Description
The Minor in Neurosciences gives highly qualified and motivated undergraduates an opportunity to pursue an academic program in Neuroscience. The emphasis includes study in systems, cognitive, and computational neuroscience in a manner that crosses the traditional boundaries of Psychology, Biological Sciences, and other related disciplines. The minor is most appropriate for students who already have a background in the biological sciences or psychology. All majors are eligible for the minor except students in the Physiology & Neurobiology (PHNB) track in Biological Sciences (BSCI). Students wishing to pursue the Minor in Neurosciences must have already completed BSCI105 and CHEM131&132 and (PSYC301 or BSCI330), all with a grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher. There are a number of science course prerequisites for the required and elective classes for the Minor in Neurosciences. Students will be required to submit a four-year plan that includes all required courses (and prerequisite courses) for the minor with the application. Students for whom the minor would delay their graduation will not be admitted.
Restrictions
Students may only count a maximum of two courses (6-8 credits) toward both their major degree requirements and the Minor in Neurosciences.
Students should carefully review the prerequisites for all courses listed for the Neurosciences minor. A student without a sufficient science background may not be able to complete the minor in the allotted credits.
Students majoring in Biological Sciences-Physiology and Neurobiology (PHNB) are NOT eligible for the Minor in Neurosciences due to extensive overlap in curriculum requirements
Eligibility and Application to the Minor
In order to apply for the Minor in Neurosciences, a student must have:
1. Completed at least 30 college credits and at least 15 credits at UM.
2. Earned at least a C (2.0 GPA) in BSCI105 and CHEM131&132 or have AP equivalents.
3. Earned at least a C (2.0 GPA) in PSYC301 or BSCI330.
4. Be in good academic standing.
Applications for the Minor in Neurosciences are considered three times per year on October 1, March 1, and June 1 of each year (beginning October 1, 2007). Students are notified via email regarding the status of their application within three weeks of the submission deadline. That way, students will know whether or not they will be accepted to the Minor prior to their early registration date for the next semester.
Interested students may submit an application for the minor to the Undergraduate Psychology Office (BPS 1107). Applications are available on the Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences (NACS) Program website (www.nacs.umd.edu), in the Undergraduate Psychology Office, and in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences (CLFS) Academic Advising Office.
Enrollment Limit
The enrollment in the Minor in Neurosciences is limited to 20 students for 2007-2008.
Academic Advising Plan
Advising for students interested in the Minor in Neurosciences is provided by the Psychology Department Advisors (BPS 1107) and a designated liaison for the Minor in Neurosciences in the College of Chemical and Life Sciences. Information about advising for the minor is available on the Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences (NACS) Program website (www.nacs.umd.edu) and linked from both the PSYC Undergraduate website and from the CLFS Undergraduate website.
Resource Requirements and Availability
The Minor in Neurosciences has been designed so that students have ample choice in course selection. All students in the Minor in Neurosciences must enroll in the “Topics in Neurosciences Seminar” (PSYC409) for at least one semester. Every other requirement in the Minor offers a choice of courses.
Faculty Advisors
Cynthia Moss, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Department of Biology, NACS
Catherine Carr, Ph.D., Department of Biology, NACS
Research Option and Non-Research Option for Electives
Students pursuing the Minor in Neurosciences will have the opportunity to participate in research in neuroscience for credit as part of their electives for the minor. This research component can count as one of the two elective requirements. Students who choose the research option will enroll in one of the approved research courses for a total of three credits spread over one to three terms. Students who choose this option must have their research course approved by one of the faculty advisors for the Minor. Students can earn academic credit for this research through research course numbers in Psychology, Biological Sciences, and other programs with the approval of the minor advisor. (The research project must be directly related to neurosciences and have the prior approval of one of the minor advisors in order to count toward the minor credits.)
Students who do not choose the research option will select a total of two courses from the list of electives to complete the requirements for the Minor in Neurosciences.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Students should demonstrate understanding of the important concepts in neuroscience.
2. Students should be able to read and interpret experimental data from the primary literature.
3. Students should be able to effectively communicate their ideas and results in writing.
Minor in Neurosciences Course Requirements (17-22 credits) and Prerequisites
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Course |
Prerequisites |
I. Five Required Courses (11-14 cr.) |
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PSYC301 or BSCI453 |
PSYC301 Biological Basis of Behavior (3) |
BSCI105, PSYC100 |
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BSCI453 Cellular Neurophysiology (3 ) |
BSCI330, CHEM231/232, PHYS122 |
PSYC401 or BSCI454 |
PSYC401 Biological Basis of Behavior Lab (4) |
BSCI105, PSYC200, PSYC301 or equiv. |
|
BSCI454 Neurophysiology Lab (1) |
BSCI330, CHEM231/232, PHYS122 |
PSYC402 or BSCI446 |
PSYC402 Neural Systems (3) |
PSYC206 or PSYC301 |
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BSCI446 Neural Systems (3) |
BSCI330 |
PSYC403 or BSCI360 |
PSYC403 Animal Behavior (3) |
PSYC206 or PSYC301 |
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BSCI360 Principles of Animal Behavior (3) |
BSCI105, BSCI106, BSCI222 |
PSYC409 |
Topics in Neuroscience Seminar (1) |
Permission of Instructor & Department |
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II. Elective Courses (6-8 cr.)
(chosen from the following list) (1)(2)(3)(4) |
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BSCI338A |
Spec. Topics in Biol.: Cognitive Neuroscience |
BSCI230 |
BSCI338D |
Spec. Topics in Biol: Developmental Neurobiology |
BSCI230 |
BSCI440 |
Mammalian Physiology |
BSCI230, CHEM231/232 |
HESP 300 |
Intro to Psycholinguistics |
HESP202 or perm. of dept |
HESP 305 |
Anat. & Phys. of the Speech Mechanism |
HESP 202 or perm. of dept. |
HESP311 |
Anat., Path. and Phys. of the Auditory System |
HESP202 or perm. of dept. |
HESP407 |
Bases of Hearing Science |
HESP313 or perm. of dept. |
HESP 422 |
Neurological Bases of Human Communications |
HESP305 or perm. of dept. |
KNES 385 |
Motor Control and Learning |
Perm of dept. |
KNES462 |
Neural Basis of Human Movement |
BSCI201/202 and KNES385 or perm. |
KNES498P |
Spec. Top.: Movt. Disorders: Theory & Practice |
Perm. of dept. |
PHIL485 |
Philosophy of Neuroscience |
PHIL250, PHIL366, PHIL380, PHIL456 or perm. of dept. |
PSYC310 |
Perception |
PSYC100, (BSCI105 or CHEM131/132 or PHYS121) |
PSYC440 |
Experimental Psychology: Cognitive Processes |
PSYC200 & perm. of dept. |
PSYC404 |
Neuropharmacology |
PSYC200, (PSYC206 or PSYC301 or perm. of dept.) |
PSYC406 |
Neuroethology |
PSYC200, (Recomm PSYC206 or 301) |
Elective graduate courses below are only with permission of instructor, department, and college |
|
|
NACS641 |
Introduction to Neuroscience |
Permission of Instructor & NACS |
NACS642 |
Cognitive Neuroscience |
Permission of Instructor & NACS |
NACS728N |
Computational Neuroscience |
Permission of Instructor & NACS |
NACS728Y |
Introduction to Cognitive Science |
Permission of Instructor & NACS |
NACS728Z |
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience |
Permission of Instructor & NACS |
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Research Option (3 credits spread over 1-3 terms). |
Student will have the opportunity to participate as a research assistant in a neurosciences laboratory leading to a research paper. (e.g. BSCI399, PSYC479) |
Permission of Minor in Neurosciences Faculty Advisor (Dr. Carr or Dr. Moss) |
Honors Thesis |
A student in a Departmental Honors Program may substitute a Senior Honor's Thesis in Neurosciences for this requirement. |
(Consult with a faculty advisor for placement in a neurosciences research laboratory.) |
(1) Not all of the electives are available every year. Check with an advisor about the availability of individual classes.
(2) Student must meet all posted prerequisites for the elective course or obtain the written permission of the instructor.
(3)Undergraduate students who are pursuing a minor in neurosciences must complete a "Permission to Enroll in a Graduate Class" form and obtain all of the required signatures in order to enroll in a graduate class (500-700 level). Students can get permission for a graduate-level class on a case-by-case basis with the approval of the instructor, advisor, department, and college offering the course. Each college has a form for this purpose.
(4)If you find a course related to neuroscience that is not listed here, please ask an advisor if you can use that course as an elective course for the Minor.
Application
Application for Minor in Neurosciences
In order to apply to the Minor in Neurosciences you should:
1. Complete this application.
2. Write a letter explaining your interests in Neurosciences.
3. Modify your 4-year plan to include your major and minor requirements.
4. Meet with one of the faculty advisors* for the Minor in Neurosciences (by appointment only).
5. Submit your application to the Undergraduate Psychology Office (BPS 1107).
Name |
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Major(s) |
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Student ID Number |
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Local Address |
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City, State, Zip Code |
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Phone Number |
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E-mail Address |
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The following entrance requirements are required in order to apply to the Minor in Neurosciences.
BSCI105 ___________________ Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher or AP equivalent
CHEM131&132 __________________ Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher or AP equivalent
PSYC301 or BSCI330 __________ Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher
Please look carefully at requirements and prerequisite courses for the Minor in Neurosciences.
Approval of a Faculty Advisor in Neurosciences: _________________________________________
Signature Date
* Faculty Advisors
Dr. Catherine Carr, Department of Biology, University of Maryland, cecarr@umd.edu
Dr. Cynthia Moss, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, cmoss@psyc.umd.edu
Minor in Neurosciences
Course Requirements Worksheet
Entrance Requirements: |
|
The following entrance requirements are required in order to apply to the Minor in Neurosciences. |
BSCI105 ____________ |
Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher or AP credit equivalent |
CHEM131 & 132 __________ |
Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher in both or AP credit equivalent |
PSYC301 or BSCI330 ________ |
Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher |
Total Credits __________ |
At least 30 college credits with at least 15 cr. At UMCP are required to apply to the minor. |
I. Required Courses (Grades of C 2.0 or higher): |
|
Requirements Checklist: |
PSYC301 (3 cr.) or BSCI453 (3 cr.) _____________ |
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___ Entrance Requirements |
PSYC402 (3 cr.) or BSCI446 (3 cr.) _____________ |
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___ No more than 2 courses or 8 cr. counting toward
major & minor |
PSYC403 (3 cr.) or BSCI360 (3 cr.) _____________ |
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___ Grade of C (2.0 GPA) or higher in all minor courses |
PSYC401 (4 cr.) or BSCI454 (1 cr.) _____________ |
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___ Met with Academic Advisor in PSYC or CLFS |
PSYC409 (1 cr.) |
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___ Met with Faculty Advisor in Neurosciences |
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II. One Elective Course (3 or 4 cr.) from approved list |
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Faculty Advisor for Minor in Neurosciences: |
___________________________________________ |
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_________________________________________ |
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III. Second Elective Course or Research Credits in Neurosciences* (3 cr.) (over 1-3 terms) or Approved Honor’s Thesis |
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___________________________________________ |
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* Consult with your faculty advisor in Neurosciences for research placement. |
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Sample Four-Year Plan for PSYC (BS) Major with Minor in Neurosciences |
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Freshman |
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PSYC100 (PSYC & CORE SB) |
3 |
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MATH140/220 (PSYC) |
3-4 |
ENGL101 (FE) |
3 |
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CORE D |
3 |
UNIV100 |
3 |
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CORE HL |
3 |
MATH113/115 (FM) |
3 |
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BSCI105 (PSYC & CORE LL) |
4 |
CORE HA |
3 |
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PSYC Area II (PSYC) |
3 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
16-17 |
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Sophomore |
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PSYC200 (PSYC) |
3 |
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PSYC301 (PSYC & Minor) |
3 |
CORE SB |
3 |
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PSYC Area III (PSYC) |
3 |
PSYC Elective (PSYC) |
3 |
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CORE HL/HA/HO |
3 |
CORE SH |
3 |
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BSCI330 (BS in PSYC) |
4 |
CHEM131&132 (Minor in NS & CORE PL) |
4 |
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Elective |
3 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
16 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
16 |
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Junior |
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PSYC Area IV (PSYC) |
3 |
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PSYC402 (PSYC & Minor in NS) |
3 |
CORE Prof. Writing (ENGL391-395) |
3 |
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PSYC401 (PSYC Lab) |
4 |
BSCI222 (adv. for BS in PSYC) |
4 |
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BSCI (adv. for BS in PSYC) |
3-4 |
PSYC409 (Minor in NS) |
1 |
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CORE Adv. Studies |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
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Elective |
2 |
PSYC479 (Research, Minor in NS) |
1 |
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PSYC479 (Research, Minor in NS) |
1 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
16-17 |
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Senior |
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PSYC Lab (PSYC Lab) |
4 |
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PSYC403/BSCI360 (Minor in NS) |
3 |
PSYC404 (Elective, for Minor in NS) |
3 |
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BSCI (adv. for BS in PSYC) |
3-4 |
PSYC479 (Research, Minor in NS) |
1 |
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CORE Adv. Studies |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
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PSYC Elective |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
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Elective |
3 |
Elective |
3 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
17 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
15-16 |
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Sample Four-Year Plan for BSCI (GENB) Major with Minor in Neurosciences |
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Freshman |
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BSC I105 |
4 |
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BSCI 106 |
4 |
CHEM 131&132 |
4 |
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CHEM 231&232 |
4 |
ENGL 101 |
3 |
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CORE |
3 |
MATH 220 |
3 |
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MATH 221 |
3 |
UNIV 100 |
1 |
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Elective |
1 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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Sophomore |
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BSCI 207 |
3 |
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BSCI 222 |
4 |
CHEM 241&242 |
4 |
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CHEM 271&272 |
4 |
CORE |
3 |
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CORE |
3 |
CORE |
3 |
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CORE |
3 |
Elective |
2 |
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Elective |
1 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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Junior |
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PHYS 121 |
4 |
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PHYS 122 |
4 |
BCHM 463 |
3 |
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BIOM 301 |
3 |
BSCI 330 |
4 |
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BSCI Lab |
4 |
CORE |
3 |
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ENGL 391/393/395 |
3 |
Elective |
1 |
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PSYC 409 |
1 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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Senior |
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BSCI 360 (Major & Minor) |
3 |
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BSCI lec |
3 |
BSCI 453&454 (Major & Minor) |
4 |
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BSCI lec |
3 |
PSYC402 (Minor) |
3 |
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NS Elective (Minor) |
3-4 |
Research in NS (Minor) |
1 |
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Research in NS (Minor) |
2 |
Elective |
4 |
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Elective |
3-4 |
TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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TOTAL CREDITS |
15 |
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