Program in Fundamental Neuroscience (PFN)
Program in Fundamental Neuroscience (PFN)

Current Course Offerings

Here you can find a list of core courses and electives being offered for upcoming semesters. This information is provided as a courtesy to aid with advising and course selection and should not replace SIS/Stellic. If there are any discrepancies between the information listed on this page and that in SIS/Stellic, the information in SIS/Stellic should always be considered authoritative. You can find courses using Stellic, SIS Class Search, or Hoo's List (formerly Lou's List).

SPRING 2026

CORE COURSES

  • BIOL 3000 Cell Biology
  • BIOL 3010 Genetics & Molecular Biology
  • PSYC 3160 Cognitive Neuroscience
  • PSYC 3200 Fundamentals of Neuroscience

CORE LABS

  • NESC 4030 The Study of Neuroscience from Molecules to Minds (Formerly NESC 3450, The Study of Neuroscience from Molecules to Minds)
  • NESC 3960 Research in Neuroscience (for NESC declared majors).
    • Note: Two semesters of NESC 3960: Research in Neuroscience in the same lab are required to fulfill the laboratory requirement. Students engaged in independent research are still encouraged to take one of the designated laboratory courses.
    • You may enroll in NESC 3960: Research in Neuroscience once you have been accepted to work in a lab and your project has been approved by Director Jay Hirsh as appropriate for neuroscience research. To request approval please fill out this form. Once approved a section for your Primary Investigator (PI) will be created in SIS if needed.
    • Once your project has been approved, check SIS/Stellic to find the section for your Primary Investigator (PI). If your PI is not listed, you will need to request a section of NESC 3960 by completing this form.

CORE ELECTIVES

Group 1: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

  • NESC 4046 Neural Injury and Disease (this course also counts as second writing)
    • This course explores the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying a variety of neurological disorders, such as Traumatic Brain Injury, Alzheimer's Disease, and more. Research and treatment of these disorders is addressed in historical and current contexts. This course uses primary-literature discussions to develop skills in reading, analyzing, and interpreting scientific data, with additional emphasis on practical scientific writing and oral communication skills.
  • BIOL 3260 Editing Genes and Genomes
  • BIOL 4310 Sensory Neurobiology
  • BIOL 4330 Wiring the Brain
  • BIOL 4660 How Do They Do It? Method and Logic in Biomedical Science

Group 2: Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience

  • PSYC 3420 The Nature–Nurture Debate
  • PSYC 3440 Child Psychopathology
  • PSYC 4100 Neuroscience of Learning, Emotions, and Motivation of Functional Behavior
  • PSYC 4200 Neural Mechanisms of Behavior
  • PSYC 4310 Cognitive Aging
  • PSYC 5270 RM: Computational Neuroscience
  • PSYC 5326 The Neuroscience of Social Relationships

Group 3: Related Science and Quantitative Courses

  • BIOL 3030 Biochemistry
  • BIOL 3040 Developmental and Regenerative Biology
  • BIOL 3240 Introduction to Immunology
  • BIOL 4014 Cellular Origins of Animal Diversity
  • BIOL 4017 Immortal Germ Line
  • BIOL 4070 Developmental Biology Laboratory
  • BIOL 4260 Cellular Mechanisms
  • BIOL 4770 Synthetic Biology
  • BIOL 5070 Practical Aspects of Light Microscopy
  • PSYC 4110 Psycholinguistics
  • PSYC 5323 RM: R in Psychology
  • CHEM 4420 Biological Chemistry II
  • CHEM 4421 Biological Chemistry Laboratory II
  • CHEM 4440 Biochemistry for Pre-Health

RESEARCH

  • NESC 3960 Research in Neuroscience (for NESC declared majors)
    • You may enroll in NESC 3960: Research in Neuroscience once you have been accepted to work in a lab and your project has been approved by Director Jay Hirsh as appropriate for neuroscience research. To request approval please fill out this form. Once approved a section for your Primary Investigator (PI) will be created in SIS if needed.
    • Once your project has been approved, check SIS/Stellic to find the section for your Primary Investigator (PI). If your PI is not listed, you will need to request a section of NESC 3960 by completing this form.
    • Note: Two semesters of NESC 3960: Research in Neuroscience in the same lab are required to fulfill the laboratory requirement. Students engaged in independent research are still encouraged to take one of the designated laboratory courses.
  • NESC 3995 Research in Neuroscience (for undeclared students, non-NESC majors)
    • You may enroll in NESC 3995: Research in Neuroscience once you have been accepted to work in a lab and your project has been approved by Director Jay Hirsh as appropriate for neuroscience research. To request approval please fill out this form. Once approved, a section for your Primary Investigator (PI) will be created in SIS if needed.
    • Once your project has been approved, check SIS/Stellic to find the section for your Primary Investigator (PI). If your PI is not listed, you will need to request a section of NESC 3995 by completing this form.

DISTINGUISHED MAJORS PROGRAM

  • NESC 3985 NESC DMP - Current Topics in Neuroscience II
  • NESC 4980 Distinguished Majors Thesis
    • Check SIS/Stellic to find the section for your Primary Investigator (PI). If your PI is not listed, you will need to request a section of NESC 4980 by completing this form.