Degree Requirements

To view full details of all our degree requirements, click on the appropriate option below.

Note: Be sure to download the appropriate Majors/Minors Requirements Planning Worksheet in our Forms Section.

10 Neuroscience courses / 7 Co-requisites

The B.S. Major in Neuroscience comprises 5 foundational classes plus 5 elective courses. You should plan to complete all 5 foundational classes before your senior year, and before any in-depth seminar or lecture course at the 400-level or above. While this counsel is not enforced, it is strongly recommended and will certainly facilitate getting the most learning and practical experience out of your academic and scholarly activities in the Neuroscience major. 

BME Majors pursuing a Second Major (BS2) in Neuroscience should follow the guidelines below. Specific requirements will be noted where applicable. 

Five Foundational Courses

One Gateway

ALL prospective majors or minors in Neuroscience should take the “gateway” course as their first Neuroscience class:

  • NEUROSCI 101/PSY 106 Biological Basis of Behavior
  • NEUROSCI 102/PSY 107 Biological Bases of Behavior (TEAM based)

Two Core Courses

There are two core courses that reflect various levels of inquiry that should be experienced by all Majors in Neuroscience: the molecular and cellular level; the level of neural circuits within which cells are organized and interconnected; and the level of behavior.

  • NEUROSCI 217 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
  • NEUROSCI 223 Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology

One Statistics

All neuroscience majors should demonstrate proficiency in statistical sciences by completing one Statistics course at the 100-200 level. Courses offered outside of Neuroscience, primarily from the Department of Statistics. See list of qualifying courses.

Note: BME Majors pursuing a Second Major (BS2) in Neuroscience should take the BME-recommended Statistics course.

One Methods or Laboratory course (above NEUROSCI 300)

Completion of methods or laboratory courses will equip you with knowledge and skills that should facilitate productivity and success in Research Independent Study projects, so we recommend that you take one of these courses early in your program of study.

Note: BS2 Majors should take BME 301L Bioelectricity immediately upon completion of NEUROSCI 101/102 (or concurrently); this course is considered foundational for a BME major with a BS2 in Neuroscience.

Five Elective Courses

Electives

Neuroscience Majors are required to explore the breadth and depth of the field by fulfilling five elective requirements in Neuroscience. Seminar, lecture, methods/laboratory elective offerings are drawn from a dynamic list of approximately 50 courses that are offered by five Departments in Trinity College, as well as Departments in the School of Medicine and the Pratt School of Engineering (see Complete Course Listing)

  • One in-depth (350S or higher) seminar elective  
  • Four other electives drawn from the following, for example:
    • Lecture electives
    • Research Independent study 493-496 (no more than two; recommend taking Methods/Laboratory first). Prior to registration in NEUROSCI 493, you must complete two NEUROSCI courses 
    • Independent Scholarship 391-392
    • intersection courses (may only count one)

Note: no more than two of the ten courses required for the Major in Neuroscience (not including co-requisites) may be used to satisfy the requirements of another major or other academic program. For BME and BS2 Majors, this rule only applies to the electives: of the 5 Neuroscience electives, no more than 2 electives may be cross-listed between NEUROSCI and BME.

10 Neuroscience courses / 5 Co-requisites

The A.B. major in neuroscience comprises 5 foundational classes plus 5 elective courses. You should plan to complete all 5 foundational classes before your senior year, and before any in-depth seminar or lecture course at the 400-level or above. While this counsel is not enforced, it is strongly recommended and will certainly facilitate getting the most learning and practical experience out of your academic and scholarly activities in the Neuroscience major.

Note: 5 Co-requisites-- same as detailed in B.S. major requirementsexcept only one term (or equivalent) of calculus is required, and there is no requirement for Computer Science.

Five Foundational Courses

One Gateway

ALL prospective majors or minors in Neuroscience should take the “gateway” course as their first Neuroscience class:

  • NEUROSCI 101/PSY 106 Biological Basis of Behavior
  • NEUROSCI 102/PSY 107 Biological Bases of Behavior (TEAM based)

Two Core Courses

There are two core courses that reflect various levels of inquiry that should be experienced by all Majors in Neuroscience: the molecular and cellular level; the level of neural circuits within which cells are organized and interconnected; and the level of behavior.

  • NEUROSCI 217 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
  • NEUROSCI 223 Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology

One Statistics

All neuroscience majors should demonstrate proficiency in statistical sciences by completing one Statistics course at the 100-200 level. Courses offered outside of Neuroscience, primarily from the Department of Statistics. See list of qualifying courses.

One Methods or Laboratory course (above NEUROSCI 300)

Completion of methods or laboratory courses will equip you with knowledge and skills that should facilitate productivity and success in Research Independent Study projects, so we recommend that you take one of these courses early in your program of study.

Five Elective Courses

Electives

Neuroscience Majors are required to explore the breadth and depth of the field by fulfilling 5 elective requirements in Neuroscience. Seminar, lecture, methods/laboratory elective offerings are drawn from a dynamic list of approximately 50 courses that are offered by five Departments in Trinity College, as well as Departments in the School of Medicine and the Pratt School of Engineering (see Complete Course Listing)

  • One in-depth (350S or higher) seminar elective  
  • Intersection elective course (must take at least one)
  • Three other electives (from any NEUROSCI course category); for example:
    • Lecture electives 
    • Research Independent study 493-496 (no more than two; recommend taking Methods/Laboratory first). Prior to registration in NEUROSCI 493, you must complete two NEUROSCI courses 
    • Independent Scholarship 391-392

Note: no more than two of the ten courses required for the Major in Neuroscience (not including co-requisites) may be used to satisfy the requirements of another major or other academic program.

  • Neuroscience coursework should start with NEUROSCI 101 or 102 (Biological Bases of Behavior)
  • Next, take 2 NEUROSCI core courses: NEUROSCI 217, 223
  • Concurrent with core courses, take:  
    • 1 course in statistical science or computer science
    • 1 NEUROSCI methods/lab course (e.g., NEUROSCI 376, NEUROSCI 380L)      
  • Then, take 2 NEUROSCI electives, with 1 being an upper division seminar (>350S or higher)
  • While working through the neuroscience courses listed above, fulfill a subset of co-requisite requirements across the two departments (a total of 3 co-requisite courses for A.B. and 5 co-requisite courses for B.S.). If both departments require co-requisites, then the courses can be split between departments at the discretion of the student and Director of Undergraduate Studies. Otherwise, students should choose among the co-requisites available for the appropriate A.B. or B.S. tracks of the Neuroscience major.
  • Complete Trinity’s Interdepartmental Major Proposal. 
  • Before completing the Trinity Interdepartmental Major Proposal, discuss your plan with the Directors of Undergraduate Studies of BOTH majors.

Minor in Neuroscience for students in Trinity College

Minimum of 5 neuroscience courses:

Note: no more than two of the five courses required for the Minor may be used to satisfy the requirements of another major, minor or certificate.

Minor in Neuroscience for students in the Pratt School of Engineering

Minimum of 5 neuroscience courses:

  • start with the gateway course
  • next, take one of the core courses in Neuroscience [NEUROSCI 217 or 223].
  • BME 301L / NEUROSCI 301L Electrophysiology should then be taken next
  • take two or more Neuroscience electives that are not cross-listed between NEUROSCI and BME (allied electives do not count)

Note: no more than two of the five courses required for the Minor may be used to satisfy the requirements of another major, minor or certificate.