Neuroscience (Undergraduate)

Return to: USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences  

Hedco Neurosciences Building 120
(213) 740-6091
FAX: (213) 740-2534
Email: msalido@usc.edu

Program Director: David McKemy, PhD

Participating Faculty: See Biological Sciences , Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science , Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering , Philosophy , Psychology , Engineering , Gerontology , Medicine  and Pharmacy  in this catalogue.

Undergraduate Program

Students in the neuroscience majors are trained to develop an appreciation for the breadth of knowledge that spans the array of neuroscience disciplines, including molecular, cellular, systems, behavioral, cognitive and computational neuroscience. Students will also acquire knowledge in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences, and learn to appreciate the relevance of these disciplines to the life sciences.

The curriculum is structured to develop the ability to communicate scientific ideas, orally and in writing, as well as scientific and experimental skills. These skills include the application of scientific methods, including forming hypotheses, designing experiments to test hypotheses, and collecting, analyzing, interpreting and reporting data.

At the completion of their studies, students are prepared with a sufficient depth of knowledge and abilities to prepare them for entry-level employment in a wide variety of fields, or for graduate study in neuroscience or health-related professions.

Honors Program in Neuroscience

An honors program is available to outstanding students who are pursuing a BA or BS degree in Neuroscience. This program offers students exceptional opportunities to participate in undergraduate research, culminating in the experience of writing an honors thesis summarizing their completed research. Honors students must register for 4 units of Directed Research (NEUR 490x ). Honors students are also required to take two semesters of the Honors Seminar (BISC 493x  as one of their upper-division electives, 1 unit/semester), in which small groups of students discuss recent findings in neuroscience literature and their own research. After completing the honors seminar, honors students also take one semester of Honors Thesis (BISC 494x , 2 units), in which students write their senior thesis. Students earning honors in neuroscience must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 at graduation. This program leads to the designation on the transcript of Bachelor of Arts/Science in Neuroscience with Honors.

Minor in Neuroscience

The neuroscience minor is designed to acquaint students with a broad range of the problems and opportunities available in the study of the brain and the mind. The core courses will provide knowledge of the biological aspects of brain function, including perception, cognition and statistics. Research in appropriate laboratories is encouraged and include, but are not limited to, Biological Sciences, Psychology and Gerontology. Directed research may be used to satisfy the upper-division elective course requirement.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

• •  Computational Neuroscience (BS)
• •  Neuroscience (BA)
• •  Neuroscience (BS)

Minor

• •  Neuroscience Minor

Courses

Neuroscience (Undergraduate)

• NEUR 199 Neuroscience Colloquium

  Units: 1
  Terms Offered: Sp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 199 )
  
• NEUR 390 Special Problems

  Units: 1, 2, 3, 4
  Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
  Instruction Mode: Lecture
  Grading Option: Letter
  
  
• NEUR 407 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: FaSp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 407 )
  
• NEUR 408 Systems Neuroscience: From Synapses to Perception

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Sp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 408 )
  
• NEUR 421 Neurobiology

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Fa

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 421 )
  
• NEUR 422 Neuropsychology

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Irregular

  ---

  (Enroll in PSYC 424 )
  
• NEUR 423 Epilepsy to Ecstasy: Biological Basis of Neurological Disorders

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Sp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 423 )
  
• NEUR 424 Brain Architecture

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Sp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 424 )
  
• NEUR 426 Principles of Neural Development

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Sp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 426 )
  
• NEUR 427 Neuropsychopharmacology

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: Fa

  ---

  (Enroll in PSYC 427 )
  
• NEUR 440 Foundations of Cognitive Neuroscience

  Units: 4
  Terms Offered: FaSp

  ---

  (Enroll in PSYC 440 )
  
• NEUR 462 Seminar in Neurobiology

  Units: 2
  Terms Offered: FaSp

  ---

  (Enroll in BISC 462 )
  
• NEUR 490x Directed Research

  Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
  Max Units: 12.0
  Terms Offered: FaSpSm

  ---

  Individual research and readings.
  Credit Restriction: Not available for graduate credit.
  Instruction Mode: Lecture
  Grading Option: Letter
  
  
• NEUR 493x Neuroscience Honors Seminar

  Units: 1
  Max Units: 4.0
  Terms Offered: FaSp

  ---

  Students attend lectures of distinguished neuroscientists visiting USC and give short, chalk-talk presentations summarizing the lecture. The presentations are critiqued by the students.
  Prerequisite: BISC 220  or BISC 221 ;
  Recommended Preparation: BISC 421 .
  Credit Restriction: Not available for graduate credit.
  Instruction Mode: Lecture
  Grading Option: Letter
  
  
• NEUR 494x Honors Thesis

  Units: 2
  Terms Offered: FaSp

  ---

  Credit Restriction: Not available for graduate credit. Programmatic approval.
  Instruction Mode: Lecture
  Grading Option: Letter
  
  
• NEUR 534L Computational Neuroengineering

  Units: 3
  (Enroll in BME 575 )
  
• NEUR 535 Brain Theory and Artificial Intelligence

  Units: 3
  (Enroll in CSCI 564 )