What are the NEUROSCIENCE Major CAPSTONE OPTIONS?
The Neuroscience, B.S. is designated as a capstone major. The capstone major at UCLA serves as a project-based culmination to a curriculum (a meaningful, shaped collection of courses typical of a major or minor), bringing together in a coherent way key elements of that curriculum. The acquisition of knowledge should lead to a specialized topic explored in a paper or project. Methodological training should be applied to a specific inquiry. Knowledge integrated across a range of topics and disciplines should provide broader contexts for a topic or project. And specific skills, such as research, discussion, teamwork, project design, performance, oral presentation, and writing, should be employed as appropriate to that inquiry.
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CAPSTONE OPTIONS:
First, what is the main difference?
Option 1 involves regular coursework. Option 2 involves research contract courses. This means you must create research course contracts on MyUCLA and have a faculty mentor agree to supervise your work in their lab. In other words, Option 2 is like having a job and, therefore, you should treat it like one.
Option 1: Laboratory Methods
(1) Neuroscience 101L
Winter Quarter Only
Pre-requisites: NS m101A, m101B (NS m101B can be taken concurrently)
Psych 116 is an approved substitution for NS 101L. Neuroscience majors should keep in mind that students in the Psych department receive priority for enrollment in Psych 116.
(2) Additional major elective
Students who choose the NS 101L option must take a total of 4 upper division electives with at least one from each elective option. Neurobio M169 can be taken provided that student has already completed one elective for each of the 3 elective categories.
Option 2: Independent Research
(1) Neuroscience 199A
and
(2) Neuroscience199B**
Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters
Pre-requisites: NS m101A & SRP 99 under same faculty mentor
Students who choose the NS 198A/B or NS 199A/B option must take 3 upper division electives, one form each elective option.
Neurobio M169 does not apply.
Poster required at the annual NS undergraduate poster session in May
Please see Research Courses for detailed guidelines.
**Students pursuing Departmental Honors must sign up for NS 198AB instead.
INFORMATION ON NEUROSC 199AB- Project Brainstorm Capstone
You may use participation in Project Brainstorm to fulfill your capstone requirement for the Neuroscience major.
Project Brainstorm (usually offered as Neuroscience 192B) is a two-quarter outreach and research project offered to Juniors and Seniors in which you have an opportunity to develop teaching lessons on Neuroscience that you present to local K-12 students. Capstone students also develop a research project and present at Neuroscience Poster Day.
Project Brainstorm meets Thursdays, 8am-10:50am in both the Winter and Spring quarters.
However, for Capstone students, there will be many additional requirements and increased time commitment.
If you are interested in doing Project Brainstorm over two quarters to fulfill the Neuroscience Major Capstone Requirement, please download and submit the application in Fall Quarter.
Please note: Project Brainstorm as Capstone is EXTREMELY limited at this time- only ~7 students total.
You should be prepared with a back-up plan: Capstone Option #1 (Neurosc 101L in the Winter and an extra elective from any category) or Capstone Option #2 (Participate in Neuroscience Independent Research in a Neuroscience Lab under NS 199AB or NS 198AB).
Questions? Please contact instructor, Dr. Walter Babiec.
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CAPSTONE OPTIONS:
First, what is the main difference?
Option 1 involves regular coursework. Option 2 involves research contract courses. This means you must create research course contracts on MyUCLA and have a faculty mentor agree to supervise your work in their lab. In other words, Option 2 is like having a job and, therefore, you should treat it like one.
Option 1: Laboratory Methods
(1) Neuroscience 101L
Winter Quarter Only
Pre-requisites: NS m101A, m101B (NS m101B can be taken concurrently)
Psych 116 is an approved substitution for NS 101L. Neuroscience majors should keep in mind that students in the Psych department receive priority for enrollment in Psych 116.
(2) Additional major elective
Students who choose the NS 101L option must take a total of 4 upper division electives with at least one from each elective option. Neurobio M169 can be taken provided that student has already completed one elective for each of the 3 elective categories.
Option 2: Independent Research
(1) Neuroscience 199A
and
(2) Neuroscience199B**
Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters
Pre-requisites: NS m101A & SRP 99 under same faculty mentor
Students who choose the NS 198A/B or NS 199A/B option must take 3 upper division electives, one form each elective option.
Neurobio M169 does not apply.
Poster required at the annual NS undergraduate poster session in May
Please see Research Courses for detailed guidelines.
**Students pursuing Departmental Honors must sign up for NS 198AB instead.
INFORMATION ON NEUROSC 199AB- Project Brainstorm Capstone
You may use participation in Project Brainstorm to fulfill your capstone requirement for the Neuroscience major.
Project Brainstorm (usually offered as Neuroscience 192B) is a two-quarter outreach and research project offered to Juniors and Seniors in which you have an opportunity to develop teaching lessons on Neuroscience that you present to local K-12 students. Capstone students also develop a research project and present at Neuroscience Poster Day.
Project Brainstorm meets Thursdays, 8am-10:50am in both the Winter and Spring quarters.
However, for Capstone students, there will be many additional requirements and increased time commitment.
If you are interested in doing Project Brainstorm over two quarters to fulfill the Neuroscience Major Capstone Requirement, please download and submit the application in Fall Quarter.
Please note: Project Brainstorm as Capstone is EXTREMELY limited at this time- only ~7 students total.
You should be prepared with a back-up plan: Capstone Option #1 (Neurosc 101L in the Winter and an extra elective from any category) or Capstone Option #2 (Participate in Neuroscience Independent Research in a Neuroscience Lab under NS 199AB or NS 198AB).
Questions? Please contact instructor, Dr. Walter Babiec.
