X. Degree Programs

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Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

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Neuroscience (NEUR)

Departments of Biomedical Sciences (Ontario Veterinary College), Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (College of Biological Science), Molecular & Cellular Biology (College of Biological Science), and Psychology (College of Social and Applied Human Science).

Major (Honours Program)

This Honours program provides a foundation in the natural sciences and an opportunity to develop advanced knowledge of nervous system structure and function, and the skills required for independent inquiry within neuroscience. The specialization is unique in its emphasis on integrative/interdisciplinary problem solving. Through the use of electives, students may structure a program that emphasizes molecular and biomedical neuroscience, behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, or comparative neuroscience.

The major prepares students for professional programs in health science (medical, physiotherapy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, nursing), post-graduate degrees in neuroscience research, and provides a strong foundation for students wishing to pursue careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, public health, teaching, and scientific publishing & journalism.

Students may enter this major in Semester 1 or any semester thereafter. A student wishing to declare the major may wish to consult with a Faculty Advisor. A minimum total of 20.00 credits is required to complete the major.

Semester 1
BIOL*1080 [0.50] Biological Concepts of Health
CHEM*1040 [0.50] General Chemistry I
MATH*1080 [0.50] Elements of Calculus I
PHYS*1080 [0.50] Physics for Life Sciences
0.50 Liberal Education elective
Students lacking Grade 12 or 4U Biology, Chemistry or Physics should follow the revised schedule of study for this major found at: https://www.uoguelph.ca/bsc/revised_SS
Semester 2
BIOL*1070 [0.50] Discovering Biodiversity
BIOL*1090 [0.50] Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology
CHEM*1050 [0.50] General Chemistry II
PHYS*1070 [0.50] Physics for Life Sciences II
PSYC*1000 [0.50] Introduction to Psychology
Semester 3
BIOC*2580 [0.50] Introduction to Biochemistry
MBG*2040 [0.50] Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics
NEUR*2000 [0.50] Introduction to Neuroscience
One of:
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I
PSYC*1010 [0.50] Making Sense of Data in Psychological Research
0.50 Liberal Education elective
Semester 4
MCB*2050 [0.50] Molecular Biology of the Cell
PHYS*2030 [0.50] Biophysics of Excitable Cells
PSYC*3410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience II
1.00 electives or restricted electives
Note: Physiology restricted elective (# 3) must be taken before registering in BIOM*3090 in semester 6.
Semester 5
BIOM*3000 [0.50] Functional Mammalian Neuroanatomy
NEUR*3100 [0.50] Molecular Mechanisms of Neurological Disorders
PSYC*3270 [0.50] Cognitive Neuroscience
1.00 electives or restricted electives
Note:Physiology restricted elective (# 3) must be taken before registering in BIOM*3090 in semester 6.
Semester 6
BIOM*3090 [0.50] Principles of Pharmacology
NEUR*3500 [1.00] Techniques in Neuroscience
1.00 electives or restricted electives
Semester 7
NEUR*4000 [0.50] Current Issues in Neuroscience
NEUR*4100 [0.50] Neuropharmacology
1.50 electives or restricted electives
Semester 8

2.50 electives or restricted electives

Restricted Electives

Students are advised to pay particular attention to pre-requisite requirements when choosing individual courses, and seek advice as needed. *Indicates courses that require additional prerequisites.

  1. A minimum of 0.50 credits of Critical thinking/ Philosophy / Ethics from:

    BIOM*3210 [0.50] Critical Thinking in the Health Sciences
    PHIL*2100 [0.50] Critical Thinking
    PHIL*2110 [0.50] Formal Logic
    PHIL*2120 [0.50] Ethics
    PHIL*2180 [0.50] Philosophy of Science
    PHIL*2240 [0.50] Knowledge and Belief

    Note: if a PHIL course is completed from this list, students are required to take an additional 0.50 credit approved science course as an elective to ensure the minimum science requirement is met.

  2. A minimum of 0.50 credits of Developmental Biology

    BIOM*3040 [0.75] Medical Embryology *
    MBG*3040 [0.50] Molecular Biology of the Gene
    ZOO*3050 [0.50] Developmental Biology

  3. A minimum of 0.50 credits of Physiology

    BIOM*3200 [1.00] Biomedical Physiology
    HK*2810 [0.50] Human Physiology I - Concepts and Principles
    ZOO*3600 [0.50] Comparative Animal Physiology I *
    NOTE: If HK*2810 is completed in Semester 4, HK*3810 must be completed in Semester 5 in order to meet the BIOM*3090 pre-requisite requirement

  4. A minimum of 0.50 credits of additional statistics or experimental design

    PSYC*2360 [0.50] Psychological Methods and Statistics
    STAT*2050 [0.50] Statistics II
Lists of recommended electives

The following lists contain recommended electives for students wishing to emphasize particular areas in neuroscience.

* Indicates courses that require additional prerequisites.

** faculty advisor will determine if this course is an eligible science elective, depending on the instructor and topic

Psychology
PSYC*2330 [0.50] Principles of Learning
PSYC*2390 [0.50] Sensation and Perception
PSYC*2650 [0.50] Cognitive Psychology
PSYC*3030 [0.50] Neurochemical Basis of Behaviour *
PSYC*3100 [0.50] Evolutionary Psychology *
PSYC*3330 [0.50] Memory and Attention *
PSYC*3410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience II
PSYC*4470 [0.50] Advanced Topics in Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC*4750 [0.50] Seminar in Motivation and Emotion
Computation, Modeling and Statistics
CIS*1300 [0.50] Programming
CIS*2500 [0.50] Intermediate Programming *
MATH*1090 [0.50] Elements of Calculus II
MATH*1160 [0.50] Linear Algebra I
MATH*2270 [0.50] Applied Differential Equations *
MATH*3510 [0.50] Biomathematics *
PSYC*3250 [0.50] Psychological Measurement *
PSYC*3290 [0.50] Conducting Statistical Analyses in Psychology *
STAT*3240 [0.50] Applied Regression Analysis *
Biological Science
BIOC*3560 [0.50] Structure and Function in Biochemistry
BIOC*4580 [0.50] Membrane Biochemistry *
BIOM*4070 [0.50] Biomedical Histology *
MBG*3050 [0.50] Human Genetics
MCB*3010 [0.50] Dynamics of Cell Function and Signaling
MCB*4010 [0.50] Advanced Cell Biology *
ZOO*3000 [0.50] Comparative Histology *
Health & Disease
BIOM*3040 [0.75] Medical Embryology *
BIOM*4030 [0.50] Endocrine Physiology *
BIOM*4050 [0.50] Biomedical Aspects of Aging *
HK*3100 [0.50] Neuromuscular Physiology *
HK*3810 [0.75] Human Physiology II - Integrated Systems *
HK*4070 [0.50] Clinical Biomechanics *
TOX*4000 [0.50] Medical Toxicology
Research Based
For students who are interested in graduate studies, a research course is recommended.
BIOM*4500 [0.50] Literature-based Research in Biomedical Sciences
BIOM*4510 [1.00] Research in Biomedical Sciences
BIOM*4521 [1.00] Research in Biomedical Sciences
BIOM*4522 [1.00] Research in Biomedical Sciences
HK*4230 [0.50] Advanced Study in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences
HK*4360 [1.00] Research in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences
HK*4371 [0.50] Research in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences II
HK*4372 [0.50] Research in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences II
IBIO*4500 [1.00] Research in Integrative Biology I
IBIO*4510 [1.00] Research in Integrative Biology II
IBIO*4521 [1.00] Thesis in Integrative Biology
IBIO*4522 [1.00] Thesis in Integrative Biology
MCB*4500 [1.00] Research Project in Molecular & Cellular Biology I *
MCB*4510 [1.00] Research Project in Molecular & Cellular Biology *
MCB*4600 [0.50] Topics in Molecular and Cellular Biology *
NEUR*4401 [0.50] Research in Neurosciences
NEUR*4402 [0.50] Research in Neurosciences
NEUR*4450 [1.00] Research in Neurosciences
PSYC*3240 [0.50] Independent Research Project **
PSYC*4240 [0.50] Advanced Independent Research Project **
PSYC*4870 [0.50] Honours Thesis I **
PSYC*4880 [1.00] Honours Thesis II **
Credit Summary (20.00 Total Credits)

4.00 – First year science core

7.50 – Required science courses semester 3-8

2.00 – Restricted elective (#1,2,3,4,5 in restricted electives list)

2.50 – Approved Science elective*

0.50 - Required Liberal Education elective (PSYC*1000)

1.00 – Liberal Education electives

2.50 – Free electives

Of the 20 total credits required, students must complete 16.00 credits in science of which a minimum of 2.00 credits must be at the 4000 level and an additional 4.00 credits must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.

*3.00 Approved Science Electives if a PHIL*XXXX course is selected for restricted electives #1

Minor (Honours Program)

A minor in Neuroscience requires a minimum of 5.00 credits including:

BIOL*1090 [0.50] Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology
PSYC*1000 [0.50] Introduction to Psychology
PSYC*2330 [0.50] Principles of Learning
One of:
NEUR*2000 [0.50] Introduction to Neuroscience
PSYC*2410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience I
One of:
PSYC*1010 [0.50] Making Sense of Data in Psychological Research
STAT*2040 [0.50] Statistics I
A minimum of 0.50 credits from:
BIOM*2000 [0.50] Concepts in Human Physiology
BIOM*3200 [1.00] Biomedical Physiology
HK*2810 [0.50] Human Physiology I - Concepts and Principles
ZOO*3600 [0.50] Comparative Animal Physiology I
A minimum of 2.00 credits from:
BIOM*3000 [0.50] Functional Mammalian Neuroanatomy
BIOM*3090 [0.50] Principles of Pharmacology
BIOM*4030 [0.50] Endocrine Physiology
HK*3100 [0.50] Neuromuscular Physiology
MBG*2040 [0.50] Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics
MBG*3050 [0.50] Human Genetics
MCB*2050 [0.50] Molecular Biology of the Cell
NEUR*3100 [0.50] Molecular Mechanisms of Neurological Disorders
NEUR*4000 [0.50] Current Issues in Neuroscience
NEUR*4100 [0.50] Neuropharmacology
PHYS*2030 [0.50] Biophysics of Excitable Cells
PHYS*2330 [0.50] Electricity and Magnetism I
PSYC*2390 [0.50] Sensation and Perception
PSYC*2650 [0.50] Cognitive Psychology
PSYC*3030 [0.50] Neurochemical Basis of Behaviour
PSYC*3270 [0.50] Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC*3330 [0.50] Memory and Attention
PSYC*3410 [0.50] Behavioural Neuroscience II
PSYC*4750 [0.50] Seminar in Motivation and Emotion
Of the 2.00 additional credits, students may select one course from:
BIOM*3040 [0.75] Medical Embryology
MBG*4040 [0.50] Genetics and Molecular Biology of Development
ZOO*3050 [0.50] Developmental Biology
Please note that some of the restricted electives require prerequisites that are not included in the minor.
University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
519-824-4120