Neuroscience (BA)

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Co-coordinators: Irving Biederman, PhD and Albert Herrera, PhD.

Undergraduate Advisers: Lica Abu-Esba, abuesba@dornsife.usc.edu; Briana Weiland, bweiland@dornsife.usc.edu

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or higher is required to count toward major requirements.

Degree Requirements

The degree requires eight core courses (32 units) and four elective courses (12-16 unites) for a total of 44-48 units.

Core Requirements (32 Units)

BISC 220Lg General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology Units: 4 or
BISC 221Lg Advanced General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology Units: 4
BISC 408 Systems Neuroscience: From Synapses to Perception Units: 4
BISC 421 Neurobiology Units: 4
CHEM 103Lgx General Chemistry for the Environment and Life Units: 4 or
CHEM 105aLg General Chemistry Units: 4
MATH 125g Calculus I Units: 4
PSYC 100Lg Introduction to Psychology Units: 4
PSYC 274Lg Statistics Units: 4 *
PSYC 440 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience Units: 4

Note:

*An equivalent course may be substituted with permission.

Elective courses

Four upper-division elective courses from the following list are required. At least one course in the upper-division electives must carry a lab (“L”) designation or be NEUR 490x . No more than 4 units of NEUR 490x may be used to fulfill the upper-division elective requirement.

Electives

BISC 307L General Physiology Units: 4
BISC 313L Evolution and Population Genetics Units: 4
BISC 320L Molecular Biology Units: 4
BISC 325 Genetics Units: 4
BISC 330L Biochemistry Units: 4
BISC 403 Advanced Molecular Biology Units: 4
BISC 406L Biotechnology Units: 4
BISC 410 Applications of Molecular Biology to Medicine Units: 4
BISC 411 Advanced Cell Biology Units: 4
BISC 422L Neurobiology Laboratory Units: 2
BISC 423 Epilepsy to Ecstasy: Biological Basis of Neurological Disorders Units: 4
BISC 424 Brain Architecture Units: 4
BISC 426 Principles of Neural Development Units: 4
BISC 462 Seminar in Neurobiology Units: 2
BISC 480 Developmental Biology Units: 4
BME 402 Control and Communication in the Nervous System Units: 3
CSCI 360L Introduction to Artificial Intelligence Units: 4
GERO 414 Neurobiology of Aging Units: 4
GERO 415 Neuroaffective Disorders of Aging Units: 4
HBIO 306 Primate Social Behavior and Ecology Units: 4
MATH 265 Mathematical and Computational Methods for Neuroscience Units: 4 *
NEUR 490x Directed Research Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
PSYC 301L Cognitive Processes Units: 4
PSYC 304L Sensation and Perception Units: 4
PSYC 305 Learning and Memory Units: 4
PSYC 320 Principles of Psychobiology Units: 4
PSYC 326 Behavioral Neuroscience Units: 4
PSYC 404L Psychophysiology of Emotion Units: 4
PSYC 420 Animal Behavior Units: 4
PSYC 424 Neuropsychology Units: 4
PSYC 425 Functional Imaging of the Human Brain Units: 4
PSYC 438 Behavioral Genetics Units: 4
PSYC 450L Neural Network Models of Social and Cognitive Processes Units: 4

Note:

*Only an elective for BA and minor.

A graduate class from the following list can be substituted for an upper-division elective with permission:

BME 575L Computational Neuroengineering Units: 3 *
CSCI 564 Brain Theory and Artificial Intelligence Units: 3 *
NSCI 524 Advanced Overview of Neurosciences Units: 4 *
NSCI 531 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology Units: 4 *
NSCI 532 Systems and Behavioral Neurobiology Units: 3 *
PSYC 506 Learning and Cognition Units: 4 *
PSYC 510 Visual Cognition Units: 4 *
PSYC 540 Cognitive Neuroscience Units: 4 *
PSYC 544 Psychophysiology Units: 4 *
PSYC 545 Neuropsychology Units: 4 *
PSYC 547 Functional Neuroanatomy Units: 4 *
PSYC 551 Decision Neuroscience Units: 4 *

Note:

*With minimum GPA of 3.3 and permission of co-coordinators and instructor