Major
The Neuroscience major at Stonehill provides a strong education in the fundamentals of neuroscience at the same time that it allows students to emphasize either the psychological or the biological aspects of the field. Students who have focused on the psychological aspects are prepared for graduate work in psychology and careers in clinical psychology, counseling, and behavioral research. Students with a focus on the biological side of neuroscience are prepared for a variety of careers in medicine, pharmacology, biomedical research, and the allied health fields.
Curriculum
Students must complete a set of core courses and four electives, one from each of the clusters listed below. To provide a strong background in Neuroscience, students take two semesters of foundational courses in Biology and Chemistry. This prepares students for upper level electives which incorporate knowledge from each of these areas. Early in their college education students take PSY 415 - Brain and Behavior which serves as the introduction to the senior year Capstone, NEU 412 - Neuroscience . Specific suggestions are made for those who are pre-med or planning on applying to graduate school.
The course requirements for the Neuroscience major are taken in addition to the courses required in the Cornerstone Program. These courses provide a liberal arts education with several unique features.
The Learning Community, which ties together two courses and an integrative seminar, is taken during the sophomore year. Students who major in Neuroscience usually enroll in one of the following two Learning Communities: 1) Neuroscience: Mind, Body, Community (LC 282 , PSY 415 and NEU 200 ) or 2) The Organic Chemistry of the Cell (LC 209 , BIO 211 and CHM 222 ).
The Capstone required of all Neuroscience majors is NEU 412 - Neuroscience . The final project in this class asks students to place an emerging issue in neuroscience within a liberal arts context.
