Neuroscience New Major Requirements

These updated Neuroscience major requirements will apply to students who matriculated at St. Lawrence University starting in Fall of 2022 (i.e., SLU classes of 2026 and beyond). If a student in the classes of 2023, 2024, or 2025 wishes to pursue the new requirements, they may do so after consultation with their major advisor.

Students may elect a cellular track or a behavioral track as described below. It is imperative that first-year students seek early advisement from a biology or psychology faculty member; they should also begin the introductory courses in each department during the first year. Occasionally, special topics courses in biology, neuroscience and psychology not listed in the Catalog that may count toward this major.

Students may also apply to have one abroad course count as an elective. Note that students majoring in neuroscience may also not major or minor in either biology, psychology, biochemistry, or biomedical sciences. 

Courses

Core Courses (required by both tracks)

Biology

101,102. General Biology. (2.5 units) - Students must earn at least a 2.0 in each semester of General Biology.

Chemistry

103, 104. General Chemistry. (2.5 units)

221. Organic Chemistry. (1.25 units)

Statistics

113. Applied Statistics. (1 unit)

Neuroscience

288. Introduction to Neuroscience. (1.25 units)

389. Advanced Neuroscience. (1 unit)

Psychology

100NL or 101WL. Introductory Psychology. (without or with lab) (1 unit)

Total: 10.5 units

Cellular Neuroscience Track

Biology

One of the following: (1.25 unit)

250. Research Methods in Cell Biology (with lab)

392. Research Methods in Fluorescence and Confocal Microscopy (with lab)

395. Research Methods in Molecular Biology (with lab)

Plus four additional courses from the following list. At least two must have a laboratory and at least two must be neuroscience courses.: (4.5 units)

Neuroscience

233. Neuroscience of Fear.

387. Cellular Mechanisms of Memory

388. Drugs and the Brain (with lab)

399. Current Topics in Neuroscience.

489/490. Senior-Year Experience (SYE) (1 unit)

Biology

245/246. Genetics.

250. Introduction to Cell Biology

252. Research Methods in Cell Biology (with lab; if not taken to satisfy the research methods requirement)

309. Biochemistry.

333. Immunology (with lab)

341. Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab)

351. Anatomy and Physiology II (with lab)

392. Research Methods in Fluorescence and Confocal Microscopy (with lab; if not taken to satisfy the research methods requirement)

395. Research Methods in Molecular Biology (with lab; if not taken to satisfy the research methods requirement)

Behavioral Neuroscience Track

Psychology

205. Research Methods in Psychology (with lab). (1.25 units)

Plus four additional courses from the following list. At least two must have a laboratory and at least two must be neuroscience courses:

Neuroscience

233. Neuroscience of Fear.

388. Drugs and the Brain (with lab)

399. Current Topics in Neuroscience.

438. Human Neuropsychology.

462. Behavioral Neuroscience

489/490. Senior-Year Experience (SYE) (1 unit)

Psychology

326. Hormones and Behavior. (by permission of the instructor)

327. Sensation and Perception (with or without lab)

401. Learning and Behavior (with lab)

402. Memory and Cognition (with or without lab)

432. Animal Behavior (with lab)

459. Cognitive Science.

Advanced Standing

Students scoring a 4 or 5 on the AP biology test must enroll in the first semester of Biology 101 (General Biology) for which they will receive the normal 1.25 units of credit toward the neuroscience major. Students who do well in this course may bypass the spring biology course (Biology 102) and receive the course credit toward the major. This requires approval of the General Biology instructors, who use multiple criteria to determine whether or not the AP student should take the spring course. The AP score of 4 or 5 automatically nominates a student for this option, but the student may also volunteer to forgo it.

Students who have taken Advanced Placement psychology and received a grade of 4 or 5 on the advanced test are eligible to receive 1 unit of credit for PSYC 101NL (without lab).