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Advisory Committee: Professors Baird (Chair), Raskin†, and Turgeon†; Assistant Professors Graf* and Trapani.
Affiliated Faculty: Professors Clotfelter, Goutte, Poccia†, and Williamson.
*On leave, 2017-18.
†On leave fall semester 2017-18.
‡On leave spring semester 2017-18.
Neuroscience seeks to understand behavior and mental events by studying the brain. The interdisciplinary Neuroscience major at Amherst is designed for those students who wish to have the breadth of experience this program provides and/or to prepare for graduate study in a neuroscience-related field.
Major Program.
(1) General science requirements: Chemistry: All of the following: CHEM 151 (or 155), CHEM 161, and CHEM 221. (Most majors also take CHEM 231). Biology: BIOL 191. (BIOL 181 is optional for Neuroscience, but should be considered by students in the second semester of the first year who are considering majoring in Biology or Neuroscience and are undecided.) Biochemistry: one of the following: BIOL 331 or BIOL 251 or BIOL 330. Students electing BIOL 330 must also take one additional Biology laboratory course numbered 200 or above. Statistics: one of the following: STAT 111 (formerly MATH 130), or STAT 135 (formerly MATH 135), or STAT 230 (formerly MATH 230), or BIOL 210, or PSYC 122. Physics/Mathematics: At least two of the following courses: PHYS 116, PHYS 117, PHYS 123, PHYS 124, MATH 111, MATH 121, MATH 211. (Note: This requirement applies to the classes of 2016 and subsequently.) If you have advanced placement in any of these subjects, take more advanced courses.
MATH 111 or Advanced Placement (at least 4 on AB or 3 on BC) is a prerequisite for CHEM-161 and PHYS 117. The Statistics requirement above is a separate requirement and those courses do not count towards this Physics/Math requirement. For more information about advanced placement see the Neuroscience Program website.
(2) The Introduction to Neuroscience course: NEUR 226, must be taken in spring semester of sophomore year.
(3) Upper-level Behavioral Neuroscience: One of the following: PSYC 325, or PSYC 356, or PSYC 359.
(4) Upper-level Cellular/Molecular Neuroscience: Either BIOL 301 or BIOL 351.
(5) Electives: Two additional upper-level science courses, chosen as follows:
GROUP A: At least one elective must be chosen from any of the following courses: An additional behavioral neuroscience course from item (3) above, an additional molecular/cellular neuroscience course from item (4) above; NEUR 245: System Neuroscience, NEUR 450, BIOL 450: Seminar in Physiology, or a Five College neuroscience course approved by the Neuroscience faculty.
GROUP B: The second elective may also be from the above list, or it may be chosen from the following courses:
BIOL 251 (if BIOL 331 was taken as the biochemistry requirement), BIOL 331 (if BIOL 251 was taken for the General science requirement above), BIOL 220, BIOL 241, BIOL 260, BIOL 271, BIOL, 281, BIOL 291, BIOL 310, BIOL 370 BIOL 380, BIOL 381; CHEM 351, CHEM 361; PHYS 225, PHYS 400 (Also called BIOL 400 and CHEM 400); PSYC 233, PSYC 234, PSYC 236, PSYC 357 or a Five College neuroscience course or neuroscience course taken abroad that is approved (prior to enrollment) by the Neuroscience faculty.
The large number of courses required for the major makes it important for a prospective Neuroscience major to begin the program early, usually with CHEM 151 and MATH 111 in the first semester of the first year. A student considering a Neuroscience major should also consult with a member of the Advisory Committee early in his or her academic career. All senior majors must participate in the Neuroscience Seminar, which includes guest speakers and student presentations; attendance and participation constitute the senior comprehensive exercise in Neuroscience.
Departmental Honors Program. Subject to availability, an Honors candidate may conduct Senior Departmental Honors work with any faculty member from the various science departments who is willing to direct thesis work relevant to neuroscience. Candidates for the degree with Honors should elect NEUR 498 and 499D in addition to the above program (“E” students completing studies in December should choose NEUR 499 and NEUR 498D).
Introduction to Neuroscience
(Offered as NEUR 226 and PSYC 226) An introduction to the structure and function of the nervous system, this course will explore the neural bases of behavior at the cellular and systems levels. Basic topics in neurobiology, neuroanatomy and physiological psychology will be covered with an emphasis on understanding how neuroscientists approach the study of the nervous system. Three class hours plus a Discussion hour and three hours of laboratory per week.
Requisite: PSYC 212 or BIOL 181 or 191. Limited to 36 students. Spring semester. Professors Baird and Trapani.
2023-24: Not offeredSystems Neuroscience
The course will survey behavioral neurobiological systems. Students will explore recent research findings in areas pertaining to the role of neural circuits in several behavioral processes including but not limited to echolocation, mating, prey location, flight control, spatial navigation, song development in birds, mineral appetites, social functions, aggression, and learning in memory mechanisms in several species. Through instructor supervision, discussion, group presentations, and peer review, each student develops a specific research project that results in a research proposal. The course will place significant emphasis on the development of writing skills. Key goals of the course are to prepare juniors for upper level seminars and to provide an intensive literature-research and writing experience. This course will count as a Group A/List A elective course for the neuroscience major.
Limited to junior and senior Neuroscience majors or by permission of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Omitted 2017-18. Professor Baird.
2023-24: Not offeredPsychopharmacology
(Offered as PSYC 325 and NEUR 325) In this course we will examine the ways in which drugs act on the brain to alter behavior. We will review basic principles of brain function and mechanisms of drug action in the brain. We will discuss a variety of legal and illegal recreational drugs as well as the use of psychotherapeutic drugs to treat mental illness. Examples from the primary scientific literature will demonstrate the various methods used to investigate mechanisms of drug action, the biological and behavioral consequences of drug use, and the nature of efforts to prevent or treat drug abuse.
Requisite: PSYC 212 or PSYC/NEUR 226, or consent of the instructor. Limited to 22 students. Not open to five college students. Spring semester. Professor Turgeon.
Other years: Offered in Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023Neurophysiology
(Offered as BIOL 350 and NEUR 350) This course will provide a deeper understanding of the physiological properties of the nervous system. We will address the mechanisms underlying electrical activity in neurons, as well as examine the physiology of synapses; the transduction and integration of sensory information; the function of nerve circuits; the trophic and plastic properties of neurons; and the relationship between neuronal activity and behavior. Laboratories will apply electrophysiological methods to examine neuronal activity and will include experimental design as well as analysis and presentation of collected data. Throughout the course, we will focus on past and current neurophysiology research and how it contributes to the field of neuroscience. Three classroom lecture hours, plus a fourth discussion hour to be used for group work, paper presentations, and review sessions.
Requisites: BIOL 191 and CHEM 151; PHYS 117 or 124 is recommended. Limited to 15 students. Open to juniors and seniors. Admission with consent of the instructor. Fall semester. Professor Trapani.
2023-24: Not offeredHuman Neuroscience
(Offered as PSYC 367 and NEUR 367) This course will focus on the various ways in which neuroscientists study the human brain. We will focus on questions such as: How does the human brain perceive and interact with information coming from the external world? What are the neural mechanisms that allow that information to be transferred into long-term memory? How is that information used to make decisions that can then be communicated via language? Once communicated, how does the brain support the ability to process social and emotional information from other people? More broadly, what happens to these different neural systems during healthy/unhealthy development and aging? Overall, the goal of this course is to successfully answer these questions, along with numerous others, by examining evidence from several different methodologies that examine the human brain at both a macro (i.e., fMRI, EEG, DTI) and micro-scale (i.e., single-unit physiology, intracranial recordings).
Requisite: PSYC 212 or PSYC 226/NEUR 226, or consent of the instructor. Limited to 18 students. Omitted 2017-18. Assistant Professor Cohen.
Other years: Offered in Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2023Special Topics
Research in an area relevant to neuroscience, under the direction of a faculty member, and preparation of a thesis based upon the research. Full course.
Fall and spring semesters. The Committee.
Other years: Offered in Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023Senior Departmental Honors
Research in an area relevant to neuroscience, under the direction of a faculty member, and preparation of a thesis based upon the research. Full course fall semester. Double course spring semester.
Fall semester. The Committee.
Other years: Offered in Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023Neurophysiology with Lab
(Offered as BIOL 351 and NEUR 351) This laboratory course will provide a deeper understanding of the physiological properties of the nervous system. We will address the mechanisms underlying electrical activity in neurons, as well as examine the physiology of synapses; the transduction and integration of sensory information; the function of nerve circuits; the trophic and plastic properties of neurons; and the relationship between neuronal activity and behavior. Laboratories will apply electrophysiological methods to examine neuronal activity and will include experimental design as well as analysis and presentation of collected data. Throughout the course, we will focus on past and current neurophysiology research and how it contributes to the field of neuroscience. Lecture meetings will be combined with BIOL 350 students for three classroom hours plus a fourth hour to be used for group work, paper presentations, and review sessions. Three hours of laboratory work per week.
Requisites: BIOL 191 and CHEM 151; PHYS 117 or 124 is recommended. Limited to one lab section with 15 students. Open to juniors and seniors. Admission with consent of the instructor. Fall semester. Professor Trapani.
2023-24: Not offeredDepartmental Honors Courses
Research in an area relevant to neuroscience, under the direction of a faculty member, and preparation of a thesis based upon the research. Full course fall semester. Double credit for fall semester (used by "E" seniors graduating after Fall semester).
Fall semester. The Committee.
Other years: Offered in Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023Departmental Honors Course.
Research in an area relevant to neuroscience, under the direction of a faculty member, and preparation of a thesis based upon the research. Full course spring semester. Used by "E" seniors graduating in the next Fall semester.
Spring semester. The Committee.
Other years: Offered in Spring 2013, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023