Provisional University Bulletin (2025-2026)

• Major (BA/BS)
• Combined (BS/MS)
• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy

Undergraduate Major

The major in neuroscience is designed to provide an interdisciplinary program of study of the neural mechanisms involved in the control of human or animal behavior. The major combines a strong foundation in basic science with more specialized courses in biology and psychology. This program is especially appropriate for students wishing to pursue further study in medicine, experimental psychology, or neuroscience.

Graduate Program in Neuroscience

The graduate program in neuroscience, leading to the MS and PhD degrees, is designed to equip students with the advanced knowledge and training necessary to conduct research in this interdisciplinary field. The program comprises three broadly defined areas: behavioral neuroscience involves work with humans in experimental cognitive neuroscience, neuropsychology, sensory psychophysics, animal behavior and electrophysiology; cellular and molecular neuroscience provides training in electrophysiology, molecular biology, biophysics, and biochemistry appropriate to neurobiology; and computational and integrative neuroscience trains students in the use of experimental and theoretical methods for the analysis of brain function. A typical program for the PhD student will consist of laboratory rotations and dissertation research as well as formal courses. Students pursuing the MS degree typically take graduate-level courses and do either laboratory research or a semi-independent research based "project lab" course.

Undergraduate Major

Neuroscience is the study of the brain. The methods of Neuroscience come from biology, biochemistry and psychology. The goal of Neuroscience is to understand how neurons and the networks they form can account for behavior. Neuroscience has practical applications in medicine – particularly for mental illnesses, addiction, stroke and communication disorders. Neuroscience has important implications for psychiatry, psychology, teaching and economics.

Knowledge

All neuroscience majors will demonstrate knowledge of the basic electrical, anatomical and dynamic properties of neurons and the way they function in networks.

Major topics include:
The structure and function of ion channels
The way in which channels produce neural activity
The properties of neurotransmitter systems and their pharmacology
The properties and anatomical location of brain circuits responsible for particular functions
The properties of synapses and the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity that underlie learning
The developmental principles that lead to the formation of brain networks
The basis of neural codes by which neurons communicate
The causes and mechanisms of various neurological disorders
The basic properties of memory, perception and motor control

Skills

Students who major in neuroscience will have the opportunity to acquire skills in:

1. Experimental laboratory work. Examples of general skills include directed mutagensis, qPCR, and tissue culture. More specific skills may be acquired by working in a research laboratory. These skills include designing study protocols, collecting data (working with human or non-human animals), brain dissection, tissue culture of neurons, techniques in optical and electron microscopy, and techniques in electrophysiology.
2. Quantitative methods. The ability to select and carry out appropriate statistical tests is necessary for any scientific research. Students interested in pursuing a research career should be able to use the scientific programming language, Matlab, to analyze data.
3. Critical thinking. The ability to form a hypothesis and then devise experiments to test that hypothesis is an important aspect of the scientific method. Students will also learn how to search, select from and evaluate scientific literature.
4. Presentation of ideas. Students will learn how to produce convincing written/oral arguments.

Social Justice

Scientific advances have produced profound changes in society and raised questions whose resolution depends on scientific literacy. Neuroscience training will equip students with the background to understand controversies related to their field (e.g. what is the meaning of “brain-dead”?).

Upon Graduation

Neuroscience graduates have a wide range of career options open to them, such as medicine, work in the pharmaceutical industry, academic research, teaching, journalism and patent law.

Graduate Program in Neuroscience

Master of Science in Neuroscience

Graduate Outcomes

The Neuroscience Master's program will guide each student toward realizing their potential as a scientist and will foster their career development towards obtaining a position in research, teaching, or other scientific enterprises. Students are encouraged to become experts in the theory and practice of their chosen area of research, as well as to obtain breadth in other areas strongly represented in the program.

Students graduating with a Master’s degree in Neuroscience are expected to:

1. Demonstrate a graduate-level understanding of the principles and techniques of at least two of the areas of research represented by the program: cognitive, computational, systems, cellular, and molecular neuroscience.
2. Explore possible research areas and techniques through a semester of independent or semi-independent research.
3. Become confident in reading primary literature, critical thinking, and presentation
4. Learn ethical practices in the Sciences
5. Market themselves effectively using resumés and cover letters and at interviews.
6. Read and evaluate print and online sources including peer-reviewed publications, science and business journalism and blogs.

Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience

Graduate Outcomes

The PhD program in neuroscience will equip students with the advanced knowledge and training necessary to conduct research and education in this interdisciplinary field. The program comprises three broadly defined areas: behavioral neuroscience involves work with humans in neuropsychology, experimental cognitive neuroscience, sensory psychophysics, animal behavior and electrophysiology; cellular and molecular neuroscience provides training in electrophysiology, molecular biology, biophysics, and biochemistry appropriate to neurobiology; and computational and integrative neuroscience trains students in the use of experimental and theoretical methods for the analysis of brain function.

Students graduating with a PhD degree in Neuroscience are expected to:

1. Demonstrate a graduate-level understanding of the principles and techniques of at least two of the areas of research represented by the program: cognitive, computational, systems, cellular, and molecular neuroscience.
2. Explore possible research areas and techniques through four first-year laboratory rotations
3. Become confident in reading primary literature, critical thinking, and presentation
4. Become proficient in scientific writing and oral defense of original research
5. Obtain training in the preparation of grant applications
6. Become confident in using quantitative methods or approaches
7. Gain experience teaching students in a teaching assistantship role
8. Learn ethical practices in the Sciences
9. Complete a significant body of original work that advances the field of Neuroscience and that results in publication of the work in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

The neuroscience major requires a strong science course load. There is a meeting each fall at which interested students can discuss the major with neuroscience faculty. Students can schedule an appointment with the Undergraduate Advising Head for further information or to enroll in the major; students should complete the online major declaration form prior to meeting with the UAH. The requirements are listed below and include many options. It is recommended that majors meet with their adviser to determine which options best satisfy each student's needs. Because of the number of science electives required, it is recommended that students begin enrolling in these courses early, especially those listed as prerequisites for advanced courses in the major. Students interested in senior research should contact prospective mentors by the beginning of their junior year.

The general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, given in an earlier section of
this Bulletin, apply to candidates for admission to this field of study.

Paul Miller, Chair, Undergraduate Advising Head (fall 2025)
(Biology)

Anne Berry
(Psychology)

Susan Birren, Director of Graduate Studies
(Biology)

Paul DiZio
(Psychology)

Irving Epstein 
(Chemistry)

Paul Garrity (on leave fall 2025)
(Biology)

Christine Grienberger
(Biology)

Leslie Griffith
(Biology)

Angela Gutchess
(Psychology)

Jennifer Gutsell
(Psychology)

James Howard
 (Psychology)

Shantanu Jadhav
(Psychology)

Sebastian Kadener
(Biology)

Donald Katz
(Psychology)

Yerbol Kurmangaliyev
(Biology)

James Lackner, Emeritus
(Psychology)

Eve Marder
(Biology)

Joshua Meisel
(Biology)

Maria Miara, Graduate Advising Head (MS)
(Biology)

Sacha Nelson
(Biology)

Suzanne Paradis
(Biology)

Avital Rodal (on leave spring 2025)
(Biology)

Michael Rosbash (on leave spring 2025)
(Biology)

Robert Sekuler, Emeritus
(Psychology)

Piali Sengupta
(Biology)

Hannah Snyder, Undergraduate Advising Head (spring 2026; on leave fall 2025)
(Psychology)

Jonathan Touboul
(Math)

Gina Turrigiano
(Biology)

Stephen Van Hooser, Graduate Advising Head (PhD)
 (on leave fall 2025)
(Biology)

Yangyang Wang
(Math)

A. All students majoring in neuroscience are required to take courses in the following four groups:

1. Core courses (two required courses)
2. Neuroscience electives (four courses; three must be at the 100-level. The combination of NEUR 99a and NEUR 99b can substitute for one elective, which will count at the 100-level.)
3. Laboratory courses (equivalent to three full courses)
4. Additional science electives (see Option I or Option II)

Specific requirements for the additional science electives are described below under Option I, leading to a BA in neuroscience, or Option II, leading to a BS in neuroscience. The core courses that satisfy the requirements for the degree are listed in “B. Course Listings for Neuroscience Majors”.

Among courses offered to fulfill the requirements for the major, no course may be taken pass/fail and no more than one grade of D or D+ will be allowed. A grade of D is not allowed for core courses. No D- will be allowed.

Advanced Placement or other equivalent exams (e.g., IB) accepted by Brandeis for college credit may count for at most two additional science electives for the neuroscience major. Exams cannot count for Neuroscience Electives or Laboratory requirements. Please refer to the exam charts for test score requirements.

Option I: The BA Degree in Neuroscience

The standard neuroscience option is designed to provide students with a general background in neuroscience. In addition to the two core courses and four neuroscience electives required of all candidates, students must take at least 44 credits (equivalent to 11 full courses) of additional science electives. Courses able to fulfill each category are detailed in "B. Course Listings for Neuroscience Majors"; at least twelve of these credits (equivalent to 3 full courses) must be from laboratory courses.

Option II: The BS Degree in Neuroscience

The BS program is an intensive neuroscience option designed to provide students with a strong background in neuroscience and associated areas. In addition to the two core courses and four neuroscience electives required of all candidates, students must take at least 52 credits (equivalent to 13 full courses) of additional science electives. Courses able to fulfill each category are detailed in "B. Course Listings for Neuroscience Majors"; at least 12 credits must be from laboratory courses.

B. Course Listings for Neuroscience Majors

Core Courses

All students are required to take:

1. NBIO 140b (Principles of Neuroscience) or NBIO 240a (Principles of Neuroscience Research). Most students will take NBIO140b; NBIO 240a is intended for PhD students and advanced undergraduates or masters students who intend to perform basic research in neuroscience. Students may only use one of the two courses to count toward the major.
2. At least one core course in quantitative methods: BIOL 51a (Biostatistics), BIOL 107a (Data Analysis and Statistics Workshop), ECON 83a (Statistics for Economic Analysis), MATH 40a (Introduction to Applied Mathematics), NBIO 136b (Computational Neuroscience), NPHY 115a (Dynamical Systems), PSYC 51a (Statistics), PSYC 123a (Applied Bayesian Modeling), PSYC 148a (Applied Statistical Computing in R), PSYC 210a (Advanced Psychological Statistics), PHYS 105a (Biological Physics),  or QBIO 110a (Numerical Modeling of Biological Systems). A course taken to satisfy the quantitative method requirement cannot also count as an elective course.

Neuroscience Electives

All students are required to take four Neuroscience Electives with at least 3 courses 100 level or above. The combination of NEUR 99a and 99b or NEUR 93a and one semester of NEUR 99 can substitute for one of the 100-level Neuroscience electives.  Neuroscience electives are all NBIO and NPSY courses level 10 and above, BIOL 149b (Molecular Pharmacology), PHIL 123b (Neuroethics), 131a (Philosophy of the Mind). Only one Philosophy course may count towards the major.

Additional Science Electives

The additional science electives include courses numbered 10 and above in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics,  PSYC 148a, as well as up to four additional Neuroscience Elective courses. Courses numbered below 10 may not be included in this group. Two-credit laboratory courses are counted as one-half of a regular semester course and 4-credit laboratory courses will be counted as a full semester course. PHYS 11a,b or PHYS 15a,b is recommended over PHYS 10a,b.

ENGR 22b and PSYC 148a can be counted as additional science electives for the major.

In order for research 93/99 courses (BIOL, NEUR, CHEM, BCHM) to count towards this requirement, students must take at least 2 semesters and will receive only 4 credits (equivalent to one full course) toward the requirement.

Reading and research familiarization courses (numbered 90-98) do not count as additional science electives.

Laboratory Requirement

The additional science electives must be fulfilled with at least 12 credits (equivalent to six 2-credit labs or three 4-credit labs) of laboratory work.  Exam credit (e.g., AP/IB) does not count toward the lab requirement, nor do purely computational courses such as BIOL 107a (Data Analysis and Statistics Workshop). 

All science laboratory courses can count toward the lab requirement. COSI 119a (Autonomous Robotics) counts for the laboratory requirement. ENGR 13a can count for two credits towards the laboratory requirement. Research 93 and 99 courses (BIOL, NEUR, CHEM, BCHM) can also count towards this requirement, but students must take at least 2 semesters (either one semester of 93 and one semester or 99 or two semesters of 99) and will receive only 4 credits (equivalent to 1 full course) toward the lab requirement.

Double-Counting Electives

No single course can be used to fulfill more than one requirement of the neuroscience major, with the exception of the Foundational Literacies. A course taken to satisfy the quantitative method requirement cannot also count as an elective course. 

Only one of either BIOL 51a or PSYC 51a can be counted toward the major.

C. Foundational Literacies: As part of completing the Neuroscience major, students must: 

• Fulfill the writing intensive requirement by successfully completing any WI-designated course approved for the major or, alternatively, any WI-designated course from the Division of Science.
• Fulfill the oral communication requirement by successfully completing any OC-designated course approved for the major or, alternatively, any OC-designated course from the Division of Science.
• Fulfill the digital literacy requirement by successfully completing any DL-designated course approved for the major or, alternatively, any DL-designated course from the Division of Science.

D. Senior Research and Honors Program

Seniors can receive credit for senior research in neuroscience by petitioning the neuroscience Undergraduate Advising Head before registration for the fall of their senior year. Candidates must be conducting research in a neuroscience lab and have the agreement of their lab faculty mentor to conduct a thesis project, enroll in NEUR 99a and 99b (or one of these and NEUR 93) to carry out a senior research project, and submit a thesis. Candidates interested in honors must state this in their petition and also present an oral defense of their thesis. Students must earn a minimum grade of B+ in NEUR 99a and NEUR 99b (or one of these and NEUR 93) and be recommended by the honors defense committee to be eligible for honors. NEUR 93 and 99 must be taken sequentially; NEUR 93 may not be taken at the same time as, or after, NEUR 99.

A link to the NEUR 99 petition is available on the program's website, along with more information about senior research and internship opportunities. To reach the level of honors, a student must typically work in a research lab for at least two years.

An undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience may be admitted to the four-year BS/MS program in their junior year, upon recommendation by the faculty research sponsor. In addition, the student must meet with and receive approval from the Neuroscience Undergraduate Advising Head. It is essential that this meeting take place no later than February 1 of the student’s junior year.

At the time of admission to the BS/MS program, the student must be on track to complete all required coursework for the Neuroscience BS by the end of junior year. That is, all required BS coursework must be (a) completed, (b) currently enrolled (in progress), or (c) enrolled for spring of junior year. Any exceptions (e.g., for courses to be completed the summer of junior year) must be approved by the Undergraduate Advising Head.

A. In order to complete the BS/MS program in neuroscience, students must successfully complete all requirements for the Neuroscience BS degree and earn a minimum of 152 credits.

1. BS/MS students must complete two graduate level research courses (NEUR 199a, b Senior Research), which together count for senior honors. The award of the MS is dependent on students achieving departmental honors in neuroscience. To reach the level of honors, a student must typically work in a research lab for at least two years.
2. Students must complete an additional two 100-level or above electives chosen from the neurobiology or cognitive neuroscience electives listed in the Bulletin, with a grade of B- or above.
3. Students must complete a third additional 100-level or above elective chosen from either the neurobiology or cognitive neuroscience electives OR the additional science electives listed in the Bulletin, with a grade of B- or above. 
4. The three 100-level or above neuroscience electives required as part of the BS must also receive grades of B- or above. All restrictions and limitations on allowable courses, such as double-counting, that are listed for the neuroscience major, remain as restrictions and limitations on courses allowed to fulfill requirements for the BS/MS.

We recommend students who anticipate pursuing graduate work in neuroscience take additional math courses such as linear algebra, calculus of several variables, data analysis, and coding.

Program of Study

The program is designed to guide each student toward realizing their potential as a scientist and to foster their career development towards obtaining a position in research, teaching, or other scientific enterprises. Students are encouraged to become experts in the theory and practice of their chosen area of research, as well as to obtain breadth in other areas strongly represented in the program. Graduate courses are available in the areas of cognitive, computational, and cellular neuroscience.

Graduate students will be eligible for an MS in neuroscience by:

A. Completing six graduate-level lecture courses in neuroscience.

B. Registering for and completing the appropriate Journal Clubs (at least NBIO 306a/b) for two semesters and the Graduate Student Research Seminar (BIOL 350a/b) for two semesters are required for the degree. 

C. The six lecture courses must include 

1. NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a
2. The Masters Proseminar course (BIOL 205a)
3. One laboratory or research-based course, with the balance of courses being graduate-level neuroscience or biology elective courses. 
4. Students will decide to take NBIO 240a or NBIO 140b in consultation with the program advisor, depending upon the student’s past science experience and future goals. 

D. However, it is the aim of the program to be flexible and allow students to fill gaps in their education. Thus, if warranted, non-graduate courses or courses outside of neuroscience or biology can be taken if agreed upon with the program advisor. 

E. The laboratory or research component can be met by a Masters Research Lab (NEUR 296a), or a Project Laboratory (e.g., BIOL 159a, BIOL 251a, or BIOL 256a). Students who wish to fulfill this requirement through NEUR 296a must obtain approval from the faculty member in whose lab the research is to take place, and must submit a written laboratory report at the end of the semester. If a student takes both the Masters Research Lab course (NEUR 296a) and a Project Laboratory course, the latter will be considered an elective course. The Masters Research Lab course (NEUR 296a) cannot be considered an elective, even if taken more than once. 

F. In order to earn a degree from this program, the student must complete a minimum of 32 credits.

With approval of the supervising faculty member and the chair of the program, students have the option to write a Master’s Thesis (NEUR 299a) following completion of at least one full semester of Master’s Research Lab (NEUR 296a), provided that the research was performed in a single laboratory at Brandeis. Those who wish to complete a Master's Thesis in their third or fourth semester must obtain approval by March 1st of their second semester (for students who matriculate in the fall) or by November 1st (for students who matriculate in the spring).After completion and approval, the thesis must be electronically deposited in ProQuest ETD. For instructions on how to do this, visit the Thesis and Dissertation Guide.

Students must receive grades of B- or better in all courses and may be asked to leave the program at the end of a semester if their progress is found to be unsatisfactory by the graduate committee. Students wishing to be admitted to a second year of study must demonstrate adequate progress.

Annual Academic Performance Review and Progress to the Degree

Every student, whether or not currently in residence, must register at the beginning of each term. All graduate students will be evaluated by the program each spring. At this evaluation the records of all graduate students will be carefully reviewed with reference to the timely completion of coursework and non-course degree requirements, the quality of the work and research in progress and the student’s overall academic performance in the program.

Residence Requirement

The minimum in-person residence requirement for the MS degree is one year.

Students may take an additional one or two semesters to complete the MS degree as an Extended Master's student with approval of the chair of the program. International students may extend their time one semester if they are still completing required coursework. International students who have completed all required coursework and wish to complete the optional Master’s Thesis may stay extra semesters with advanced approval from the advising faculty, the program chair, and International Students & Scholars Office (by November 1st if completing the thesis in the spring semester and by March 1st if completing the thesis in the fall semester).

Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Neuroscience with Specialization in Quantitative Biology

Students wishing to obtain the specialization in Quantitative Biology (QB) must first gain approval of the Neuroscience representative for the QB program (listed online on the Brandeis QB website). This should be done as early as possible in the program. In order to receive the M.S. in Neuroscience with specialization in QB, candidates must complete (a) the requirements for the M.S. described above and (b) the course requirements for the QB specialization described in the QB section of this Bulletin.

Any alteration to the QB course requirements must be approved by both the Neuroscience Program Chair and the QB Program Chair.

Program of Study

1. Students are expected to obtain knowledge of the principles and techniques in at least two of the areas represented in the program: cognitive, computational, systems, cellular, and molecular neuroscience. 
2. Students must take a total of five graduate-level courses for the degree, with two typically taken each semester in the first year. 
3. NBIO 240a (Principles of Neuroscience) and BIOL 107a (Data Analysis and Statistics Workshop) are generally required in the first semester
4. NBIO 208a (Experimental Analysis and Design for Research Proposals) is generally required in the fall of the second year. 
5. The two additional courses must be relevant to the student's area of interest, with at least one of the six courses focusing on quantitative methods or approaches, and one of these courses focusing on critically reading, discussing, and writing about the primary scientific literature. 
6. All students are required to take CONT 300b (Responsible Conduct of Science) or attend the comparable Division of Science Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) workshop, typically in the spring of their first year. This does not count as one of the six courses toward the degree. Students who need to miss the RCR workshop must notify both the Office of Research Administration and the Director of Graduate Studies to get a waiver until the following year.
7. In addition, first-year students will complete four rotations (and must register for NEUR 300a/b) in at least four different laboratories. 
8. Beginning in year 3, students are required to present annually in Graduate Student Research Seminar (Pizza Talks, BIOL 350a/b) and journal club (NBIO 306a/b) to remain in good standing in the program. Students must also register for and attend both of these courses every semester in the program. Students are required to present a total of 3 times in Journal Club and 3 times in Pizza Talks during their time in the program.

1. Beginning in the second year, students should register for NEUR 401d every semester (fall and spring) until finishing the program.

The suggested schedule of course work for the first two years is:

First Year

Fall: NBIO 240a, BIOL 107a, NEUR 300a, NBIO 306a, BIOL 350a.

Spring: NEUR 300b, NBIO 306b, BIOL 350b, CONT 300b or comparable Division of Science Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) workshop, and one course selected from the neuroscience electives. Students who need to miss the RCR workshop must notify both the Office of Research Administration and the Director of Graduate Studies to get a waiver until the following year.  

Second Year

Fall: NBIO 208a, NBIO 306a, BIOL 350a, and NEUR 401d.

Spring: NBIO 306b, BIOL 350b, NEUR 401d, and one course selected from the neuroscience electives.

At the end of the first year after completing rotations, each student will choose their specific field of interest and will apply for a permanent adviser, to be mutually agreed upon by the student and the faculty member. Exceptions to this timeline are subjected to review by the Graduate Committee. The adviser will assist the student in planning a well-balanced thesis-research program in their specific field of interest with the objective and expectation of publishing the work. In addition, the adviser will ordinarily serve as the chair of the student's dissertation examining committee.

Thesis Qualifying Examination

The thesis qualifying examination is a written proposition with accompanying oral exam (to be completed by the end of the second year, typically in May). Any extensions requested to this timeline are subject to approval by the Graduate Committee.

Teaching Requirement

All PhD students are required to participate in undergraduate teaching during the course of their studies. Every graduate teaching assistant (TA) is supervised by a member of the faculty, who serves as a mentor to improve the quality of the TA's teaching. Please see the GSAS section on Teaching Requirements and the program handbook for more details.

Residence Requirement

The minimum in-person residence requirement is three years.

Summer Registration

PhD students in the Neuroscience program are required to be on campus or at a related lab for the full year while engaged in taking classes and/or doing research related to their field of study and will be enrolled in CONT 250b by the Registrar's office. Registration for Graduate Summer Term does not count toward the residency requirement. The summer registration fee will be waived.

Language Requirement

There is no foreign language requirement for the PhD degree.

Annual Academic Performance Review and Progress to the Degree

Every student, whether or not currently in residence, must register at the beginning of each term. All graduate students will be evaluated by the program each spring. At this evaluation the records of all graduate students will be carefully reviewed with reference to the timely completion of coursework and non-course degree requirements, the quality of the work and research in progress and the student’s overall academic performance in the program.

Dissertation and Defense

Each student will conduct an original investigation in the field of neuroscience under the direction of their research advisor and will write a dissertation of their results. After submission of the dissertation, the candidate will give a public seminar to the university community and then defend the work and its significance in an examination before a dissertation committee. The dissertation committee must include the advisor, at least two additional Brandeis faculty members, and one faculty member from outside the university. There is an expectation that students will publish at least one research paper or the equivalent from their graduate work.

Please note that the above Program of Study is typical of a student entering the PhD program directly. Students who enter the PhD program from a Brandeis Master’s program may have an altered Program of Study, to be discussed and agreed upon by the student and the Graduate Committee prior to matriculation.

Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience with Specialization in Quantitative Biology

Program of Study

Students wishing to obtain the specialization must first gain approval of the graduate program chair. This should be done as early as possible, ideally during the first year of graduate studies. To receive the PhD in neuroscience with additional specialization in quantitative biology, candidates must complete (a) the requirements for the PhD described above and (b) the course requirements for the quantitative biology specialization that are described in the quantitative biology section of this Bulletin.

Any alteration to the quantitative biology course requirements must be approved by the graduate program chair and by the quantitative biology program faculty advisory committee.

NEUR 91g Introduction to Research Practice

Prerequisite: Student must complete online safety training relevant to the research group. If the research involves animals or human subjects, students must complete the relevant training and be added to the relevant approved protocols. Offered exclusively on a credit/no-credit basis. Yields quarter-course credit. May be repeated for credit.

Students engage in Neuroscience research by working in the laboratory of a faculty member for a minimum of 3 hours per week for one semester. Students who have declared a Neuroscience major must receive permission from the Neuroscience Undergraduate Advising Head as well as the faculty sponsor to enroll in NEUR 91g. Usually offered every year.

NEUR 93a Research Internship and Analysis

Supervised biological research experience in a Brandeis University laboratory. In consultation with a Brandeis faculty member, the student will design and execute an individual research project, culminating in an oral and written presentation. Students seeking to do neuroscience research in Brandeis laboratories outside the neuroscience program must obtain permission from the neuroscience Undergraduate Advising Head (UAH). This course is not intended to and will not provide credit for off-campus internships. NEUR 93a is offered both semesters, but is a one-semester course and may be taken only once and not before the fall of junior year. Students must petition the department for permission to enroll in NEUR 93a. Course requirements include laboratory research, a written report, and an oral presentation, as specified in the NEUR 93a petition. Students wishing to do a summer internship for academic credit must: obtain permission from the neuroscience UAH prior to commencing the internship; complete the summer internship (a minimum of 10 weeks full-time); and complete the appropriate academic work. Credit will be awarded via the student enrolling in NEUR 93a in the subsequent fall term. NEUR 93a may also be used as one of the two courses needed for Senior Research (see NEUR 99). Usually offered every semester.

NEUR 98a Readings in Neuroscience

Usually offered every year.

NEUR 98b Readings in Neuroscience

Yields half-course credit. Usually offered every year.

NEUR 99a Neuroscience Senior Research

Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

The first semester of a two-semester course involving the student in an independent research project conducted under the supervision of a staff member and serving as an intensive introduction to specific methods of neuroscience research. Two semesters of NEUR 99 or one semester of NEUR 93 plus one semester of NEUR 99 may be used as one 100-level neuroscience elective or one additional science elective for the neuroscience major. Students should register for NEUR 99b for the second semester of research in the spring.

 

To fulfill the NEUR 99 requirements, students must (1) submit to their research sponsor, at the conclusion of their first NEUR 99 semester, a paper that reviews the literature pertinent to their field of research (or, fulfill the NEUR 93 requirements), and (2) submit to their research sponsor, at the conclusion of their second NEUR 99 semester, a senior thesis that includes an abstract, an introduction, a review of materials and methods, results, discussion, and references. Students must petition the department in order to enroll in NEUR 99. Usually offered every year. 

NEUR 99b Neuroscience Senior Research

A continuation of NEUR 99a. See NEUR 99a for course description.

NPSY 11b Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Data and theories regarding current conceptions of brain-behavior relationships. Begins with an introduction to neural systems as classically defined (sensory, association, motor, autonomic), and moves on to examination of the biological underpinnings of various behaviors, from those relating to basic drives (reproduction, feeding) to those with a cognitive flavor. Throughout, the accent is on interactions between organisms and environment (learning). Usually offered every year.

NPSY 12a Perception: Human, Animal, and Machine
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Examines the human senses, emphasizing sight and hearing, studied from standpoints of anatomy, physiology, and psychophysics. Insights from the study of special observers, including developmentally immature humans, members of nonhuman species, and people with abnormal sensory systems. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 16a Motor Control
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisites: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or equivalents, and at least sophomore standing, or permission of the instructor.

Surveys control of vertebrate posture and movement from various perspectives including muscle properties, reflex organization, central pattern generation, spatial representations, learning, and development. Emphasizes research in physiology, psychology, biomechanics, and computational theory. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 17a Hand and Brain
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

The specialized developments of the human hand and the parallel developments of the brain, tool use, sign language, and language acquisition are discussed. The control of voluntary movements is a key focus. Includes laboratory demonstrations. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 22b Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

This course explores how the human brain makes the human mind. It covers neural and behavioral dimensions of attention, memory and learning, perception, motor control, plasticity and planning. Experimental approaches and neuroimaging are emphasized. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 28a Learning and Memory
[ oc sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Introduces the study of learning and memory. The course will survey various types of memory (e.g., explicit memory, implicit memory, conditioning, short-term/working memory), including strategies, mechanisms, and brain systems. It will encompass disorders and applied aspects of memory. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 136b Computational Neuroscience
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 10a or higher and one of the following: NBIO 140b/240b, PHYS 10b/11b/15b, BIOL 107a, or any COSI course.

An introduction to concepts and methods in computer modeling and analysis of neural systems. Topics include single and multicompartmental models of neurons, information representation and processing by populations of neurons, synaptic plasticity and models of learning, working memory, decision making and neural oscillations. The course will be based on in-class computer tutorials, assuming limited prior coding experience, with reading assignments and preparation as homework. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 140b Principles of Neuroscience
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, BIOL 15b, and one additional BIOL, BCHM, NBIO, or NPSY course. Students will also be required to demonstrate mastery of precalculus math, the physics of simple electrical circuits, and selected concepts from introductory chemistry in order to progress in the course.

Examines the fundamental principles of neuroscience. Topics include resting potentials, action potentials, synaptic transmission, sensory systems, motor systems, learning, neural circuits underlying behavior, neurological diseases, and mental illness. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 142b Circadian Rhythms and Sleep
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b, NBIO 240a, or BIOL 105b.

Explores via some lecturing, but predominantly discussion of papers from the primary literature, what we know about circadian rhythms and sleep in different organisms. We will discuss the molecular, cellular and circuitry control of rhythms and sleep as well as their behavioral and physiological consequences. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 143b Developmental Neurobiology
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: BIOL 14a, BIOL 15b, and either BIOL 12a or BIOL 18b, or permission of the instructor.

Discusses the molecular mechanisms used in the development of the nervous system in both invertebrate and vertebrate experimental systems. Topics include determination of neuronal cell fates, axon growth and guidance, plasticity during development, and mechanisms responsible for generation of connectivity in the nervous system. This course emphasizes reading of original scientific research papers and class discussion and oral presentations. If oversubscribed, preference from the waitlist will be given based on seniority. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 145b Circuits and Systems
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Explores fundamental questions in circuit-and systems-level neuroscience. We will take a systems-level perspective to explore how the brain supports behavior and cognition. The course emphasizes reading and presenting original papers, and writing summaries of original papers. Students will read and discuss seminal and current findings to understand how the brain represents and perceives the external environment, adapts and learns, executes control, and uses internal representations to make decisions and drive behavior. The focus will be on underlying circuits, neural representations and neurophysiological mechanisms. The course will follow an arc that covers sensory systems, perception and behavior, neural coding, cognition, and motor control. Emphasis will be on bridging across these levels, and on critical analysis and synthesis. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 146a The Neurobiology of Human Disease
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: Any of the following BIOL 100b, BIOL103b, BIOL 105b, BIOL 122a, BIOL 128a, NBIO 140b, or NBIO 143b.

A lecture- and literature-based examination of the molecular, cellular, and circuit level mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric diseases. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 147a Genetics of Behavior
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a, NBIO 140b, and either BIOL 12a or BIOL 18a.

Topics include function of genes, genetic pathways and neurons in the generation of behavior. The use of genetics and genetic manipulations in the study of behavior in a range of experimental organisms will be emphasized. Course will be based on reading  primary research articles. A solid understanding of the fundamentals of genetics, molecular biology, and neuroscience is essential for this course. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 148b Cellular and Circuit Mechanisms of Experience Dependent Plasticity
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or 240a. Graduate students may take this course concurrently with either NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Brain microcircuits are able to extract and process information, and to change in response to experience to enable flexible behavior. We will explore the cellular and circuit mechanisms that confer both flexibility and stability to brain circuits. Students will examine classic experiments on cellular and circuit plasticity,  as well as the contemporary literature on our evolving understanding of learning-related plasticity, especially in the context of ethological behaviors. The course emphasizes reading from original papers and extensive class discussion. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 149b Molecular Signaling Pathways of the Neuron
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Covers the essentials of signaling in the nervous system (horomones, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators) with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms. Course is is based on reading papers from the primary literature. Usually offered every year.

NEUR 199a Senior Research

The first of a two-semester course for students pursuing the combined BS/MS in Neuroscience, this course serves as an intensive introduction to specific methods of neuroscience research. The student conducts an independent research project under the supervision of a staff member. To fulfill the NEUR 199 requirements, students must (1) submit to their research sponsor, at the conclusion of their first NEUR 199 semester, a paper that reviews the literature pertinent to their field of research and (2) submit to their research sponsor, at the conclusion of their second NEUR 199 semester, a senior thesis that includes an abstract, an introduction, a review of materials and methods, results, discussion, and references. Students enrolled in this course must defend their thesis and receive Departmental Honors. If student drops out of the BS/MS program, 199 will be replaced with 99.) Students must petition the department for permission to enroll in NEUR 199. Usually offered every year.

NEUR 199b Senior Research

A continuation of NEUR 199a. See NEUR 199a for course description.

NPHY 115a Dynamical Systems
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 10a, b or equivalent; MATH 15a and/or some coding experience would be helpful.

An introduction to the theory of nonlinear dynamical systems, including bifurcations, limit cycles, chaos, and coupled oscillators. Covers analytical, computational, and graphical methods of solving sets of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, as well as mathematical modeling of natural phenomena. Examples will be drawn from physics, chemistry, population biology, and neuroscience. Usually offered every third year.

NPSY 120b Human Space Flight: Physics, Physiology, and Behavior
[ sn ss ]

Topics include how orbital flight is achieved, spacecraft life support systems, circulatory dynamics, sensory-motor control and vestibular function in free fall, the physiological and psychological adaptations necessary in space flight, and how astronauts must readapt on return to Earth. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 121b Alzheimer's Disease Resilience and Risk Factors
[ oc sn wi ]

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Open to majors in one of the following programs: psychology, neuroscience, or HSSP. Also open to graduate students in psychology and neuroscience.

Provides an overview of Alzheimer’s disease, and the factors that may accelerate disease progression and those factors that may be protective. We will cover a broad array of topics including: neuroimaging and blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in humans; aging versus preclinical Alzheimer’s disease; modern definitions of Alzheimer’s resilience, reserve and brain maintenance; role of stress and psychopathology as risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease; relationships between Alzheimer’s pathology and cognitive function. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 139a Memory and the Brain
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NPSY 11b, or permission of the instructor.

Explores the nature and organization of memory in the brain. Readings from primary literature will give a deeper understanding of how the brain orchestrates memory, and the role of memory in learning, behavior and cognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 141a Stress, Physiology, and Health
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisites: one of NPSY 11b, NBIO 146a, PSYC 38a, or NPSY 199a.

About a third of all diseases in western society are related to stress. The study of psychosocial determinants of health is a growing field, in which biological and psychological research is combined to understand pathways between CNS processes and health. We will study these processes in this course. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 170a Decision Neuroscience
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: NBIO 140b/NBIO 240a or NPSY 11b and NPSY 22b, or permission of the instructor.

This course will provide an overview of how animal and human nervous systems generate decisions, with a particular focus on decisions for rewards. We will cover a broad array of topics, including: basic methods for measuring decisions and decision-related neural activity; how predictions about rewards are learned through error-driven processes; the dual systems hypothesis of behavioral control; computation of values for simple choices; the effect of emotion on choices; social decision making; temporal discounting; and deficits in decision-making in human clinical populations. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 174b Visual Cognition
[ oc sn ss ]

Explores complex processes of visual perception. Topics include art and visual perception, visual perception by machines, visual imagery in everyday life, visual basis of reading, visual search, perceptual learning, computational models of visual perception, and face recognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 176b Constructing Reality
[ oc ss ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 11b, NPSY 12a, NPSY 16a, NPSY 17a, NPSY 22b, or NPSY 199a and junior or senior standing.

How do our brains and minds construct our reality? For answers, the course will draw on insights from scientific psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, particularly how damage to the nervous system can disorder our sense of reality. Special consideration will be given to the nature of perception, evaluation of evidence, and decision making. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 180a Social Neuroscience and Culture
[ djw oc sn ss ]

Prerequisites: PSYC 10a, 51a, and 52a, or NBIO 140b/NBIO 240a, or permission of the instructor. May not be taken for credit by students who took PSYC 213a in prior years. Formerly offered as PSYC 180a.

Introduces empirical research on a breadth of social neuroscience topics-- including the self, stereotyping, and moral reasoning--with a more focused coverage of culture. Emphasis will be placed on literature comparing Eastern and Western cultures. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 182a Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience: Infancy through Adolescence
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 22b or PSYC 33a, or permission of the instructor.

Current research and methods in developmental cognitive neuroscience are surveyed through analysis of journal articles on language, memory, attention, executive functions, and social cognition. Infancy through adolescence are covered in both typically and atypically (Autism, ADHD, etc.) developing populations. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 196b Advanced Topics in Cognition
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 52a, NBIO 140b, or NPSY 199a.

This seminar covers current issues and research in memory, aging, speech perception, and language comprehension. Emphasis will be placed on the current literature in the field. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 197a Advanced Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 11b and NBIO 140b or permission of the instructor.

Covers current research and issues pertaining to the neurobiology of perception (focusing mainly but not exclusively on perception of chemosensory signals) as well as the neurobiology of simple learning. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 199a Human Neuropsychology
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: Psych 10a or Math 10a and at least sophomore standing.

Designed as an introduction to human neuropsychology. Topics include cerebral dominance, neuroanatomical mapping, and localization of function, with special reference to language, memory, and related cognitive function. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 207a Advanced Topics in Data Analysis

Trains graduate students in computational analysis of complex data. Analytical techniques will be discussed using data from students' active research projects, with a focus on training in experimental design and analyses, advanced statistics and rigor and reproducibility. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 208a Experimental Design and Analysis for Research Proposals

Introduces second-year Neuroscience PhD students to the process of writing research proposals. Using their own research topics and materials, as well as readings from the literature, and training sessions with the instructor and additional domain experts, each student will learn to analyze the relevant neuroscientific literature, develop testable hypotheses, design well-controlled experiments, quantitatively analyze the resulting data, test for statistical significance, and communicate the results in visual plots and concise, well organized scientific writing. The end result will be a draft research proposal suitable for submission to a funding agency such as the NIH. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 240a Principles of Neuroscience Research

Prerequisites: One year of college-level chemistry with lab, one year of college-level physics with lab, and any math course above 10a, b.

A lecture- and literature-based course examining the fundamental principles of neuroscience. Lecture topics include ion channel biophysics, resting potentials, action potentials, synaptic transmission, sensory systems, motor systems, learning, neural circuits underlying behavior, and neuropsychiatric diseases. Complementary readings of classical and current primary literature will give a deeper understanding of the fundamental underpinnings of nervous system structure and function. Intended for PhD students and advanced undergraduates or masters students who intend to perform basic research in neuroscience. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 306a Topics in Neurobiology

Usually offered every year.

NBIO 306b Topics in Neurobiology

Usually offered every year.

NBIO 340a Systems/Computational Neuroscience Journal Club

Usually offered every year.

NBIO 340b Systems/Computational Neuroscience Journal Club

Usually offered every year.

NEUR 296a Master's Research Lab

Prerequisite: Permission of the Program Director.

Students engage in biological research by working in the laboratory of a faculty member for a minimum of 10 hours per week for one semester. Intended for students in the MS Program in Neuroscience. Usually offered every semester.

NEUR 297a Readings in Neuroscience

Usually offered every year.

NEUR 298a Independent Study in Neuroscience

Usually offered every year.

NEUR 299a Master's Research Thesis

Usually offered every year.

NEUR 300a Laboratory Rotations

Staff

NEUR 300b Laboratory Rotations

NEUR 393g Graduate Research Internship

Permission of the Director of Graduate Studies required. Yields quarter-course credit. May be repeated for credit. For PhD students only.

Offers PhD students an opportunity to engage in industrial research in neuroscience by completing a paid or unpaid internship of at least ten weeks duration and forty hours per week, approved and monitored by a faculty member. Usually offered every summer.

NEUR 401d Dissertation Research

Independent research for the PhD degree. Specific sections for individual faculty members as requested.

BIOL 39b Biology of Global Climate Change
[ djw dl oc sn ]

Prerequisites: ENVS 2a, BIOL 16a, or BIOL 17b.

Examines the biology of global climate change, exploring how biological principles inform our understanding of climate change and examining the evolutionary and ecological responses to this critical challenge. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 51a Biostatistics
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.

An introductory level biostatistics class providing an overview to statistical methods used in biological and medical research. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary probability theory, commonly observed distributions, basic concepts of statistical inference, hypothesis testing, regression, as well as analysis of variance. Basic statistical analysis using the R software package will be introduced. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 107a Data Analysis and Statistics Workshop
[ dl qr sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL51a, high school statistics, or similar course.

The interpretation of data is key to making new discoveries, making optimal decisions, and designing experiments. Students will learn skills of data analysis and computer coding through hands-on, computer-based tutorials and exercises that include experimental data from the biological sciences. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 18a General Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: CHEM 11a. Dropping CHEM 11a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. Two semester-hour credits; yields half-course credit. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have passed CHEM 19a in previous years.

Introduction to basic laboratory methods and methods of qualitative and quantitative analyses. Included in the analytical methods are gas chromatography and infrared measurements. A synthesis project that includes analyzing the product by titration. Calorimetric experiment using probes interfaced with computers. Identification of unknowns based on physical and chemical properties. Analysis of the metal content of substances by atomic absorption. One laboratory lecture per week. One afternoon of laboratory per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 18b General Chemistry Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 18a and CHEM 11a. Corequisite: CHEM 11b. Dropping CHEM 11b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have passed CHEM 19b in previous years.

The second semester of the general chemistry laboratory program. Continued use of probes interfaced with computers to monitor pH and electrical conductivity changes in titrating weak monoprotic and polyprotic amino acids, to monitor pressure changes as part of a kinetics study, and to monitor voltage changes of electrochemical cells with temperature so as to establish thermodynamic parameters for redox reactions. Also included is identification of unknowns based on selective precipitation. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 19a Honors General Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: CHEM 15a. Dropping CHEM 15a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have taken CHEM 18a in previous years.

An advanced version of CHEM 18a. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 19b Honors General Chemistry Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 15a and CHEM 19a. Corequisite: CHEM 15b. Dropping CHEM 15b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have taken CHEM 18b in previous years.

Continuation of CHEM 19a. An advanced version of CHEM 18b. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 29a Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 18b or 19b or the equivalent. Corequisite: CHEM 25a. Dropping CHEM 25a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Gives experience in the important techniques of organic chemical laboratory practice of isolation and purification of organic compounds by crystallization, distillation, and chromatography, and their characterization using analytical and instrumental methods. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One ninety-minute laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

COSI 10a Introduction to Problem Solving in Python
[ dl sn ]

Open only to students with no previous programming background. Students may not take COSI 10a if they have received a satisfactory grade in COSI 12b or COSI 21a. May not be taken for credit by students who took COSI 11a in prior years. Does not meet the requirements for the major or minor in Computer Science.

Introduces computer programming and related computer science principles. Through programming, students will develop fundamental skills such as abstract reasoning and problem solving. Students will master programming techniques using the Python programming language and will develop good program design methodology resulting in correct, robust, and maintainable programs. Usually offered every semester.

COSI 12b Advanced Programming Techniques in Java
[ dl sn wi ]

Prerequisite: COSI 10a or successful completion of the COSI online placement exam.

Studies advanced programming concepts and techniques utilizing the Java programming language. The course covers software engineering concepts, object-oriented design, design patterns and professional best practices. This is a required foundation course that will prepare you for more advanced courses, new programming languages, and frameworks. Usually offered every year.

COSI 21a Data Structures and the Fundamentals of Computing
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisite: COSI 12b. Graduate students may take this course concurrently with COSI 12b with permission of the Director of Graduate Studies.

Focuses on the design and analysis of algorithms and the use of data structures. Through the introduction of the most widely used data structures employed in solving commonly encountered problems. Students will learn different ways to organize data for easy access and efficient manipulation. The course also covers algorithms to solve classic problems, as well as algorithm design strategies; and computational complexity theory for studying the efficiency of the algorithms. Usually offered every year.

COSI 131a Fundamentals of Computer Systems
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: COSI 21a.

Fundamental structures of a computer system from hardware abstractions through machine and assembly language, to the overall structure of an operating system and key resource management abstractions. Usually offered every year.

MATH 16b Applied Linear Algebra Practicum
[ dl oc ]

Prerequisite: MATH 15a or MATH 22a. Yields half-course credit.

Introduces fundamental skills for both computing and oral communication in the context of applied linear algebra problems. Includes basics of Python, numpy, and matplotlib. Usually offered every year.

MATH 40a Introduction to Applied Mathematics
[ dl oc sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 15a or MATH 22a and MATH 20a or MATH 22b.

Introduces the problems and issues of applied mathematics, with emphasis on how mathematical ideas can have a major impact on diverse fields of human inquiry. Usually offered every fall.

NBIO 136b Computational Neuroscience
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 10a or higher and one of the following: NBIO 140b/240b, PHYS 10b/11b/15b, BIOL 107a, or any COSI course.

An introduction to concepts and methods in computer modeling and analysis of neural systems. Topics include single and multicompartmental models of neurons, information representation and processing by populations of neurons, synaptic plasticity and models of learning, working memory, decision making and neural oscillations. The course will be based on in-class computer tutorials, assuming limited prior coding experience, with reading assignments and preparation as homework. Usually offered every second year.

PSYC 51a Statistics
[ dl qr sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or the permission of the instructor. This course normally should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

Covers the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics. Techniques useful in the behavioral sciences will be emphasized. Students learn the theory of statistical decisions, practical application of statistical software, and how to analyze journal articles. Usually offered every semester.

BIOL 18b General Biology Laboratory for Biology Majors
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 15b, sophomore standing, and a declared biology major. Yields full-course credit. This lab is time-intensive and students will be expected to come to lab between regular scheduled lab sessions. In order to accommodate students with time conflicts it may be necessary to re-assign students without conflicts to another section of the course. Students' section choice will be honored if possible.

Provides firsthand experience with modern molecular biology techniques and illustrates basic approaches to experimental design and problem solving in molecular and cellular biology including applications of biochemical techniques. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 39b Biology of Global Climate Change
[ djw dl oc sn ]

Prerequisites: ENVS 2a, BIOL 16a, or BIOL 17b.

Examines the biology of global climate change, exploring how biological principles inform our understanding of climate change and examining the evolutionary and ecological responses to this critical challenge. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 53a Introduction to Animal Science and Nutrition
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.

Designed for students interested in learning the fundamentals of animal science and nutrition. The course is intended for students who are familiar with central dogma, cellular structure and genetic inheritance, but have not yet applied those concepts in animal systems. Usually offered every second year.

CBIO 101a Chemical Biology
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in BIOL 14a, BIOL 15b, and CHEM 25a and b, or the equivalent.

Explores how scientific work in chemistry led to fundamental understanding of and ability to manipulate biological processes. Emphasis is placed on chemical design and synthesis as well as biological evaluation and utility. Content based on scientific literature readings. Usually offered every second year.

CHEM 88a Communication and Career Skills in Chemistry
[ oc ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 25b and 29b, or the equivalent. Does not count as one of the lecture or lab courses for the chemistry major or minor.

A course focused on honing skills for effective scientific communication and career development in chemistry. Students will practice presenting chemical information, learn about various career paths in chemistry, and gain insight into standard safety and ethical protocols in science. Usually offered every second year.

COSI 45a Effective Communication for Computer Scientists
[ oc ]

Prerequisite: One 100-level COSI elective. Yields half-course credit.

Teaches the basics of good oral communication and presentation, such as structuring a presentation, body language, eye contact, pace and appropriateness for the audience. It will cover, with practice, a range of speaking engagements majors might meet in academia and industry including: presentation of a research paper, software architecture proposal, business elevator pitch, research funding proposal, and so on. Students will present a project already created for a 100-level COSI elective. They will give the presentation in class, receive feedback based on the practices taught and then have a chance to give the presentation a second time. Usually offered every semester.

COSI 159a Computer Vision
[ oc sn wi ]

Prerequisites: COSI 165b.

Designed for undergraduate and graduate students majoring/minoring in computer science, the course covers core topics in image/video understanding, such as, object detection/recognition/tracking (with applications in face detection, gesture detection, pose detection), image segmentation (saliency detection, semantic segmentation, co-segmentation), image enhancement (super resolution, image recovery), visual relationship mining (spatial relationship, kinship), 3D reconstruction, image generation, optical flow, and video segmentation. It will also touch several advanced computer vision topics, such as, multi-view image clustering, image captioning, image generation from text, and visual question and answering. Usually offered every second year.

MATH 16b Applied Linear Algebra Practicum
[ dl oc ]

Prerequisite: MATH 15a or MATH 22a. Yields half-course credit.

Introduces fundamental skills for both computing and oral communication in the context of applied linear algebra problems. Includes basics of Python, numpy, and matplotlib. Usually offered every year.

MATH 40a Introduction to Applied Mathematics
[ dl oc sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 15a or MATH 22a and MATH 20a or MATH 22b.

Introduces the problems and issues of applied mathematics, with emphasis on how mathematical ideas can have a major impact on diverse fields of human inquiry. Usually offered every fall.

NBIO 145b Circuits and Systems
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Explores fundamental questions in circuit-and systems-level neuroscience. We will take a systems-level perspective to explore how the brain supports behavior and cognition. The course emphasizes reading and presenting original papers, and writing summaries of original papers. Students will read and discuss seminal and current findings to understand how the brain represents and perceives the external environment, adapts and learns, executes control, and uses internal representations to make decisions and drive behavior. The focus will be on underlying circuits, neural representations and neurophysiological mechanisms. The course will follow an arc that covers sensory systems, perception and behavior, neural coding, cognition, and motor control. Emphasis will be on bridging across these levels, and on critical analysis and synthesis. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 28a Learning and Memory
[ oc sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Introduces the study of learning and memory. The course will survey various types of memory (e.g., explicit memory, implicit memory, conditioning, short-term/working memory), including strategies, mechanisms, and brain systems. It will encompass disorders and applied aspects of memory. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 121b Alzheimer's Disease Resilience and Risk Factors
[ oc sn wi ]

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Open to majors in one of the following programs: psychology, neuroscience, or HSSP. Also open to graduate students in psychology and neuroscience.

Provides an overview of Alzheimer’s disease, and the factors that may accelerate disease progression and those factors that may be protective. We will cover a broad array of topics including: neuroimaging and blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in humans; aging versus preclinical Alzheimer’s disease; modern definitions of Alzheimer’s resilience, reserve and brain maintenance; role of stress and psychopathology as risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease; relationships between Alzheimer’s pathology and cognitive function. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 139a Memory and the Brain
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NPSY 11b, or permission of the instructor.

Explores the nature and organization of memory in the brain. Readings from primary literature will give a deeper understanding of how the brain orchestrates memory, and the role of memory in learning, behavior and cognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 170a Decision Neuroscience
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: NBIO 140b/NBIO 240a or NPSY 11b and NPSY 22b, or permission of the instructor.

This course will provide an overview of how animal and human nervous systems generate decisions, with a particular focus on decisions for rewards. We will cover a broad array of topics, including: basic methods for measuring decisions and decision-related neural activity; how predictions about rewards are learned through error-driven processes; the dual systems hypothesis of behavioral control; computation of values for simple choices; the effect of emotion on choices; social decision making; temporal discounting; and deficits in decision-making in human clinical populations. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 174b Visual Cognition
[ oc sn ss ]

Explores complex processes of visual perception. Topics include art and visual perception, visual perception by machines, visual imagery in everyday life, visual basis of reading, visual search, perceptual learning, computational models of visual perception, and face recognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 176b Constructing Reality
[ oc ss ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 11b, NPSY 12a, NPSY 16a, NPSY 17a, NPSY 22b, or NPSY 199a and junior or senior standing.

How do our brains and minds construct our reality? For answers, the course will draw on insights from scientific psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, particularly how damage to the nervous system can disorder our sense of reality. Special consideration will be given to the nature of perception, evaluation of evidence, and decision making. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 180a Social Neuroscience and Culture
[ djw oc sn ss ]

Prerequisites: PSYC 10a, 51a, and 52a, or NBIO 140b/NBIO 240a, or permission of the instructor. May not be taken for credit by students who took PSYC 213a in prior years. Formerly offered as PSYC 180a.

Introduces empirical research on a breadth of social neuroscience topics-- including the self, stereotyping, and moral reasoning--with a more focused coverage of culture. Emphasis will be placed on literature comparing Eastern and Western cultures. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 182a Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience: Infancy through Adolescence
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 22b or PSYC 33a, or permission of the instructor.

Current research and methods in developmental cognitive neuroscience are surveyed through analysis of journal articles on language, memory, attention, executive functions, and social cognition. Infancy through adolescence are covered in both typically and atypically (Autism, ADHD, etc.) developing populations. Usually offered every second year.

PHYS 39a Advanced Physics Laboratory
[ oc qr sn wi ]

Prerequisites: PHYS 20a and PHYS 19a/b. This course may be repeated once for credit with permission of the instructor. This course is co-taught with PHYS 169b.

Experiments in a range of topics in physics, possibly including selections from the following: wave optics, light scattering, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, numerical simulation and modeling, phase transitions, laser tweezers, chaotic dynamics, and optical microscopy. Students work in depth on three experiments during the term. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 18a General Biology Laboratory for Biology Majors
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a, BIOL 18b, sophomore standing, and a declared biology major. Yields full-course credit. This lab is time-intensive and students will be expected to come in to lab between regular scheduled lab sessions. In order to accommodate students with time conflicts it may be necessary to re-assign students without conflicts to another section of the course. Students' section choice will be honored if possible.

Provides firsthand experience with a wide array of organisms and illustrates basic approaches to experimental design and problem solving in genetics and genomics. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 26a Plant Biology
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.

Adopts a molecular and chemical approach as we explore various concepts in plant biology including plant metabolism, structure-function, development, genetics and taxonomy. Intended for students who are familiar with central dogma, structure-function relationship and genetic inheritance, but have not yet applied those concepts in plant systems. Usually offered every second year.

CHEM 49a Advanced Laboratory: Organic Chemistry
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: C- or higher in CHEM 25a and b, and CHEM 29a and b, or the equivalent. Four semester-hour credits.

Compounds will be synthesized, purified and then characterized by NMR, IR and mass spectroscopy. Multi-week projects will be completed with a lab report in the style of a journal article with full experimental supporting information. The lectures cover the necessary background and experimental techniques for each project. Usually offered every second year.

CHEM 59b Advanced Laboratory: Physical Chemistry
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or higher in CHEM 18b or equivalent; CHEM 141a or 142a (may be taken concurrently) or equivalent. One one-hour lecture and one afternoon of lab per week.

This course introduces the student to a number of topics of current interest in physical and analytical chemistry and provides experimental verification of physico-chemical principles in thermodynamics, kinetics, macromolecules, organic chemistry, semiconductors, nanochemistry, photochemistry, magnetic resonance imaging and electrochemistry. The properties, reactions, and structure of compounds are understood by evaluating their physicochemical responses to changes in experimental conditions. The experiments use synthesis, spectroscopy, chromatography, electrochemical and other instrumental methods employed in the modern chemical laboratory. The program includes the methodology of quantitative measurement, statistical data analysis, and report writing. One one-hour lecture and one afternoon of laboratory per week. Usually offered every second year.

CHEM 69a Advanced Laboratory: Materials Chemistry
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: C- or higher in CHEM 25a and b, and CHEM 29a and b, or the equivalent. Four semester-hour credits.

Introduces the student to selected topics in materials chemistry and provides hands-on experience for making materials that find applications in the real world or are being intensively explored for a wide range of applications. By focusing on the design, control, and characterization of the atomic and molecular structures, macroscopic properties, and applications of materials, we will introduce materials chemistry as a frontier of science that aims to address important societal problems, such as energy and health. Usually offered every second year.

COSI 12b Advanced Programming Techniques in Java
[ dl sn wi ]

Prerequisite: COSI 10a or successful completion of the COSI online placement exam.

Studies advanced programming concepts and techniques utilizing the Java programming language. The course covers software engineering concepts, object-oriented design, design patterns and professional best practices. This is a required foundation course that will prepare you for more advanced courses, new programming languages, and frameworks. Usually offered every year.

COSI 159a Computer Vision
[ oc sn wi ]

Prerequisites: COSI 165b.

Designed for undergraduate and graduate students majoring/minoring in computer science, the course covers core topics in image/video understanding, such as, object detection/recognition/tracking (with applications in face detection, gesture detection, pose detection), image segmentation (saliency detection, semantic segmentation, co-segmentation), image enhancement (super resolution, image recovery), visual relationship mining (spatial relationship, kinship), 3D reconstruction, image generation, optical flow, and video segmentation. It will also touch several advanced computer vision topics, such as, multi-view image clustering, image captioning, image generation from text, and visual question and answering. Usually offered every second year.

MATH 23b Introduction to Proofs
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: MATH 15a, 20a, or 22a, or permission of the instructor.

Emphasizes the analysis and writing of proofs. Various techniques of proof are introduced and illustrated with topics chosen from set theory, calculus, algebra, and geometry. Usually offered every semester.

MATH 47a Introduction to Mathematical Research
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisite: MATH 23b or permission of the instructor.

Students work on research projects that involve generating data, making conjectures, and proving theorems, and present their results orally and in writing. Introduces applications of computers in mathematical research: symbolic computation, typesetting, and literature search. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 121b Alzheimer's Disease Resilience and Risk Factors
[ oc sn wi ]

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Open to majors in one of the following programs: psychology, neuroscience, or HSSP. Also open to graduate students in psychology and neuroscience.

Provides an overview of Alzheimer’s disease, and the factors that may accelerate disease progression and those factors that may be protective. We will cover a broad array of topics including: neuroimaging and blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in humans; aging versus preclinical Alzheimer’s disease; modern definitions of Alzheimer’s resilience, reserve and brain maintenance; role of stress and psychopathology as risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease; relationships between Alzheimer’s pathology and cognitive function. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 139a Memory and the Brain
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NPSY 11b, or permission of the instructor.

Explores the nature and organization of memory in the brain. Readings from primary literature will give a deeper understanding of how the brain orchestrates memory, and the role of memory in learning, behavior and cognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 182a Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience: Infancy through Adolescence
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 22b or PSYC 33a, or permission of the instructor.

Current research and methods in developmental cognitive neuroscience are surveyed through analysis of journal articles on language, memory, attention, executive functions, and social cognition. Infancy through adolescence are covered in both typically and atypically (Autism, ADHD, etc.) developing populations. Usually offered every second year.

PHIL 131a Philosophy of Mind
[ hum wi ]

Covers the central issue in the philosophy of mind: the mind-body problem. This is the ongoing attempt to understand the relation between our minds -- our thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and so on -- and our bodies. Is the mind just a complex configuration of (neural) matter, or is there something about it that's irreducibly different from every physical thing? Topics include intentionality, consciousness, functionalism, reductionism, and the philosophical implications of recent work in neuroscience, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 39a Advanced Physics Laboratory
[ oc qr sn wi ]

Prerequisites: PHYS 20a and PHYS 19a/b. This course may be repeated once for credit with permission of the instructor. This course is co-taught with PHYS 169b.

Experiments in a range of topics in physics, possibly including selections from the following: wave optics, light scattering, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, numerical simulation and modeling, phase transitions, laser tweezers, chaotic dynamics, and optical microscopy. Students work in depth on three experiments during the term. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 11b Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Data and theories regarding current conceptions of brain-behavior relationships. Begins with an introduction to neural systems as classically defined (sensory, association, motor, autonomic), and moves on to examination of the biological underpinnings of various behaviors, from those relating to basic drives (reproduction, feeding) to those with a cognitive flavor. Throughout, the accent is on interactions between organisms and environment (learning). Usually offered every year.

NPSY 12a Perception: Human, Animal, and Machine
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Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Examines the human senses, emphasizing sight and hearing, studied from standpoints of anatomy, physiology, and psychophysics. Insights from the study of special observers, including developmentally immature humans, members of nonhuman species, and people with abnormal sensory systems. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 16a Motor Control
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisites: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or equivalents, and at least sophomore standing, or permission of the instructor.

Surveys control of vertebrate posture and movement from various perspectives including muscle properties, reflex organization, central pattern generation, spatial representations, learning, and development. Emphasizes research in physiology, psychology, biomechanics, and computational theory. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 17a Hand and Brain
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Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

The specialized developments of the human hand and the parallel developments of the brain, tool use, sign language, and language acquisition are discussed. The control of voluntary movements is a key focus. Includes laboratory demonstrations. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 22b Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

This course explores how the human brain makes the human mind. It covers neural and behavioral dimensions of attention, memory and learning, perception, motor control, plasticity and planning. Experimental approaches and neuroimaging are emphasized. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 28a Learning and Memory
[ oc sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or MATH 10a or permission of the instructor.

Introduces the study of learning and memory. The course will survey various types of memory (e.g., explicit memory, implicit memory, conditioning, short-term/working memory), including strategies, mechanisms, and brain systems. It will encompass disorders and applied aspects of memory. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 120b Human Space Flight: Physics, Physiology, and Behavior
[ sn ss ]

Topics include how orbital flight is achieved, spacecraft life support systems, circulatory dynamics, sensory-motor control and vestibular function in free fall, the physiological and psychological adaptations necessary in space flight, and how astronauts must readapt on return to Earth. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 121b Alzheimer's Disease Resilience and Risk Factors
[ oc sn wi ]

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing. Open to majors in one of the following programs: psychology, neuroscience, or HSSP. Also open to graduate students in psychology and neuroscience.

Provides an overview of Alzheimer’s disease, and the factors that may accelerate disease progression and those factors that may be protective. We will cover a broad array of topics including: neuroimaging and blood biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in humans; aging versus preclinical Alzheimer’s disease; modern definitions of Alzheimer’s resilience, reserve and brain maintenance; role of stress and psychopathology as risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease; relationships between Alzheimer’s pathology and cognitive function. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 139a Memory and the Brain
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NPSY 11b, or permission of the instructor.

Explores the nature and organization of memory in the brain. Readings from primary literature will give a deeper understanding of how the brain orchestrates memory, and the role of memory in learning, behavior and cognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 141a Stress, Physiology, and Health
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisites: one of NPSY 11b, NBIO 146a, PSYC 38a, or NPSY 199a.

About a third of all diseases in western society are related to stress. The study of psychosocial determinants of health is a growing field, in which biological and psychological research is combined to understand pathways between CNS processes and health. We will study these processes in this course. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 170a Decision Neuroscience
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: NBIO 140b/NBIO 240a or NPSY 11b and NPSY 22b, or permission of the instructor.

This course will provide an overview of how animal and human nervous systems generate decisions, with a particular focus on decisions for rewards. We will cover a broad array of topics, including: basic methods for measuring decisions and decision-related neural activity; how predictions about rewards are learned through error-driven processes; the dual systems hypothesis of behavioral control; computation of values for simple choices; the effect of emotion on choices; social decision making; temporal discounting; and deficits in decision-making in human clinical populations. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 174b Visual Cognition
[ oc sn ss ]

Explores complex processes of visual perception. Topics include art and visual perception, visual perception by machines, visual imagery in everyday life, visual basis of reading, visual search, perceptual learning, computational models of visual perception, and face recognition. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 176b Constructing Reality
[ oc ss ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 11b, NPSY 12a, NPSY 16a, NPSY 17a, NPSY 22b, or NPSY 199a and junior or senior standing.

How do our brains and minds construct our reality? For answers, the course will draw on insights from scientific psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, particularly how damage to the nervous system can disorder our sense of reality. Special consideration will be given to the nature of perception, evaluation of evidence, and decision making. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 180a Social Neuroscience and Culture
[ djw oc sn ss ]

Prerequisites: PSYC 10a, 51a, and 52a, or NBIO 140b/NBIO 240a, or permission of the instructor. May not be taken for credit by students who took PSYC 213a in prior years. Formerly offered as PSYC 180a.

Introduces empirical research on a breadth of social neuroscience topics-- including the self, stereotyping, and moral reasoning--with a more focused coverage of culture. Emphasis will be placed on literature comparing Eastern and Western cultures. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 182a Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience: Infancy through Adolescence
[ oc sn ss wi ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 22b or PSYC 33a, or permission of the instructor.

Current research and methods in developmental cognitive neuroscience are surveyed through analysis of journal articles on language, memory, attention, executive functions, and social cognition. Infancy through adolescence are covered in both typically and atypically (Autism, ADHD, etc.) developing populations. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 196b Advanced Topics in Cognition
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: PSYC 52a, NBIO 140b, or NPSY 199a.

This seminar covers current issues and research in memory, aging, speech perception, and language comprehension. Emphasis will be placed on the current literature in the field. Usually offered every second year.

NPSY 197a Advanced Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisites: NPSY 11b and NBIO 140b or permission of the instructor.

Covers current research and issues pertaining to the neurobiology of perception (focusing mainly but not exclusively on perception of chemosensory signals) as well as the neurobiology of simple learning. Usually offered every year.

NPSY 199a Human Neuropsychology
[ sn ss ]

Prerequisite: Psych 10a or Math 10a and at least sophomore standing.

Designed as an introduction to human neuropsychology. Topics include cerebral dominance, neuroanatomical mapping, and localization of function, with special reference to language, memory, and related cognitive function. Usually offered every year.

PHIL 123b Neuroethics
[ hum ]

Focuses on the philosophical and ethical implications that arise from advances in neuroscience. We will investigate questions like: What are the evolutionary origins of moral judgment? Does evolutionary theory shed light on morality? Do our moral motivations derive from reason or pre-reflective intuition? Do psychopaths have moral responsibility? Do we have free will? Is there an obligation to enhance ourselves? Should drugs be used to enhance mental functioning? Is it moral to grow human organs in animals for purposes of transplantation? Usually offered every third year.

PHIL 131a Philosophy of Mind
[ hum wi ]

Covers the central issue in the philosophy of mind: the mind-body problem. This is the ongoing attempt to understand the relation between our minds -- our thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and so on -- and our bodies. Is the mind just a complex configuration of (neural) matter, or is there something about it that's irreducibly different from every physical thing? Topics include intentionality, consciousness, functionalism, reductionism, and the philosophical implications of recent work in neuroscience, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 136b Computational Neuroscience
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 10a or higher and one of the following: NBIO 140b/240b, PHYS 10b/11b/15b, BIOL 107a, or any COSI course.

An introduction to concepts and methods in computer modeling and analysis of neural systems. Topics include single and multicompartmental models of neurons, information representation and processing by populations of neurons, synaptic plasticity and models of learning, working memory, decision making and neural oscillations. The course will be based on in-class computer tutorials, assuming limited prior coding experience, with reading assignments and preparation as homework. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 142b Circadian Rhythms and Sleep
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Prerequisite: NBIO 140b, NBIO 240a, or BIOL 105b.

Explores via some lecturing, but predominantly discussion of papers from the primary literature, what we know about circadian rhythms and sleep in different organisms. We will discuss the molecular, cellular and circuitry control of rhythms and sleep as well as their behavioral and physiological consequences. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 143b Developmental Neurobiology
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: BIOL 14a, BIOL 15b, and either BIOL 12a or BIOL 18b, or permission of the instructor.

Discusses the molecular mechanisms used in the development of the nervous system in both invertebrate and vertebrate experimental systems. Topics include determination of neuronal cell fates, axon growth and guidance, plasticity during development, and mechanisms responsible for generation of connectivity in the nervous system. This course emphasizes reading of original scientific research papers and class discussion and oral presentations. If oversubscribed, preference from the waitlist will be given based on seniority. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 145b Circuits and Systems
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Explores fundamental questions in circuit-and systems-level neuroscience. We will take a systems-level perspective to explore how the brain supports behavior and cognition. The course emphasizes reading and presenting original papers, and writing summaries of original papers. Students will read and discuss seminal and current findings to understand how the brain represents and perceives the external environment, adapts and learns, executes control, and uses internal representations to make decisions and drive behavior. The focus will be on underlying circuits, neural representations and neurophysiological mechanisms. The course will follow an arc that covers sensory systems, perception and behavior, neural coding, cognition, and motor control. Emphasis will be on bridging across these levels, and on critical analysis and synthesis. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 146a The Neurobiology of Human Disease
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: Any of the following BIOL 100b, BIOL103b, BIOL 105b, BIOL 122a, BIOL 128a, NBIO 140b, or NBIO 143b.

A lecture- and literature-based examination of the molecular, cellular, and circuit level mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric diseases. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 147a Genetics of Behavior
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a, NBIO 140b, and either BIOL 12a or BIOL 18a.

Topics include function of genes, genetic pathways and neurons in the generation of behavior. The use of genetics and genetic manipulations in the study of behavior in a range of experimental organisms will be emphasized. Course will be based on reading  primary research articles. A solid understanding of the fundamentals of genetics, molecular biology, and neuroscience is essential for this course. Usually offered every second year.

NBIO 148b Cellular and Circuit Mechanisms of Experience Dependent Plasticity
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: NBIO 140b or 240a. Graduate students may take this course concurrently with either NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Brain microcircuits are able to extract and process information, and to change in response to experience to enable flexible behavior. We will explore the cellular and circuit mechanisms that confer both flexibility and stability to brain circuits. Students will examine classic experiments on cellular and circuit plasticity,  as well as the contemporary literature on our evolving understanding of learning-related plasticity, especially in the context of ethological behaviors. The course emphasizes reading from original papers and extensive class discussion. Usually offered every year.

NBIO 149b Molecular Signaling Pathways of the Neuron
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: NBIO 140b or NBIO 240a.

Covers the essentials of signaling in the nervous system (horomones, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators) with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms. Course is is based on reading papers from the primary literature. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 12a Introductory Biology Lab
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL12b, BIOL 14a, and sophomore standing. Yields half-course credit. Biology majors should take BIOL 18b and BIOL 18a.

Provides firsthand experience with a wide array of organisms and illustrates basic approaches to experimental design and problem solving in genetics and genomics. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 12b Introductory Biology Lab
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 15b, and sophomore standing. Yields half-course credit. Biology majors should take BIOL 18b and BIOL 18a.

Provides firsthand experience with modern molecular biology techniques and illustrates basic approaches to experimental design and problem solving in molecular and cellular biology including applications of biochemical techniques. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 18a General Biology Laboratory for Biology Majors
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a, BIOL 18b, sophomore standing, and a declared biology major. Yields full-course credit. This lab is time-intensive and students will be expected to come in to lab between regular scheduled lab sessions. In order to accommodate students with time conflicts it may be necessary to re-assign students without conflicts to another section of the course. Students' section choice will be honored if possible.

Provides firsthand experience with a wide array of organisms and illustrates basic approaches to experimental design and problem solving in genetics and genomics. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 18b General Biology Laboratory for Biology Majors
[ oc sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 15b, sophomore standing, and a declared biology major. Yields full-course credit. This lab is time-intensive and students will be expected to come to lab between regular scheduled lab sessions. In order to accommodate students with time conflicts it may be necessary to re-assign students without conflicts to another section of the course. Students' section choice will be honored if possible.

Provides firsthand experience with modern molecular biology techniques and illustrates basic approaches to experimental design and problem solving in molecular and cellular biology including applications of biochemical techniques. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 42b Human Physiology Lab

Prerequisite: BIOL 42a. BIOL 42b may be taken concurrently with BIOL 42a. Yields half-course credit.

Students will be introduced to laboratory techniques used to study human physiology including electromyography, electrocardiography, exhaled gas analysis, and spirometry. Students will set up equipment, make predictions, record results and analyze how their observations reveal physiological principles. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 152b Virus Hunter Project Lab
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a, BIOL 15b, BIOL 12a and 12b or BIOL 18a and 18b.

During this course, students will learn about a common type of virus called bacteriophage. They will isolate novel bacteriophage from the marine environment and using modern molecular biology and bioinformatic techniques, they will sequence, analyze, and annotate the viral genome. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 159a Project Laboratory in Microbiology
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Prerequisites: BIOL 12a and 12b or BIOL 18a and 18b.

A discovery-based laboratory to study the diversity of microorganisms in particular environments. Students will isolate microbes with ability to metabolize complex compounds from special environments, characterize their properties and identify them by DNA sequence analysis. After students learn foundational microbiology concepts and techniques, they will choose, design, and carry out a short research project. This project lab is primarily for seniors and master's students. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 18a General Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: CHEM 11a. Dropping CHEM 11a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. Two semester-hour credits; yields half-course credit. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have passed CHEM 19a in previous years.

Introduction to basic laboratory methods and methods of qualitative and quantitative analyses. Included in the analytical methods are gas chromatography and infrared measurements. A synthesis project that includes analyzing the product by titration. Calorimetric experiment using probes interfaced with computers. Identification of unknowns based on physical and chemical properties. Analysis of the metal content of substances by atomic absorption. One laboratory lecture per week. One afternoon of laboratory per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 18b General Chemistry Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 18a and CHEM 11a. Corequisite: CHEM 11b. Dropping CHEM 11b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have passed CHEM 19b in previous years.

The second semester of the general chemistry laboratory program. Continued use of probes interfaced with computers to monitor pH and electrical conductivity changes in titrating weak monoprotic and polyprotic amino acids, to monitor pressure changes as part of a kinetics study, and to monitor voltage changes of electrochemical cells with temperature so as to establish thermodynamic parameters for redox reactions. Also included is identification of unknowns based on selective precipitation. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 19a Honors General Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Corequisite: CHEM 15a. Dropping CHEM 15a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have taken CHEM 18a in previous years.

An advanced version of CHEM 18a. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 19b Honors General Chemistry Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 15a and CHEM 19a. Corequisite: CHEM 15b. Dropping CHEM 15b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits. This course may not be taken for credit by students who have taken CHEM 18b in previous years.

Continuation of CHEM 19a. An advanced version of CHEM 18b. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 29a Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 18b or 19b or the equivalent. Corequisite: CHEM 25a. Dropping CHEM 25a necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Gives experience in the important techniques of organic chemical laboratory practice of isolation and purification of organic compounds by crystallization, distillation, and chromatography, and their characterization using analytical and instrumental methods. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One ninety-minute laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 29b Organic Chemistry Laboratory II

Prerequisite: A satisfactory grade (C- or better) in CHEM 25a and CHEM 29a or the equivalent. Corequisite: CHEM 25b. Dropping CHEM 25b necessitates written permission from the lab instructor to continue with this course. May yield half-course credit toward rate of work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

A continuation of CHEM 29a with an emphasis on the synthesis of typical organic compounds. One afternoon of laboratory per week. One ninety-minute laboratory lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

CHEM 59b Advanced Laboratory: Physical Chemistry
[ sn wi ]

Prerequisites: A satisfactory grade (C- or higher in CHEM 18b or equivalent; CHEM 141a or 142a (may be taken concurrently) or equivalent. One one-hour lecture and one afternoon of lab per week.

This course introduces the student to a number of topics of current interest in physical and analytical chemistry and provides experimental verification of physico-chemical principles in thermodynamics, kinetics, macromolecules, organic chemistry, semiconductors, nanochemistry, photochemistry, magnetic resonance imaging and electrochemistry. The properties, reactions, and structure of compounds are understood by evaluating their physicochemical responses to changes in experimental conditions. The experiments use synthesis, spectroscopy, chromatography, electrochemical and other instrumental methods employed in the modern chemical laboratory. The program includes the methodology of quantitative measurement, statistical data analysis, and report writing. One one-hour lecture and one afternoon of laboratory per week. Usually offered every second year.

COSI 119a Autonomous Robotics
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: COSI 21a, or instructor permission.

Become part of the team developing 'Campus Rover', our long term project. Explore the fundamental 'big questions' in robotics: How do robots know what to do? How do they see the world? How do they know where they are? How do they know where to go? How do they control their bodies? How should robots behave around people? How can we get them to work together? Learn and understand Robot Operating System (ROS) and how software for robots is built. Solve gradually more advanced robotic problems, work with real robots in our Robotics Lab. This is a hands-on course, emphasizing real world implementations. Usually offered every year.

ENGR 11a Introduction to Design Methodology
[ sn ]

Prerequisite: Instructor permission required.

An introduction to the engineering design process, with a focus on human-centered design. Students work in teams to solve authentic design problems under the theme of “design to repair the world.” Students are guided through a highly scaffolded process in which they form an idea, sketch it, and develop it through multiple iterations leveraging quick feedback loops and the Design Thinking methodology. Students will become fluent in basic additive and subtractive manufacturing, including 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC machining. Usually offered every year.

ENGR 12b Engineering Instrumentation and Experimentation
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: MATH 10a and PHYS 10b.

The engineering design and analysis process relies on measurements and data collected from the physical world. In this hands-on, project-based course, students will be introduced to concepts, mathematics, hardware, software, methods, and mindsets for making measurements, collecting and interpreting data, and conducting engineering experiments using the scientific method, with a focus on biomedical engineering applications. Following an orientation to the tradeoffs among precision, accuracy, reliability, error, cost, and accessibility in measurement, students will explore topics including electronic circuits and sensors, computer-based data acquisition, data visualization and representation, and experimental design. In the first half of the semester, students will conduct scaffolded projects applying concepts learned in class to measuring properties of the human body such as temperature, force, electrical activity, and walking gait. Students will then collaborate on a team project to design and build more elaborate biomedical instrumentation to collect and analyze data such as pulse, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, or pulmonary function. Throughout, we will engage with the ethics of measurement and experimentation, explore ideas of frugal engineering, and learn social science research methods relevant to engineering design and analysis such as surveys and interviews. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 18a Introductory Laboratory I
[ dl ]

Recommended co-requisite: PHYS 10a. Yields half-course credit.

Laboratory course consisting of basic physics experiments in a biological context with a specific focus on velocity, acceleration, force, momentum, and energy. Foundational skills in data analysis, linear regression, statistics, and data visualization with python. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 18b Introductory Laboratory II
[ dl ]

Recommended co-requisite: PHYS 10b. Yields half-course credit.

Laboratory course consisting of basic physics experiments in a biological context with a specific focus on waves, optics, and electricity and magnetism. Foundational skills in data analysis, linear regression, statistics, and data visualization with python. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 19a Physics Laboratory I
[ dl ]

May yield half-course credit toward rate-of-work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Laboratory course designed to accompany PHYS 11a and 15a. Introductory statistics and data analysis including use of microcomputers and basic experiments in mechanics. One afternoon or evening of laboratory per week. One one-and-a-half-hour lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 19b Physics Laboratory II
[ dl ]

May yield half-course credit toward rate-of-work and graduation. Two semester-hour credits.

Laboratory course designed to accompany PHYS 11b and 15b. Basic experiments in electricity, magnetism, and optics. Basic electrical measurements. Determination of several fundamental physical constants. One afternoon or evening of laboratory per week. One one-and-a-half-hour lecture per week. Usually offered every year.

PHYS 29a Electronics Laboratory I
[ sn ]

Prerequisites: PHYS 11a, b or PHYS 15a, b; and PHYS 19a, b or permission of instructor. Students without a background in Physics should contact the instructor to discuss course requirements and receive permission to enroll.

Introductory laboratory in electronics. Topics to be covered are time constants, frequency response, rectification, amplification, radio reception, combinatorial logic, digital state machines, and analog-to-digital conversion. The class will solve first and second order differential equations directly and with the help of the complex exponential. Usually offered every spring.

PHYS 39a Advanced Physics Laboratory
[ oc qr sn wi ]

Prerequisites: PHYS 20a and PHYS 19a/b. This course may be repeated once for credit with permission of the instructor. This course is co-taught with PHYS 169b.

Experiments in a range of topics in physics, possibly including selections from the following: wave optics, light scattering, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, numerical simulation and modeling, phase transitions, laser tweezers, chaotic dynamics, and optical microscopy. Students work in depth on three experiments during the term. Usually offered every year.

QBIO 24b QBReC Lab

Prerequisite: QBIO 11a. Yields half-course credit. Formerly offered as EL 24b.

Students explore the living world through experimental and computational projects conducted in research labs. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary science where techniques from physics, chemistry and biology are used to develop a quantitative understanding of life at the molecular and cellular level. Usually offered every year.

QBIO 120b Quantitative Biology Instrumentation Laboratory
[ sn ]

Focuses on optical and other instruments commonly used in biomedical laboratories to make quantitative measurements in vivo and in vitro. Students disassemble and reconfigure modular instruments in laboratory exercises that critically evaluate instrument reliability and usability and investigate the origins of noise and systematic error in measurements. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 51a Biostatistics
[ dl sn ]

Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.

An introductory level biostatistics class providing an overview to statistical methods used in biological and medical research. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary probability theory, commonly observed distributions, basic concepts of statistical inference, hypothesis testing, regression, as well as analysis of variance. Basic statistical analysis using the R software package will be introduced. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 107a Data Analysis and Statistics Workshop
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Prerequisites: BIOL51a, high school statistics, or similar course.

The interpretation of data is key to making new discoveries, making optimal decisions, and designing experiments. Students will learn skills of data analysis and computer coding through hands-on, computer-based tutorials and exercises that include experimental data from the biological sciences. Usually offered every year.

ECON 83a Statistics for Economic Analysis
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Prerequisite: ECON 2a or ECON 10a. Students must earn a C- or higher in MATH 10a, or otherwise satisfy the calculus requirement, to enroll in this course. May not be taken concurrently with ECON 184b or repeated by students after the successful completion of ECON 184b.

A first course in statistical inference. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability, normal and binomial distributions, sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, properties of estimators, hypothesis testing, regression, and analysis of variance. Usually offered every semester.

MATH 40a Introduction to Applied Mathematics
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Prerequisites: MATH 15a or MATH 22a and MATH 20a or MATH 22b.

Introduces the problems and issues of applied mathematics, with emphasis on how mathematical ideas can have a major impact on diverse fields of human inquiry. Usually offered every fall.

NBIO 136b Computational Neuroscience
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Prerequisites: MATH 10a or higher and one of the following: NBIO 140b/240b, PHYS 10b/11b/15b, BIOL 107a, or any COSI course.

An introduction to concepts and methods in computer modeling and analysis of neural systems. Topics include single and multicompartmental models of neurons, information representation and processing by populations of neurons, synaptic plasticity and models of learning, working memory, decision making and neural oscillations. The course will be based on in-class computer tutorials, assuming limited prior coding experience, with reading assignments and preparation as homework. Usually offered every second year.

NPHY 115a Dynamical Systems
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Prerequisites: MATH 10a, b or equivalent; MATH 15a and/or some coding experience would be helpful.

An introduction to the theory of nonlinear dynamical systems, including bifurcations, limit cycles, chaos, and coupled oscillators. Covers analytical, computational, and graphical methods of solving sets of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, as well as mathematical modeling of natural phenomena. Examples will be drawn from physics, chemistry, population biology, and neuroscience. Usually offered every third year.

PHYS 105a Biological Physics
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Physical forces in living matter are studied from the perspective offered by statistical mechanics, elasticity theory, and fluid dynamics. Quantitative models for biological structure and function are developed and used to analyze systems such as single molecule experiments, transcriptional regulation networks, the forces arising during DNA packaging in a virus, and mechanisms underlying mammalian pattern formation. Usually offered every second year.

PSYC 51a Statistics
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Prerequisite: PSYC 10a or the permission of the instructor. This course normally should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

Covers the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics. Techniques useful in the behavioral sciences will be emphasized. Students learn the theory of statistical decisions, practical application of statistical software, and how to analyze journal articles. Usually offered every semester.

PSYC 123a Applied Bayesian Modeling
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Prerequisite: PSYC 51a or equivalent.

Designed for undergraduate and graduate students in psychology or related field who are interested in learning the method of Bayesian modeling and the ways to implement Bayesian modeling in applied research. In particular, the course is aimed to (1) introduce the basic principle of Bayesian modeling; (2) demonstrate how to do Bayesian analyses using the tools available in R and JAGS; and (3) elaborate how to evaluate and present the results. The ultimate goal of this course is to expand students’ analytic skills. Usually offered every second year.

PSYC 148a Applied Statistical Computing in R
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Prerequisite: PSYC 51a or equivalent.

Designed for graduate students and advanced undergraduates who like to learn the R statistical programming package, further their understanding of statistical modeling and its application in applied and academic research, use R to make the connection between statistical concepts, modeling, and their implementation, and use R to document their research process and enhance its reproducibility. Usually offered every second year.

PSYC 210a Advanced Psychological Statistics I

In conjunction with PSYC 210b, this course teaches students how to do independent data analysis in psychology at a PhD-level. Topics include methods for describing data, exploratory data analysis, elementary probability theory, null hypothesis significance testing and alternatives, one-way and factorial analysis of variance, and repeated measures analysis. Students receive extensive instruction in the use of R (with options for students to use SPSS, MATLAB, or other computing platforms in the class). Usually offered every year.

QBIO 110a Numerical Modeling of Biological Systems
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Prerequisite: MATH 10a and b or equivalent.

Modern scientific computation applied to problems in molecular and cell biology. Covers techniques such as numerical integration of differential equations, molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. Applications range from enzymes and molecular motors to cells. Usually offered every second year.