2024-2025 Catalog 
    
    Oct 31, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog

Neuroscience Major


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Current USF students–please read!

Due to limited capacity, the neuroscience major cannot accept any transfers from current USF students in other majors during the 2024-2025 academic year. After that, transfers may be considered on a case-by-case basis, as capacity allows. However, please be aware that transfers beginning in 2025-2026 are not guaranteed, and transferring may delay a student’s graduation. Given these limitations, current USF students interested in the neuroscience major are strongly encouraged to add the neuroscience minor instead. Students making good progress in the neuroscience minor will be notified if and when the major begins accepting transfers from other majors after the 2024-2025 academic year.
 

Students can reach out to Sarah Hillenbrand, Director of the Neuroscience Major, shillenbrand@usfca.edu, with questions about the major, and to Marisa Knight, Director of the Neuroscience Minor, mrknight@usfca.edu, with questions about the minor.
 

The Neuroscience Major at the University of San Francisco trains students to apply a foundational knowledge of neuroscience to promote social justice, advocate for societal attitudes that embrace neurodiversity and ensure neurological and mental health equity.  Students will be equipped to utilize their skills in a wide variety of career trajectories, from healthcare, technology, and public policy to graduate programs in neuroscience.

Program Learning Outcomes


Students will:

  • Discuss the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, and empirical approaches in Neuroscience
  • Investigate basic problems in neuroscience by applying empirical methods, including designing and implementing research protocols and critically evaluating and interpreting data
  • Examine neuroscientific content in the broader context of the whole person as an individual and member of society
  • Evaluate the complexity of sociocultural, neurodevelopmental, and neurological diversity, especially as it pertains to mental health and the conditions under which all humans can thrive.
  • Synthesize and communicate neuroscientific information effectively in a variety of formats

Major Requirements (60 units)


Required Foundational Courses (24 units)


Breadth Courses (8 units)


  • NEUR 3XX - Cognitive Neuroscience
  • NEUR 3XX - Social and Affective Neuroscience
  • NEUR 3XX - Behavioral Neuroscience
  • NEUR 3XX - Computational Neuroscience
  • NEUR 3XX - Neuroscience-informed User Design
  • NEUR 3XX - Biological Neuroscience: Molecular, Pharmacological and Motor Systems

Community Engaged Learning Requirement (4 units, 100 hours)


  • NEUR 4XX - Neuroscience Practicum: Industry
  • NEUR 4XX - Neuroscience Practicum: Research
  • NEUR 4XX - Neuroscience Practicum: Public Policy, Legal or Ethical Issues

Capstone Requirement (4 units)


  • NEUR 4XX - Advanced Topics in Neuroscience
  • NEUR 4XX - Advanced Project in Neuroscience

Degree Planner


Research


First-Year


Fall Units
Core - B2: NEUR 101 - Introduction to Neuroscience I 4
Core - D1: PHIL 195 - FYS: First-Year Seminar   4
Written Communication I 4
BIOL 105 - Gen Biology - Molec of Life    4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 102 - Introduction to Neuroscience II 4
Cultural Diversity (CD): NEUR 103 - Neurodiversity, Health Equity and Research Ethics 4
Core - A2: Written Communication II 4
Core - A1: Public Speaking 4
Total Semester Units 16

Sophomore Year


Fall Units
Core - B1: NEUR 201- Data Analysis and Research Design for the Neurosciences I 4
CHEM 111 - General Chemistry I    3
CHEM 112 - Laboratory   1
Language - Course 1 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 202 - Data Analysis and Research Design for the Neurosciences II 4
BIOL 115 - Human Physiology    3
BIOL 116 - Human Physiology Lab   1
Language - Course 2 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16

Junior Year


Fall Units
NEUR 3XX - Biological Neuroscience: Molecular, Pharmacological and Motor Systems 4
BSDS 100 - Intro to Data Science with R   4
Core 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 3XX - Cognitive Neuroscience 4
NEUR 3XX - Social and Affective Neuroscience 4
Core 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16

Senior Year


Fall Units
Community - Engaged Learning (CEL): NEUR 4XX - Neuroscience Practicum 4
NEUR 4XX - Advanced Topics in Neuroscience (Capstone) 4
PSYC 351 - Human Neuropsychology   4
NEUR 5XX - Honors in Neuroscience I: Proposal Development 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 5XX - Honors in Neuroscience II: Data Analysis and Scientific Report 4
PHIL 204 - Philosophy of Science   4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16

*This information is subject to change, the degree planner is a sample, and students should consult with the department for any updated information. 

Technology


First-Year


Fall Units
Core - B2: NEUR 101 - Introduction to Neuroscience I 4
Core - D1: PHIL 195 - FYS: First-Year Seminar   4
Written Communication I 4
Core  4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 102 - Introduction to Neuroscience II 4
Cultural Diversity (CD): NEUR 103 - Neurodiversity, Health Equity and Research Ethics 4
Core - A2: Written Communication II 4
Core - A1: Public Speaking 4
Total Semester Units 16

Sophomore Year


Fall Units
Core - B1: NEUR 201- Data Analysis and Research Design for the Neurosciences I 4
MATH 109 - Calculus & Analytic Geom I  (Prerequisite MATH 108 - Precalculus ) 4
Language - Course 1 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 202 - Data Analysis and Research Design for the Neurosciences II 4
BIOL 115 - Human Physiology  & BIOL 116 - Human Physiology Lab  or BIOL 105 - Gen Biology - Molec of Life   4
Language - Course 2 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16

Junior Year


Fall Units
NEUR 3XX - Computational Neuroscience 4
BSDS 100 - Intro to Data Science with R   4
Core 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 3XX - Neuroscience-informed User Design 4
CS 110 - Intro to Computer Science I   4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16

Senior Year


Fall Units
Community - Engaged Learning (CEL): NEUR 4XX - Neuroscience Practicum 4
PSYC 319 - Cognitive Psychology   4
Elective  4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 4XX - Advanced Topics in Neuroscience (Capstone) 4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16

*This information is subject to change, the degree planner is a sample, and students should consult with the department for any updated information. 

Ethics and Policy


First-Year


Fall Units
Core - B2: NEUR 101 - Introduction to Neuroscience I 4
Core - D1: PHIL 195 - FYS: First-Year Seminar   4
Written Communication I 4
Core  4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 102 - Introduction to Neuroscience II 4
Cultural Diversity (CD): NEUR 103 - Neurodiversity, Health Equity and Research Ethics 4
Core - A2: Written Communication II 4
Core - A1: Public Speaking 4
Total Semester Units 16

Sophomore Year


Fall Units
Core - B1: NEUR 201- Data Analysis and Research Design for the Neurosciences I 4
PHIL 251 - Mind, Freedom & Knowledge   4
Language - Course 1 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 202 - Data Analysis and Research Design for the Neurosciences II 4
BIOL 115 - Human Physiology  or BIOL 105 - Gen Biology - Molec of Life  & BIOL 105L - Gen Biology - Molec Lab    3
BIOL 116 - Human Physiology Lab   1
Language - Course 2 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16

Junior Year


Fall Units
NEUR 3XX - Social and Affective Neuroscience 4
PSYC 351 - Human Neuropsychology   4
Core 4
Core 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 3XX - Cognitive Neuroscience 4
PHIL 204 - Philosophy of Science    4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16

Senior Year


Fall Units
Community - Engaged Learning (CEL): NEUR 4XX - Neuroscience Practicum 4
PSYC 319 - Cognitive Psychology   4
Elective  4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16
Spring Units
NEUR 4XX - Advanced Topics in Neuroscience (Capstone) 4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Elective 4
Total Semester Units 16

*This information is subject to change, the degree planner is a sample, and students should consult with the department for any updated information. 

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