Neuroscience
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Overview
Neuroscience is the study of the biological mechanisms that underlie behavior and cognition. In this major, students learn how the brain works at the molecular, biochemical, and cellular levels; how it processes information; and how it generates sensation, action, emotion, and high-level cognition. Students learn about the nature of neural computation in the brain, the causes of neurological and neuropsychiatric disease, and how emerging neurotechnologies are uniting brain science and engineering.
The major combines biology, psychology, behavior, and computation, providing a broad education that spans the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience. An optional capstone experience allows seniors to apply their knowledge to an in-depth research question. Neuroscience students who elect to participate in independent research may choose from sponsoring research laboratories within the department, or in laboratories outside the department (e.g., at Berkeley, LBNL, CHORI, UCSF).
The neuroscience major prepares students for many careers and post-baccalaureate training programs, including health-related professional programs (e.g., medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy), PhD training programs, biotechnology and pharma industries, teaching, science communication, data science, and scientific research.
Declaring the Major
Students may declare the Neuroscience major when they have fulfilled the following requirements:
Completed CHEM 1A/CHEM 1AL
Completed MATH 51/MATH 52 or MATH 10A/MATH 10B or completed an alternative MATH sequence
Enrolled in or completed BIOLOGY 1A*
Enrolled in or completed PHYSICS 8A*
Have a GPA of 2.000 or higher in all major requirements taken at UC Berkeley
Have a GPA of 2.000 or higher in all upper division courses taken for the major at UC Berkeley**
*If enrolled in a second attempt after an F or NP grade, then a C grade or higher on the first midterm is required to declare while enrolled.
**This only applies if a student has completed any upper division requirements, including the pre-approved Tier 3 Electives and/or Outside Perspectives course, regardless of whether the course is offered by the NEU department or not.
Students must declare before the end of their 5th semester.