The Undergraduate Neuroscience Program offers a number of different opportunities for students. The major offers the most comprehensive way to study the neural sciences on campus. It is comprehensive, yet flexible and encourages students to become involved in independent research. The program also offers a number of minors. The Neuroscience minor is intended for students wishing to study the neural sciences in addition to their primary major. Our program also offers two other minors which focus either on the relationship between health management and the neurosciences (Neuroscience/Health Care Management minor) or in providing students with an opportunity to study the nervous system in a quantitative manner (Computational Neuroscience minor).
Neuroscience major
The Neuroscience major offers an interdisciplinary study program in the neural sciences that gives students the opportunity to study the interface between biology and psychology- the biological basis of behavior. Within the core course requirements, students will learn about various aspects of neuroscience, from the cellular and molecular properties of neurons and circuits to higher-level cognitive processing in humans. Students may then choose from a wide variety of elective courses to gain a deeper understanding of a particular area of neuroscience. Students are encouraged to pursue research in their junior or senior year to complement their coursework with hands-on experience in a neuroscience laboratory at Penn. Upper-division seminar courses are available, which allow students to discuss current research publications in a small-group setting with Neuroscience professors. More Info.
Neuroscience minor
The Neuroscience minor is a course of study incorporating the study of neuroscience with additional elective courses to give the student a broad knowledge base in the biological basis of behavior. It is designed to allow students who are concentrating on other majors the opportunity to follow a coherent plan of coursework leading to the understanding of basic principles of neuroscience. More Info.
Neuroscience/Health Care Management minor
The Neuroscience/Health Care Management minor includes study in both the biological basis of behavior as well as the economics and politics of the health care system. Coursework includes 4 NRSC/BIBB courses, to gain an understanding of behavioral biology, and 4 Health Care Management courses, to better understand the enterprise of health care delivery. More Info.
Computational Neuroscience minor
The Computational Neuroscience minor offers students the opportunity of study the nervous system at a more quantitative level. Coursework includes 4 NRSC/BIBB courses, including a course in Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience. Students must also choose four electives courses from the following categories: (i) Neuroscience & Cognitive Science, (ii) Modeling, (iii) Mathematical Methods and (iv) Engineering Applications. To encourage breadth, no more than two electives can be chosen from any one of these elective categories. More Info.