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Undergraduate Study

The Neuroscience major is a designated capstone major. Undergraduate students have the option of conducting two terms of independent research within a faculty laboratory or completing an advanced laboratory methods course with a series of research modules. Through their capstone work, students demonstrate ability to generate testable scientific hypotheses and develop a research plan to test such hypotheses; work on research projects independently and in small groups; evaluate and discuss primary literature and the validity of hypotheses generated by others; communicate effectively orally and in writing; and demonstrate creative thinking.

Neuroscience B.S.

Capstone Major

Preparation for the Major

Life Sciences Core Curriculum

Required: Life Sciences 1, 2, 3, 4, 23L; Chemistry and Biochemistry 14A, 14B, 14BL, 14C, 14CL, and 14D, or 20A, 20B, 20L, 30A, 30AL, 30B, and 30BL; Mathematics 3A, 3B, and 3C, or 31A, 31B, and 32A; Physics 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, and 4BL, or 6A, 6B, and 6C; one course from Statistics 10 or 13.

Each core curriculum course must be passed with a grade of C- or better, and all courses must be completed with an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better. Students receiving grades below C- in two core curriculum courses, either in separate courses or repetitions of the same course, are subject to dismissal from the major.

Transfer Students

Transfer applicants to the Neuroscience major with 90 or more units must complete the following introductory courses prior to admission to UCLA: one year of general biology with laboratory for majors, preferably equivalent to Life Sciences 1 and 2, one year of calculus, one year of general chemistry with laboratory for majors, one semester of organic chemistry with laboratory, and one statistics course. A second semester of organic chemistry or one year of calculus-based physics is strongly recommended but not required for admission.

Refer to the UCLA Transfer Admission Guide at http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr.htm for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.

The Major

The Neuroscience major consists of 11 courses (approximately 47 units). Consult respective departmental or program listings for course descriptions.

Required Core: Neuroscience M101A (with grade of C- or better for Neuroscience majors), M101B, M101C, 102, Chemistry and Biochemistry 153A, 153L. Psychology 115 cannot be substituted for Neuroscience M101A; however, Physiological Science 111A can be substituted.

Elective Options: One course from each of the following three options:

Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience: Neuroscience M119L, M130, C172, 178, 179, 191A, Physiological Science C144, M181, Psychology 110, 112A, 112B, M117J, 118, 119A through 119F, M119L, 119M, 119P, 119R, 119S, M119X, 120A, 120B, 124A, 124B, 124I, or 127B.

Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Neuroscience: Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 162, Neuroscience M130, M145, M148, C177, 180, 181, 182, 191C, Physiological Science C126, M145, 146, 147, M148, M181, or Psychology M117J.

Systems and Integrative Neuroscience: Neuroscience M119N, M130, M145, 191B, Physiological Science C126, 138, C144, M145, 146, 147, 173, 177, M181, Psychology 112B, M117J, 119A, 119B, 119M, M119N, 119P, 119Q, 119S, or 120B.

Capstone Research Options: (1) Neuroscience 101L or (2) Neuroscience 198A and 198B, or 199A and 199B. Students who select the Neuroscience 101L capstone research option must take four upper division electives, with at least one from each of the three elective options. Students who select the Neuroscience 198A and 198B, or 199A and 199B option must take three upper division electives, one from each elective option.

No more than eight courses may be from any one department. A maximum of 8 units of Neuroscience 198 or 199 in any combination) may be applied toward the major. Each course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better in all upper division courses taken for the major.

Honors Program

The honors program provides exceptional Neuroscience majors with the opportunity to do research culminating in an honors thesis. Majors who have completed all preparation courses with a grade-point average of 3.0 or better and an overall GPA of 3.2 or better may apply for admission to the honors program. Applications and program requirements are available in the Neuroscience Undergraduate Office and at http://www.neurosci.ucla.edu. Students must submit the application before beginning their upper division honors requirements. After completion of all requirements and with the recommendation of the faculty sponsor and a second reader of the thesis, the chair confers honors at graduation.

Neuroscience Minor

The Neuroscience minor is designed to allow students in other majors an opportunity to explore the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience in a structured and rigorous way, while pursuing a major field of study in another discipline at the same time.

To enter the minor, students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better and a 2.5 GPA in the requisite courses for Neuroscience M101A and M101B.

Nonscience majors wishing to minor in Neuroscience should be aware that preparation courses in chemistry, life sciences, and physics are requisites to the upper division course requirements.

Required Upper Division Courses (approximately 31 units): Neuroscience M101A, M101B, M101C (5 units each) and four elective courses selected from 101L, 102, 199A and 199B, and from any of the three elective options listed under the Neuroscience major.

A minimum of 20 units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor.

No more than two courses may be applied toward both this minor and a major or minor in another department or program.

Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better. Successful completion of the minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.