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Overview of the Undergraduate ProgramNeural science is a collection of disciplines unified by a concern for the function of the brain. Experimental approaches in neural science vary from analyses of molecular and cellular mechanisms in nerve cells and groups of nerve cells to behavioral and psychological studies of whole organisms. Theoretical tools include mathematical and computational modeling approaches that have proved useful in other areas of science. Experimental questions include issues related to biophysical and neurochemical mechanisms within single nerve cells, functional neural circuits consisting of small numbers of neurons, the behavior of large systems of neurons, and the relationship between the activity of elements of the nervous system and the behavior of organisms. The undergraduate Neural Science curriculum blends courses from many of the basic sciences as a foundation for higher level work in Neural Science. Minimum requirements for graduation include:
Additional requirements for Honors Track
Additional recommended courses include:
Pre-health students must satisfy additional requirements:
Contact:Dr. Margarita Kaplow, Academic Advisor for students whose last names begin with A-L.
Jess Holman, Academic Advisor for students whose last names begin with M-Z
Advisors are available to meet with both declared Neural Science majors and those intending to pursue the Neural Science major.
All appointments will be held in:
General inquiries can be sent to dus@cns.nyu.edu Suggestions or feedback for the department may be submitted here. Requirements for Declaring a Neural Science MajorOnly the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Neural Science (or a faculty member in the department designated by the director) may declare a student a Neural Science Major. Advisors at the College Advising office, and DUSs in other departments, cannot declare a student a Neural Science major. In order to be eligible to declare a Neural Science major, a student must have grades of C or better in all courses required for the major that have been completed at the time of declaration. Students cannot officially declare the Neural Science Major until they have received a grade of B- or better in Introduction to Neural Science (INTRONS). Students who have completed INTRONS may submit their request to declare their major electronically here: Declaration of Neural Science Major Students who are not eligible to declare the major may request to receive announcements of interest to intended majors here: Specific Course Requirements for the Major
Neural Science Courses: Following Introduction to Neural Science, students take two higher level Neural Science core courses: Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience (BINS), taught annually in the Spring, and Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (CMNB), taught annually in the Fall. Students also take three Neural Science elective courses. These are generally drawn from the classes offered under the heading Special Topics in Neural Science. These change every semester and cover a variety of topics. Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience is the most common pre-requisite for these classes but additional pre-requisites may be required depending on the course content. Development and Dysfunction of the Nervous System is offered most springs and can also count toward as a Neural Science Elective. Occasionally courses from other departments will be approved as Neural Science electives, but this is rare. All three core Neural Science courses are offered on an equivalent schedule at NYU-Shanghai. NYU-Shanghai also offers Neural Science Electives during fall, spring, and occasionally J-term semesters. Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience is also offered at NYU Abu Dhabi.
Biology Courses: The first two of these courses are preparation for Introduction to Neural Science and Molecular and Cell Biology I and must be taken as co-requisites with General Chemistry I & General Chemistry II. The third biology course, Molecular and Cell Biology I, is the prerequisite to Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, and is typically taken in the same semester as INTRONS. Molecular and Cell Biology I is only offered in the Fall semester. In addition, majors can choose to take one or more courses from a selection of upper level offerings in the Biology curriculum toward their upper-level Biology/Psychology Elective Requirement (see list below). Pre-Health note: Pre-health students must also take Principle of Biology Lab.
Chemistry Courses:
Physics Courses: If students don't have AP credit but want to petition to take only General Physics II and not General Physics I, they must bring a copy of their transcript to a meeting with the Physics II instructor, so that they can review past math and science preparation and overall GPA. The Physics faculty can refuse permission to anyone they believe is unqualified for this exemption.
Psychology Courses:
Statistics Courses: Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences is offered in the fall, spring, and summer semesters and so is the most accessible course to fulfill this requirement. Special Topics: Intro to Neural Data Analysis is occasionally offered through the Neural Science department in the spring semester and can be used to fulfill this requirement or as an upper-level neural science elective. Students may also request the substitution of other statistics courses from other departments. Quantitative Reasoning in the College Core Curriculum is not an acceptable substitution for this requirement. Students who receive a 4 or higher on the AP exam can use that to fulfill this requirement as long as the AP credits have been processed by the College of Arts and Science and appear on the student's transcript.
Mathematics Courses: Students who use AP credits to fulfill this requirement and all those interested in Computational Neuroscience research are encouraged to pursue Calculus II or above. There is room in the curriculum in the event that students require pre-calculus-level mathematics to prepare for Calculus I.
Computer Science Courses:
AP Credit and Transfer Courses: Transfer students should contact a neural science advisor as soon as they are admitted to the program to start the process of getting their transfer credits evaluated for suitability towards the major. Transfer courses may not exceed one-half of the required coursework for the major.
Pre-Requisites: Grading and Academic Performance RequirementsThe minimum acceptable grade for Introduction to Neural Science is a B-. The minimum acceptable grade in all other courses required for the major is a C. These academic standards must be maintained in order for major standing to continue.Introduction to Neural Science may NOT be repeated under any circumstances. At least 1/2 of the major units (35) must be CAS courses completed while enrolled at NYU. HonorsThe Honors Program in Neural Science is designed to allow students to engage with the field of neuroscience at a deeper, more hands-on level than would be possible from the classroom setting alone. The main focus of the program is laboratory course work and education and emersion in research. To complete the Honors Program, students must:
Students must apply for and be accepted into the Honors Program. Students requesting Honors status must have earned a B or better in Introduction to Neural Science and be close to or above a 3.65 grade point average. Students should also demonstrate a genuine interest in research. Completed applications must be received by January 15 for consideration for enrollment in Spring Honors coursework and by June 15 for consideration for enrollment in Fall Honors coursework. To apply for admission to the Honors Track, please login to your nyu gmail account and complete the application form here, including submitting an unofficial transcript and a two page personal statement. The purpose of the Personal Statement is to allow us to evaluate your degree of commitment to research as well as your likelihood to succeed in the program. The Personal Statement should describe any research background you have, the reasons why you want to do research, and the general area(s) of interest you have with respect to research. It should also include a statement of your career goals (e.g., PhD, MD,MD/PhD). If you have already begun to do research in neuroscience, then include information pertaining any or all of the following: Goal of the research, including a tentative title; Why it is interesting to you and is significant to the field; The approach that will be taken (need not be detailed); Rationale for the approach (why is this approach useful?). We understand that any plan you may have at this point is subject to change and does not represent a commitment to a particular thesis project or lab. *If you believe that the GPA requirement should be waived in your case, then explanation of why this should be waived can be included in the Personal Statement. For key dates pertaining to the Honors and Research Track, please see here. For formatting guidelines for the Honors thesis, please see here. For mentor guidelines for the Honors thesis, please see here.
MinorsThere is no Minor concentration in Neural Science.Students interested in the field can take Life Science: Brain and Behavior towards their CAS Core Curriculum Requirement or Introduction to Neural Science if they have completed Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology II and there is room in the course after intended majors have been given a chance to enroll. There are also a few seats available each year for students with the proper pre-requisites to take Introduction to Neural Science, Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience, and Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology as electives through the Biology department. Students wishing to major in Neural Science and declare a minor in another science department can only double count one course towards both the major and the minor. Neural Science majors often select minors in Computer Science, Psychology, or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. Neural Science majors may not minor in Biology because too many of the courses overlap. Pre-health students will fulfill the requirements of a Chemistry minor by completing all of the necessary requirements but need to contact the Chemistry department to get the minor officially declared.
Double MajorsStudents wishing to major in Neural Science and declare a second major in another science department, including Psychology, can only double-count two courses between the two programs.There is no allowed double-major for Neural Science and Biology or for Neural Science and Chemistry. For students wishing to double major in Psychology and Neural Science: PSYCH 10 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences) and NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral & Integrative NS) can be used toward the degree in both majors. If the student chooses to fulfill the 'Biology/Psychology' elective requirement with a Psychology course, this course can not be one used toward the Psychology degree.
Core Curriculum of the College of Arts and ScienceAll students must meet the additional requirements of the College Core Corriculum in order to have a broad, well-rounded liberal arts education. Neural Science students need to satisfy the Expository Writing, Foreign Language, and Foundations of Contemporary Culture components of the Core Curriculum. In addition, students may need to pass the English Writing Proficiency exam administered by the Expository Writing program. The Foundations of Scientific Inquiry (FSI) requirement is satisfied through the Neural Science major course requirements.
Study AbroadNeural Science students typically choose to study abroad in Shanghai, Sydney, or London in the spring of either their sophomore or junior year.NYU-Shanghai offers all three core Neural Science courses on an equivalent schedule. NYU-Shanghai also offers Neural Science Electives during fall, spring, and occasionally J-term semesters. Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience is also offered at NYU Abu Dhabi. Shanghai, Sydney, and London also generally offer other courses required for the major and/or for pre-health. We also strongly encourage students to consider Summer and J-term Study Abroad at other locations when possible. Students should consult with their Neural Science Advisor for individualized course planning. For more information, please visit the NYU Study Abroad Website
Approved Upper-Level Courses for the Biology or Psychology Elective Requirement
PSYCH-UA 22: Perception Neural Science Course Checklist
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