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Academic Course Map for Neuroscience (B.A.)
Program Overview
The Bachelor of Art degree in Neuroscience (NRSC) at CU Boulder provides students with a fundamental understanding of brain function that emerges from knowledge of the interplay of the molecular, cellular and systems-level operation of the nervous system, with subfields including molecular, cellular, developmental, neural circuits or systems, behavioral, cognitive and translational or medical neuroscience.
Students take courses in neuroscience, genetics, biology, chemistry, genomics, statistics, quantitative thinking, neurobiology, neuroendocrinology and neuropharmacology, as well as elective courses in biochemistry, anatomy, physiology and psychology. The curriculum is intended for students interested in advanced graduate training in neuroscience or life sciences, or careers in health-related fields or the biotechnology industry. Careers that a neuroscientist could pursue include biological scientist, physician or surgeon, pharmacist, veterinarian, scientific research and development, speech language pathologist and physical therapist.
CU Boulder's Department of Psychology and Neuroscience has been ranked by the National Academy of Sciences as one of the best in the country with respect to the quality of the faculty and their scholarly productivity. Moreover, the department offers undergraduates a wide range of opportunities for involvement in research.
Admission Requirements
Students who begin at a Colorado Community College can transfer directly to CU Boulder to finish their degree in any of the programs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Please see the CU Boulder College of Arts & Sciences’ Colorado Community College webpage for more information detailed information admissions requirements for students transfering from a Colorado Community College.
Transfer Recommendations
To graduate in a 4-year overall time frame, it is important that students follow the recommended schedule below. Students who wish to continue their education at the community college beyond the number of credits specified below should explore with both community college and CU Boulder staff how their graduation timeline, COF stipend, and financial aid will be affected.
Suggested Four-Year Course Plan for the Neuroscience (NRSC) major
This is a suggested guide of coursework only and is subject to change. Always consult your academic advisor for graduation planning purposes. Depending on a student’s situation, a different plan might be more applicable.
Community College (first two years)
Fall Semester 1
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 121/1021* | English Composition I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
|
BIO 111/1111 |
General College Biology I with Lab (GT-SC1) |
5 |
| PSY 101/1001 | General Psychology I (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| MAT 135/1260 | Intro to Statistics (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 14 |
Spring Semester 1
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 122/1022 | English Composition II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
|
BIO 112/1112 |
Gen College Biology II with Lab (GT- SC1) |
5 |
| CHE 101/1011** | Introduction to Chemistry I with Lab (GT-SC1) | 5 |
| PSY 102/1002 | General Psychology II (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 16 |
Fall Semester 2
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 111/1111 | General College Chemistry I with Lab (GT-SC1) | 5 |
| Guaranteed Transfer History Course (GT-HI1) | 3 | |
| Guaranteed Transfer Arts & Humanities Course (GT-AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4) | 3 | |
| Transfer Elective [PSY 255/2661 Brain and Behavior recommended if available] | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 14 |
Spring Semester 2
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 112/1112 | General College Chemistry II with Lab (GT-SC1) | 5 |
|
COM 125/1250 OR COM 220/2300 |
Interpersonal Communication GT-SS3) OR |
3 |
| 2nd Guaranteed Transfer Arts & Humanities Course from a different GT AH area than the 1st | 3 | |
|
Guaranteed Transfer Course in any one of the following categories (GT-AH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3, GT-AH4, GT-HI1, GT-SS1, GT-SS2, GT-SS3) |
3 | |
| Transfer Elective | 2 | |
| Total Credits | 16 |
Total credits at Community College: 60
Completion of the four semesters of coursework above fulfills the requirements for an Associate of Arts Degree at a Colorado community college and fulfills all the General Education Requirements at CU Boulder.
CU Boulder (last two years)
Fall Semester 3
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NRSC 2125 | Intro to Neuroscience I: Foundations | 4 |
|
MCDB 2150 |
Principles of Genetics |
3 |
|
MCDB 1161 OR |
From Dirt to DNA: Phage Genomics Laboratory I OR |
2 |
|
Upper-Division Non-Major Elective |
3 | |
| Upper-Division Non-Major Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Spring Semester 3
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NRSC 2150 | Intro to Neuroscience I: Systems | 4 |
|
NRSC 2200 |
Lab Techniques in Neuroscience |
2 |
|
MCDB 3135 |
Molecular Biology |
3 |
|
Upper-Division Non-Major Elective |
3 | |
| Upper-Division Non-Major Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Fall Semester 4
| Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Upper-Division Neuroscience Core Major Course | 3 |
|
Upper-Division Neuroscience Core Major Course |
3 |
|
Upper Division Neuroscience Major Elective |
3 |
|
Upper Division Elective |
3 |
| Upper Division Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Spring Semester 4
| Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| Upper-Division Neuroscience Core Major Course | 3 |
|
Upper Division Neuroscience Major Elective |
3 |
|
Upper Division Neuroscience Major Elective |
3 |
|
Upper Division Elective |
3 |
| Upper Division Elective | 3 |
| Total Credits | 15 |
Total credits at CU Boulder: 60
Completion of all eight semesters of the above coursework fulfills the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Neuroscience at CU Boulder.
*For community college courses, the first course number is before summer 2022 and the second course number is in summer 2022 and after.
**Prep course for CHE 111/1111 General College Chemistry. If student can start with CHE 111/1111, replace credits with electives.
This material was supported by NSF grant #1649201. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.