BS in Cognitive Neuroscience
In the innovative Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience program, students gain fluency in cognitive neuroscience, develop their analytical thinking and refine their ability to present compelling scientific arguments in both written and oral form. High-achieving students often assist in undergraduate research, external internships and honors seminars in special topics.
In the classroom, cognitive neuroscience students learn the fundamental theories, methods and results involved in neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience and the study of complex behavior.
"My passion for cognitive neuroscience is a result of the quality of my instructors … and being able to conduct my own research as an undergraduate."
Paul Scotti
BA '17
Cognitive Neuroscience in Action
Quieting the Voices of Schizophrenia
Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience Guangying Wu is trying to pinpoint the the misfiring neurons that cause agonizing internal noise for people with schizophrenia. His research enlisted the help of student researchers, colleagues in other scientific disciplines and a pack of genetically engineered mice.
Course Requirements
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
Below you will find the program-specific curriculum. While you have to satisfy the number of credits in each of the following domains listed, please note, course offerings vary by semester. See below for requirements and course you can take to fulfill them:
REQUIRED
11 to 14 credits in introductory natural science courses, including 8 credits in biological sciences and 3 or 6 credits in mathematics.
BISC 1111 Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules
BISC 1112 Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms
& MATH 1221 Calculus with Precalculus I
and Calculus with Precalculus II
or MATH 1231 Single-Variable Calculus I
Two courses in analytical methods (6 credits) selected from the following:
CSCI 1011 Introduction to Programming with Java
CSCI 1012 Introduction to Programming with Python 1
DATS 1001 Data Science for All
PUBH 3201 Introduction to Bioinformatics
STAT 1127 Statistics for the Biological Sciences 2
Three gateway courses (9 to 10 credits) that introduce core concepts selected from the following:
ANAT 2160 Human Functional Neuroanatomy
ANTH 1005 The Biological Bases of Human Behavior
BISC 2320 Neural Circuits and Behavior
PHIL 1153 The Meaning of Mind
PHIL 2045 Introduction to Logic
PSYC 2014 Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 2015 Biological Psychology
SLHS 2106 Neural Substrates of Speech, Language, and Hearing
SLHS 2131 Language Acquisition and Development
SLHS 2135 Language: Structure, Meaning, and Use
Six intermediate content courses (18 credits), which must include two courses from Cellular/molecular/systems neuroscience and four from the Cognitive neuroscience group:
Cellular/molecular/systems neuroscience
ANTH 3413 Evolution of the Human Brain
BISC 2220 Developmental Neurobiology
BISC 3320 Human Neurobiology
PSYC 3181 Introduction to Psychopharmacology
Cognitive neuroscience
PSYC 3115 Developmental Psychopathology
PSYC 3118 Neuropsychology
PSYC 3120 Neuroscience of Consciousness
PSYC 3121 Memory and Cognition
PSYC 3122 Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 3124 Visual Perception
SLHS 3133 Autism
SLHS 3116 Brain and Language
PHIL 3121 Symbolic Logic
ANTH 3503 Psychological Anthropology
PHIL 3153 Mind, Brain, and Artificial Intelligence
PSYC 3119 Cognitive Science in the District
PSYC 3127 Social and Affective Neuroscience
PSYC 3128 Health Psychology
PSYC 3180 Seminar in Cognitive Science
SLHS 3117 Hearing and Perception
SLHS 3132 Literacy
One research/laboratory experience in the Biology, Psychological & Brain Sciences, or Speech and Hearing Departments (3 to 4 credits). 3
& BISC 2453 Animal Behavior
and Animal Behavior Laboratory
PSYC 3591 Supervised Research Internship
PSYC 4106W Research Lab in Sensation and Perception
PSYC 4107W Research Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 4591 Independent Research
Four advanced content courses (12 to 16 credits) selected from the following:
ANTH 3401 Human Functional Anatomy
ANTH 3402 Human Evolutionary Anatomy
ANTH 3412 Hominin Evolution
or ANTH 3412W Hominin Evolution
ANTH 3491 Topics in Biological Anthropology 4
ANTH 3501 Anthropology of Development
ANTH 3601 Language, Culture, and Cognition
ANTH 3603 Psycholinguistics
ANTH 3691 Special Topics in Linguistic Anthropology 4
ANTH 3995 Undergraduate Research 4
BISC 3165 Biochemistry I
BISC 3166 Biochemistry II
BISC 3209 Molecular Biology
BISC 3320 Human Neurobiology
BISC 4132 Advanced Cellular-Molecular Biology
BISC 4171 Undergraduate Research 4
or BISC 4171W Undergraduate Research
BISC 4172 Independent Study 4
& CHEM 2153 Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
& CHEM 2154 Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
CHEM 4195 Undergraduate Research 4
PHIL 3121 Symbolic Logic
PHIL 3151 Philosophy of Science
or PHIL 3151W Philosophy and Science
PHIL 3152 Theory of Knowledge
PHIL 3153 Mind, Brain, and Artificial Intelligence
PHIL 3251 Philosophy of Biology
PHIL 4196 Topics in Theory of Knowledge 4
PHIL 4199 Readings and Research 4
or PHIL 4199W Readings and Research
PSYC 3116 Brain and Language
PSYC 3118 Neuropsychology
PSYC 3119 Cognitive Science in the District
PSYC 3120 Neuroscience of Consciousness
PSYC 3121 Memory and Cognition
PSYC 3122 Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 3124 Visual Perception
PSYC 3180 Seminar in Cognitive Science
PSYC 3198 Current Research Issues 4
PSYC 3199 Current Topics in Psychology 4
PSYC 3591 Supervised Research Internship 4
PSYC 4106W Research Lab in Sensation and Perception
PSYC 4107W Research Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC 4591 Independent Research 4
PSYC 4997 Honors Seminar
PUBH 3201 Introduction to Bioinformatics
SLHS 3117 Hearing and Perception
SLHS 3132 Literacy
SLHS 3133 Autism
SLHS 4196 Independent Study 4
SLHS 4221 Language and Communication in Aging
STAT 3119 Design and Analysis of Experiments
1 CSCI 1012 is recommended but not required to fulfill this requirement.
2 If a student wishes to take a Statistics course to fulfill this requirement, STAT 1127 is recommended but an equivalent STAT course may be substituted.
3 The research/laboratory experience requirement may also be fulfilled by taking any of the independent research/reading courses offered by the associated departments. Please find the list of research opportunities within the Psychological & Brain Sciences Department here (PDF). Courses that can be taken to fulfill the requirement are listed in the advanced content section with the footnote number 4. All courses so noted may be taken multiple times and each enrollment may be applied to either the advanced content or the research experience requirement.
4 These courses may have GPA requirements and permission of the instructor. Please contact the relevant departments for more information. Each must be taken for a total of at least 3 credits to count towards the requirement.