The B.S. in Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience focuses on the neural substrates of cognitive processes and behavior, utilizing methods from cognitive psychology, behavioral analysis, psychobiology, and computer science to account for empirical data about the brain.

Our neuroscience majors are designed to provide both breadth and depth to the neuroscience knowledge base of our students, and afford ample opportunities for developing creative and critical thinking skills needed to advance neuroscience (or any other life science field).

Curriculum

Undergraduate Research

Neuroscience students have numerous opportunities to conduct scientific research in the labs of our neuroscience-affiliated faculty at Loyola's Lake Shore Campus, in the labs of other faculty on any of Loyola's campuses, or at other institutions in the Chicago area. Depending on the applicability of the research project to the student's Neuroscience Major or Minor, independent research may be able to qualify for course credit as one of the required specialty labs (see below).

Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience Majors Research Credit

Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience (NRCB) majors can earn specialty lab credit for conducting independent research that has a neuroscience or cognitive/behavioral focus in labs within the psychology or biology departments. Your research project must be approved by the NRCB Director for NRCB credit through one of the 3-credit courses below:

• PSYC 397 Independent Research (relevant research with faculty in Psychology)
• PSYC 369 Psychology Honors Readings/PSYC 370 Psychology Honors Research (relevant research with faculty in Psychology for NRCB credit; additionally must use neuroscientific technique if desire NRCB Honors)
• BIOL 396 Research (relevant research with faculty in Biology)

Please contact the NRCB Director for questions about earning credit from cognitive/behavioral or neuroscience-related research in other departments (e.g., computer science, engineering, chemistry) or at other institutions.

Suggested Sequence of Courses

Course Objectives

Because the nervous system is the organ for behavior, neuroscience cuts across traditional fields in the biological and behavioral sciences. Owing to this breadth, we have designed two major tracks for students who wish to focus on neuroscience in their course of study at LUC. Completing either of these options will prepare students well for a variety of careers, including but not limited to medicine and life sciences research, particularly in neuroscience-related fields. Both options require at least two semesters of courses in biology, chemistry, and physics.

Lecture Course Objectives

Both of the majors require three courses in neuroscience fundamentals: NEUR 101 Introduction to Neuroscience, BIOL 362 Neurobiology (which stresses cellular and electrophysiological mechanisms of neural function), and PSYC 382/BIOL 284 Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience (which stresses the neural substrates underlying mental processing and behavior).  After completing this sequence, majors can design their own course of study within cognitive/behavioral or molecular/cellular neuroscience.  There is some overlap in the list of lecture courses from which students may choose to complete their elective requirements, but there is also great diversity in the topics that are available in each major track. 

Lab Course Objectives

Aside from first-year labs in chemistry and biology, and organic chemistry lab for molecular/cellular neuroscience majors, neuroscience majors choose their own lab experiences. Because the nervous system is cellular, computational, and a control center, the range of techniques that are useful is extremely broad, from cellular/molecular to behavioral, and the student can decide which techniques will be most helpful in answering the questions they want to address. Students who are interested in conducting independent neuroscience research have several neuroscience labs from which to choose, and may also seek permission to carry out a neuroscience-relevant project in a lab that is not focused on neuroscience. Independent research is the best preparation for doctoral programs, and is also regarded highly by medical, dental and other life science professional schools. For this reason, getting an independent research position in a lab is competitive.

Seminar Courses

There are three seminar style courses available to neuroscience undergraduates.  In these courses, students tackle the primary literature and react to seminars given by neuroscientists on their research.  Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience majors are required to take the 1-credit hour NEUR 300 Seminar in Neuroscience course, providing basic exposure to the primary literature and a wide range of research talks.  Both major tracks culminate with a required capstone seminar class, which immerses the students in the primary literature and encourages development of critical thinking and presentation skills.

College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Requirements

All Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to take two Writing Intensive courses (6 credit hours) as well as complete a foreign language requirement at 102-level or higher (3 credit hours) or a language competency test.  More information can be found here.

Additional Undergraduate Graduation Requirements

All Undergraduate students are required to complete the University Core, at least one Engaged Learning course, and UNIV 101.  SCPS students are not required to take UNIV 101.  Nursing students in the Accelerated BSN program are not required to take core or UNIV 101.  You can find more information in the University Requirements area.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this program of study, students will be able to:

• functional neuroanatomy at the gross, cellular, and subcellular levels. [Neuroanatomy]
• electrochemical signaling and information processing in the nervous system. [Neurophysiology]
• the general methodological approaches, applications, strengths, and weaknesses of the major laboratory and computational techniques used in the study of the nervous system. [Neuroscience Methods]
• the neural bases of sensory processing and behavior (e.g., movement, appetitive behaviors, biological rhythms). [Sensory/Behavior]
• the neural bases of cognitive and affective aspects of mental life (e.g., memory, attention, executive function, language, emotion). [Cognitive/Affective]
• genetic, environmental, and experiential influences on neural development and neuroplasticity. [Neural Development/Plasticity]
• the relationships between neurological and psychiatric disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, depression), their underlying neuropathology, and common treatments. [Clinical Disorders]
• read, understand, critically evaluate, and draw appropriate conclusions from reports of neuroscientific investigations. [Critical Analysis]
• effectively communicate findings from neuroscience research studies to both scientific and nonscientific audiences in multiple formats. [Scientific Communication]
• formulate scientific questions, construct testable hypotheses, and design scientific investigations that contribute to neuroscience. [Research Design]
• engage in scientific investigations using appropriate neuroscientific laboratory or computational techniques, statistically analyze the data, and interpret the findings. [Laboratory Skills & Inquiry/Statistical Analysis]
• develop awareness of the philosophical, moral, and ethical issues raised by neuroscience and influences of neuroscience on other fields such as medicine, education, and social sciences. [Science & Society]