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Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Certificate in Neuroscience

Students on Summer 2019, Fall 2019, or Spring 2020 requirements NEURSCACRT
A student may earn a certificate as part of completing the bachelor's degree and in addition to completing requirements for a major. Through coursework and lab experiences in this interdisciplinary certificate program, students will develop an in-depth understanding in neuroscience, from the cellular and molecular bases of nervous system function, to a systems-level approach to the study of brain-behavior relationships.

Requirements

The certificate requires at least 24 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Introductory Psychology. One (1) course:
    • PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology I
    • PSY-P 155 Introduction to Psychological and Brain Sciences
  2. Neuroscience. One (1) course:
    • PSY-P 326 Behavioral Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 346 Neuroscience
  3. Foundations of Biology. One (1) course:
    • BIOL-E 111 Basic Biology by Examination I
    • BIOL-E 112 Basic Biology by Examination II
    • BIOL-H 111 Integrated Freshman Learning Experience I
    • BIOL-L 111 Foundations of Biology: Diversity, Evolution, and Ecology
    • BIOL-L 112 Foundations of Biology: Biological Mechanisms
  4. Advanced Neuroscience courses. Four (4) courses:
    • Additional course from the Laboratory list (limit of one 1 additional course unless pursuing PSY-P 499 Departmental Honors Thesis option in approved Neuroscience lab) when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-P 337 Clinical Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 349 Cognitive Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 351 Psychobiology, Self, and Society
    • PSY-P 386 Social Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 406 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System
    • PSY-P 409 Neural Bases of Sensory Function
    • PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior
    • PSY-P 411 Neural Bases of Learning and Memory
    • PSY-P 412 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-P 413 Operant and Pavlovian Conditioning when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-P 414 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-P 415 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-P 423 Human Neuropsychology
    • PSY-P 437 Neurobiology of Addictions
    • PSY-P 441 Neuropsychology of Language
    • PSY-P 444 Scientific Writing in the Psychological and Brain Sciences
    • PSY-P 453 Decision-making and the Brain
    • PSY-P 456
    • PSY-P 457 Topics in Psychology (Approved topics: "ART & THE BRAIN" (TPC 160); "CANNABINOID NEUROBIOLOGY" (TPC 334) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "CANNABIS: SOCIETY AND SCIENCE" (TPC 333); "DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF BRAIN CIRCUITS" (TPC 134); "HISTORY OF THE BRAIN" (TPC 159); "MOLE, CELL AND CIRCUIT MECHANISMS OF ADDICTION" (TPC 144) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "NETWORK SCIENCE IN THE COG AND PSYCH SCIENCES" (TPC 336) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "NEURAL LANGUAGE OF MUSIC PERCEPTION" (TPC 132); "NEUROBIOLOGY & RECOVERY IN SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS" (TPC 345); "NEUROBIOLOGY OF COGNITION" (TPC 168); "NEUROBIOLOGY OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE" (TPC 318); "NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY" (TPC 162) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "NEUROSCIENCE LITERACY" (TPC 344); "NEUROSCIENCE OF HUMAN MOVEMENT" (TPC 142); "PSYCH AND NEUROSCI OF AUTISM" (TPC 115) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "SLEEP & SLEEP DISORDERS" (TPC 153) when taken Summer 2024 or later; "STRUCTURE & FUNCTION OF CEREBRAL CORTEX" (TPC 152); "THE CONNECTED BRAIN" (TPC 124); "THE NEUROSCIENCE OF PSYCHEDELICS" (TPC 165); "THE SOCIAL BRAIN" (TPC 136); "THEMES AND CONCEPTS IN ANIMAL BEHAVIOR" (TPC 176) when taken Summer 2024 or later)
    • PSY-P 466 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology
    • PSY-P 467 Diseases of the Nervous System
    • PSY-P 469 Stress Effects on Brain and Behavior
    • PSY-P 470 Molecular Methods in Neuroscience Research
    • PSY-Y 403 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 412 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 413 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 414 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 415 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PSY-Y 488 The Science Behind Brain Development and Function
    • PSY-Y 427 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • BIOL-L 423 Brain, Behavior and Evolution
    • BIOL-Z 462 Genetics of Behavior
    • BIOL-Z 463 Comparative Neurobiology of Animal Behavior
    • COGS-Q 301 Brain and Cognition
    • PHYS-P 317 Signals and Information Processing in Living Systems
    • ANAT-A 455 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • ENGR-E 399 TOPICS IN INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS ENGINEERING (Approved topics: "FUNCTIONAL NEUROIMAGING" (TPC 22)) when taken Summer 2024 or later
  5. Laboratory. One (1) course from the Laboratory list.
    • PSY-P 426 Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience
    • PSY-P 433 Laboratory in Neuroimaging Methods
    • PSY-P 457 Topics in Psychology (approved topics: "Lab in Cognitive Neuroscience"; "Research and Application of Sleep and Circadian Science")
    • PSY-P 472 Laboratory in Brain Electrical Activity
    • PSY-P 473 Laboratory in Molecular Neuroscience
    • With Department approval:
      • PSY-P 499 Honors Thesis Research
      • PSY-X 498 Capstone Supervised Research
      • BIOL-X 490 Individual Study
      • CHEM-X 499 Chemical Research Capstone
      • PHYS-X 498 Research Project
      • SLHS-X 490 Readings in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
  6. Elective. One (1) course:
    • PSY-P 303 Health Psychology
    • PSY-P 329 Sensation and Perception
    • BIOL-L 211 Molecular Biology
    • BIOL-L 311 Genetics
    • BIOL-L 312 Cell Biology
    • BIOL-L 321 Human Immunology
    • BIOL-L 331 Introduction to Human Genetics
    • BIOL-L 417
    • BIOL-P 451 Integrative Human Physiology
    • BIOL-S 211 Molecular Biology, Honors
    • BIOL-Z 466 Endocrinology
    • Both of the following:
      • CHEM-C 101 Elementary Chemistry I
      • CHEM-C 121 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory I
    • Both of the following:
      • CHEM-C 102 Elementary Chemistry II
      • CHEM-C 122 Elementary Chemistry Laboratory II
    • CHEM-C 103 Introduction to Chemical Principles
    • Both of the following:
      • CHEM-C 105 Principles of Chemistry I
      • CHEM-C 125 Experimental Chemistry I
    • Both of the following:
      • CHEM-C 106 Principles of Chemistry II
      • CHEM-C 126 Experimental Chemistry II
    • Both of the following:
      • One (1) course from the Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry Lecture list.:
        • CHEM-C 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I
        • CHEM-H 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I, Honors
        • CHEM-J 117 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry for Science Majors
      • One (1) course from the Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry Lab list.:
        • CHEM-C 127 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory
        • CHEM-H 127 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry I Laboratory, Honors
        • CHEM-X 150 ASURE Chemistry Research Lab I
    • CHEM-C 118 Principles of Chemistry and Biochemistry II
    • CHEM-C 341 Organic Chemistry I Lectures
    • CHEM-C 342 Organic Chemistry II Lectures
    • CHEM-C 383 Human Biochemistry
    • CHEM-C 483 Biological Chemistry
    • CHEM-C 484 Biomolecules and Catabolism
    • CHEM-C 485 Biosynthetic Pathways and Control of Metabolism
    • CHEM-N 331 Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry
    • CHEM-S 342 Organic Chemistry II Lectures, Honors
    • MATH-M 212 Calculus II
    • MATH-M 301 Linear Algebra and Applications
    • MATH-M 303 Linear Algebra for Undergraduates
    • MATH-S 212 Honors Calculus II
    • ANAT-A 215 BASIC HUMAN ANATOMY when taken prior to Summer 2024
    • ANAT-A 225 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • ANAT-A 464 HUMAN TISSUE BIOLOGY
    • CSCI-A 321 COMPUTING TOOLS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
    • PHSL-P 215 BASIC HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY when taken prior to Summer 2024
    • PHSL-P 225 when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • PHSL-P 416 COMPARATIVE ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
    • PHSL-P 417 NEUROBIOLOGY
  7. Certificate GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. At least 9 credit hours in the certificate must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    2. At least 9 credit hours in the certificate must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    3. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the certificate.
    4. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the certificate—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    5. Exceptions to certificate requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.