http://neuroscience.uoregon.edu
Nicole Dudukovic, Director
neuro@uoregon.edu
541-346-7225
Neuroscience is the interdisciplinary study of neural function, development, and behavior. The University of Oregon offers an undergraduate major in Neuroscience. The graduate training program in neuroscience is centered in the Institute of Neuroscience (ion.uoregon.edu). Affiliated faculty members in the undergraduate major as well as participating faculty members in the graduate training program are drawn from the Departments of Biology, Human Physiology, and Psychology, along with the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact.
Graduate Studies
Curriculum
First-year graduate students take one of two core sequences:
- cellular, systems, and cognitive neuroscience
- developmental, molecular, and genetic neuroscience
The core sequences are taught cooperatively by the faculty. Most students also take elective courses in a variety of subjects.
Faculty-Student Seminars
Faculty members and graduate students participate in weekly informal seminars that feature lively discussion of research papers in specific areas of neuroscience. Students and faculty members also participate in the neuroscience seminar, a weekly series featuring visiting scientists. The purpose of the neuroscience seminar is to keep both the faculty and students abreast of current developments in this broad field.
Research
Students are encouraged to participate in laboratory research from the very beginning of their graduate training. A laboratory rotation program is directed toward this objective. In the rotation program, new students take part in the activities of a different laboratory group during each of the three terms of the first year. Participation may include a research project, ongoing experiments, or other activities. This program allows students to learn firsthand about different approaches to the study of neuroscience before choosing an area of concentration.
Doctoral Study
Students who want to enter the neuroscience program should apply to the PhD program of a participating department and indicate their interest in neuroscience. Typically, students interested in cognitive neuroscience apply to the psychology department; students interested in molecular, cellular, developmental, or systems neuroscience apply to the biology department. Such applications are reviewed by the neuroscience faculty as well as the departmental admission committee. Answers to specific questions about prerequisites and deadlines may be obtained by writing directly to one of the participating departments, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403. Additional information about the Institute of Neuroscience may be obtained from the institute website. See also the Institute of Neuroscience section in the Research Centers and Institutes area of this catalog.
Courses
Biology. Cell Biology (BI 322), Sensory Physiology (BI 353), Animal Physiology (BI 356), Neurobiology (BI 360), Special Studies: [Topic] (BI 399) (Cellular Biology of the Senses), Experimental Course: [Topic] (BI 410) (Computational Neuroscience), Protein Toxins in Cell Biology (BI 422), Systems Neuroscience (BI 461), , Developmental Neurobiology (BI 466), Experimental Course: [Topic] (BI 510) (Computational Neuroscience), Protein Toxins in Cell Biology (BI 522), Systems Neuroscience (BI 561), , Developmental Neurobiology (BI 566), Experimental Course: [Topic] (BI 610) (Advanced Cellular Neuroscience)
Human Physiology. Motor Control (HPHY 333), Experimental Course: [Topic] (HPHY 410) (Neurophysiology of Concussion), Experimental Course: [Topic] (HPHY 510) (Neurophysiology of Concussion), Experimental Course: [Topic] (HPHY 610) (Advanced Systems Neuroscience)
Psychology. Biopsychology (PSY 304), Brain Mechanisms of Behavior (PSY 445), Cognitive Neuroscience (PSY 449), Brain Mechanisms of Behavior (PSY 545), Cognitive Neuroscience (PSY 549), Experimental Course: [Topic] (PSY 610) (Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience)
Affiliated Faculty
Elliot Berkman, psychology
Melynda Casement, psychology
Robert Chavez, psychology
Paul Dassonville, psychology
Chris Doe, biology
Sarah DuBrow, psychology
Judith Eisen, biology
Tim Gardner, Knight Campus
Ian Greenhouse, human physiology
Tory Herman, biology
Benjamin Hutchinson, psychology
Adrianne Huxtable, human physiology
Santiago Jaramillo, biology
Brice Kuhl, psychology
Shawn Lockery, biology
Michelle Marneweck, human physiology
Ulrich Mayr, psychology
Luca Mazzucato, biology
David McCormick, biology
Adam Miller, biology
Kate Mills, psychology
James Murray, biology
Cris Niell, biology
Jennifer Pfeifer, psychology
Jonathan Reeder, Knight Campus
Margaret Sereno, psychology
Matt Smear, psychology
Nicki Swann, human physiology
Emily Sylwestrak, biology
Terry Takahashi, biology
Nash Unsworth, psychology
Philip Washbourne, biology
Michael Wehr, psychology
Monte Westerfield, biology
Dasa Zeithamova, psychology
Neuroscience
As outlined below, the Neuroscience majors consists of the following components: 1) foundation courses in the natural sciences; 2) math and statistics coursework; 3) life science fundamentals; 4) a core neuroscience sequence; 5) upper-division elective courses; and 6) advanced skills courses and/or research experience. The total number of credits is 104-107 (depending on whether majors complete the General Biology Sequence or the Biology Honors Sequence).
Course List Code | Title | Credits |
| 46-49 |
| General Biology I: Cells and General Biology II: Organisms and General Biology IV: Mechanisms | |
| Honors Biology I: Cells, Biochemistry and Physiology and Honors Biology II: Genetics and Molecular Biology and Honors Biology III: Evolution, Diversity and Ecology |
| General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II and General Chemistry III | |
| Advanced General Chemistry I and Advanced General Chemistry II and Advanced General Chemistry III |
| General Physics and General Physics and General Physics | |
| Foundations of Physics I and Foundations of Physics I and Foundations of Physics I |
| General Chemistry Laboratory and General Chemistry Laboratory and General Chemistry Laboratory | |
| Introductory Physics Laboratory and Introductory Physics Laboratory and Introductory Physics Laboratory |
| Mind and Brain | |
| 8 |
| Calculus for the Biological Sciences I | |
| Calculus I |
| Statistical Methods in Psychology | |
| Statistical Methods I |
| Statistical Analysis of Biological Anthropology |
| 8 |
| Medical Terminology | |
| Scientific Investigation in Physiology | |
| 18 |
| Human Anatomy I and Human Physiology I (Fall) | |
| Biopsychology (Winter) | |
| Neurobiology (Spring) | |
| |
| Molecular Genetics | |
| Cell Biology | |
| Developmental Biology | |
| Animal Physiology | |
| Protein Toxins in Cell Biology | |
| Molecular Genetics of Human Disease | |
| Developmental Neurobiology | |
| Clinical Pharmacology | |
| Neural Development | |
| |
| Sensory Physiology | |
| Special Studies: [Topic] | |
| Experimental Course: [Topic] | |
| Systems Neuroscience | |
| Motor Control | |
| Sleep Physiology | |
| Neurophysiology of Concussion | |
| Movement Disorders | |
| Clinical Neuroscience | |
| Brain Mechanisms of Behavior | |
| Hormones and Behavior | |
| |
| Experimental Course: [Topic] (Neural Basis of Cognition) | |
| Cognition | |
| Music and the Brain | |
| Psychoactive Drugs | |
| Learning and Memory | |
| Human Performance | |
| Perception | |
| Psycholinguistics | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| Decision-Making | |
| Cognitive Development | |
| 8 |
| Research: [Topic] | |
| Thesis | |
| Seminar: [Topic] | |
| Experimental Course: [Topic] (Introduction to Programming for Biologists) | |
| Experimental Course: [Topic] (Matlab for Biologists) | |
| Experimental Course: [Topic] (Analysis Neural Data) | |
| Techniques in Computational Neuroscience | |
| Machine Learning for Data Science | |
| Machine Learning | |
| Research: [Topic] | |
| Thesis | |
| Research: [Topic] | |
| Thesis | |
| Applied Data Analysis | |
Total Credits | 104-107 |
All courses counted towards the Neuroscience Major requirements must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of C or better.
At least 34 credits of coursework applied to the major must be taken at the University of Oregon.
Criteria for Honors
To graduate with Honors in Neuroscience, the following requirements must be met:
- A completed Neuroscience Honors application with signature of a faculty research advisor from BI, HPHY or PSY
- Completion of all Neuroscience major requirements
- A minimum 3.5 GPA in all courses applied to the major
- At least three credits in BI 403, HPHY 403, or PSY 403 Thesis (These credits may be applied to the advanced skills courses and research experience requirement).
- Completion of an honors thesis under supervision of a committee, consisting of one BI, HPHY, or PSY faculty member and at least one other committee member (Ph.D. student, postdoctoral scholar, or faculty) from BI, HPHY, or PSY.