Neurobiology (BI38)

The Neurobiology major provides an interdisciplinary study of the nervous system, with the ultimate goal to understand higher brain function in health and disease. The nervous system can be studied at multiple levels of analysis including molecular and cellular biology, electrophysiology, brain systems, behavior and cognition, and computational network modeling. The major is designed to combine fundamental courses in biology, neurophysiology, and cellular neurobiology, with the option for students to tailor their neurobiology studies toward particular areas of interest. Graduates are prepared for advanced study in biological sciences, particularly neuroscience, medicine, business or law, writing and publishing, government and policy, global health, as well as professions in education and biotechnology.

• Biology: BILD 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5*
• Chemistry: CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C and 7L
• Organic Chemistry: CHEM 40A, 40B, and 43A
• Mathematics: MATH 10A, 10B, and 11 or 20A, 20B, and 11 (in addition to the three required mathematics courses, MATH 18 is recommended for those with an interest in computational neurobiology)
• Physics: PHYS 1A/1AL, 1B/1BL, and 1C/1CL or 2A, 2B, 2C and one lab (2BL, 2CL, 2DL)

Note: Any given course can only satisfy one major requirement

• Metabolic Biochemistry (BIBC 102) or Biochemical Energetics and Metabolism (CHEM 114B)
• Genetics (BICD 100)
• Molecular Biology (BIMM 100)
• Human Physiology I (BIPN 100)
• Cellular Neurobiology (BIPN 140)
• Neurobiology Laboratory (BIPN 145)
• Neurobiology Core Courses - complete three of the following courses:
  • Animal Behavior and Communication (BIEB 166)
  • Systems Neurobiology (BIPN 142)
  • Developmental Neurobiology (BIPN 144)
  • Computational Neurobiology (BIPN 146)
  • Computational Systems Neurobiology (BIPN 147)
  • Cellular Basis of Learning and Memory (BIPN 148)
  • Diseases of the Nervous System (BIPN 150)
  • The Healthy and Diseased Brain (BIPN 152)
  • Neurobiology of Stress and Mental Disorder (BIPN 154)
  • Neuroanatomy (BIPN 160)
  • Neural Data Science (BIPN 162)
  • Brain, Behavior and Evolution (BIPN 189)
  • Methods in Human Comparative Neuroscience (ANBI 112)
  • Biophysics of Neurons and Networks (PHYS 178)
• Biology Lab - complete one of the following courses:
  • Biochemical Techniques (BIBC 103)
  • Chemistry of Biological Interactions (BIBC 151)
  • Eucaryotic Genetics Laboratory (BICD 101)
  • Plant Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology Lab (BICD 123)
  • Laboratory in Molecular Medicine(BICD 145)
  • Ecology Lab (BIEB 121)
  • Molecular Methods in Evolution & Ecology Lab (BIEB 123)
  • Marine Invertebrate Ecology Lab (BIEB 131)
  • Aquatic Ecology Lab (BIEB 135)
  • Intro to Q-Modeling Biology Lab (BIEB 141)
  • Computer Modeling in Evolution and Ecology (BIEB 143)
  • Microbiome Function Laboratory (BIEB 159)
  • Animal Communication Lab (BIEB 167)
  • Recombinant DNA Techniques (BIMM 101)
  • Laboratory in Microbiology (BIMM 121)
  • Bioinformatics Laboratory (BIMM 143)
  • Animal Physiology Lab (BIPN 105)
  • BISP 196/197/199 (at least 4 units)
• Biology Electives - complete at least six or eight units of upper-division coursework offered by the UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences (a total of 48 upper division units is required for completion of the major).
  • Upper-division Biology elective units may be completed with courses numbered 100-189 taken through UC San Diego’s School of Biological Sciences. Elective units may include one quarter of BISP 195, up to four BIxx 194s, and one quarter of either BISP 193 or BISP 196/197/199.
  • Only one BISP 196/197/199 can apply towards the major. Subsequent quarters of BISP 196, 197 or 199 may be applied toward college and university requirements.

Coursework taken outside of the School of Biological Sciences may be applicable toward the major, assuming the course has been previously reviewed and approved and meets minimum criteria. Non-reviewed coursework requires an Undergraduate Student Petition for consideration.

• Major Check Worksheet
• Freshman and Transfer Sample Plan Lookup Tool