New Undergraduate Neuroscience Major at Yale College
Dear Students,
The Department of MCDB and the Department of Psychology are excited to launch a joint undergraduate Neuroscience Major (NSCI), starting in the 2017-2018 academic year.
The new major is highly rigorous and integrative, requiring students to gain expertise in both molecular, cellular, and biological approaches and in systems, circuits, and behavior. NSCI also requires significant quantitative training to achieve these goals. Recognizing the breadth of neuroscience questions and approaches, NSCI affords flexibility in its STEM electives. An unofficial draft of the Blue Book description and course requirements is attached below.
Because NSCI is sufficiently different from the MCDB Neurobiology Track or the PSYC Neuroscience Track, these tracks will remain available for MCDB and PSYC majors.
Neuroscience Majors will be admitted via application [see below]; we will announce more details at a future time. Qualifying students may receive a Neuroscience B.S. or B.A. degree as early as 2017-2018.
Any questions may be directed to Psychology Professor Marvin Chun (marvin.chun@yale.edu) or MCDB Professor Damon Clark (damon.clark@yale.edu).
Best,
Vivian Irish (MCDB Chair) and Frank Keil (Psychology Chair)
Please sign up here if you wish to receive e-mail updates about the new neuroscience major and application process before the major is officially added to the Blue Book (Yale College Programs of Study) this summer. We are working to offer an application round at the end of this spring term. A draft description of the major can be viewed below.
• The new Neuroscience Major is also distinct from the Cognitive Science major, in which students may continue to pursue a neuroscience focus.
Neuroscience Major Application Deadline
Wednesday, May 3, 2017, 5pm
Dear Prospective Neuroscience Majors,
Thank you for your interest in the new Neuroscience Major (NSCI), jointly hosted by MCDB and PSYC as a new standalone major.
Admission to the major will require an application so that we can manage it as well as possible. Although the Blue Book will not be finalized until this summer, we believe that it would be useful to have a round of application this term, due 5pm on May 3, 2017. Decisions will be announced by the end of May 5. Application information can be found below. Next academic year, we plan to review new applications around the end of each term.
Qualifying students may receive a Neuroscience B.S. or B.A. degree as early as 2017-2018.
Because NSCI is sufficiently different from the MCDB Neurobiology Track or the PSYC Neuroscience Track, these tracks will remain available for MCDB and PSYC majors.
As a reminder, we are conducting a Neuroscience Major information session at 5pm this Wednesday, April 26, in WLH 119.
Thank you for your interest!
Damon Clark and Marvin Chun
NSCI Directors of Undergraduate Studies
NSCI Application Information
1. As prerequisites to apply, you must have completed, or currently be on track to complete, all of the following courses.
BIOL 101-104
Statistics: PSYC 200, STAT 103, or higher equivalent (If not taken yet in time for this inaugural round of application, rising and juniors and seniors may list this as “planned” in academic year 2017-2018.)
2. Please study the requirements in the attachment below and fill out the NSCI Major Worksheet. Rename the NSCI Major Worksheet as LastName_FirstName.xlsx. You can enter information into the yellow cells; for coursework, you can enter passing letter grades or “planned.” As various requirements are fulfilled, the relevant cell in the tally column will turn from red to green.
Disclaimer: The Worksheet should be considered as an unofficial planning tool, not as a contractual agreement. The DUS’s have final say on whether requirements are fulfilled or not. Please let us know if you catch any errors with the spreadsheet.
3. Please prepare a short cover letter (200 word max) that addresses the following questions. Why are you interested in the Neuroscience Major? How are you planning to use it for after graduation? Mention your research experience or any relevant extracurricular activities. If you are a rising senior, please indicate how you plan to fulfill the senior requirement. You may ask any questions here as well.
4. Please prepare a PDF or JPG file of your Yale transcript (unofficial copy is fine).
5. Optionally, you can prepare a resume to further highlight your background and activities (PDF format).
6. When the above items are ready, please e-mail the information to both marvin.chun@yale.edu and
Please use the subject header “NSCI application”
E-mail body: cover letter
E-mail attachments: 1) worksheet, 2) informal transcript, and optionally 3) resume.
Amendments and Course Updates
For rising juniors and seniors, the STAT prereq is waived as a requirement to apply, but it should be taken within 2017-2018.
MATH 244 (Discrete Mathematics) added to the Quantitative Core Electives (April 25, 2017)
PSYC 147 (Animal Models of Clinical Disorders) added to the Other Allied Electives (April 27, 2017)
CPSC 112 (Introduction to Programming) added to Advanced Allied Electives (April 28, 2017)