Graduation Requirements

All courses below are 3 credits:.

BIOL 3000 - Cell Biology 

BIOL 3010 - Genetics and Molecular Biology

BIOL 3050 - Introduction to Neurobiology

PSYC 3160 - Cognitive Neuroscience 

PSYC 3200 - Fundamentals of Neuroscience

Students are recommended (but not required) to take these courses before applying for NESC major, since many are prerequisites of Core courses and Electives

1. A series of Introductory of Chemistry and lab, CHEM 1410-1411-1420-1421 (Introductory College Chemistry and Laboratory), or CHEM 1610-1611-1620-1621 (Introductory Chemistry for Engineers and Laboratory), or CHEM 1810-1811-1820-1821 (Principles of Chemical Structure, Principles of Organic Chemistry, and Laboratory) are required.
2. MATH 1210 A Survey of Calculus I or MATH 1310 Calculus I (MATH 1310 is strongly recommended) is required.
3. STAT 1601 Intro to Data Science with R, or STAT 1602 Intro to Data Science with Python, or STAT 2020 Statistics for Biologists, or PSYC 2005 Research Methods and Data Analysis I. (STAT 1601 and 1602 are strongly recommended)
4. Physics - two semesters of physics and lab. General physics I and II (PHYS 1425 & 1429 and 2415 & 2419), or pre-health (PHYS 2010, 2020, 2030, and 2040).
5. BIOL 2100 - Introduction to Biology with Laboratory: Cell Biology & Genetics

Note: None of the courses in this section count toward the 27 major credits. Up to two CHEM requirement courses can be substituted with other 1000 or 2000 level courses offered in Engineering or Computer Science departments, demonstrating student’s strength in basic sciences that are relevant to neuroscience. However, substitute courses should be discussed with the director of Undergraduate Neuroscience Major for approval.

1. BIOL 3000 Cell Biology  
2. BIOL 3010 Genetics & Molecular Biology
3. BIOL 3050 Introduction to Neurobiology or PSYC 3200 Fundamentals of Neuroscience
4. PSYC 3160 Cognitive Neuroscience
5. Lab requirement can be fulfilled by (a) taking PSYC 3210 RM: Psychobiology Laboratory OR (b) 2 semesters of NESC 3960: Research in Neuroscience, with both semesters in the same lab. All students are encouraged to take PSYC 3210 even if they are taking NESC 3960.

Electives are organized into three groups. Students are required to take 12 credit hours, with at least one course from each group. All courses below are three hours

GROUP 1: Cellular and Molecular

BIOL 4011 - Homeostasis: The Wisdom of the Body 

BIOL 4015 - Neural Development Lab: From stem cells to neuronal circuitry 

BIOL 4045 - Neurodegenerative Diseases 

BIOL 4190 - Biological Clocks 

BIOL 4280 - The Genetic Basis of Behavior 

BIOL 4310 - Sensory Neurobiology 

BIOL 4330: Wiring the Brain 

BIOL 4660 - How do they do it? Method and Logic in Biomedical Science 

NESC 4245 - Neuroscience through the Nobels 

NESC 4265 - Developmental Neurobiology 

PSYC 3235 - Introduction to Epigenetics 

PSYC 3260 - Hidden Figures: Brain Science Through Diversity 

PSYC 4255 - Behavioral Epigenetics 

PSYC 4260 - RM: Genetic and Epigenetic Research in Behavior 

PSYC 5265 - Functional Neuroanatomy 

PSYC 5280 - Neuropsychopharmacology 

GROUP 2: Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience

BIOL 3250 - Introduction to Animal Behavior 

BIOL 4270 - Animal Behavior Laboratory 

PSYC 3100 - Learning and the Neuroscience of Behavior 

PSYC 3240 - Animal Minds 

PSYC 3420 - The Nature Nurture Debate

PSYC 3440 Child Psychopathology Credits: 3

PSYC 4100 - Neuroscience of Learning, Emotions and Motivation of Functional Behavior

PSYC 4155 - Autism: From Neurons to Neighborhoods

PSYC 4200 - Neural Mechanisms of Behavior 

PSYC 4215 - RM: Computational Methods in Psychology and Neuroscience

PSYC 4250 - Brain Systems Involved in Memory

PSYC 4260 Genetic and Epigenetic Research

PSYC 4280 - Neural Basis of Empathy

PSYC 4290 - Memory Distortions

PSYC 4420 - RM: Brain Mapping with MRI

PSYC 4607 - Uniquely Human Social Cognition

PSYC 5270 - RM: Computational Neuroscience

Group 3: Related Science and Quantitative Courses

BIOL 3030 - Biochemistry 

BIOL 3040 - Developmental and Regenerative Biology

BIOL 3240 - Introduction to Immunology

BIOL 3260 - Editing Genes and Genomes 

BIOL 4040 - Laboratory in Cell Biology

BIOL 4070 - Developmental Biology Laboratory

BIOL 4013 - Stem Cells in Development and Disease

BIOL 4250 - Human Genetics

BIOL 4260 - Cellular Mechanisms

BIOL 4320 - Signal Transduction: How cells talk to each other

BIOL 4410 Molecular Biology & Genetics

BIOL 4770 - Synthetic Biology

CHEM 4410 - Biological Chemistry I

CHEM 4411 - Biological Chemistry Laboratory I

CHEM 4420 - Biological Chemistry II

CHEM 4421 - Biological Chemistry Laboratory II

CHEM 4440 - Biochemistry for Pre-Health

BME 3636 - Neural Network Models of Cognition and Brain Computation

PSYC 5323 – RM R in Psychology

PSYC 5705 - Introduction to Bayesian Methods

PSYC 5710 - Machine Learning and Data Mining

Note: Additional 3000 and 4000 level STEM courses can be used for group 3 with the approval of Director of Undergraduate Neuroscience Major. 

All neuroscience majors are encouraged to apply for the Distinguished Major Program (DMP) during their sixth semester. Neuroscience majors who are contemplating application to the DMP should initiate independent research via NESC 3995, the research course for students not yet accepted to the NESC BA, or NESC 3960, the research course for admitted NESC BA students, as early as possible in their careers at UVA. It is also possible and preferable to initiate independent study during the summer. This need not be taken for course credit, and if the laboratory has sufficient funds, a stipend is possible to cover living expenses.

• Satisfaction of all college requirements as stated in this record with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4 in the student’s college and university courses;
• A GPA of at least 3.4 in all courses taken as part of the Neuroscience Major;
• A brief (1-2 page) proposal of the project, outlining the research question to be pursued, methods to be used, and expected outcomes that would support the hypothesis. A timetable to complete the project and a written endorsement of the work by the faculty member who will sponsor the distinguished major project should also be included.

Paperwork needs to be completed and approved before the end of classes in the sixth semester.

To gain admission to the DMP, the student submits his/her cumulative and Neuroscience GPA (with transcripts) and a research proposal (max 2 pages) to the Director of the DMP. The research proposal should summarize any results obtained relevant to the thesis project in prior semesters of NESC 3960 or NESC 3995. The names of the primary (i.e., mentor) and secondary faculty reader and the declared graduation date must also be included.  A secondary faculty reader is a faculty member with expertise in the field of the proposed thesis, who must agree in writing to assist in mentoring the student and evaluating the thesis.

Once admitted, the student registers for three credits of NESC 4970 in the first semester of the fourth year. In this course, students conduct research under the supervision of a UVA faculty member who directs research in neuroscience. In the second semester, the student registers for NESC 4980 to complete any unfinished research and write a thesis. The research project is intended to foster independent thought and develop the student’s critical ability to formulate and conduct scientific research. The date of the student’s final submission of the DMP thesis to the committee is two weeks before the last day of classes for that semester. The two-member faculty committee (mentor and second reader) reports its evaluation of the thesis to the DMP Director by the first day of the exam period. The executive committee of the major then considers the thesis evaluation, along with the student’s academic record, to submit a final level of distinction (Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction) to the College Registrar.

Admitted DMP students must also enroll in NESC 3980 - Current Topics in Neuroscience first term of their fourth year and in NESC 3985 Current Topics in Neuroscience II in the second term of their fourth year.