Integrated Learning Major in Neuroscience

Contact

Jennifer Cook (Primary Advisor)
Neuroscience
313 Life Sciences Complex

Lauren Mavica (Director) 
Biology
315 Life Sciences Complex

Jessica MacDonald (Executive Director of Neuroscience Studies)
Biology
360 Life Sciences Complex

neuroscience@syr.edu

Faculty

Kevin Antshel, Dessa Bergen-Cico, Carlos A. Castañeda, Jen Cook, Catherine Cornwell, Amy Criss, Joseph W. Ditre, Karen Doherty, Bart Farell, Joshua C. Felver, Brooks B. Gump, Sarah Hall, Julie Hasenwinkel, James Hewett, Brittany Jakubiak, Mike Kalish, Katharine Lewis, Lynn Lohnas, Soren Y. Lowell, Jessica L. MacDonald, Lauren Mavica, Shikha Nangia, Aesoon Park, Jonathan L. Preston, Beth A. Prieve, Ellyn Riley, Natalie Russo, Lael Schooler, Bradley Seymour, Victoria Tumanova, Margaret A. Voss, Kathy Vander Werff and Jeff Zemla

Program Description

Professionals in technically demanding fields are commonly asked to apply their expertise to other seemingly unrelated disciplines. As a result, they must have a comprehensive understanding of not only their own field, but also secondary knowledge of another broadly based, often interdisciplinary, field of study. A chemist might lend his or her expertise to a matter of legal or ethical importance. A curator might evaluate scientific and historical evidence about a painting’s authenticity. A journalist might research a story involving science, medicine, and technology.

Integrated Learning Majors provide broad, interdisciplinary opportunities for students through valuable tools and knowledge in a variety of fields. This synergistic approach adds scholarly mettle to both the major and the interdisciplinary program, while exploiting their connective properties. For example, an undergraduate interested in chemistry could have an integrated learning program in forensic science. Or a student pursuing archeology could have an integrated learning major in ethics, with focus on social science research.

The integrated learning major in Neuroscience can be combined with majors in: Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD), Computer Science, Linguistics, Nutrition, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Public Health, and two majors in Engineering and Computer Sciences (Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering). The ILM in Neuroscience may also be combined with other primary majors with approval of the Neuroscience ILM director.

This ILM may be combined with any other undergraduate major with approval by the program director. While certain majors typically serve as the base major for this ILM, students are encouraged to meet with the program director to determine their best choice of a base major. Dually enrolled students must have a base major within Arts and Sciences|Maxwell.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Identify cellular components of the nervous system.
2. Identify the location and function of the major structures of the brain.
3. Compare and contrast methods of studying the brain.
4. Critically evaluate research as it is presented in the media or used in the arts.
5. Describe, and apply knowledge of, basic neuron physiology.

Requirements

An overall GPA of at least 2.0; a GPA of no lower than 3.0 in the 24 credit hours counting towards the Neuroscience IL Major, a grade no lower than “B-” in the two required entry level courses (NEU 211 Introduction to Neuroscience and NEU 223 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience) and students must successfully complete all of the requirements necessary to obtain a major in one of the following subjects: Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD), Computer Science, Linguistics, Nutrition, Philosophy, Physics, Psychology, Public Health, Bioengineering or Chemical Engineering. Other primary majors may also be possible with the approval of the Neuroscience ILM Director.

College of Arts and Sciences Requirements 

For all Arts and Sciences|Maxwell students, successful completion of a bachelor’s degree in this major requires a minimum of 120 credits, 96 of which must be Arts and Sciences|Maxwell credits, completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements, and the requirements for this major (30 credits) that are listed above.

Dual Enrollments:

Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.

*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core. Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.

Undergraduate University Requirements

The following requirements and experiences apply to all Syracuse University Undergraduate matriculated degree programs.

• ​IDEA Course Requirement 
• First Year Seminar