BA in Biology—Neurobiology Specialization

The BA in Biology—Neurobiology Specialization requires students to have a broad foundation in the major disciplines of biology and at the same time provides enough flexibility for students to focus on specific areas of personal interest. The specialization requires two introductory biology courses; four foundation courses in cell biology, systems physiology, neuroscience, and animal behavior; and six additional advanced electives in biology and/or psychology.

A grade of C or higher is required for credit toward the major in required core, principal, and related science courses.

Course titles and full descriptions are located in the Courses portion of this bulletin.

Prerequisite Courses

• CAS BI 107
• CAS BI 108 or BI 118

Required Core Biology Courses

• CAS BI 203 (or BI 213)
• CAS BI 315
• CAS BI 325 (or NE 203*)
  *This course fulfills one biology with lab course requirement.
• CAS BI 407 (or CAS BI 303, 306, or 309*)
  *BI 309 does not have a lab component. Students will need an additional course with lab to satisfy the three-lab course requirement for specialization if they take CAS BI 309.

Principal Courses

Six additional principal courses are required, of which three must be biology courses. Of the ten required core and principal courses, at least three must be 300–500 level, and three must have a laboratory component. A 300–500-level course with a laboratory simultaneously counts toward both requirements.

• CAS BI 230
• CAS BI 421
• CAS BI 425
• CAS BI 444
• CAS BI 445
• CAS BI 455
• CAS BI 481
• CAS BI 502
• CAS BI 520
• CAS BI 545
• CAS BI 551
• CAS BI 552
• CAS BI 554
• CAS BI 594
• CAS BI 599
• CAS PS 323
• CAS PS 333
• CAS PS 336
• CAS PS 337
• CAS PS 338
• CAS PS 528
• CAS PS 530
• CAS PS 544
• SAR HS 370 (NOT accepted toward laboratory requirement)
• SAR HS 550

Undergraduate Research Options

CAS BI 191/192 or BI 291/292 may be taken for elective credit by freshmen and sophomores, respectively; these courses may only be taken for 2 credits per semester.

To receive credit toward the major, research must be done on an approved topic.

Students must take both semesters of research to receive the maximum of 8 credits (two courses) toward principal courses requirement. Only 4 credits (one course) can be applied toward the laboratory requirement.

• CAS BI 391/392
• CAS BI 401/402
• CAS BI 491/492

Prerequisite and Corequisite Chemistry Courses

Three courses in chemistry are required for the neurobiology specialization and may be chosen from the following tracks.

Standard (recommended) track:

• CAS CH 101 (or 109 or 111) and
• CAS CH 102 (or 110 or 112) and
• CAS CH 203 (or 211)

Alternative track (not for students interested in the health professions):

• CAS CH 171 and
• CAS CH 174 and
• CAS CH 273

Note: CAS CH 101/102 (or 171/174) should be taken concurrently with CAS BI 107/108 (or 107/118). CAS CH 203 (or 211 or 273) is a corequisite for BI 203 and a prerequisite for BI 206. Some students elect to take a fourth semester of chemistry, BI 204 (or 212 or 214), which is a requirement for medical and other professional schools.

Required Mathematics Courses

Two courses in mathematics are required for the neurobiology specialization. At least one semester must be calculus and the other can be either calculus or statistics.

Calculus courses:

• CAS MA 121 and MA 122 or
• CAS MA 123 and MA 124

Statistics courses:

• CAS MA 115 or
• CAS MA 213

Required Physics courses

Two courses in physics:

• CAS PY 105/106 or
• CAS PY 211/212 or
• CAS PY 241/242

Note: A student may take PY 211 and PY 106 to satisfy the physics requirement.