Neuroscience
Overview
Neuroscience is the study of the brain and nervous system. It encompasses questions about the structure and function of the nervous system, neural development and plasticity, and how behaviors and cognition arise from the brain. Neuroscience is an inherently multidisciplinary area of study, integrating approaches from a diverse set of fields at many levels of analysis.
Minor Requirements
COURSEWORK
Students must complete six neuroscience-related courses to complete the minor. At least three of the classes cannot be counted towards the student’s major and must be classes offered by departments outside the student’s major department. Electives from outside departments allowed for a student’s major or courses used for a second minor cannot be double-counted for the Neuroscience minor. Students are strongly encouraged to talk with a Neuroscience adviser early in their academic career and to consult the catalog for course prerequisites when planning their Neuroscience minor.
Two Introductory Courses from Different Departments
BIO 130 is required. One additional introductory course can be selected from Psychology or Cognitive Science.
| BIO 130 | Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 units |
| COGS 101 | Introduction to Cognitive Science | 4 units |
| COGS 104 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 4 units |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 4 units |
Methods or Statistics Requirement
One methods or statistics course selected from the following:
| BIO 268 | Biostatistics | 4 units |
| PSYC 200 | Methods in Psychological Science | 4 units |
| COGS 201 | Empirical Methods in Cognitive Science | 4 units |
Neuroscience Elective I
One advanced course in Biology selected from the following:
| BIO 320 | Developmental Biology | 4 units |
| BIO 333 | Neurobiology | 4 units |
| BIO 340 | Sensory Biology and Neurophysiology | 4 units |
Neuroscience Elective II
An advanced course in Cognitive Science or Psychology selected from the following:
Note that the only PSYC 490 that applies to the Neuroscience minor is the seminar taught by neuroscience faculty Dr. Dess or Dr. Chapman.
| PSYC 322 | Physiological Psychology | 4 units |
| PSYC 490 | Contemporary Topics Seminar | 4 units |
| COGS 320 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 4 units |
Students looking to use PSYC 322 to satisfy a minor requirement must also successfully complete PSYC 322L.
Students looking to use COGS 320 to satisfy a minor requirement must also successfully complete COGS 320L.
Neuroscience Elective III
A final elective class can be selected from the 300-level classes listed above in Core Courses or one of the following 200- or 300-level classes in Biology, Cognitive Science, or Psychology.
Transfer Credit Policies
Courses approved for transfer by the appropriate department or program will be considered to apply toward the Neuroscience minor, subject to the same restrictions that apply to Occidental courses. Students should reference the
Transfer Credit section for details.
Faculty
Advisory Committee
Renee Baran, chair
Associate Professor, Biology
B.A., Macalester College; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Nancy Dess
Professor, Psychology
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles; Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Carmel Levitan
Associate Professor, Cognitive Science
B.A., Stanford University; Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Joseph Schulz
Associate Professor, Biology
B.S., Indiana University; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Aleksandra Sherman
Assistant Professor, Cognitive Science
B.A., Rutgers University; Ph.D., Northwestern University