School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Neuroscience (B.S.)
Neuroscience is the multidisciplinary study of brain function that draws on recent advances in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and computer and behavioral and cognitive sciences. It examines the brain's global and nanoscale biochemistry, its complex and extensively networked anatomical structure, and its remarkably adaptive physiology. The field considers neuronal development from early embryology through advanced senescence, and examines the brain's plasticity from the level of single proteins, of individual neurons, up through the level of networks or systems of cells, on up to complete behaving organisms. It studies the regulation and expression of behavior, the impact of that behavior on the brain, and the complex interactions of multiple neuronal systems that underlie the emergence of cognitive function. The Neuroscience program at UT Dallas provides students with the opportunity to focus on the brain from a systems-level perspective, drawing on behavioral and cognitive expertise combined with cellular and molecular analyses. It allows undergraduates extensive interactions with working neuroscientists who use the latest experimental techniques.
The Neuroscience program is designed to prepare students for admission to graduate, medical, or dental school, or for careers in related biomedical research, industry, and allied health science fields. Required courses and guided electives can include the approved pre-medical curriculum and offer an alternative to other traditional pre-health majors. Students who wish to continue their education in the fields of medicine, dentistry or allied professional areas should register with the Health Professions Advisory Committee during their first semester. Students are encouraged to design a personalized degree plan of guided electives with their advisor that combines courses from the neurosciences and related disciplines of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, computer science, psychology, and speech pathology and audiology in a way that will suit their individual interests and goals. Students are also strongly encouraged to gain research experience as part of their undergraduate training in Neuroscience.
Students can complete Core Curriculum and Neuroscience major requirements in a minimum of 85 semester credit hours, leaving 35 elective hours. Students can complete Core Curriculum, Neuroscience major, and pre-health Professions requirements in a minimum of 111 semester credit hours, leaving 9 remaining elective hours.
Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
Degree Requirements (120 hours)
I. Core Curriculum Requirements1: 42 hours
Communication (6 hours)
3 hours Communication (RHET 1302)
3 hours Communication Elective (NSC 4353)2
Social and Behavioral Sciences (15 hours)
6 hours Government (GOVT 2301 and GOVT 2302)
6 hours American History
3 hours Social and Behavioral Science Elective (PSY 2301)2
Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours)
3 hours Fine Arts (ARTS 1301)
3 hours Humanities (HUMA 1301)
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (6 hours)
3 hours College Math (MATH 2414 or MATH 2417)2
3 hours Quantitative Methods (PSY 2317 or STAT 1342)2
Science (9 hours)
9 hours Science (CHEM 1311 and CHEM 1111, BIOL 2311 and BIOL 2281)2
II. Major Requirements: 45 hours3
Major Preparatory Courses (24 hours)3
All of the following:
BIOL 2281 Introductory Biology Laboratory3
BIOL 2311 / BIOL 2111 Introduction to Modern Biology I3 with Workshop
CHEM 1311 / CHEM 1111 General Chemistry I with Laboratory3
CHEM 1312 / CHEM 1112 General Chemistry II with Laboratory
MATH 2414 Integral Calculus
PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology3
PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology3
or STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making3
Major Core Courses (25 hours)3
All of the following:
NSC 3361 Behavioral Neuroscience3
NSC 4352 Cellular Neuroscience3
NSC 4353 Neuroscience Laboratory Methods3
NSC 4354 Integrative Neuroscience3
NSC 4356 Neurophysiology
NSC 4363 Neuropharmacology
NSC 4366 Neuroanatomy
And one emphasis course from the following four:
NSC 4357 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
or NSC 4367 Developmental Neurobiology
or NSC 4373 Sensory Neuroscience
or NSC 4362 Molecular Neuroscience
Major Related Courses (15 hours beyond the Core Curriculum)
Advanced Guided Electives. 15 semester hours from the following list (the Emphasis Course selected above will not count twice as an Advanced Guided Elective). Consultation with an advisor is required.
BIOL 3301/3101 Classical and Molecular Genetics with workshop
BIOL 3302/3102 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology with workshop
BIOL 3361/3161 Biochemistry I with workshop
BIOL 3362/3162 Biochemistry II with workshop
BIOL 3455 Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab I
BIOL 3456 Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab II
NSC 3344 Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing
NSC 3345 Neural Basis of Communication
NSC 4188 Dean's Scholars Seminar
NSC 4351 Medical Neuroscience
NSC 4355 Advanced Neuroscience Laboratory
NSC 4357 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
NSC 4358 Neurobiology of Pain
NSC 4359 Cognitive Neuroscience
NSC 4362 Molecular Neuroscience
NSC 4370 Neuroendocrinology
NSC 4371 Neural Plasticity
NSC 4373 Sensory Neuroscience
NSC 4374 Neuroplasticity in Disorders of the Nervous System
NSC 4375 Honors Seminar
NSC 4376 Neurobiology of Stress
NSC 4385 Neuropsychology
NSC 4386 Adult Development and Aging
NSC 4394 Internship in Neuroscience
NSC 4395 Externship in Neuroscience4
NSC 4397 Thesis Research
NSC 4V90 Special Topics in Neuroscience
PSY 4362 Perception
SPAU 3304 Communication Sciences
III. Elective Requirements: 33 hours
Advanced Electives (6 hours)
Breadth Electives; 6 hours of upper-division courses, or lower-division courses that have prerequisites that are outside of Neuroscience).
Free Electives (27 hours)
At least 27 hours of lower- or upper-division courses of the student's choice. Students are encouraged to explore areas of concentration in Neuroscience as well as explore interests outside the field. Be aware that at least 51 hours of upper-division credit hours are required for graduation.
Premedical and/or other pre-health professions students (29 hours)
Students seeking to complete Pre-health Professions requirements should take the following as free electives:
Required pre-medical courses (12 hours)
BIOL 2112 Introduction to Modern Biology II Workshop
BIOL 2312 Introduction to Modern Biology II
CHEM 2123 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
CHEM 2125 Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory II
CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry II
Pre-med Advanced Biology requirement (8 hours, select 2 courses)
BIOL 3301/3101 Classic and Molecular Genetics with workshop
BIOL 3302/3102 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology with workshop
BIOL 3361/3161 Biochemistry I with workshop
BIOL 3362/3162 Biochemistry II with workshop
Pre-med Physics requirement (8 hours, select 2 courses)
PHYS 1101 College Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 1102 College Physics Laboratory II
PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I
PHSY 2126 Physics Laboratory II
PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves7
Minor in Neuroscience
Students who are not majoring in Neuroscience may minor in Neuroscience by taking 18 semester credit hours selected from the lists of major core courses, major related courses and major preparatory courses At least 12 hours must be upper-division Neuroscience core courses. No credit hours may be used to satisfy both major and minor requirements; however, free elective hours or major preparatory courses may be used to satisfy the minor. At least one-third of the hours for a minor must be taken at UT Dallas.
Fast Track Baccalaureate/Master's Degrees
UT Dallas undergraduate students with strong academic records who intend to pursue a master's degree in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience at UT Dallas may consider an accelerated undergraduate-graduate plan of study. When accepted into the program, students may take up to 15 hours of graduate courses that may be used to complete the baccalaureate degree and also satisfy requirements for the master's degree. Students must maintain a 3.000 grade point average and earn grades of B or better in graduate courses taken. Students must have completed at least 90 semester credit hours toward a baccalaureate degree before beginning Fast Track course work. Students should apply to admissions one semester before they reach 90 hours. To qualify for application, undergraduate students must have completed at least 18-semester credit hours in major core courses at UT Dallas. Apply to the Fast Track program through the Applied Cognition and Neuroscience Program Office. Students should consult with a graduate advisor regarding admissions criteria and plans of study.
1. Curriculum Requirements can be fulfilled by other approved courses from accredited institutions of higher education. The courses listed in parentheses are recommended as the most efficient way to satisfy both Core Curriculum and Major Requirements at UT Dallas.
2. A required Major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
3. A required Major course that also fulfills a Core Curriculum requirement. Twenty-one (21) hours are counted in Core Curriculum.
4. May be repeated for credit, up to 9 hours.
5. May be repeated for credit, up to 6 hours.
6. Algebra-based Physics courses
7. Calculus-based Physics courses