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Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Certificate in Neuroscience

Students on Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022 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:
    • 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) of the following options:
    • 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. Certificate GPA. 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.
    2. Certificate Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the certificate.
    3. Certificate Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 9 credit hours in the certificate must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Certificate Residency. 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.

Certificate Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience (NEUSBS)

Exceptions to and substitutions for certificate requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.