Directors of undergraduate studies: Damon Clark (MCDB), YSB C148; Steve Chang (Psychology), Kirtland 310; neuroscience.yale.edu
Neuroscience aims to understand how the brain produces the mind and behavior, with the goal of advancing human understanding, improving physical and mental health, and optimizing performance. This entails a broad, interdisciplinary effort that spans from molecules to minds. At one end, biology, chemistry, and physics are improving our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuronal signaling and development. At the other end, psychology, psychiatry, and computer science link neural processes and systems to the mind and behavior. At all levels, the rich array of methods and data analysis depends on a strong foundation in the basic sciences, mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
Prerequisites
The foundational biology courses required of all Neuroscience majors are BIOL 101, 102, 103, and 104. All majors must also complete one of the following: PSYC 200, S&DS 103, 105, 230, 238.
Placement Procedures
When declaring the major, students are encouraged to send a completed Neuroscience major worksheet to the department registrar to help with advising.
Requirements of the Major
A minimum of 18.5 credits is required, including the three prerequisites, 15 lecture or seminar courses (which include the senior requirement), and one laboratory, as follows:
1. Two Neuroscience foundation courses, NSCI 160 and 320.
2. One Neuroscience lab chosen from NSCI 229L, 258, 260, 270, 321L.
3. Eleven electives from the following core groupings, with a minimum of: two from the Systems/Circuits/Behavior Core, two from the Molecular/Cellular/Biological Core, one from the Quantitative Core, one from the Computational Core, and one from the Basic Allied Core. No more than two credits may be taken from the Other Allied Core.
Systems/Circuits/Behavior Core: NSCI 340, 341, 346, 352, 355, 360, 440, 441, 442, 445; PSYC 238; NSCI 449
Molecular/Cellular/Biological Core: NSCI 324, 325, 329, 420; MCDB 200, 202, 205, 210, 300, 310, 370, 450, 452; MB&B 300
Quantitative Core: MATH 112, 115, 116, 120, 222, 225, 226, 230, 231, 244, 246, 247, 255, 256; ENAS 151; NSCI 324, 325; CPSC 202
Computational Core: CPSC 100, 112, 201, 223, 323, 365, 470, 475, 476; ENAS 130; S&DS 123, 262, S&DS 355, 361; NSCI 453
Basic Allied Core: PHYS 170, 171, 180, 181, 200, 201, 260, 261; CHEM 161, 163, 165, 167, 174, 175, 220, 221
Other Allied Core: NSCI 141, 161, 240, 419, 455, 479; BENG 485; MCDB 250; CGSC 110; PSYC 110; one additional Neuroscience lab course from the list above
Credit/D/Fail No course taken Credit/D/Fail may be counted toward the major, including prerequisites.
Roadmap See visual roadmap of the requirements.
Senior Requirement
In addition to the course requirements described above, all students must satisfy a senior requirement undertaken during the senior year. All students must fill out a checklist of requirements and go over it with the undergraduate registrar by the spring term of the junior year.
B.S. degree program The B.S. degree program requires two course credits of empirical research, NSCI 490 and 491. These courses are only available to Neuroscience seniors and receive a letter grade. Students are expected to spend at least 10 hours per week in the laboratory, to complete written assignments, and to give a presentation. In addition to time in the lab, and as part of NSCI 490 and 491, students are expected to attend a semi-regular capstone seminar, to hear guest speakers and to discuss senior work progress with their peers and the directors of undergraduate studies (DUSes). Research can be conducted over original, archival, or consortium data sets. Written assignments include a short research plan due at the beginning of the fall term, a grant proposal due at the end of the fall term, and a final report due at the end of the spring term. Students should pursue the same research project for two terms, with the grant proposal guiding and serving as the background for the research and final report. Seniors are also required to present their research in the spring term at a poster session. Students should find a research laboratory during the term preceding the research. Yale College does not grant academic credit for summer research unless the student is enrolled in an independent research course in Yale Summer Session. To register for NSCI 490 and 491, students must submit a form and the research plan with bibliography, approved by the faculty research adviser and a DUS, by the end of the first week of classes.
B.A. degree program The B.A. degree program requires two course credits in nonempirical research, NSCI 480 and 481; or one credit in nonempirical research, NSCI 480 or 481, and one credit in empirical research, NSCI 490 or 491. These courses are only open to Neuroscience seniors and receive a letter grade. Under faculty supervision, for NSCI 480 or 481, students are required to conduct original research for at least 10 hours per week that does not involve direct interaction with data, such as developing a theory or conducting a meta-analysis to synthesize existing findings. A literature review without novel intellectual contribution is not adequate. Written assignments include a short research plan due at the beginning of the fall term, a literature review or draft theoretical paper due at the end of the fall term, and a theoretical paper due at the end of the spring term. Seniors are also required to present their research in the spring term at a poster session. To register, students must submit a form and the research plan with bibliography, approved by the faculty adviser and a DUS, by the end of the first week of classes.
More detailed guidelines, forms, and deadline information is available on the program website.
Additional information
Independent research courses before senior year. The only independent research courses available to students prior to senior year are NSCI 470, 471. These courses are graded Pass/Fail and count toward the thirty-six credits required for the bachelor's degree, but they do not substitute for any NSCI major requirement, including the senior requirement. Independent research courses do not satisfy the lab requirement for the NSCI major.
Advising
Due to overlap in the major course requirements, the Neuroscience major should not be combined with a second major either in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology or in Psychology.
Program advisers Each term, students should update their Neuroscience major worksheet and then meet with their assigned faculty adviser to discuss their schedule and review their worksheet. These documents should then be submitted to the Neuroscience registrar for DUS review and approval. For questions concerning credits for courses taken at other institutions, or courses not listed in Yale Course Search, students should contact the Neuroscience registrar.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisites BIOL 101, 102, 103, and 104; and one of PSYC 200, S&DS 103, 105, 230, 238
Number of courses 18.5 credits (including prereqs and senior req)
Specific courses required 2 neuroscience foundation courses, NSCI 160 and 320
Distribution of courses B.S. or B.A.—1 lab course; 11 electives including at least: 2 Systems/Circuits/Behavior Core courses, 2 Molecular/Cellular/Biological Core courses, 1 Quantitative Core course, 1 Computational Core course, 1 Basic Allied Core course, and no more than 2 Other Allied Core courses
Senior requirement B.S.—2 empirical research courses, NSCI 490 and 491; B.A.—2 nonempirical research courses, NSCI 480 and 481, or 1 empirical research course (NSCI 490 or 491) and 1 nonempirical research course (NSCI 480 or 481)