The Cognitive and Neural Sciences

Neuroscience

Primary Contact: Dr. Lora Becker (lb47 at evansville dot edu)

 

Major Requirements

Minor Recommendations

Students interested in how the brain regulates thoughts and behavior may earn a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in neuroscience. This interdisciplinary program combines courses from psychology, biology, chemistry, and other sciences to understand the structure and function of the nervous system. Completion of this program, through consultation with one's academic advisor, prepares students for graduate training in neuroscience, including the behavioral, cognitive or molecular fields. This program also fulfills admission requirements for most medical schools and other health care professional schools. Eventual career options include teaching and research as a university professor, employment with a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company as a research scientist, and practice as a physician or other health care provider.

Students interested in neuroscience may, as an option, pursue a major in psychology with a specialization in behavioral neuroscience. The requirements run very close to those listed below for the neuroscience major. See the university catalog for details.

Major Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at the University of Evansville, students must complete the following 120-hour curriculum.  

Required Lower-Division Courses - 34-36 hours

General Biology - BIOL 107 (4)

General Zoology - BIOL 108 (3)

Principles of Chemistry - CHEM 118 (4)

Introduction to Psychology - PSYC 121 (3)

Introductory Ethics - PHIL 121 (3) or Bioethics - Phil 416 (3)

Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience - PSYC 125 (3)

Survey of Calculus - MATH 134 (3), Calculus I with Precalculus Review - MATH 211 (5) or Calculus I - MATH 221 (4)

Organic Chemistry I - CHEM 240 (4)

Statistics for Psychologists - PSYC 245 (3)

Research Methods in Psychology - PSYC 246 (4)

Required Upper-Division Courses - 28 hours

Genetics - BIOL 331 (4)

Organic Chemistry II - CHEM 341 (5)

Physiological Psychology - PSYC 357 (3)

Physiological Psychology Lab - PSYC 358 (1)

Biochemistry I - CHEM 370 (3)

Biochemistry I Lab - CHEM 371 (1)

Developmental Biology - BIOL 425 (4)

Animal Physiology - BIOL 427 (4)

Advanced Neuroscience - PSYC 457 (3)

Technical Elective Tracks - 12 hours 

Choose twelve hours from one of the following tracks:

Behavioral Neuroscience Elective Track

College Physics - PHYS 121 (5)

College Physics - PHYS 122 (5)

Abnormal Psychology - PSYC 259 (3)

Animal Behavior - BIOL 333 (3)

Vertebrate Zoology - BIOL 350 (4)

Sensation and Perception - PSYC 355 (3)

Cognitive Psychology - PSYC 366 (3)

Learning - PSYC 450 (3)

Cognitive Development - PSYC 466 (3)

Molecular Neuroscience Elective Track

University Physics - PHYS 210 (5)

University Physics - PHYS 211 (5)

Quantitative Analysis - CHEM 360 (4)

Microbiology - BIOL 430 (4)

Cell Biology - BIOL 440 (4)

Immunology - BIOL 442 (3)

Molecular Biology - BIOL 445 (4)

Biochemistry II - CHEM 473 (3)

Biochemistry II Lab - CHEM 474 (1)

Senior Seminar - 3 hours

Senior Seminar - BIOL 480 (3) or Senior Seminar and Thesis - PSYC 490 (3)

Elective Courses - 19-21 hours

Elective courses should be chosen carefully in consultation with an advisor to complement a student's education and career goals.

Remaining General Education Courses - 22 hours

All students at the University of Evansville must complete a general education program according to the following distribution. See the UE 2007-2009 Catalog for the precise requirements.

American Traditions (3)

The Creative Dimension (3)

Foreign Language (6) 

Health and Wellness (1)

Human Behavior and Society (3) Met with the Requirements above

International Perspectives (3)

Mathematical Thought (3) Met with the Requirements Above

The Philosophical / Spiritual Dimension (3) Met with the Requirements Above

Science and Technology (7) Met with the Requirements Above

Senior Seminar (3) Met with the Requirements Above

World Cultures (6)

Minor Recommendations

Students interested in obtaining a minor with a neuroscience focus may do so by choosing to minor in psychology and selecting the appropriate electives.

The psychology minor at UE requires PSYC 121 and a minimum of 15 hours in psychology electives selected in consultation with a major advisor and a psychology minor advisor. Students interested in neuroscience, should consider the following:

Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience - PSYC 125 (3)

 

Sensation and Perception - PSYC 355 (3)

 

Physiological Psychology - PSYC 357 (3)

 

Physiological Psychology Laboratory - PSYC 358 (1)

 

Learning - PSYC 450 (3)

 

Advanced Neuroscience - PSYC 457 (3)