Major Requirements for Neuroscience and Behavior

Neuroscience and Behavior is a cross-disciplinary major aimed at understanding some of the most complex questions in science. How does the brain work?  How does the mind emerge from the brain? What are the causes of mental disorders? The major provides students with broad knowledge of neuroscience through coursework drawn equally from the biological and behavioral sciences. Students in the major will also develop their quantitative and laboratory skills, learn to communicate scientific findings, and become critical and independent thinkers.  The Neuroscience and Behavior major will prepare students for graduate training in neuroscience, or to enhance the pursuit of professions in scientific research, medicine, and health-related areas.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Requirements

All students who intend to declare and to complete a major in Neuroscience and Behavior must maintain a 3.0 overall GPA within the major.

Total credits = 40      

                                                                                                       
Required introductory courses
   21:120:200  Concepts in Biology (4)
   21:112:200  Foundations in Neuroscience (3)
   21:830:101  Principles of Psychology (3)
 
Required foundations courses
   21:120:201  Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology (3)
   21:120:202  Cell and Molecular Biology Lab (1)  
   28:120:315  Principles of Neurobiology (3)*   

   21:830:301  Psychology Statistics (4)
   21:830:303  Neuroscience Research Methods (4)
   21:830:304  Cognitive Processes (3)
 
Advanced courses
   21:830:411  Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience (3)
   21:830:484  Behavioral Neuroscience (3)
 
Electives - choose two courses (6 credits) from the following list:
   21:830:330  Psychology of Learning (3)

   21:830:346  Brain and Language (3)
   21:830:410  Topics in Neuroscience (3)

   21:830:412  Neuroscience of Decision-Making (3)
   21:830:413  Neuropsychology (3)
   21:830:414  Stress and the Social Brain (3)
   21:830:441  Drugs and the Brain (3)
   21:830:470  AI and the Brain (3)

   21:830:487  Pain and Pleasure (3)

   21:830:495/112:495 Research in Neuroscience (3)

   21:830:496  The Emotional Brain (3)
   21:830:512  Neuroimaging Methods and Theory (3)**
   21:120:341  Introduction to Neurophysiology (3)
   NJIT Math Analytical and Computational Neuroscience 430 (3)
   NJIT Math Systems and Computational Neuroscience 431 (3)
   Research Experience with neuroscience faculty***

*Students who major in neuroscience and behavior will be allowed to use Introduction to Neuroscience (21:830:411) as a prerequisite for Introduction to Neurobiology (21:120:315) in place of Foundations in Biology: Ecology and Evolution (21:120:205/6 or 21:216:205/206). This substitution applies only to 21:120:315 and no other biology course.

**Graduate course; requires permission of instructor.

***Students can apply a maximum of 6 research credits of Research in Neuroscience (21:830:495 or 21:112:495) toward the elective requirement.

Students majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior are disallowed from double-majoring or minoring in Biological Sciences with a Neurobiology concentration. Similarly, Neuroscience and Behavior majors are disallowed from obtaining a minor in Cognitive Neuroscience.

Students may double major in Psychology and Neuroscience and Behavior, with a maximum of 5 courses fulfilling requirements for both programs.

Questions? Contact: Michael Shiflett, Ph.D.

Cognitive Neuroscience Faculty
Mauricio Delgado, Ph.D.
William Graves, Ph.D.
Stephen José Hanson, Ph.D.
Barry Komisaruk, Ph.D.
Vanessa LoBue, Ph.D.
Michael Shiflett, Ph.D.

Karen Smith, Ph.D.

Elizabeth Tricomi, Ph.D.