Neuroscience Minor
The Neuroscience minor is designed to allow students in other majors an opportunity to explore the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience in a structured and rigorous way, while pursuing a major field of study in another discipline at the same time.
To enter the minor, students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better and a 2.5 GPA in the requisite courses for Neuroscience M101A and M101B (listed below under “lower division requirements”).
Nonscience majors wishing to minor in Neuroscience should be aware that preparation courses in chemistry, life sciences, and physics are requisites to the upper-division course requirements.
A minimum of 20 units applied toward the minor requirements must be in addition to units applied toward major requirements or another minor’s requirements.
Each minor course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better in the minor. Successful completion of the minor is indicated on the transcript and diploma.
Lower Division Requirements: 9 classes, 37 units
- Life Science 7A, 7B, 7C, 23L
- Physics 5A, 5C, OR 1A, 1B
- Chemistry 14A, 14B, 14C OR 20A, 20B, 30A
Upper Division Requirements: 7 classes, 31 units
3 Core Courses:
- Neuroscience M101A – Fall Quarter Only
- Prerequisite: CHEM 14C/30A, LIFESCI 7C, PHYSICS 5C/1B
- Neuroscience M101B – Winter Quarter Only
- Prerequisite: NEUROSC M101A with a grade of C- or better
- Neuroscience M101C – Spring Quarter Only
- Prerequisite: NEUROSC M101A with a grade of C- or better
4 Additional Electives: Choose any four electives from the following list (click here for course titles/descriptions):
- Disability Studies M139
- Music Industry M103
- Neurobiology M169
- Neuroscience 101L, 102, M116A, M119L, M119N, CM123, M135, 140, 142, M145, 150, C151, M161, M170, C172, M176, C177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 186, M187, 191A, 191B, 191C, 199AB
- Physics C186
- Physiological Science M106, 121, CM123, C126, C127, C130, M135, 138, C144, M145, 146, 147, 173, 174, 175, M176, 177, M181
- Psychology 110, 112A, 112B, 112C, 112E, M116A, 116B, 118, 119A-F, 119I, 119J, M119L, 119M, M119N, M119O, 119Q-S, 119U, M119X, 120A, 120B, 124A, 124B, 124C, 124D (Consciousness: Current Debates), 124K, 127B, 137A (previously PSYCH 188B: Neuroscience of Social Perception), M139, 161, 162, 164, M166
- Psychiatry 174, 176, M182
**If any of the above electives are not showing in your DARS/DPR, please email the Neuroscience Academic Advisors (neurosci@ucla.edu) and it will be manually added.
Please Note:
- There is a maximum 2-course overlap permissible between the student’s major and the Neuroscience Minor.
- Students may apply Neuroscience 199A/B toward the minor as one of the four elective requirements. These 199 contracts, however, may not be used as overlap with the students major.
- Each preparation class must be passed with a C- or higher (2.5 prep GPA).
- Students who repeat more than 2 preparation classes or any preparation class more than once are subject to dismissal from the minor.
- All minor courses must be taken for a letter grade, with an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better.
Please read the course notes when enrolling in electives – they include important information regarding enrollment.
For Psychology electives, Neuroscience majors and minors are not held to completing prerequisites like PSYCH 10, 115, or 100A. Psychology electives will open during second pass to Neuroscience majors and minors, unless otherwise noted in the course notes.
**Please see Neuroscience Major Page for Important Notes about the LIFESCI 7 series and PHYSICS 6/5 series. We accept the LIFESCI 1-4 and PHYSICS 6 series for students who were admitted prior to Fall 2017.
How to Declare the Neuroscience Minor
Students may add the Neuroscience minor if they have completed all of the prep course requirements listed above and will be able to fulfill the minor requirements by their degree expected term (a sample course plan is requested to demonstrate this).
If they will need to exceed the degree expected term listed on their DARS (spring or summer of their fourth year for students who entered as freshmen or fall of their third year for students who entered as transfer students), students must first file a petition with the College of Letters and Science to request additional quarters. Please see a counselor in your appropriate counseling unit (i.e. College Counselors in A316 Murphy Hall or AAP, Athletics, Honors, etc.).
Make an appointment with the Neuroscience Undergraduate Advisors for more information.