Neuroscience
Advisors; Professors DRISCOLL (co-director), ERDAL, HORNER, JACOBS (co-director); Associate Professors DAUGHERTY, DOUNAY, KILLIAN; Assistant Professor HATTON.
The neurosciences investigate the development, organization, and function of the nervous system. The ultimate goal is to understand behavior in terms of underlying neural structure. Neuroscience at Colorado College is an interdisciplinary major, requiring courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and psychology.
Major Requirements
Major Requirements
Students wishing to major in neuroscience complete a minimum of 14 courses (16 units) across several departments. See the Neuroscience section of the course catalog for a summary of regular course offerings.
1. Required courses
PSYCHOLOGY (PY)
- PY100 (or 101 or 105 or 111): Introduction to Psychology
- PY205: Introduction to Methods and Statistics AND PY305: Topics in Advanced Methods and Statistics
- PY299: Neuroscience (2 blocks)
CHEMISTRY (CH)
- CH107 and CH108: General Chemistry I, II
- CH250: Structures of Organic Molecules
- CH251: Reactions of Organic Molecules
MATHEMATICS (MA)
- MA125: Pre-Calculus & Calculus or MA126: Calculus I
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (MB)
- MB131: Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology
and two of the following 400-level courses:
- PY412: Neuropsychology
- PY419: Neuroscience Methods
- PY420: Cognitive Neuroethology
- PY433: Neuropharmacology
- MB415: Developmental Neurobiology (previously MB440)
2. Electives: Any three of the following courses (note that some of these courses have additional prerequisites not listed above, and some are not taught every year):
PSYCHOLOGY (PY)
- PY309: Social Psychology
- PY321: Perception
- PY332: Learning and Adaptive Behavior
- PY344: Cognition
- PY362: Abnormal Psychology
- PY374: Lifespan Developmental Psychology
- PY439: Language and Thought
CHEMISTRY (CH)
- CH245: Bioanalytical Chemistry
- CH382: Biochemistry I
- CH383: Biochemistry II
- CH410: Medicinal Chemistry
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (MB)
- MB201: Laboratory in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Genetics
- MB231: Genetics
- MB305: Advanced Genetic Analysis
- MB310: Advanced Cell Biology
- MB320: Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
- MB325: Molecular and Cellular Immunology
- MB355: Laboratory in Advanced Genetics
- MB360: Laboratory in Molecular Microbiology
- MB375: Laboratory in Advanced Cell Biology
HUMAN BIOLOGY AND KINESIOLOGY (HK)
- HK204: Introduction to Human Anatomy
- HK304: Advanced Human Anatomy
COMPUTER SCIENCE (CP)
- CP115: Computational Thinking
- CP122: Computer Science I
- CP222: Computer Science II
PHYSICS (PH)
- PC141: Physics for the Life Sciences I
- PC142: Physics for the Life Sciences II
- PC241: Physics for the Physical Sciences I: Mechanics
- PC242: Physics for the Physical Sciences II: Electricity and Magnetism
Students who wish to pursue graduate studies in the neurosciences are strongly encouraged to complete at least one block of relevant independent laboratory research under close faculty supervision from one of the following: PY451–454; MB399/498; CH201/301/403. Note that such research projects must involve one of the neuroscience advisers. If the adviser is in the Department of Psychology, the student must complete a final project proposal the academic year before the research is to be conducted. Proposal guidelines are available on the psychology web page.