Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor: Objectives and Course Requirements

OBJECTIVES
The Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor is the interdisciplinary science-based study of the nervous system as the organ for behavior. The Minor is an interdisciplinary liberal-arts study of the nervous system that will expose students to issues of the relationship among the brain, the mind, behavior, evolution, and the existence of humans and other animals in our complex world.

Since the nervous system is the organ for behavior, neuroscience is an interdisciplinary study area that cuts across traditional fields in the biological and behavioral sciences. The Minor is intended for Loyola undergraduates who plan to attend graduate or professional school in the Life Sciences. However, any Loyola undergraduate who takes the appropriate prerequisites can participate in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor. Course requirements are designed to expose students to a range of topics dealing with the nervous system and behavior. The Seminar in Neuroscience will provide a forum for integrating this information to understand the complex nature of behavior and its neural basis. The Laboratories in Neuroscience will train students to use modern neuroscience laboratory techniques in a state-of-the-art neuroscience laboratory teaching facility and will expose them to the excitement of the empirical study of the nervous system and its role in behavior. The minor will allow students to seek their own basis for integrating the wide range of topics that pertain to the study of the nervous system and exploring the neural basis of behavior.

The Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor will include the rich opportunities for neuroscience education at the Lake Shore Campus and those at Loyola University Medical Center. The Minor will expose students to programs at both campuses including those of the Parmly Hearing Institute, the Neuroscience and Aging Institute, and the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Students will be challenged to understand issues of both basic neuroscience research and its applications, including those related to health care. The overall goal of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor is to educate, stimulate, and challenge students to investigate the neural basis of behavior. Information about the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor and neuroscience can be found here at http://www.luc.edu/undergrad/academics/internisciplinary_minor_neuroscience.pdf or down this page.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR
The Neuroscience Minor consists of 20 credit hours (eight courses) including two semesters of a one-hour Seminar in Neuroscience, NEUR 300/BIOL 303; and a two-semester sequence of Laboratory in Neuroscience (I and II), NEUR 301/BIOL 373/PSYC 388 and NEUR 302/BIOL 374/PSYC 389, and a final project which is part of the Laboratory in Neuroscience II, NEUR 302. The additional required courses are in the departments of Biology (BIOL 362), Psychology (PSYC 240, crosslisted as BIOL 240; and PSYC 305, crosslisted as BIOL 241), and at least one course of Anthropology or Philosophy (ANTH 103, ANTH 105, ANTH 320, ANTH 324, ANTH 325, PHIL 173, PHIL 176, PHIL 179, or PHIL 387.)

COURSES OF INSTRUCTION

The following are the required courses for the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor. Crosslistings are in italics.

NEUR 300 (BIOL 303) Seminar in Neuroscience (One credit hour - two semesters).

A seminar intended for Neuroscience Minors. The seminar will introduce the students to the various neuroscience research activities that take place at Loyola University Chicago, including at the Parmly Hearing Institute, Department of Biology, Department of Psychology, and Loyola University Medical Center, especially the Neuroscience programs. Topics will include research opportunities in neuroscience, ethics in neuroscience research, discussion of the brain and mind, and review of current neuroscience research topics.

NEUR 301 (BIOL 373, PSYC 388) Lab in Neuroscience I (3 credit hours).

The first of two laboratory courses intended for Neuroscience Minors taught in the Neuroscience Undergraduate Teaching Facility. The course will cover anatomical, physiological, behavioral, and neurobiological modeling techniques used to study the nervous system and the brain. This course will emphasize learning basic neuroscience laboratory techniques.


NEUR 302 (BIOL 374, PSYC 389) Lab in Neuroscience II (3 credit hours). The second of two laboratory courses intended for Neuroscience Minors taught in the Neuroscience Undergraduate Teaching Facility. The course will cover anatomical, physiological, behavioral, neurobiological modeling techniques used to study the nervous system and the brain. This course will help prepare students to conduct independent research projects. Students will conduct one independent research project during the last part of the course

BIOLOGY

BIOL 362. Neurobiology

PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 240 (BIOL 240). Psychology and Biology of Perception

PSYC 305 (BIOL 241). Brain and Behavior

At least ONE of the following:
ANTHROPOLOGY
ANTH 103. Biological Background for Human Social Behavior
ANTH 320. (BIOL 320) Animal Behavior
ANTH 324. Human Evolution
ANTH 325. (BIOL 325) Primatology: Behavior and Ecology

PHILOSOPHY
PHIL 173. Philosophy of Science
PHIL 176. Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 179. Judgment and Decision Making
PHIL 387. Philosophy of the Mind

OTHER RELATED COURSES

Other courses related to the study of neuroscience but not required courses for the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor.

BIOLOGY
BIOL 302. General Microbiology
BIOL 251. Cell Biology
BIOL 282. Genetics

PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 250. Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 251. Learning and Behavior
PSYC 311. (BIOL 313) Lab in Psychobiology
PSYC 314. Lab in Exp. Psychology: Cognition
PYSC 316. Lab in Exp. Psychology: Sensation & Perception

PHILOSOPHY
PHIL 383. Philosophy of Psychology

CHEMISTRY
CHEM 152. Elementary Physiological Chemistry B

PHYSICS
PHYS 111. College Physics I
PHYS 113. University Physics I

MATHEMATICS
MATH 130. Elements of Calculus I
MATH 161. Calculus I


Last updated: 2006.10.20