The major requires 13 course credits, including eight core courses and five courses from the list of electives. Electives must include at least one NESC designated course and no more than two courses from any single affiliated department (i.e., PSYC, BIOL, CHEM, ENGR, PHIL designated courses). Courses cross-listed with NESC will be counted as NESC courses.

Lab Requirement: Courses indicated below by (lab) have either required or optional labs that can be used to fulfill this requirement. Students must take the accompanying labs with BIOL 182, BIOL 183, CHEM 111, and CHEM 112. Four additional lab courses are required. Two must be designated NESC labs. At least one lab must come from the list of core electives. You may count one semester of NESC 425 (either 0.5 or 1 credit) towards your lab requirement; however you must register for 1 credit for NESC 425 to count as a cognate elective.

No course grade of less than C- may be counted toward the major.

Courses & Electives

Students must take a total of eight core courses.

  • BIOL 182L. Evolution of Life (lab required)
  • BIOL 183L. The Cellular Basis of Life (lab required)
  • CHEM 111L. Introductory Chemistry I (lab required)
  • CHEM 112L. Introductory Chemistry II (lab required)
  • ONE of the following:
    • MATH 107. Elements of Statistics
    • MATH 131. Calculus I
    • MATH 207. Statistical Data Analysis
    • NESC 220 Statistics for Life Sciences
    • PSYC 221L. Research Design and Analysis (lab required)
  • NESC 201. Principles of Neuroscience (lab offered)
  • NESC 388. Current Issues in Neuroscience (senior year only)
  • PSYC 261L. Brain and Behavior (lab offered)

Students must take a total of five electives, at least four must be core electives. 

  • BIOL 324. Advanced Molecular Approaches in Neurobiology
  • BIOL 473. Sensory Biology (lab offered)
  • ENGR 311. Electrophysiology of the Central Nervous System
  • ENGR 316. Neural Engineering
  • ENGR 346L. Computational Neuroscience (lab offered)
  • NESC 205. Neurons, Learning, and Memory
  • NESC 207. Metabolic Health
  • NESC 210L. Neuroendocrinology (lab offered)
  • NESC 212. Landscape Planning and Environmental Education for Brain Health
  • NESC 248. Nature and Brain Health
  • NESC 301L. Introduction to Neuroscience Methodology (lab)
  • NESC 305. Neurolaw
  • NESC 306. Social Neuroscience (lab offered)
  • NESC 307. Clinical Psychobiology
  • NESC 308. Cultural Neuroscience
  • NESC 312. Neurobiology of Movement
  • NESC 313L. Emotion and Motivation (lab offered)
  • NESC 320. Neuroanatomy, Neurobiology, and Cognition across the Lifespan
  • NESC 325. Hormones and Social Behavior
  • NESC 362. Neuroethology
  • NESC 364. Neuropsychopharmacology
  • NESC 401. Neurochemistry (lab offered)
  • NESC 402. Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • NESC 432. Nutrition and Brain Health
  • PHIL 319. Philosophy of Neuroscience and Psychiatry
  • PSYC 248. Nature and Brain Health
  • PSYC 293L. Perception (lab offered)
  • PSYC 302. Behavioral Neuroscience
  • PSYC 334. Current Issues in Cognition
  • PSYC 339. Developmental Psychopathology
  • PSYC 348. Focusing the Mind: The Psychology of Attention
  • PSYC 364. Neuropsychopharmacology
  • PSYC/NESC 365. Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSYC 391. Psychology of Language
  • PSYC 392. Human Neuropsychology

Students must take one additional elective. This can be either from the core electives above or from the following:

  • BIOL 120. Genes, Clones and Biotechnology
  • BIOL 211L. Electron Microscopy (lab required)
  • BIOL 224. Genetics (lab offered)
  • BIOL 227L. Cell Biology (lab required)
  • BIOL 317. Biochemistry (lab offered)
  • BIOL 319L. Animal Physiology (lab required)
  • CHEM 211L. Elementary Organic Chemistry I (lab offered)
  • NESC 101. The Brain
  • NESC 103. Adolescence and Drug Use
  • NESC 104. The Body Electric
  • NESC 105. Hartford on the Brain
  • NESC 107. The Divided Brain
  • NESC 120. Nervous Connections
  • NESC 425. Research in Neuroscience(1.0 credit)1, 2
  • PHIL 378. Philosophy of Mind
  • PSYC 255L. Cognitive Psychology (lab offered)
  • PSYC 265. Drugs and Behavior

1 NESC 425 (0.5 credit) can be used to fulfill the NESC lab requirement, however, NESC (1.0 credit) is required to fulfill the cognate elective requirement.
2 HFPR 202. Health Care Research may substitute for NESC 425 provided the research is done in a neurological, neurosurgical, neuropsychiatric, or basic neuroscience laboratory setting. This substitution must be approved by the program director.

The Writing Intensive Part II requirement is fulfilled by one of the following:

  • NECS 305. Neurolaw
  • NESC 306. Social Neuroscience
  • NESC 313. Emotion and Motivation
  • NESC 362. Neuroethology
  • NESC 364. Neuropsychopharmacology
  • NESC 401. Neurochemistry
  • NESC 432. Nutrition and Brain Health
  • PHIL 374. Minds and Brains
  • PSYC 302. Behavioral Neuroscience
  • PSYC 334. Current Issues in Cognition
  • PSYC 339. Developmental Psychopathology
  • PSYC 348. Focusing the Mind: The Psychology of Attention
  • PSYC 365. Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSYC 392. Human Neuropsychology
  • NESC 388. Current Issues in Neuroscience

Concentration/Track

Depth option: In order to be designated as fulfilling a concentration in one area of neuroscience, students who choose to do so (in addition to fulfilling the breadth requirements above) must complete four electives as listed below. This will be indicated on their transcript (e.g., Neuroscience: Cellular/Molecular Concentration).

Four electives fulfill depth in one area.

Electives

  • BIOL 224. Genetics
  • BIOL 317L. Biochemistry (lab required)
  • BIOL 324. Advanced Molecular Approaches in Neurobiology
  • BIOL 432/NESC 432. Nutrition and Brain Health
  • CHEM 402/NESC 402. Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • ENGR 311. Electrophysiology of the Central Nervous System
  • ENGR 316. Neural Engineering
  • ENGR 346. Computational Neuroscience
  • NESC 207. Metabolic Health
  • NESC 210L. Neuroendocrinology (lab offered)
  • NESC 320. Developmental Neuroscience
  • NESC 401. Neurochemistry
  • BIOL 319L. Animal Physiology (lab required)
  • BIOL 473. Sensory Biology
  • NESC 207. Metabolic Health
  • NESC 210L. Neuroendocrinology (lab offered)
  • NESC 306. Social Neuroscience
  • NESC 312. Neurobiology of Movement
  • NESC 313L. Emotion and Motivation (lab offered)
  • NECS 325. Hormones and Social Behavior
  • NESC 362. Neuroethology
  • PSYC 302. Behavioral Neuroscience

 

  • PHIL 378. Philosophy of Mind
  • PSYC 293L. Perception (lab offered)
  • PSYC 334. Current Issues in Cognition
  • PSYC 339. Developmental Psychopathology
  • PSYC 348. Focusing the Mind: The Psychology of Attention
  • PSYC 364. Neuropsychopharmacology
  • PSYC 365. Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSYC 391. Psychology of Language
  • PSYC 392. Human Neuropsychology

 

To double major in neuroscience and another major, a maximum of four courses (including core courses, core electives, and cognate elective) can be double-counted in both majors.

Experiential Certificates

Experiential Certificates complement the core liberal arts experience with an integrated set of courses and immersive experiences that prepare students for their next steps after Trinity. Each Certificate consists of a total of three credits, combining both academic courses and co-curricular experiences, with at least one credit from different experience categories. Co-curricular experiences include, but are not limited to: TA-ships; peer teaching and mentorships; internships (that do not count toward a major); summer fellowships; some unpaid research with a faculty member, paid summer research; and (most) J-term courses.

The Neuroscience Program has created an experiential Certificate in Clinical Neuroscience. This Certificate is for students interested in health care or graduate school in a field related to neuroscience, including neurology, psychiatry, physical or occupational therapy, and clinical psychology. Students would be required to take:

  1. One of the courses that fulfills the Clinical/Cognitive track in neuroscience;
  2. One semester of research in a human neuroscience setting either on or off-campus (Ayers Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Living, UConn or permission of coordinator) and
  3. One community learning experience in neuroscience either as part of a class, part of CHER, or as a volunteer/internship experience approved by the coordinator.

Note that only one credit can be used to count for both this certificate and the major. For more information, students should contact Professor Sarah Raskin.

Other experiential Certificates that may be of interest to Neuroscience Majors, and utilize the Program’s courses are as followed:

Other Experiential Certificates

Protecting a sufficient network of the natural world is essential for our future and our health. This certificate will enable students to explore the natural landscape, from urban to wilderness, and the interdisciplinary connections between nature and health – ranging from emerging science to ethics, arts, and natural and cultural history.

The Global Health and Human Ecology certificate is particularly suitable for students that may want to continue in public policy, research, health care, land conservation and stewardship, community planning, or various forms of artistic expression. The culminating co-curricular experience is flexible and cross-disciplinary and will feature special networking opportunities among certificate participants.

Click here for more information, or contact Professor Susan Masino with further questions.

The experiential certificate in Urban Engaged Learning enables students to develop skills in urban-focused research, engagement with community partners, and independent project management. The certificate consists of two academic credits and one co-curricular experience. The academic credits are earned through the Liberal Arts Action Lab. Students who participate in the Lab enroll in two, one-credit courses completed in one semester:

  1. A research methods course and
  2. A course centered around an applied research project.

The co-curricular experience consists of an urban-focused research or engagement project. Resources for these projects are available to students through grants from the Center for Urban and Global Studies and Center for Caribbean Studies, or the Center for Hartford Engagement and Research’s Community Learning Research Fellows. An independently formulated and executed urban-focused research or engagement project that takes place outside of these programs will be considered on a case by case basis.

For more information, students should contact Professor Abby WilliamsonProfessor Garth MyersProfessor Dario Euraque, or Professor Eric Galm.

The US is the global leader in mass incarceration, maintaining 25% of the world’s total
incarcerated population and an estimated 5 million people entering US jails each year. This
represents an enormous challenge for public policy, politics, social justice, and human rights.

Completion of the Certificate in Carceral Systems and Social Change prepares students to
envision creative and transformational justice alternatives and to advance decarceration
through their pursuit of careers in law, public policy, social service, education, and the
arts. Students explore these issues by taking selected courses to develop a foundational level
of knowledge in how carceral systems emerge, persist, and crucially, are undone.

The cocurricular/experiential component is designed in collaboration with a community partner or faculty adviser with the aim of creating dialogue between the theories taught in the courses and the practice of the social change achieved via transformative justice. Several options for completing the co-curricular/experiential component include: Human Rights/Theater and Dance courses that involve collaboration with past and present residents at York Correctional Institution for women; programs with Justice Dance Performance
Project; or outside research fellowships.

For more information, students should contact Professor Ben Carbonetti.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Independent Studies: Neuroscience students are encouraged to perform independent research in one of the many active labs on campus. In addition, opportunities exist to perform research or get clinical experience at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford Hospital, the Institute of Living and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. A special research program is available through the Ayers Neuroscience Institute. See the program director to learn how to apply for these opportunities.

Study away: Neuroscience students who wish to study away should meet with their adviser and the program director in advance of the semester they intend to go away. Professor Seraphin is currently the study-away adviser for the Neuroscience Program and can advise students regarding specific study-away options. There are many study-away locations that allow for course work in neuroscience as well as internship experiences. Students who wish to take a course for major credit while away must have this approved by the program director before going away.

Courses at other institutions: Students who wish to earn major credit for course work at other institutions should submit to the director the name of the institution and the number, title, and catalog description of the course. This information must be submitted in writing before the work is initiated and formal permission must be granted before the courses can be credited toward the major at Trinity, following the usual procedures established by the Office of Study Away.

Honors: In order to be considered for honors in the major, students must have an overall GPA of 3.7 in the 200-level and above courses that are being counted towards the major requirements, and students must demonstrate superior quality in their research or community service, as determined by the program faculty.

In Addition,

Students must do one of the following:

Two semester thesis in neuroscience (NESC 498 and NESC 499) with a grade of A or better.

Two semesters (2.0 credits) research assistant in neuroscience (NESC 425), both completed with the same faculty research supervisor. In addition, both semesters must be completed after declaration of the major, and one of the two semesters must be completed in the senior year with a grade of A or better.

Summer research assistant in neuroscience supervised by a member of the Neuroscience Coordinating Committee or approved in advance by the Director, completed after declaration of the major, followed by one semester (1.0 credit) of research assistant in neuroscience (NESC 425) completed during the senior year with the same faculty research supervisor. The summer research must earn distinction and the credit of NESC 425 must earn a grade of A or better.

Equivalent hours (300 hours) committed to community engagement in neuroscience approved by the Director. Students must complete and turn in the Documentation of Community Engagement Hours form signed by the community mentor and by the Director of the program. This must be completed and turned in to the Director by the last day of classes of the semester the student will be graduating. This co-curricular experience must earn distinction.

Students must give both an oral presentation during the annual spring neuroscience presentations and a poster presentation at the annual Research Symposium in the senior year.

To be considered for honors, students must send in their completed honors application no later than September 30th (May graduates) or February 28th (December graduates) of their penultimate semester