Neuroscience (NEUR)

The program in neuroscience offers students an interdisciplinary major representing biology, psychology, animal behavior, chemistry, mathematics, biomedical engineering, and physics. The neuroscience major is intended to give students opportunities, through coursework and research experience, to study the nervous system, its development and influence on behavior (broadly defined). Our faculty are active and productive scholars who involve students in their research programs, and thus we view research experience as a key aspect to the learning process.

The neuroscience major is offered within the Bachelor of Science degree program. All students are strongly encouraged to participate in research with faculty, as volunteers in their laboratories, or through independent studies and honors theses. Faculty interests and facilities include cell and molecular wet labs, electroencephalography for studying brain activity and cognitive/affective and perceptual processes, animal behavior labs for studying behavior and development in vertebrates (we house four species of primates, as well as rats, fish, turtles, mice, prairie voles, and bats), and invertebrates (e.g., flies and honey bees). We also have facilities for studying vision, cognition, and hormones and behavior. Students who succeed in neuroscience will be well-equipped to go on to graduate study in neuroscience, biology, psychology, and medicine, as well as to work in a variety of other disciplines including fields relating to biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or medical instrumentation.

Bachelor of Science In Neuroscience

The Bachelor of Science major in neuroscience requires 17 courses (12 basic courses, plus five required 300-level courses). The students choose these five courses from a specified list of advanced neuroscience courses. One of the five can be chosen from a list of related courses as described below.

Of the 17 total courses taken by neuroscience majors, the following 12 courses are required:

Program Requirements
NEUR 100	Introduction to Neuroscience	1
BIOL 205	Introduction to Molecules and Cells	1
BIOL 207	Genetics	1
NEUR/PSYC 250	Biopsychology	1
NEUR 253	Neural Cell Biology	1
CHEM 211   & CHEM 212	Organic Chemistry I    and Organic Chemistry II	2
MATH 201	Calculus I	1
MATH 216	Statistics I	1
Select one of the following:		1
NEUR 248	Developmental Psychobiology
PSYC 203	Learning
PSYC 204	Human Cognition
PSYC 252	Sensation and Perception
PHYS 211   & PHYS 212	Classical and Modern Physics I    and Classical and Modern Physics II	2
Electives
Five advanced neuroscience electives 1,2		5

1

Advanced neuroscience electives must be chosen from the courses listed in Category I and Category II with a minimum of two from Category I and two from Category II. One credit of Undergraduate Research (NEUR 399) or Honors Thesis (NEUR 360) can be counted toward one of the two Categories. The Category toward which the research counts depends on the nature of the research. One course from the neuroscience-related electives list can also be counted as one of the five.

2

Students are encouraged to become involved in independent study research, (NEUR 399 Undergraduate Research); however, only one undergraduate research credit can be counted toward the five courses required for the major.

Category I

BIOL 322	Physiological Mechanisms	1
BIOL 324	Neurophysiology	1
BIOL/NEUR 332	Developmental Neurobiology	1
BIOL 342	Neuroethology	1
BMEG 441	Neural Signals and Systems	1
NEUR 348	Behavioral Pharmacology	1

Category II

PSYC 305	Developmental Psychopathology	1
PSYC/NEUR 313	Researching Behavioral Neuroscience	1
PSYC 318	Cognitive Aging	1
PSYC 339	Psychology of Music	1
PSYC 340	Behavioral Neuroscience	1
PSYC/NEUR 344	Developmental Brain Research	1
PSYC 349	Cognitive Neuroscience	1
PSYC 352	Face Perception	1

Neuroscience-related Courses

General Neuroscience-related Courses
BIOL 318	Principles of Physiology	1
BIOL 328	Endocrinology	1
BIOL 337	Biology of Aging	1
BMEG 300	Biotransport I	1
BMEG 409	Fabrication and Experimental Design	.5
BMEG 461	Brain, Mind and Culture	1
NEUR 399	Undergraduate Research	1
PSYC 315	Language Development	1
PSYC 324	Advanced Psychological Statistics	1
Courses Reflect Interests In Cell and Molecular Neuroscience
BIOL 304	Biology of Cancer	1
BIOL 327	Molecular Biology	1
BIOL 331	Genomics	1
BIOL 339	Developmental Biology	1
BIOL 340	Biochemical Methods	1
BIOL 347	Virology	1
BIOL 352	Cell Biology	1
CHEM 351	Biochemistry I	1
Courses Recommended but Not Required
Select one of the following:
CHEM 201   & CHEM 202	General Chemistry I    and General Chemistry II
CHEM 221   & CHEM 231	Inorganic Chemistry I    and Analytical Chemistry
MATH 202	Calculus II	1

Students need not choose any specific course of study or concentration within neuroscience. However, students with interests in particular aspects of the neuroscience major may consider choosing among courses that reflect these interests, such as cognitive and behavioral neuroscience or cellular and molecular neuroscience. Students interested in pursuing such interests should consult with their adviser on how best to accomplish their goals.

The recommended sequence for the neuroscience Bachelor of Science major is as follows:

First Year
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
NEUR 100	1	PSYC 250	1
BIOL 205	1	MATH 216	1
MATH 201	1
	3		2
Sophomore
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
CHEM 211	1	CHEM 212	1
BIOL 207	1	NEUR 248, PSYC 203, PSYC 204, or PSYC 252	1
NEUR 253	1
	3		2
Junior
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
PHYS 211	1	PHYS 212	1
300-level advanced neuroscience elective(s)	1	300-level advanced neuroscience elective(s)	1
	2		2
Senior
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
300-level advanced neuroscience elective(s)	2	300-level advanced neuroscience elective(s)	1
	2		1
Total Credits: 17

We recommend that students who come to Bucknell with Advanced Placement (AP) credit in calculus begin their CHEM sequence in the first semester of the first year.

Writing in the Major

Neuroscience students will satisfy the writing in the major requirement by completing BIOL 205 Introduction to Molecules and Cells. In BIOL 205 Introduction to Molecules and Cells students are given direct instruction by the professor and through assigned readings from a text on scientific writing. Students will submit sections of four laboratory reports describing the results and conclusions from their experiments. Students will receive feedback on preliminary drafts of each report and will be given an opportunity to discuss their drafts as they prepare their final submissions.

Formal Presentation Experience

Students in the NEUR major will satisfy the formal presentation requirement by completing NEUR 253 Neural Cell Biology. Other NEUR courses also offer instruction on, and assessment of, formal presentations, or leading discussions. Students who are interested in gaining further instruction on presentations might consider taking one or some of the following courses:

ANBE/BIOL 342	Neuroethology	1
BIOL 324	Neurophysiology	1
NEUR 248	Developmental Psychobiology	1
NEUR/PSYC 305	Developmental Psychopathology	1
NEUR/PSYC 348	Behavioral Pharmacology	1
PSYC 203	Learning	1
PSYC 315	Language Development	1
PSYC 318	Cognitive Aging	1
PSYC 339	Psychology of Music	1

Information Literacy

Neuroscience students will satisfy their information literacy requirement by completing BIOL 205 Introduction to Molecules and Cells and NEUR 253 Neural Cell Biology. Students may also satisfy their information literacy requirement by completing an independent study (NEUR 399 Undergraduate Research). Students who want their independent study credit to count toward the NEUR major should be prepared to document how their independent study addresses some aspect of neuroscience so as to warrant 300-level NEUR credit. In all these experiences students receive direct instruction on the gathering and assimilation of scientific literature through a variety of search mechanisms, including, for example, PubMed, Medline and PSYCinfo.

Culminating Experience

Neuroscience seniors will satisfy their Culminating Experience requirement through any one of the following activities:

• Registering for Undergraduate Research NEUR 399 Undergraduate Research in their senior year (for a minimum of .5 credit). Students who do so will be graded on their participation and competency throughout the semester and will also be required to submit a written laboratory report based on their practical experiences. As noted above, the content of the independent study should be directly related to some aspect of neuroscience.
• Successful completion of an Honors Thesis (NEUR 360) in Neuroscience
• Students will have the opportunity to register for NEUR 400 Senior Seminar in Neuroscience – a seminar series – (.25 credit) in the spring semester of their senior year. This seminar series will require attendance at no fewer than four lectures. For example: attending lectures given by invited speakers from Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Psychology would fulfill this requirement. Attendance will be mandatory and students will be required to submit a written summary/reaction of each lecture, which will be graded by the members of the NEUR faculty.

Majors in Neuroscience will:

1. Understand the structure and function of the nervous system.
2. Understand the neural bases of behavior from a variety of theoretical perspectives.
3. Understand how the nervous system is manipulated, measured or modeled to understand its processes.
4. Acquire a broad background in the natural sciences and a basic understanding of psychological principles.
5. Understand the processes through which scientific information is derived,  evaluated, and communicated.

Faculty

Director: Peter G. Judge

Affiliated Faculty: Elizabeth A. Capaldi, Judith E. Grisel, Andrea R. Halpern, Peter G. Judge, Heidi Lorimor, Elizabeth C. Marin, Aaron Mitchel, Kevin P. Myers, Jennifer Rice Stevenson, Ruth Tincoff, Joseph V. Tranquillo, T. Joel Wade

Coordinating Committee: Peter G. Judge, Elizabeth C. Marin, Jennifer Rice Stevenson