BS in Neuroscience
Degree Requirements
To earn a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The curriculum requires a minimum of 120 semester hours as distributed below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of Requirements | ||
| Requirements for the Curriculum | 120 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Requirements for the Curriculum
The requirements for the curriculum include the courses necessary to complete the General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline requirements described in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Foreign language (the equivalent of two years of a single language at the college level) | 0-16 | |
| Exploring World Cultures course a | 3 | |
| Understanding the Creative Arts course a | 3 | |
| Understanding the Past course a | 3 | |
| Understanding U.S. Society course a | 3 | |
| PSCH 100 | Introduction to Psychology b | 4 |
| MATH 170 | Calculus for the Life Sciences c,d | 4 |
| or MATH 180 | Calculus I | |
| BIOS 100 | Biology of Cells and Organisms c | 5 |
| BIOS 101 | Biology of Populations and Communities c | 5 |
| BIOS 220 | Mendelian and Molecular Genetics e | 3 |
| BIOS 222 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| CHEM 122 | General Chemistry I Lecture e | 4 |
| CHEM 123 | General Chemistry Laboratory I c,e | 1 |
| CHEM 124 | General Chemistry II Lecture e | 4 |
| CHEM 125 | General Chemistry Laboratory II c,e | 1 |
| CHEM 232 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| CHEM 233 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| PHIL 202 | Philosophy of Psychology f | 3 |
| PSCH 242 | Introduction to Research in Psychology | 3 |
| PSCH 343 | Statistical Methods in Behavioral Science | 4 |
| BIOS/PHIL/PSCH 484 | Neuroscience I | 3 |
| BIOS/PHIL/PSCH 485 | Neuroscience II | 3 |
| BIOS 286 | The Biology of the Brain | 3 |
| or PSCH 262 | Behavioral Neuroscience | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Theory of Knowledge | ||
| Metaphysics | ||
| Introduction to the Philosophy of Science | ||
| Metaphysics | ||
| Theory of Knowledge | ||
| Topics in Philosophy of Mind | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
| Select two of the following laboratory courses: | 6-8 | |
| Neuroanatomy | ||
| Animal Behavior and Neuroethology | ||
| Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory | ||
| Laboratory in Perception | ||
| Laboratory in Learning and Conditioning | ||
| Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Laboratory in Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Neural Engineering I Laboratory | ||
| Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Learning and Conditioning | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Nine semester hours in upper-division courses in biological sciences, chemistry, philosophy, psychology, or any physics courses to be chosen in consultation with an academic advisor. g | 9 | |
| Electives to complete degree requirement of 120 hours | 12-27 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
| a | Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog for a list of approved courses in this category. |
| b | This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category. |
| c | This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category. |
| d | Completion of MATH 121, the prerequisite to MATH 180, or placement into MATH 170 or MATH 180 fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement |
| f | PHIL 202 fulfills the LAS Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. |
| g | BIOS 386 is also recommended from the biological sciences electives to develop written and oral communication skills. |
| e | General Education credit is given for successful completion of both CHEM 122/CHEM 123 or CHEM 124/CHEM 125. |
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| MATH 170 or MATH 180 |
Calculus for the Life Sciences a or Calculus I |
4 |
| CHEM 122 & CHEM 123 |
General Chemistry I Lecture and General Chemistry Laboratory I |
5 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| CHEM 124 & CHEM 125 |
General Chemistry II Lecture and General Chemistry Laboratory II |
5 |
| BIOS 100 or BIOS 101 |
Biology of Cells and Organisms b or Biology of Populations and Communities |
5 |
| PSCH 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHEM 232 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| BIOS 100 or BIOS 101 |
Biology of Cells and Organisms b or Biology of Populations and Communities |
5 |
| PSCH 242 | Introduction to Research in Psychology | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHEM 233 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | 2 |
| BIOS 222 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| PSCH 366 or PHIL 202 |
Cognitive Neuroscience or Philosophy of Psychology |
3 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSCH 262 or BIOS 286 |
Behavioral Neuroscience or The Biology of the Brain |
3 |
| PHIL 202 or PSCH 360 |
Philosophy of Psychology or Learning and Conditioning |
3 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Advanced-level Elective in BIOS, CHEM, PHIL, or PSCH, or any PHYS | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIOS 220 | Mendelian and Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| PSCH 343 | Statistical Methods in Behavioral Science | 4 |
| PHIL 201 |
Theory of Knowledge or Metaphysics or Introduction to the Philosophy of Science or Theory of Knowledge or Topics in Philosophy of Mind or Metaphysics or Philosophy of Science |
3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIOS 484 |
Neuroscience I or Neuroscience I or Neuroscience I |
3 |
| Advanced level BIOS, CHEM, PHIL, PSCH or any PHYS | 3 | |
| BIOS/PSCH lab | 3-4 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIOS 485 |
Neuroscience II or Neuroscience II or Neuroscience II |
3 |
| Advanced level BIOS, CHEM, PHIL, PSCH or any PHYS | 3 | |
| BIOS/PSCH lab | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 12-13 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
| a | MATH 170 or MATH 180, with a grade of C or better, satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. |
| b | The two Analyzing the Natural World and the two additional General Education course requirements can be satisfied with BIOS 100, BIOS 101 and CHEM 122, CHEM 123, CHEM 124, CHEM 125. |