Integrative Neuroscience Major

The course requirements for the integrative neuroscience major consist of four components: nine foundation courses required of all integrative neuroscience majors; three required, concentration-connected neuroscience courses that emphasize the different concentrations within the major; three concentration courses that allow the student to enhance their study within their chosen concentration; and a research experience lasting a minimum of two semesters, beginning as early as is reasonable for the student and project, but no later than the summer/fall after the junior year.

All majors must also enroll in a capstone research seminar course for students in all concentrations to share and discuss the results of their research with other integrative neuroscience majors.

A minimum grade of C- is required for courses to count towards the major.

Course Title Credits
Required Courses 1
Select one of the following biology options:8 to 10
Option 1:
BISC 1403
& BISC 1413
Introductory Biology I
and Introductory Biology Lab I
BISC 1404
& BISC 1414
Introductory Biology II
and Introductory Biology Lab II
Option 2:
NSCI 1403
& NSCI 1413
General Biology Lecture I
and General Biology Lab I
NSCI 1404
& NSCI 1414
General Biology Lecture II
and General Biology Lab II
Option 3:
NSCI 1423
& NSCI 1433
Concepts in Biology Lecture I
and Concepts in Biology Lab I
NSCI 1424
& NSCI 1434
Concepts in Biology Lecture II
and Concepts in Biology Lab II
Option 4:
HPLC 1603
& HPLC 1604
Honors: Natural Science I
and Honors: Natural Science II
Select one of the following chemistry options:12
Option 1:
CHEM 1321
& CHEM 1331
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Lab I
CHEM 1322
& CHEM 1332
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Lab II
Option 2:
NSCI 1321
& NSCI 1331
General Chemistry Lecture I
and General Chemistry Lab I
NSCI 1322
& NSCI 1332
General Chemistry Lecture II
and General Chemistry Lab II
Select one of the following Mathematics courses: 13 to 4
MATH 1203
Applied Calculus I
MATH 1206
Calculus I
MATH 1700
Mathematical Modelling
Select one of the following CISC programming courses:4
CISC 1600
& CISC 1610
Computer Science I
and Computer Science I Lab 2
CISC 1800
& CISC 1810
Introduction to Computer Programming
and Introduction to Computer Programming Lab
CISC 2500
Information and Data Management
Select one of the following CISC courses:4
CISC 4020
Bioinformatics
CISC 4631
Data Mining
PSYC 1200Foundations of Psychology 34
BISC 4532Neuroscience3
or NSCI 4630 Neuroscience
PSYC 3110Cognitive Neuroscience4
CISC 3250Systems Neuroscience4
Three electives in one of these concentrations:9 to 12
Cell and Molecular Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Systems/Computational Neuroscience
NEUR 4999Neuroscience Research3
NEUR 4900Neuroscience Capstone Seminar1
1

AP Calculus AB (MATH 12AB) or AP Calculus BC (MATH 12BC) credit may fulfill this requirement.

2

Serves as Foundation Course for students pursuing the Systems/Computational Concentration only. Students who take CISC 1600 during Fordham's Summer Session do not take CISC 1610, as the summer lecture and lab are offered in a combined format.

3

PSYC 1200 Foundations of Psychology credit from AP Psychology (score of 4 or 5) may fulfill this requirement.

Learning Goals

Upon graduation from the integrative neuroscience major, students will have achieved the following goals:

  1. Students will develop an interdisciplinary comprehensive understanding of fundamental principles in neuroscience;
  2. Students will learn to apply knowledge in cognitive neuroscience, cell and molecular neuroscience, and computational neuroscience to gain deep insight into neural mechanisms of brain function and behavior;
  3. Students will learn how to become scientifically literate and critically analyze and interpret published literature grounded in cognitive, cell and molecular and computational neuroscience research;
  4. Through interdisciplinary coursework, students will develop critical thinking skills necessary for success in an array of fields in and outside of science, including healthcare, research, clinical psychology, data science, law, and business;
  5. Through coursework and research experience, students will develop transferrable skills that can be applied to academic and non-academic environments. These include problem solving, data analysis, interpersonal and leadership skills, organizational skills, time management, and proficiency in written and oral communication.

Availability

The integrative neuroscience major is available to students at Fordham College at Rose Hill and Fordham College at Lincoln Center, subject to fulfillment of major admissions requirements. Students in Fordham's School of Professional and Continuing Studies may major in integrative neuroscience only if they fulfill the major's admissions requirements and receive the approval of their advising dean and/or department, and their schedules are sufficiently flexible to permit them to take day courses at the Rose Hill or Lincoln Center campuses.

Fordham College at Rose Hill students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.

Fordham College at Lincoln Center students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.

Professional and Continuing Studies students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the PCS Core Curriculum and any additional electives that may be required to earn a minimum of 124 credits.

CIP Code

26.1501 - Neuroscience.


You can use the CIP code to learn more about career paths associated with this field of study and, for international students, possible post-graduation visa extensions. Learn more about CIP codes and other information resources.

Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

Course Title Credits
NSCI 2040Research Design and Analysis3 to 4
or PSYC 2000 Statistics
Three courses from the list below

Courses for Cell and Molecular Neuroscience

Three courses are required from the list below. Note that many courses on the list below have a required lab component. Students may not enroll in two mutually exclusive versions of the same course, where different course numbers are used on each campus to represent a materially identical course (e.g., BISC 2539 General Genetics and NSCI 3133 Genetics Lecture). Please consult your adviser to confirm whether you may enroll in a given course.

Courses in this group have the NECM attribute.

Course Title Credits
BISC 2539General Genetics3
BISC 3132Human Physiology3
BISC 3221Human Anatomy3
BISC 3521Biochemistry3
BISC 3752Molecular Biology3
BISC 3754Cell Biology3
BISC 4642Animal Behavior4
BISC 4693Developmental Biology3
CHEM 2522Organic Chemistry II4
CHEM 4221Biochemistry I3
NSCI 2018Biology of Aging3
NSCI 2122Immunology Lecture3
NSCI 2141Vertebrate Anatomy Lecture3
NSCI 3122Organic Chemistry Lecture II4
NSCI 3133Genetics Lecture3
NSCI 3154Cell and Development Biology Lecture3
NSCI 4081Neurochemistry3
NSCI 4112Human and Comparative Physiology Lecture3
NSCI 4144Microanatomy Lecture3
NSCI 4153Biological Chemistry Lecture3
NSCI 4176Molecular Biology Lecture3

Cognitive Neuroscience

Course Title Credits
PSYC 2000Statistics4
Three courses from the list below

Courses for Cognitive Neuroscience

Three courses are required from the list below. Courses labeled Lab with a PSYC XX01 designation also include a lecture.
Courses in this group have the NECG attribute.

Course Title Credits
LING 1500Introduction to Psycholinguistics3
LING 3010Bilingual Minds4
LING 4015Language and Thought4
PHIL 3243Philosophy of Cognitive Science4
PHIL 3254Philosophy of Perception4
PHIL 3940Neuroethics4
PSYC 2010Research Methods Lab5
PSYC 2300Sensation and Perception 4
PSYC 2301Sensation and Perception Lab5
PSYC 2401Memory Laboratory5
PSYC 2501Cognition Laboratory5
PSYC 3550Consciousness4
PSYC 4330Music and Psychology4

Systems/Computational Neuroscience

Course Title Credits
CISC 2850Computer and Data Analysis4
Three courses from the list below

Courses for Systems/Computational Neuroscience

Three courses are required from the list below. 
Courses in this group have the NESY attribute.

Course Title Credits
CISC 2011Programming for Math and Science4
CISC 3060Introduction to Robotics4
CISC 3280Machine Learning Methods for Neural and Biological Data4
CISC 4006Brains and Behavior in Beasts and Bots4
CISC 4020Bioinformatics4
CISC 4597Artificial Intelligence4
CISC 4621Machine Learning4
CISC 5800Machine Learning3
CISC 6525Artificial Intelligence3
NSCI 3101Biological Modeling4
NSCI 3280Machine Learning Methods for Neural and Biological Data4