Frequently Asked Questions

You have to apply for the certificate. Most students apply in their junior or senior year, but you can apply at any time. Please use the online application form to apply.

Most students who receive the certificate are from one of these three departments, but other majors are eligible as long as they fulfill the Grade Point Average and course requirements. You should contact the coordinator of the certificate program concerning your possible eligibility. Only current undergraduates at the University of Colorado Boulder are eligible for this certificate. Students from other campuses are ineligible.

If you are a double major between IPHY, MCDB, and PSYC, chances are that you will have fulfilled the distribution requirement with the proper selection of advanced neuroscience courses. In such a case, you do not have to take an additional course in a third department.

Yes, the coordinator strictly enforces the grade requirement. There is limited flexibility regarding the course requirements. For example, a course taken at another university might substitute for a certificate requirement. Be sure to consult with the coordinator about a possible substitution, preferably before enrolling in another course. Do not assume that you can substitute a course without approval of the coordinator. Finally, you have to take all the required courses for a letter grade, not pass/fail.

You are required to take a laboratory in General Chemistry (1 year), Physics (1 year), and Introduction to Molecular Biology (1 semester).

No. A general genetics course gives you a broad overview of the field.

For students interested in attending medical school, the certificate demonstrates that you have a broader academic training than many of your peers, and that breadth could influence an admissions committee. For students interested in attending graduate school, especially in neuroscience, the certificate shows that you have a rigorous background in the discipline, even if you did not major in neuroscience.

Contact the coordinator who will request an override to register for the course. This has worked well in the past.

Yes, in some cases. Check with the coordinator first. On-line lab courses, however, do not count toward the certificate.

The certificate is awarded following graduation and you NEED to send a request to the coordinator, together with the worksheet you were provided upon your initial request to add the certificate to your program of study. After graduation, the coordinator will review your worksheet and grade point average against your transcript. If you meet the requirements, a notation of successful completion of the undergraduate neuroscience certificate program is added to your official CU transcript. The official designation of the awarding of the neuroscience certificate is currently being made right after your bachelor’s degree appears on your transcript.

Yes, but remember that you HAVE to send the request for award of the certificate to the coordinator immediately after your bachelor’s degree is conferred. Once your bachelor’s degree appears on your transcript and you request designation of the awarding of the neuroscience certificate, it will usually take 5-7 business days for the certificate to appear on your transcript.

If you miss the deadline for requesting the certificate, it is no longer possible to retroactively award the certificate.