Course Planning
The following information and handouts will guide you in your course planning. Please meet with an Academic Advisor if you need assistance with course planning for our program requirements.
Neuroscience Course Planning Handouts
Major Requirements – Download File
Minor Requirements – Download File
Sample 4-year/3-year Degree Plan – Download File
Blank Major Course Planning Sheet – Download File
Blank Minor Course Planning Sheet – Download File
Sample Program Plan for Transfer Students – Download File
Preparation for the Major: Staying On Track
At minimum, students should have the following major and minor preparation coursework completed before starting the upper division Neuroscience core series with NS M101A.
Math 3A, 3B, 3C or 31A, 31B, 32A or LS 30A, 30B
Chem 14A, 14B, 14C or 20A, 20B, 30A
Physics 5A, 5C or 1A, 1B
LIFESCI 7A, 7B, 7C
All other preparation coursework is still required to complete the major. Please refer to the handouts above.
NOTE: Every student’s program plan will differ depending on course availability, scheduling, personal obligations, timing of the decision to pursue the major, and previous credit received. We strongly recommend students work with a Neuroscience Academic Advisor and College Counselors to plan their own personal programs.
Enrolling in Upper Division Neuroscience Courses
Each quarter, the Neuroscience Academic Advisors will send out an email with instructions of how to enroll in upper division Neuroscience courses for the major and minor. Students should also consult the Course Notes under the Schedule of Classes tab on registrar.ucla.edu. Students need to subscribe to the neuroscience mailing list by emailing neurosci@ucla.edu to receive these updates.
The Registrar lists all course offerings on the Schedule of Classes.
Students can check their enrollment time by logging into their MyUCLA account.
Remember, the Neuroscience Academic Advisors only oversee enrollment for courses offered by the department. Make sure to contact other departments directly if you have an issue enrolling in their courses, or have questions about course equivalencies.
Biostatistics
51-254A CHS
310-825-5250
rlnaranjo@ph.ucla.edu
Chemistry
4009 Young Hall
310-825-1859
ugrad@chem.ucla.edu
Integrative Biology and Physiology
125 Hershey Hall
310-825-3892
gergel@physci.ucla.edu
Life Sciences
222 Hershey Hall
310-825-6614
lscore@lifesci.ucla.edu
Mathematics
6356 Math Sciences
310-206-1286
ugrad@math.ucla.edu
Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology
128 Hershey Hall
310-825-7109
undergradmcdb@lifesci.ucla.edu
Physics
1-707D PAB
310-206-1447
queval@physics.ucla.edu
Psychology
1531 Franz Hall
310-825-2730
undergraduate@psych.ucla.edu
Statistics
8117 Math Sciences
310-206-3742
MyUCLA Message Center
Biological Sciences Pathways
UCLA Life Sciences offers a range of majors in the biological sciences, with alternative pathways to meet course requirements for graduate. By the time you receive your degree, all path, listed on the website, will appear the same to future graduate/professional schools or employers – so please choose your curriculum based on your academic preparation: https://lifesciences.ucla.edu/biology-curriculum-options/
NOTE: Neuroscience majors are encouraged to follow the early Physics path.
Degree Audit Report (DARS)
Every UCLA student is expected to familiarize themselves with their degree requirements by reviewing their Degree Audit Report (DARS) on MyUCLA at least once per quarter. Your degree audit is a summary of your progress towards your degree. It lists all degree requirements, including neuroscience major/minor requirements, that need to be completed. Academic advisors can assist with reviewing your degree audit to help you stay on track with program requirements. Students should also meet with a College counselor to make sure they are on track to fulfill all other university and College degree requirements (e.g. GEs, foreign language, unit max, etc.).
Petitions
Students can submit petitions to the department for a variety of reasons. Petitions are reviewed by the Neuroscience Academic Advisors and Department Chair within three weeks of submission. Please follow the directions listed below.
Automatically Approved Substitutions
For students who complete the Math 3A/B/C or 31A/B/32A series: BIOSTATS100A or 110A or PSYCH 100A are automatically approved substitutions for the STATS 10/13 or LIFESCI 40 requirement. If this does not reflect on your DARS, please email neurosci@ucla.edu after you have received a final grade for the course.
For NEUROSC 101L: NEUROSC/PSYCH M116A or PSYCH 116B are automatically approved substitutions. If this does not reflect on your DARS please email neurosci@ucla.edu after you have received a final grade for the course.
Coursework from Other Institutions
First, check www.assist.org or www.transferology.com/ for existing articulation agreements. If you find a course, confirm with the respective UCLA department that the agreement is still accepted.
If there is no transferable course listed, you must contact the individual office of the course you are trying to complete (see contact information above).
(For example: You have found a Life Science course at a community college near your hometown and would like to substitute it for LIFESCI 7C at UCLA, but assist.org or transferology.com do not have an agreement listed. Therefore, you would need to contact the Life Sciences Office to find out how to proceed (How to Submit a Course Equivalency Request).)
Submit the final decision from the respective department to a Neuroscience Academic Advisor to make the official changes on your DARS.
Petitions for Neuroscience Electives
Coursework Completed Outside of UCLA
Please follow these steps:
1. Obtain a current copy of the syllabus and course outline of the class you are trying to substitute.
(If there is a similar course here at UCLA* that is already listed as a Neuroscience elective, also submit the syllabus of the class offered here.)
2. Submit a petition form with your UID number and contact information detailing which elective category you want it to fulfill (Behavioral & Cognitive, Systems & Integrative, or Molecular, Cell & Developmental) and why you think the courses are equivalent.
3. Submit all of the above materials to a Neuroscience Academic Advisor.
Please note: The class must transfer to UCLA as an upper division course.
*Contact the Psychology department for Psychology courses and then submit the final decision from Psychology to the Neuroscience department.
Coursework at UCLA
New classes are added each quarter at UCLA, and you may find a course that you want to take to satisfy a Neuroscience elective requirement. Students can submit a petition to count a course outside of the approved list of electives to fulfill a major/minor elective, and we may officially incorporate it as an elective, or approve of it on an individual basis.
Please follow these steps:
1. Check to make sure the course number is numbered 100 to 199 and that the course content is related to the brain.
2. Obtain a current copy of the syllabus and course outline of the class you are trying to substitute.
(If there is a similar course here at UCLA that is already listed as a Neuroscience elective, also submit the syllabus of the class offered here.)
3. Submit a petition form with your UID number and contact information detailing which elective category you want it to fulfill (Behavioral & Cognitive, Systems & Integrative, or Molecular, Cell & Developmental) and why you think the courses are equivalent.
4. Submit all of the above materials to a Neuroscience Academic Advisor.