Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in Neuroscience

Program Learning Outcomes for the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience

Upon completing the BA degree with a major in Neuroscience, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the biological basis for brain and neuron function and experimental strategies that led to our current understanding of brain and neuron function.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of the key issues, questions, and perspectives that define systems neuroscience. 
  3. Demonstrate the ability to analyze and interpret neuro-scientific data.
  4. Understand multiple experimental methods to measure and manipulate brain activity. 
  5. Demonstrate how to apply the modern scientific method, including designing and executing experiments, and collecting, analyzing, and interpreting meaningful data. 

Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience

For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in Neuroscience must complete:

  • A minimum of 23 courses (62-69 credit hours, depending on course selection) to satisfy major requirements.
  • A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
  • A minimum of 10 courses (26-30 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
  • A maximum of 2 courses (6 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit after matriculation at Rice may be applied towards specific major requirements. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.

The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.

Summary

Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Neuroscience62-69
Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience120

Degree Requirements

Foundation Courses 1
BIOS 201INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I3
CHEM 121GENERAL CHEMISTRY I3
or CHEM 111 AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY I
CHEM 123GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I1
or CHEM 113 AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I
CHEM 122GENERAL CHEMISTRY II3
or CHEM 112 AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY II
CHEM 124GENERAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY II1
or CHEM 114 AP/OTH CREDIT IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II
CMOR 220INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING COMPUTATION3
or COMP 140 COMPUTATIONAL THINKING
MATH 101SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS I3
or MATH 105 AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS I
MATH 102SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS II3
or MATH 106 AP/OTH CREDIT IN CALCULUS II
PHYS 125GENERAL PHYSICS (WITH LAB)4
PHYS 126GENERAL PHYSICS II (WITH LAB)4
PSYC 203INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY3
Select 1 course from the following:3 or 4
INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS FOR BIOSCIENCES
PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS
PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS FOR DATA SCIENCE
Core Requirements
BIOS 385CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF THE NEURON3
NEUR 362 / PSYC 362COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE: EXPLORING THE LIVING BRAIN3
NEUR 380 / PSYC 380FUNDAMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE SYSTEMS3
NEUR 383 / BIOE 380 / ELEC 380INTRODUCTION TO NEUROENGINEERING: MEASURING AND MANIPULATING NEURAL ACTIVITY3
Project-Based Laboratory Courses
BIOS 212INTERMEDIATE EXPERIMENTAL CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE2
Select a minimum of 2 courses (minimum of 2 credit hours) from the following:2-7
EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY
EXPERIMENTAL CELL AND MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FOR NEUROSCIENCE UNDERGRADUATES 2
METHODS IN SOCIAL COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
FUNCTIONAL HUMAN NEUROANATOMY
Elective Requirements
Select a minimum of 4 courses (minimum of 12 credit hours) from the following:12-13
GENE THERAPY
SENSORY NEUROENGINEERING
BRAINSTEM - TEACHING STEM THROUGH NEUROSCIENCE 3
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
MOLECULES, MEMORY AND MODEL ANIMALS: METHODS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY
ADVANCED CELL AND MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
LEARNING FROM SENSOR DATA
MOVEMENT DISORDERS
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FOR NEUROSCIENCE UNDERGRADUATES 2
NEUROLINGUISTICS
THEORETICAL NEUROSCIENCE: FROM CELLS TO LEARNING SYSTEMS
NEURAL COMPUTATION
MOLECULAR MEMBRANE BIOLOGY
THE SCIENCES OF THE MIND
ANIMAL MINDS
PHILOSOPHY OF MIND
THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
ADVANCED TOPICS IN THE SCIENCES OF THE MIND
MEMORY
PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING
VISUAL COGNITION
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY OF LANGUAGE AND MEMORY
COMPUTATIONAL MODELING OF COGNITIVE PROCESSES
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in Neuroscience62-69
Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements *20-27
University Graduation Requirements *31
Total Credit Hours120

Footnotes and Additional Information

Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience

Program Restrictions and Exclusions

Students pursuing the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience should be aware of the following program restrictions:

  • As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, under Declaring Majors, Minors and Certificates, students may not obtain both a BA and a BS in the same major. Students pursuing the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience may not additionally pursue the BS Degree with a Major in Neuroscience.

Transfer Credit 

For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities. 

Program Transfer Credit Guidelines

Students pursuing the major in Neuroscience should be aware of the following program transfer credit guideline:

  • No more than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards specific major requirements after matriculation at Rice. 

Additional Information 

For additional information, please see the Neuroscience website: https://neuroscience.rice.edu/.

Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in Neuroscience

Academic Honors

The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.

Research in Neuroscience

Research is highly encouraged for all neuroscience programs, and many opportunities are available for independent research at Rice and other institutions of the Texas Medical Center. Students can receive course credit for independent research through the course NEUR 310.

Please Note: Students pursuing the major in Neuroscience may repeat NEUR 310 for credit once as an elective for the major.

Additional Information

For additional information, please see the Neuroscience website: https://neuroscience.rice.edu/.