Concordia College

Requirements for a Major or Minor in Neuroscience

Programs offered:
• Minor in Neuroscience (7.5 course credits)

Faculty
Julie R. Mach, director
Mikel L. Olson
Kirsten B. Diederich
Krystle D. Strand
Susan J. Larson
Darin J. Ulness

Neuroscience is a broad and diverse field at the frontier of science today. The goal of neuroscience is to understand how the brain and nervous system acquire, process and integrate information from the environment and how this information brings about behavior of the organism. Neuroscience is truly an integrative discipline in which chemistry, biology, psychology, physics and mathematics all provide us with insight into how the nervous system functions from the basic molecular processes to the sophisticated behavior of higher organisms. The neuroscience program at Concordia is unique in its emphasis on the physical basis of neuroscience, especially chemistry. The molecular level approach is integrated with the more traditional systemwide and behavioral emphasis. The neuroscience minor would therefore nicely complement any major in the above-mentioned disciplines.
Students who have completed the neuroscience minor will be able to:

• understand the nature of science — its methods of inquiry, social practice and particular viewpoints
• describe and apply facts, concepts and theories of neuroscience
• think critically about neuroscience research, theory and topics and will be familiar with the literature in the field
• utilize laboratory skills that provide a foundation for answering research questions in the field of neuroscience
• integrate material from several disciplines in their study of neuroscience and they will understand that problem solving involves the use of many disciplinary perspectives

Department Course Descriptions

Minor in Neuroscience
The requirements for a minor in neuroscience are 7.5 course credits:
• NEU 109 and NEU 109L — Introduction to Neuroscience, 1.0 credit
• NEU 4XX, BIOL 4XX — Neurobiology, 1.0 credit OR
PSYC 319 — Behavioral Neuroscience, 1.0 credit
• NEU 475 — Neurochemistry, 1.0 credit OR
PSYC 324 — Drugs and Behavior, 1.0 credit
• NEU 406 — Senior Seminar, 0.5 credit
• 1.0 additional course credit; at least one course from the following:
– NEU 252 — Physical Neuroscience, 1.0 credit
– NEU 3XX (0.5 credit)
– NEU 328, PSYC 328 — Human Neuropsychology, 1.0 credit
– NEU 380 — Special Topics, 0.25 to 1.0 credit
– NEU 475, CHEM 475 — Neurochemistry, 1.0 credit
• 1.0 additional course credit; at least one course from the following:
– BIOL 306 — Human Anatomy and Physiology, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 345 — Molecular Biology, 1.0 credit
– BIOL 380 — Animal Behavior, 0.5 to 1.0 credit
– BIOL 415 — Genetics, 1.0 credit
– CHEM 373 — Biochemistry I, 1.0 credit
– CHEM 374 — Biochemistry II, 1.0 credit
– PSYC 318 — Learning and Behavior, 1.0 credit
– PSYC 319 — Behavioral Neuroscience, 1.0 credit
– PSYC 323 — Perception, 0.5 credit
– PSYC 361 — Cognition Psychology, 1.0 credit
• Required supporting courses:
– BIOL 101 — General Biology, 1.0 credit OR
BIOL 121 — Vertebrate Biology, 1.0 credit AND
– CHEM 142 — Survey of Organic and Biochemistry, 1.0 credit OR
CHEM 373 — Biochemistry, 1.0 credit