Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
The demand for basic and applied neuroscience researchers and clinicians continues to grow. The rigorous and interdisciplinary training that defines the B.S. Program in Neuroscience prepares students to address a wide range of health and societal issues related to brain function. Students have the opportunity to learn directly from expert faculty in advanced, upper-level coursework across our Behavioral Neuroscience and Cellular, Molecular, & Systems Neuroscience categories. Graduates of the Neuroscience Program at West Virginia University are uniquely prepared for admission into advanced degree programs in neuroscience, medicine, biomedical engineering, and biomedical sciences at WVU or other institutions. These graduates also are prepared to serve in academic and technical positions in private industry, as well as the broader healthcare industry.
Minors
All students have the possibility of earning one or more minors; a list of all available minors and their requirements is available at http://catalog.wvu.edu/undergraduate/minors/. Please note that students may not earn a minor in their major field.
Faculty
Program Director
- Becca Coltogirone - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
Director, Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience; Neuroscience Academic Advisor. Teaching of Neuroscience, Developmental Neuroscience, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Molecular & Cellular Biology
Professors
- Kevin C. Daly - Ph.D. (University of Arizona)
Regular Graduate Faculty. Sensory Neurobiology, Neural Coding, Brain-Behavior Interactions, Comparative Psychobiology - Kevin T. Larkin - Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh)
Regular Graduate Faculty. Clinical Health Psychology, Applied Psychophysiology, Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine - Randy Nelson - Ph.D. (Psychology - University of California, Berkeley), Ph.D. (Endocrinology - University of California, Berkeley)
Hazel Ruby McQuain Chair for Neurological Research; Director, WVU Center for Foundational Neuroscience Research & Education; Executive Director, Basic & Foundational Neuroscience Research at Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute. Disrupted Circadian Rhythms on Immune Functioning, Neuroinflammation, Metabolism, Sleep & Mood, Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Associate professors
- Karen Anderson - Ph.D. (University of Florida)
Psychology Associate Department Chair; Regular Graduate Faculty. Behavioral Pharmacology, Self-Control & Impulsivity - Sadie Bergeron - Ph.D. (University of Massachusetts Amherst)
Regular Graduate Faculty. Developmental Neurobiology - Melissa Blank - Ph.D. (Virginia Commonwealth University)
Coordinator, Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Program; Director of Graduate Training (Psychology); Regular Graduate Faculty. Behavioral Neuroscience, Tobacco Use, Tobacco-Related Health Risks, Genetics of Substance Use - Sarah M. Farris - Ph.D. (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Evolution & Development of the Insect Brain, Neuroanatomy - Eric Horstick - Ph.D. (University of Michigan)
Associate Chair of Graduate Studies (Biology); Regular Graduate Faculty. Molecular Neuroscience, Functional Lateralization - Gary Marsat - Ph.D. (McGill University)
Regular Graduate Faculty. Systems Neuroscience, Sensory Processing & Neural Coding of Communication Signals - Sharon Tenenholz - Ph.D. (University of California, Los Angeles)
Director, Undergraduate Studies (Psychology). Teaching of Psychology, Curriculum Design, Visual Perception
Assistant professors
- Mariya Cherkasova - Ph.D. (McGill University)
Regular Graduate Faculty. Behavioral Neuroscience, Addiction, Reward-Related Behavior - Kathleen Morrison - Ph.D. (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Regular Graduate Faculty. Behavioral Neuroscience, Stress, Development, Neuropsychiatric Disease - Kate Karelina Weil - Ph.D. (Ohio State University)
Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Behavioral Neuroscience - Becca Coltogirone - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
Director, Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience; Neuroscience Academic Advisor. Teaching of Neuroscience, Developmental Neuroscience, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Molecular & Cellular Biology - James Cole - Ph.D. (University of Virginia Medical School)
Neuroscience Academic Advisor. Teaching of Neuroscience, Sensory & Developmental Neuroscience, History of Neuroscience, Neuroaesthetics - Kathryn Jewett - Ph.D. (Washington State University)
Neuroscience Academic Advisor. Teaching of Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration & Aging, Molecular & Cellular Biology
Admissions for 2027-2028
- First Time Freshmen are admitted directly to the major. For timely completion of the degree, it is recommended that students have a minimum MATH ACT of 20, a MATH SAT of 520, or an ALEKS score of 40.
- Students transferring from another WVU major or from another institution with fewer than 24 credits and at least a 2.0 overall GPA are admitted directly to the major. For timely completion of the degree, it is recommended that students have a minimum MATH ACT of 20, a MATH SAT of 520, or an ALEKS score of 40.
- Students transferring from another WVU major or from another institution with 24 credits or more and at least a 2.0 overall GPA must meet the following requirement prior to being admitted to the major: completion of BIOL 115 & BIOL 115L and CHEM 115 & CHEM 115L with a C-.
Major Code: 14C9
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete WVU General Education Foundations requirements, Eberly Edge requirements, major requirements, and electives with a minimum of 120 hours.
Departmental Requirements for the B.S. in Neuroscience
- Calculation of Major GPA: A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required in all courses applied to major requirements, with a minimum grade of C- in all courses included in the STEM Foundations and in the Neuroscience Core. If a course is repeated, all attempts will be used to calculate the GPA in the Neuroscience major, unless the course is eligible for a D/F repeat.
- Writing Requirement: Students in the Neuroscience Bachelor of Science complete this requirement by completing BIOL 115, BIOL 117, BIOL 219, and NRSC 201.
- Neuroscience Electives Requirement: Students must complete 21 credits in upper-level Neuroscience Electives. Nine credits each must be from the Cellular, Molecular, & Systems Neuroscience category and the Behavioral Neuroscience category. The remaining 3 credits may be from either elective category.
- Capstone Requirement: The university requires the successful completion of NRSC 485L or NRSC 489.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 40 | |
| Eberly Edge Requirements | 10 | |
| Neuroscience Major Requirements | 70 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 5, 6, and 7 | 15 | |
| NRSC 191 | First-Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 24 | |
| Total Hours | 40 | |
Eberly Edge Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDG 1: Data and Society (NRSC 218) | ||
| EDG 2: Effective and Civil Communication | 3 | |
| EDG 3: Ethics and Civil Responsibility | 3 | |
| EDG 4: Global and Regional Perspectives | 3 | |
| EDG 5: Practicing Arts & Sciences (ARSC 380) | 1 | |
| EDG 6: High Impact Experience (NRSC 485L or NRSC 489) | ||
| Total Hours | 10 | |
Neuroscience Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| STEM FOUNDATION COURSES: * | 23 | |
| Applied Calculus | ||
or MATH 155 | Calculus 1 | |
| Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory | ||
| Introductory Physiology and Introductory Physiology Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 and Fundamentals of Chemistry 2 Laboratory | ||
| Organic Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory | ||
| CORE COURSES: | 20 | |
| Cellular and Molecular Biology and Cellular & Molecular Biology Laboratory (minimum grade of C-) | ||
| Neuroscience 1 (minimum grade of C-) | ||
| Neuroscience 2 (minimum grade of C-) | ||
| Introduction to Neuroscience (minimum grade of C-) | ||
| Biological Foundations of Behavior and Biological Foundations of Behavior Laboratory (minimum grade of C-) | ||
| Introduction to Psychology (minimum grade of C-) | ||
| NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH METHODS: | 3 | |
| NEUROSCIENCE ELECTIVES: ** | 18 | |
| Complete 9 credits in each category | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience Electives: | ||
| Behavior Principles and Behavior Principles Laboratory | ||
| Animal Communication & Behavior | ||
| Perception | ||
| Physiological Psychology | ||
| Neuroscience of Sleep | ||
| Hormones and Behavior | ||
| Clinical Neuroscience | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Cellular, Molecular, & Systems Neuroscience: | ||
| Neuroethology | ||
| Neurodevelopmental Disorders | ||
| Neurogenetics and Behavior | ||
| Neurobiological Diseases | ||
| Computational Neuroscience and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory | ||
| Evolution of the Human Brain | ||
| Sensory Neural Systems and Behavior | ||
| Principles of Systems Neuroscience | ||
| ADDITIONAL NEUROSCIENCE ELECTIVES: ** | 3 | |
| Select one course from either elective category above. | ||
| CAPSTONE: | 3 | |
| Select one course: | ||
| Neuroscience Research Laboratory Capstone | ||
| Independent Research Capstone | ||
| Total Hours | 70 | |
- *
-
STEM foundation courses are common to most STEM majors and excluded from the calculation of the percentage of upper-division courses.
- **
NRSC 490, NRSC 491, and NRSC 497 are excluded from the Neuroscience Electives requirements.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BIOL 115 & 115L (F2B) | 4 | BIOL 117 & 117L (F8 Course 2) | 4 |
| CHEM 115 & 115L (F8 Course 1) | 4 | CHEM 116 & 116L (F8 Course 3) | 4 |
| MATH 155 (F3) | 4 | NRSC 218 (EDG 1) | 3 |
| NRSC 101 | 3 | PSYC 101 (GEF 4) | 3 |
| NRSC 191 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BIOL 219 & 219L | 4 | BIOL 348 | 3 |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| EDG 2: Effective and Civil Communication | 3 | NRSC 201 & 201L | 4 |
| F5 | 3 | EDG 3: Ethics and Civil Responsibility | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | F6 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| BIOL 349 | 3 | Behavioral Neuroscience Course 2 | 3 |
| CHEM 233 & 233L | 4 | Cellular, Molecular, & Systems Neuroscience Course 1 | 3 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience Course 1 | 3 | ARSC 380 (EDG 5) | 1 |
| EDG 4: Global and Regional Perspectives | 3 | F7 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| Behavioral Neuroscience Course 3 | 3 | Final Neuroscience Elective | 3 |
| Cellular, Molecular, & Systems Neuroscience Course 2 | 3 | EDG 6: High Impact Experience (NRSC 485L or NRSC 489) | 3 |
| Cellular, Molecular, & Systems Neuroscience Course 3 | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Degree Progress
- By the end of their second semester in the major (excluding summer), Neuroscience Majors should have completed the following classes with a minimum grade of C-:
- By the end of their fourth semester in the major (excluding summer), Neuroscience Majors should have completed the following classes with a minimum grade of C-:
- Students must meet with their Neuroscience Academic Advisor at least once per semester.
Students who do not meet these benchmarks may be removed from the major.
Major Learning Outcomes
Neuroscience
This B.S. curriculum will provide a comprehensive introduction to the field of neuroscience and many of the professional skills needed for post-graduation career options.
Upon completion of the B.S. in Neuroscience program at WVU, the graduate will be able to:
- Describe the structure and function of the nervous system at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral/organismal levels.
- Apply fundamental principles underlying the organization and function of the nervous system across sub-systems and species.
- Synthesize information from across the field of neuroscience to:
- Read and comprehend basic neuroscience literature
- Critically evaluate new neuroscience research and emerging techniques
- Establish testable hypotheses
- Design approaches to test hypotheses about nervous system function
- Collect, analyze, and interpret basic neuroscience research data
- Communicate research via a variety of venues including:
- Written reports
- Oral presentation of journal articles
- Poster-based oral presentations of their research