and College of Arts and Science Degree Requirements sections of this calendar. In addition, students in a Major 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)
- 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:
3000/4000 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
An additional 12 credit hours of 3000/4000-level NESC courses. The following courses may also be used toward this requirement:
- BIOL 3020.03: Advanced Cell Biology
- PATH 4100.03: Critical Thinking in Neuropathology
- PHAC 3001.03: Drugs and Society
- PHAC 3030.03: Pharmacology: The Drugs Around Us
- PHAC 4403.03: Pharmacology I
- PHAC 4409.03: Pharmacology II
- PHYL 3420.03: Sensory Physiology
- BIOL 4510.03: Cultural Evolution