Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience
Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience Overview
Behavioral Neuroscience is a major in Psychology at the University of Kansas. The Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience is designed for students with a focused interest in the biological bases of behavior and thought. The Bachelor of Science is well suited for students who are contemplating professional or mainly research careers in medicine, pharmacology, veterinarian medicine, animal science, neurology, neurobiology, and neuroscience. It is also suitable as a degree for those headed into other health-related fields or graduate school in other areas of psychology. As a behavioral neuroscience major, you will take courses in many different departments because, as you explore the neural basis of behavior and prepare to enter the neuroscience research field, you will need to acquire knowledge in the realms of chemistry, biology, psychology, statistics, and even computer science.
Undergraduate Admission
Admission to KU
All students applying for admission must send high school and college transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Prospective first-year students should be aware that KU has qualified admission requirements that all new first-year students must meet to be admitted. Consult the Office of Admissions for application deadlines and specific admission requirements.
Visit the International Support Services for information about international admissions.
Students considering transferring to KU may see how their college-level course work will transfer on the Office of the University Registrar website.
Requirements for the B.S. Degree in Behavioral Neuroscience
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core 34 General Education | 34 | |
| The KU Core 34 is comprised of 34-35 credit hours typically completed during the first two years of study. The Core 34 consists of the following requirements: English (6), Communications (3), Math & Statistics (3), Natural & Physical Sciences with lab (4-5), Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 in two different disciplines), Arts & Humanities (6 in two different disciplines), US Culture (3), and Global Culture (3) | ||
PSYC 104 is a required course of the major. Students are strongly advised to satsify 3 credits of their Core 34 Social and Behavioral Sciences by taking this course. | ||
| Prerequisite Knowledge | ||
| Introductory Statistics: _____ | ||
| MATH 104 | Precalculus Mathematics | 5 |
| MATH 115 | Calculus I | 3 |
| or MATH 125 | Calculus I | |
| EECS 138 | Introduction to Computing: _____ (Python is recommended) | 3 |
| BIOL 100 | Principles of Biology | 3 |
| or BIOL 150 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology | |
| CHEM 130 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| Students completing this degree as part of their preparation to apply to medical school should consult a College Advisor for information about other courses that might be required to complete that preparation. | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| PSYC 102 | Orientation Seminar in Psychology | 1 |
| PSYC 104 | General Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYC 105 | General Psychology, Honors | |
| Research Methods | ||
| PSYC 200 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 210 | Statistics in Psychological Research | 3 |
| Students may choose from one of the following: | 3 | |
| Intermediate Statistics in Psychological Research | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Applied Mathematical Statistics I | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | 6 | |
| Satisfied by two of the following: | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Clinical Neuroscience | ||
| Social Neuroscience | ||
| Elective Courses in Psychology or Other Disciplines. | 12 | |
| NOTE: some courses may require additional prerequisites. | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Psychological Disorders | ||
| The Psychology of Aging | ||
| Introduction to Cognitive Science | ||
| Cognitive Development | ||
| Developmental Psychopathology | ||
| Eating and Weight Disorders | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Clinical Psychology | ||
| Neurolinguistics I | ||
| The Communicating Brain: The Ultimate Personal Computer | ||
| Introduction to Neurobiology | ||
| Advanced Neurobiology | ||
| Applied Research Experience | 3 | |
| Laboratory Methods in Human Biology | ||
| Honors Thesis | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Research Practicum | ||
| General Electives | 21 | |
| Students will need to complete additional general elective credits to reach the required 120 hours. | ||
| Capstone | ||
| PSYC 625 | Experimental Psychology: Methods in Psychophysiology and Neuroscience | 6 |
| PSYC 620 | Experimental Psychology: Sensation, Perception, and Cognition | 6 |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Behavioral Neuroscience Major Hours & GPA
While completing all required courses, majors must also meet each of the following hour and grade-point average minimum standards:
Major Hours in Residence
Satisfied by a minimum of 15 hours of KU resident credit in the major.
Major Junior/Senior Hours
Satisfied by 12 hours of junior/senior level major coursework.
Major Junior/Senior (300+) Graduation GPA
Satisfied by a minimum of a 2.0 KU GPA in junior/senior courses (300+) in the major. GPA calculations include all junior/senior courses in the field of study including F’s and repeated courses. See the Semester/Cumulative GPA Calculator.
Below is a sample 4-year plan for students pursuing the BS in Behavioral Neuroscience. To view the list of courses approved to fulfill Core 34, please visit the KU Core 34 page.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 107 (Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE))030 | 3 | PSYC 200 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| PSYC 102 (Major Requirement) | 1 | CHEM 130 (Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE), Bachelor of Science requirement)040* | 5 |
| PSYC 104 (Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE), Major Requirement)050* | 3 | MATH 104 | 5 |
| Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 | Core 34: English (SGE)010 | 3 |
| Core 34: Social and Behavior Science (SGE)050 | 3 | ||
| Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MATH 125 or 115 | 3-4 | Behavioral Neuroscience Elective Course 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 |
| BIOL 150 or 100 (Bachelor of Science requirement) | 3 | EECS 138 (Bachelor of Science requirement) | 3 |
| PSYC 210 | 3 | Core 34: Global Culture (SGE)070 | 3 |
| Core 34: US Culture (SGE)070 | 3 | Core 34: Communications (SGE)020 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PSYC 370, 375, 380, or 385 (Major requirement) | 3 | PSYC 370, 375, 380, or 385 (Major Requirement) | 3 |
| PSYC 500, MATH 365, or MATH 526 (Major Requirement) | 3 | Behavioral Neuroscience Elective Course 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience Elective Course 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 | Core 34: Arts and Humanities (SGE)060 | 3 |
| Applied Research Experience 300+ (Major Requirement)1 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 1 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| PSYC 625 (Capstone Requirement, Major Requirement) | 6 | PSYC 620 | 6 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Behavioral Neuroscience Elective 300+ (Major Requirement)3 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 | Second Area of Study/Elective/Degree/Junior-Senior Hours2 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120-121 | |||
- 1
Students are required to complete 3 hours minimum towards the Applied Research Experience. Refer to the Degree Requirements tab for a list of courses that can fulfill this major requirement.
- 2
Hour requirements (incl. 45 jr/sr hrs) are typically met through Core 34, degree, major, second area of study and/or elective hours. Students completing the BGS with a major must choose a secondary area of study. Individual degree mapping is done in partnership with your advisor.
- 3
Refer to the Degree Requirements tab for a list of courses that can fulfill this major requirement.
Please note:
All students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are required to complete 120 total hours of which 45 hours must be at the Jr/Sr (300+) level.
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.
At the completion of all degree programs in the Department of Psychology, students will be able to:
- Acquire and update knowledge base: Students acquire knowledge of the field; they understand influential theories, scientific findings, and applications to real-world issues.
- Critically evaluate and integrate information : Students should be able to understand, critically evaluate, organize, and integrate information. Students will receive training in scientific literacy to judge the validity and reliability of information (e.g., distinguish reliable from less reliable sources). This training is intended to enable students to independently.
- Address questions with objective evidence: Students should know the power, scope, strength, and limitations of scientific evidence, and aspire to use these standards ethically and where appropriate.
- Articulate applications of psychological knowledge: Students should understand the basic principles and applications of psychology and articulate how these principles can be useful in their everyday lives. They should also be able to communicate these principles and applications orally and in writing.
- Demonstrate social awareness and cultural understanding. Students should be able to understand the ways that sampling bias and investigator bias may shape psychological findings. Students should be able to consider the ways that ability, language, class, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, ethnicity, indigeneity, and race influence psychological findings.
Additionally, at the completion of the Behavioral Neuroscience program, students will be able to:
- Integrate knowledge from psychology, biology, chemistry, and statistics to analyze the biological bases of behavior and cognition.
- Apply laboratory and research techniques, such as psychophysiological measurement and experimental design, to investigate behavioral neuroscience questions.
- Use statistical tools to analyze and interpret data from neuroscience research.
- Explain neural processes such as transmission, neuroplasticity, and the biological basis of behavior and mental disorders.
- Articulate findings and apply ethical reasoning in neuroscience research and practice.
Students may inquire about departmental honors as soon as they are admitted to the undergraduate major. This program is distinct from College Honors. A student may earn College Honors, Psychology Honors, neither, or both. The Psychology Honors program requires students to have a faculty research mentor, take two semesters of PSYC 460: Honors Thesis (formerly called Honors in Psychology), complete a research project, and present their findings in a public forum (including in the PSYC 460 course). Per the college rules, students must complete the course with a grade of B or higher. Per the college rules, the completion of these requirements must be certified to the departmental honors director by at least three members of the college faculty who have read the report of the independent research. Please reference the department website for specific details.