The scientific study of the brain requires the skills of many different disciplines. Thus, this major is interdisciplinary and interdepartmental. The faculty are biologists, psychologists, biochemists, mathematicians, and engineers, all of whom share a fascination with the function of the brain. The brain is studied at many different levels, including the molecular and cellular levels, the level of systems of neurons, and the behavioral level.
On April 7, 2009, the Undergraduate Council of the Academic Senate, Curriculum Committee certified the Neuroscience, B.S. as a capstone major. The Neuroscience capstone is a project-based culmination to the Neuroscience curriculum. In the Neuroscience major, the capstone requirement is satisfied by either participating in independent research under the guidance of a faculty mentor, through enrolling in a research laboratory course and an extra elective, or participating in neuroscience outreach via DOPA-Team or Project Brainstorm. Completion of one of these capstone options provides students with an in-depth exposure to neuroscience research and provides a culminating capstone experience for Neuroscience majors.
Preparation for the Major
The courses in BOLD must be completed before beginning the Neuroscience M101 series or switching into the major.
| Life Sciences | LIFESCI 7A, 7B, 7C, 7L |
| Mathematics | Choose one (1) Math series from the following: LIFESCI 30A, 30B OR MATH 3A, 3B, 3C OR MATH 31A, 31B, 32A |
| Chemistry | Choose one (1) Chemistry series from the following: CHEM 14A, 14B, 14BL, 14C, 14CL, 14D OR CHEM 20A, 20B, 20L, 30A, 30AL, 30B, 30BL |
| Physics | Choose one (1) Physics series from the following: PHYSICS 5A, 5B, 5C OR 1A, 1B, 1C, 4AL, 4BL |
| Statistics | Choose one (1) Statistics course from the following: STATS 10 OR STATS 13* OR LIFESCI 40* *Students who take LIFESCI 30A/30B must take STATS 13 or LIFESCI 40. |
Important Notes — Preparation for the Major
- All major preparation courses must be taken for a letter grade, and each course must be passed with a C- or better.
- All major preparation courses must be completed with an overall GPA of 2.0 or better.
- All honors or enhanced versions of any courses listed above are also acceptable for completion.
- Students receiving grades below C- in more than two major preparation courses, either in separate courses or repetitions of the same course, are subject to dismissal from the major.
Upper Division Major Requirements
Required Core Courses (5 courses)
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC M101A: Fall Quarter Only Prerequisites: LIFESCI 7C, CHEM 14C/30A, PHYSICS 5C/1B |
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC M101B: Winter Quarter Only Prerequisites: NEUROSC M101A with a grade of C- or better |
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC M101C: Spring Quarter Only Prerequisites: NEUROSC M101A with a grade of C- or better |
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC 102: Fall Quarter or Summer Prerequisites: LIFESCI 7C |
| Chemistry and Biochemistry | CHEM 153A Prerequisites: CHEM 14D/30A |
Major Electives (3 courses)
Complete one elective from each category.
Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience
| Disability Studies | DIS STD M139 |
| Music Industry | MSC IND M103 |
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC M119L, CM123*, 140, 142, M161, M170, C172, M176*, C177*, 178, 179, M187*, 191A |
| Physiological Science | PHYSCI M106*, CM123*, C130*, C144*, 175*, M176*, M181* |
| Psychiatry | PSYCTRY 174, 176, M182 |
| Psychology | PSYCH 110, 112A, 112B*, 112C*, 112E, 118, 119A*, 119B*, 119C, 119D, 119E, 119F, 119I*, 119J*, M119L, 119M*, M119O, 119P, 119R, 119S*, 119U, M119X*, 120A, 120B*, 124A, 124B, 124C*, 124D, 124K, 127B, 137A*, M139, 161, 164*, M166* |
Systems and Integrative Neuroscience
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC M119N, CM123*, M135, M145*, C151, M176*, C177*, M187*, 191B |
| Physics | PHYSICS C186* |
| Physiological Science | PHYSCI M106*, CM123*, C126*, C127*, C130*, M135, 138, C144*, M145*, 146*, 147*, 173, M176*, 177, M181* |
| Psychology | PSYCH 112B*, 112C*, M117J*, 119A*, 119B*, 119I*, 119J*, 119M*, M119N, 119Q, 119S*, M119X*, 120B*, 124C*, 137A*, 162*, 164*, M166* |
Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Neuroscience
| Neuroscience | NEUROSC M145*, 150, C177*, 180, 181, 182, 186, M187*, 191C |
| Physics | PHYSICS C186* |
| Physiological Science | PHYSCI M106*, 121, C126*, C127*, M145*, 146*, 147*, 174, 175*, M181* |
| Psychology | PSYCH 119A*, 162*, M166* |
Electives with an asterisk (*) can fulfill more than one category, but can only be applied toward one.
Major Capstone (2 courses)
Students must select one of the following four options to satisfy the major capstone requirement.
Option 1: Lab Methods
Students who select the Lab Methods capstone option must take a total of 4 electives for the major with at least one elective from each category; the 4th elective may be from any category.
Option 2: Independent Research
NEUROSC 198AB are designated for students pursuing Departmental Honors in Neuroscience.
Important Notes — Independent Research
- Students must have completed NEUROSC M101A and an SRP 99/199 in the same research lab with the same faculty mentor (who holds an Academic Senate title) prior to enrolling in Neuroscience 198AB/199AB.
- Students must be involved in a research lab at UCLA (non-UCLA research labs not permitted), and their research projects must be Neuroscience-related in order to enroll in Neuroscience 198AB or 199AB.
- The Neuroscience 198AB and 199AB research contract courses must be taken in consecutive quarters; Neuroscience 198AB must be taken within the same academic year.
- NEUROSC 198/199 research contracts are 4 units each. Letter grades are assigned upon completion of NEUROSC 198B/199B, earning the student 8 total units. Grades for NEUROSC 199A/198A will remain as “IP” (in-progress) indefinitely, but the 4 units still count towards study list units.
- Maximum of 8 units of courses 198A, 198B, 199A, 199B may be applied toward major. Students interested in earning additional upper division units for their research involvement may enroll in NEUROSC 199C or SRP 199 under their faculty mentor’s home department.
- Participation is required at the annual Neuroscience Poster Day held during the Spring quarter.
For enrollment information on the Neuroscience research contract courses, please see here.
Option 3: Project Brainstorm
| 1. NEUROSC 192BX (Winter and Spring Quarters) |
Important Notes — Project Brainstorm
- Project Brainstorm is a two-quarter outreach and research project offered to juniors and seniors in the Neuroscience major, in which students have an opportunity to develop teaching lessons on Neuroscience that are presented to local K-12 students.
- Project Brainstorm meets on Thursdays from 9:00 am – 11:50 am in both the Winter and Spring quarters. However, there will be additional requirements and an increased time commitment to satisfy the capstone.
- Students interested in Project Brainstorm must apply during the Fall when applications become available.
- Students must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in NEUROSC M101A at the time of application.
- Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance.
- Participation is required at the annual Neuroscience Outreach Day held during the Spring quarter.
Option 4: DOPA-Team
Important Notes — DOPA-Team
- DOPA-Team is a two-quarter outreach and research project offered to juniors and seniors in the Neuroscience major, in which students have the opportunity to choose a novel, unique project, such as youth drug trends over time during the winter quarter, and be given the opportunity to choose a drug category and translate the academic knowledge acquired in C177 into an age-appropriate and interactive presentation and hands-on activity for high school students during the spring quarter.
- Students interested in DOPA Team must apply during the Fall when applications become available.
- Students must have completed or be concurrently enrolled in NEUROSC M101A at the time of application.
- Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance.
- NEUROSC C177 may not be applied toward the major elective requirements for DOPA Team students.
- Participation is required at the annual Neuroscience Outreach Day held during the Spring quarter.
Important Notes — Upper Division Major Requirements
- All upper division major courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 or better in the upper division major requirements.
- Students must earn a C- or better in NEUROSC M101A to advance in the series.
- No more than 8 upper division courses may be taken under the Neuroscience department for the major. Students should aim to complete at least one major elective within another department to avoid exceeding this limit.
- A maximum of 8 units of NEUROSC 198 or 199 (in any combination) may be applied toward the major.