Carnegie Mellon University

Concentrations

Students must complete one concentration.  The 3 options are Neurobiology, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Computational Neuroscience.

MCS students

Students in the Mellon College of Sciences should first contact Dr. Carrie Doonan to begin to explore their options.

Dietrich students

Students in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences should first contact Dr. Erik Thiessen to begin to explore their options.

Neurobiology Concentration

Students can begin with the first year sample schedule or Neurobiology Concentration sample schedule, as well as by contacting the advisors.

Complete Neurobiology Concentration Requirements

General Science Requirements

21-120        Differential and Integral Calculus
21-122        Integration, Differential Equations and Approximation
   or 21-124    Calculus II for Biologists and Chemists
03-121        Modern Biology
03-220        Genetics
33-121        Physics I for Science Students
15-112        Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science
   or 15-110    Principles of Computing       
09-105        Introduction to Modern Chemistry I
09-106        Modern Chemistry II
09-217        Organic Chemistry I
09-207        Techniques in Quantitative Analysis
36-200        Reasoning with Data
   or 36-218    Probability Theory for Computer Scientists
   or 36-219    Probability Theory and Random Processes
   or 36-225    Introduction to Probability Theory

Core Neuroscience Courses

85-219        Biological Foundations of Behavior
   or 03-161    Molecules to Mind
85-211        Cognitive Psychology
   or 85-213    Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence
03-362        Cellular Neuroscience
03-363        Systems Neuroscience
15-386        Neural Computation
   or 85-419    Introduction to Parallel Distributed Processing
   or 85-435    Biologically Intelligent Exploration
   or 86-375    Computer Perception
   or 02-319/03-360    Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain

Neurobiology Core

03-231        Honors Biochemistry
03-320        Cell Biology
03-343        Experimental Techniques in Molecular Biology
03-346        Experimental Neurobiology
   or 03-345    Experimental Cell and Developmental Biology

Neurobiology Electives

Students must complete two of the following (at least 1 must be at 300-level or above*):
02-250        Introduction to Computational Biology            
03-133        Neurobiology of Disease                      
03-350        Developmental Biology
03-365        Neural Correlates of Learning and Memory
03-366        Neuropharmacology: Drugs, Brain, and Behavior
03-439        Biophysics
03-442        Molecular Biology
09-218        Organic Chemistry II
09-208        Techniques for Organic Synthesis and Analysis
   or 09-222    Laboratory II: Organic Synthesis and Analysis
42-202        Physiology                              
42-203        Biomedical Engineering Laboratory          [BME majors have strong priority for this course]

General Neuroscience Electives

Students must complete 18 units of course work from this list, at least 9 units must be at the 300-level or above.

(Neuroscience advisors can approve additional electives to fill this requirement)

Additional Graduation Requirements

Students must also complete:

  • Their home college’s General Education requirements.
  • Free elective hours to come to a total of 360 total course hours.

Double-counting restrictions and additional majors & minors

Students may not major in two concentrations.

Students using Neuroscience as an additional major or who have an additional major or minor to Neuroscience may only double-count at most 3 courses between this an their other major or minor (this restriction does not apply to prerequisites, General Education Requirements, or the General Science Requirements – section A).

Other majors and minors may have more stringent double-counting restrictions, please consult with your neuroscience advisors and with the advising staff for the relevant host department for the other majors/minors.

Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration

Students can begin with the first year sample schedule or the Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration sample schedule, as well as by contacting the advisors.

Complete Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration Requirements

General Science Requirements

21-120        Differential and Integral Calculus
21-122        Integration, Differential Equations and Approximation
   or 21-124    Calculus II for Biologists and Chemists
03-121        Modern Biology
03-220        Genetics
33-121        Physics I for Science Students
15-112        Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science
   or 15-110    Principles of Computing        
09-105        Introduction to Modern Chemistry I
09-106        Modern Chemistry II
09-217        Organic Chemistry I
   or 33-122    Physics II for Biologists and Chemists
09-207         Techniques in Quantitative Analysis
   or 03-124     Modern Biology Laboratory
36-200        Reasoning with Data
   or 36-218    Probability Theory for Computer Scientists
   or 36-219    Probability Theory and Random Processes
   or 36-225    Introduction to Probability Theory

Core Neuroscience Courses

85-219        Biological Foundations of Behavior
85-211        Cognitive Psychology
   or 85-213    Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence
03-362        Cellular Neuroscience
03-363        Systems Neuroscience
15-386        Neural Computation
   or 85-419    Introduction to Parallel Distributed Processing
   or 85-435    Biologically Intelligent Exploration
   or 86-375    Computer Perception
   or 02-319/03-360 Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain

Cognitive Core

85-102        Introduction to Psychology
36-309        Experimental Design for Behavioral and Social Sciences
85-314        Research Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience
85-310        Research Methods in Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive Electives

Students must complete three of the following**:
85-221        Principles of Child Development
85-241        Social Psychology
85-261        Psychopathology
85-356        Expertise: The cognitive (neuro)science of mastering almost any skill
85-370        Perception
85-406        Autism: Psychological and Neuroscience Perspectives
85-408        Visual Cognition
85-412        Cognitive Modeling
85-414        Cognitive Neuropsychology
85-419        Introduction to Parallel Distributed Processing*
85-424        Hemispheric Specialization
85-426        Learning in Humans and Machines
85-429        Cognitive Brain Imaging
85-442        Health Psychology
85-501        Stress, Coping and Well-Being

* If not used as a core course
** At least 18 of these hours must be 300 level or above

General Neuroscience Electives

Students must complete 18 units of course work from this list, at least 9 units must be at the 300-level or above.
(Concentration advisors can approve additional electives to fill this requirement)

Additional Graduation Requirements

Students must also complete:

  • Their home college’s General Education requirements.
  • Free elective hours to come to a total of 360 total course hours

Double-counting restrictions and additional majors & minors

Students may not major in two concentrations.

Students using Neuroscience as an additional major or who have an additional major or minor to Neuroscience may only double-count at most 3 courses between this an their other major or minor (this restriction does not apply to prerequisites, General Education Requirements, or the General Science Requirements – section A).

Other majors and minors may have more stringent double-counting restrictions, please consult with your neuroscience advisors and with the advising staff for the relevant host department for the other majors/minors.

Computational Neuroscience Concentration

Students can begin with the first year sample schedule or Computational Neuroscience Concentration sample schedule, as well as by contacting the advisors.

Strong candidates for the Computational Neuroscience major will have earned a B average in 21-127, 21-241, 15-112, and 15-122. We strongly recommend meeting with your advisor to discuss interest in this major and for help planning appropriate schedules to support student success.

NOTE: Computational Neuroscience concentration students must complete 21-122, 15-112, and 36-218 or 36-219 in their General Science Requirements and 15-386 in their Core Neuroscience Courses. Students must complete a minimum of 60 units in this concentration. Students should select their required laboratory and elective courses to complete a minimum of 31 units (Four 9 unit courses or a lesser number of 9 and 12 unit courses could be combined to complete this requirement)

Complete Computational Neuroscience Concentration Requirements

General Science Requirements

21-120        Differential and Integral Calculus
21-122        Integration, Differential Equations and Approximation
03-121        Modern Biology
03-220        Genetics
33-121        Physics I for Science Students
15-112        Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science
09-105        Introduction to Modern Chemistry I
09-106        Modern Chemistry II
09-217        Organic Chemistry I
   or 33-122    Physics II for Biologists and Chemists
09-207         Techniques in Quantitative Analysis
   or 03-124     Modern Biology Laboratory
36-218    Probability Theory for Computer Scientists*
   or 36-219    Probability Theory and Random Processes

*Note: 36-218 and 36-219 do not count toward Dietrich GenEd.  Dietrich students should talk with DC advisors and major advisors.

Core Neuroscience Courses

85-219        Biological Foundations of Behavior
   or 03-161    Molecules to Mind
85-211        Cognitive Psychology
   or 85-213    Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence
03-362        Cellular Neuroscience
03-363        Systems Neuroscience
15-386        Neural Computation

Computational Core

15-122         Principles of Imperative Computation
    or 15-150    Principles of Functional Programming                
21-127         Concepts in Mathematics
21-241         Matrices and Linear Transformations
    or 21-240    Matrix Algebra with Applications

TWO OF THE FOLLOWING

42-631        Neural Data Analysis    
42-632        Neural Signal Processing
15-494        Special Topic: Cognitive Robotics
15-883        Computational Models of Neural Systems
85-419        Introduction to Parallel Distributed Processing
85-435        Biologically Intelligent Exploration

Computational Electives

Students must complete 1 of the following
03-360/02-319         Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain
02-512         Computational Methods for Biological Modeling and Simulation 
10-301 or 10-315     Machine Learning
15-387         Computational Perception
15-451         Algorithm Design and Analysis
15-453         Formal Languages, Automata, and Computability
15-494         Special Topic: Cognitive Robotics
15-883         Computational Models of Neural Systems
16-299         Introduction to Feedback Control Systems
16-311         Introduction to Robotics
21-228         Discrete Mathematics
      or 15-251    Great Theoretical Ideas in Computer Science            
21-259         Calculus in 3D
21-341         Linear Algebra
36-226         Introduction to Statistical Inference
36-350         Statistical Computing
36-401         Modern Regression
36-462        Topics in Statistics: Data Mining
42-631        Neural Data Analysis    
42-632        Neural Signal Processing
42-688        Introduction to Neural Engineering

General Neuroscience Electives

Students must complete 18 units of course work from this list, at least 9 units must be at the 300-level or above.
(Neuroscience advisors can approve additional electives to fill this requirement)

Additional Graduation Requirements

Students must also complete:

  • Their home college’s General Education requirements.
  • Free elective hours to come to a total of 360 total course hours

Double-counting restrictions and additional majors & minors

Students may not major in two concentrations.

Students using Neuroscience as an additional major or who have an additional major or minor to Neuroscience may only double-count at most 3 courses between this an their other major or minor (this restriction does not apply to prerequisites, General Education Requirements, or the General Science Requirements – section A).

Other majors and minors may have more stringent double-counting restrictions, please consult with your neuroscience advisors and with the advising staff for the relevant host department for the other majors/minors.

BXA Degrees

The BXA program is an interdisciplinary program that allows student to get a dual degree in fine arts and another discipline.

The BHA program currently offers a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience.

The BSA program currently offers a concentration in Neurobiology.

We do not currently offer BXA degrees within the Computational Neuroscience concentration.

For more information, please contact the BXA advisors.