Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary science dedicated to understanding how nervous systems are built and function at different scales, from molecules and cells to circuits and systems. Neuroscientists are involved in work to improve the human condition with new discoveries that could prevent or treat neurodevelopmental defects and disorders, psychiatric disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.
The Neuroscience major is listed under both the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Psychology. The requirements are the same in both listings.
A neuroscience major is an excellent starting point for a career in human or animal medicine, psychology, medical research, pharmaceuticals, public health or science writing. Entry level jobs for students with a bachelor’s degree include positions as assistants in hospitals and private healthcare clinics; as technicians in academic, governmental, or commercial research laboratories; in pharmaceutical sales and marketing; and in government agencies and nonprofits in roles related to grant writing, regulatory management, or technical assistance. Many of these occupational areas are projected to grow faster than average in the next decade. The average annual salary for a neuroscientist with a BS degree is $66,975 (as of 2021). The major is also excellent preparation for students pursuing doctoral degrees in medicine, medical research, or professional counseling.
The courses for the major come primarily from the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Psychology. Students will learn about the structure and function of nervous systems, from the cellular level to the systems level; the connections between the brain and behavior; experimental design and research methods; and data analysis, interpretation, and use. Within the major students can take coursework in neuroscience subdisciplines such as cognitive, cellular and molecular, or computational neuroscience.
Course of Study – Bachelor of Science Degree
Complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses and 30 of those 36 credits in designated L&S Advanced Natural Science courses.
The College requires that students complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major. The College also requires that students complete at least 30 credits overall in residence at UWM. For additional residency and transfer credit limitations, see L&S Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
To complete a major, students must satisfy all the requirements of the major as stated in this catalog. Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the requirements outlined in any catalog issued since the time they entered. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements.
University General Education Requirements (GER)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and Written Communication | ||
| Part A | ||
| Achieve a grade of C or better in the following course: | ||
| ENGLISH 102 | College Writing and Research (or equivalent) | |
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as OWC-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Quantitative Literacy | ||
| Part A | ||
| Earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course, or achieve a placement code of at least 30 on the mathematics placement test (or other appropriate test, as determined by the Mathematical Sciences Department) | ||
| Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | ||
| Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to College Algebra | ||
| Algebraic Literacy II | ||
| Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | ||
or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| College Algebra | ||
Or equivalent course | ||
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as QL-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits (at least two courses including one lab) | 6 | |
| UWM Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| Complete Foreign Language Requirement through: | ||
Two years (high school) of a single foreign language | ||
Two semesters (college) of a single foreign language | ||
Or equivalent | ||
| UWM Cultural Diversity Requirement | ||
| One course from the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences must also satisfy UWM's Cultural Diversity requirement | ||
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Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.
College of Letters & Science Requirements
The degree requirements in the College of Letters and Science build on the University General Education Requirements to provide a broad base of knowledge as well as an array of skills cited by employers as critical to professional success: critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, ability to work well with others, and adaptability to change.
For the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), you must complete the UWM General Education Requirements as well as these L&S requirements: the International requirement, the Breadth requirement, and the Research requirement. The International requirement develops your potential for cross-cultural understanding in a globalizing world. The Breadth requirement ensures that you take classes in a wide variety of subjects, across humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. The Research requirement calls for you to build your critical thinking and oral and written communication skills through conducting an independent research project, usually in your major.
For the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) you will complete additional coursework in L&S Advanced Natural Science courses.
I. Total Credits and Upper-Division Courses Requirement
Students must complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
II. L&S Advanced Natural Sciences Requirement
For the Bachelor of Science, students must complete 30 credits of the 36 credits in upper-division courses in designated L&S Advanced Natural Science courses.
III. International Requirement
To meet the International Requirement, students must successfully complete some three course (minimum 9 credits) combination of
- language other than English (not including American Sign Language) at 3rd semester level or above, and/or
- non-language courses with L&S approved international content (see Courses Approved for the L&S International Requirement for course options).
IV. Breadth Requirement
In addition to completing the University General Education Requirements, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
The L&S Breadth requirement calls for 6 credits each in L&S courses designated L&S Humanities, L&S Natural Sciences, and L&S Social Sciences breadth. One of the L&S Natural Science breadth courses must be a laboratory or fieldwork course. These courses must be beyond and in addition to courses in those areas used to satisfy General Education Requirements.
Please refer to the list of Courses Approved for the L&S Breadth Requirement.
V. The Major
The College requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. Some departmental majors require courses from other departments. Contact your major department for information on whether those credits will count as part of the major GPA. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Research Requirement
Within their majors, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S faculty. A list of courses satisfying the research requirement in each major can be found here.
VI. The Minor
Students are encouraged to consider completing a minor, but it is not required. To complete a minor, the College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. The minor must contain at least 9 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 and above) courses.
Degree Requirements
The program requires at least 120 credits, which include University-wide General Education Requirements, 24 credits of mandatory preparatory courses, 23-24 credits of required core courses, 11 credits of elective courses within the major, a research experience course at the end of the coursework, and additional elective courses to fulfill the overall credit requirement.
An overall GPA of 2.000 on all coursework attempted at UWM is required for this degree. In addition, students must achieve a 2.000 GPA on all coursework attempted, including transfer work. A minimum 2.000 GPA must be earned on all 300-level and above courses taken to satisfy the advanced requirements. Students satisfy the residency requirement for the degree at UWM by completing at least 15 credits in the upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory courses | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 102 | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 104 | General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis | 5 |
| CHEM 343 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 345 | Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| Physics | ||
| PHYSICS 120 | General Physics I (Non-Calculus Treatment) | 4 |
| or PHYSICS 209 | Physics I (Calculus Treatment) | |
| PHYSICS 122 | General Physics II (Non-Calculus Treatment) | 4 |
| or PHYSICS 210 | Physics II (Calculus Treatment) | |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| Biological Sciences | ||
| BIO SCI 150 | Foundations of Biological Sciences I | 4 |
| BIO SCI 152 | Foundations of Biological Sciences II | 4 |
| BIO SCI 315 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 455 | Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology | 3 |
| Psychology | ||
| PSYCH 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 254 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 3 |
| One of these courses in statistics: | 3-4 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Elementary Statistical Analysis | ||
| Psychological Statistics | ||
| Electives (see below for approved elective courses) | 11 | |
| Research experience (see below for course options) | 1-4 | |
| Total Credits | 35-39 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required research experience (select one of the options below) | ||
| NEURO 690 | Undergraduate Research in Neuroscience | 3 |
| NEURO 699 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| BIO SCI 672 | Undergraduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Biology | 1 |
| BIO SCI 697 | Independent Study in Cell and Molecular Biology 1 | 1-3 |
| BIO SCI 699 | Independent Study 1 | 1-3 |
| PSYCH 654 | Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience | 4 |
| PSYCH 656 | Psychophysiology | 4 |
| PSYCH 690 | Undergraduate Research: Upper Division | 1-3 |
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These independent study courses may be counted toward the research requirement in the Neuroscience major only with approval of the student's Neuroscience faculty advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Elective courses (select courses to complete 11 credits from the options below) | ||
| BIO SCI 203 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO SCI 290 | Independent Study and Research: | 1-3 |
| BIO SCI 316 | Laboratory in Genetics and Cell Biology | 2 |
| BIO SCI 325 | Genetics | 4 |
| BIO SCI 356 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 370 | Mammalian Physiology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 469 | Genomic Data Analysis | 2 |
| BIO SCI 490 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 539 | Laboratory Techniques in Molecular Biology | 4 |
| BIO SCI 542 | Biological Electron Microscopy | 3 |
| BIO SCI 543 | Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratory | 2 |
| BIO SCI 544 | Transmission Electron Microscopy Laboratory | 3 |
| BIO SCI 564 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| BIO SCI 565 | Gene Regulation in Stem Cells and Regeneration | 3 |
| BIO SCI 566 | Cell Biology of Human Disease | 3 |
| BIO SCI 572 | Functional Genomics | 3 |
| BIO SCI 672 | Undergraduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Biology | 1 |
| BIO SCI 697 | Independent Study in Cell and Molecular Biology | 1-3 |
| BMS 610 | Pharmacology | 3 |
| CHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry | 3 |
| PSYCH 214 | Introduction to Conditioning and Learning | 3 |
| PSYCH 290 | Undergraduate Research: Lower Division | 1-3 |
| PSYCH 325 | Research Methods in Psychology | 4 |
| PSYCH 433 | Neuropsychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 454 | Psychopharmacology and Addiction | 3 |
| PSYCH 503 | Perception | 3 |
| PSYCH 510 | Advanced Psychological Statistics | 3 |
| PSYCH 610 | Experimental Design | 3 |
| PSYCH 611 | Current Topics: | 3 |
| PSYCH 623 | Perceptual Processes | 4 |
| PSYCH 627 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYCH 645 | Hormones and Behavior | 3 |
| PSYCH 654 | Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience 2 | 4 |
| PSYCH 656 | Psychophysiology 2 | 4 |
| PSYCH 657 | Neurobiology of Learning and Memory | 3 |
| PSYCH 682 | The Aging Brain | 3 |
| PSYCH 690 | Undergraduate Research: Upper Division 2 | 1-3 |
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If not taken to satisfy research experience requirement.
Neuroscience BS Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the BS program in Neuroscience will be able to:
- Describe how brain cells function on a biological, chemical, physical, and/or systems level.
- Explain how brain function translates into behavioral, cognitive, and/or physiological change.
- Display critical thinking skills by analyzing and/or evaluating neuroscience literature.
- Collect, analyze, and/or interpret data in neuroscience or related disciplines.
- Communicate scientific ideas and research findings in written or oral forms.
Letters & Science Advising
During your time at UWM, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors and success coaches. Letters & Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional college advisors and faculty advisors. L&S college advisors advise across your entire degree program while departmental faculty advisors focus on the major.
College advisors are located in Holton Hall (or virtually for online students) and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College advisors will:
- Assist you in defining your academic and life goals.
- Help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals.
- Assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures.
- Provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate.
- Monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a faculty advisor when you declare your major. Faculty advisors are an important partner and will:
- Help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department.
- Explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences.
- Serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their college advisor and faculty advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.
Currently enrolled students should use the Navigate360 website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call (414) 229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven't enrolled in classes yet should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
College of Letters and Science Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.