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 110 | Biology of Cells and Organisms c | 4 |
| BIOS 120 | Biology of Populations and Communities c | 4 |
| BIOS 220 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOS 222 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| Select one of the following sequences in general chemistry: | 10 | |
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I c | ||
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II c | ||
| OR | ||
| Matter and Energy e | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I c,e | ||
| Chemical Dynamics e | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II c,e | ||
| CHEM 230 | Organic Chemistry of Biological Systems | 4 |
| or CHEM 232 | Structure and Function | |
| CHEM 233 | Synthesis Techniques Laboratory | 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 | 6-24 | |
| 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 |
| e | General Education credit is given for successful completion of both CHEM 122/CHEM 123 or CHEM 124/CHEM 125. |
| 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. |
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 |
| Select one of the following: | 5 | |
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I | ||
| Matter and Energy and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I |
||
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 5 | |
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II | ||
| Chemical Dynamics and Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II |
||
| BIOS 110 or BIOS 120 |
Biology of Cells and Organisms b or Biology of Populations and Communities |
4 |
| PSCH 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSCH 242 | Introduction to Research in Psychology | 3 |
| CHEM 230 or CHEM 232 |
Organic Chemistry of Biological Systems or Structure and Function |
4 |
| BIOS 110 or BIOS 120 |
Biology of Cells and Organisms or Biology of Populations and Communities |
4 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHEM 233 | Synthesis Techniques Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOS 222 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| PSCH 262 or BIOS 286 |
Behavioral Neuroscience or The Biology of the Brain |
3 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PHIL 202 or PSCH 360 |
Philosophy of Psychology or Learning and Conditioning |
3 |
| BIOS 220 | Genetics | 3 |
| Advanced-level Elective in BIOS, CHEM, PHIL, or PSCH, or any PHYS | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSCH 343 | Statistical Methods in Behavioral Science | 4 |
| PHIL 202 or PSCH 366 |
Philosophy of Psychology or Cognitive Neuroscience |
3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| Advanced level BIOS,CHEM,PHIL,PSCH or any PHYS | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| BIOS 484 |
Neuroscience I or Neuroscience I or Neuroscience I |
3 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 5 | |
| Hours | 14-15 | |
| 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 110, BIOS 120 and CHEM 122, CHEM 123, CHEM 124, CHEM 125. |