Interdisciplinary Major - Neuroscience

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page .

Prerequisites

To apply for a major in Neuroscience, students are required to have completed at least one of the below 3000-level BIOL/PSYC courses and receive a C+ or above. Prospective majors must have attained a 2.500 cumulative GPA at UVA and be in good academic standing.

• BIOL 3000 - Cell Biology Credits: 3
• BIOL 3010 - Genetics and Molecular Biology Credits: 3
• BIOL 3050 - Introduction to Neurobiology Credits: 3
• PSYC 3160 - Cognitive Neuroscience Credits: 3
• PSYC 3200 - Fundamentals of Neuroscience Credits: 3

Requirements for Interdisciplinary Major in Neuroscience

Distinguished Majors Program in Neuroscience

Students with superior academic performance and serious commitment to independent research are encouraged to apply for the Distinguished Major Program (DMP) at the end of their 2^nd or 3^rd Year. In addition to the core major requirements, DMP students also take the courses listed below. The Program culminates in writing a thesis of empirical research done under the mentorship of a UVA neuroscience faculty member. 

The requirements for admission to the DMP are:

1. Satisfaction of all College requirements as stated in this record with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.400 in the student’s College and university courses;
2. A GPA of at least 3.400 in all courses taken as part of the Neuroscience major;
3. A brief (1-2 page) project proposal along with a written endorsement of the project by a faculty member of the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

To gain admission to the DMP, students submit a research proposal to the DMP Director. The names of the primary (i.e., research mentor) and secondary faculty readers must also be included. Once admitted, students register for NESC 4970 in the first semester of the fourth year. In this course, students conduct their research under the supervision of a faculty member. In the second semester, students register for NESC 4980 to finalize the thesis, ending with a journal-style manuscript. The research project is intended to foster independent thought and develop the student’s critical ability to formulate and conduct scientific research. The date of the student’s final submission of the DMP thesis to the committee is two weeks before the last day of classes. The two-member faculty committee (mentor and second reader) reports its evaluation of Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction of the thesis to the DMP Director by the first day of the exam period. The PFN undergraduate committee  then considers the thesis evaluation, along with the student’s academic record to submit a final level of distinction to the College Registrar. Students receive a letter grade for both NESC 4970 and NESC 4980. These courses do not count toward the GPA of the major.

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  Required Courses for Distinguished Majors Program

• NESC 3980 - Current Topics in Neuroscience I Credits: 3
• NESC 3985 - Current Topics in Neuroscience II Credits: 3
• NESC 4970 - Distinguished Majors Thesis Credits: 3
• NESC 4980 - Distinguished Majors Thesis Credits: 3

Additional Information

For more information, contact the Director at the following email address: psy-neuro@virginia.edu