Director: Annemarie Shibata, Ph.D.
Department Office: Biology Department, Hixson-Lied Science Building, Room 422
The Neuroscience Program, housed within the Biology department, is a multidisciplinary program designed to provide an integrated, comprehensive, and investigatory learning experience that imparts a broad and strong understanding of the fundamental concepts and research principles that form the neurosciences.
Neuroscience is the study of 1) how the nervous system controls and responds to bodily functions and directs behavior; 2) how nervous system structure and function are determined by genes and the environment; and 3) how the brain serves as the foundation of the mind, awareness and thought. The Bachelor of Science with a major in Neuroscience is intended for students interested in pursuing careers in a variety of health professions and graduate programs, scientific research in academia and industry, or related life science careers.
The mission of the Neuroscience major is to deliver a comprehensive curriculum in neuroscience providing students with thorough understanding of neuroscience principles and modern application. This program will provide technical and intellectual skills for neuroscience and neuroscience related careers. Our role is also to work with colleagues across disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences and Health and Professional Schools to develop students who understand what science contributes and what methodologies it necessitates. Our program will explain and reinforce how neuroscience contributes to our understanding of human behavior and will join with the Magis Core curriculum at Creighton to shape well-informed students/citizens.
Participating Departments and Faculty
Various faculty from the following departments participate in our multidisciplinary major: Biology, Psychology, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, Philosophy, Theology, and Pharmacology and Neuroscience.
B.S., Major in Neuroscience
Requirements for Admission to the Neuroscience Major
- Admission to the B.S., Major in Neuroscience program requires sophomore standing, completion of General Biology lecture and laboratory series, General Chemistry lecture and laboratory series, and Introduction to Psychology courses, with a grade of "C" or better in those pre-requisites.
Prerequisite Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 201 | General Biology: Organismal and Population | 3 |
| BIO 202 | General Biology: Cellular and Molecular | 3 |
| BIO 205 | General Biology: Organismal and Population Laboratory | 1 |
| BIO 206 | General Biology: Cellular and Molecular Laboratory | 1 |
| PSY 201 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| CHM 203 | General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHM 204 | General Chemistry I Laboratory | 1 |
| CHM 205 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| or CHM 285 | Advanced General Chemistry II | |
| CHM 206 | General Chemistry II Laboratory | 1 |
| or CHM 286 | Chemical and Statistical Analysis Laboratory | |
| Total Credits | 19 | |
Support Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry support | 4 | |
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry I Laboratory | ||
| Physics support | 6 | |
| Choose 1 of the Physics course sequences below: | ||
| Option 1 (recommended for pre-medical, pre-health and pre-graduate program students) | ||
| General Physics for the Life Sciences | ||
| General Physics Laboratory I | ||
| General Physics for the Life Sciences II | ||
| General Physics Laboratory II | ||
| Option 2 (recommended for students interested in electives requiring calculus-based physics) | ||
| General Physics for the Physical Sciences I | ||
| General Physics Laboratory I | ||
| General Physics for the Physical Sciences II | ||
| General Physics Laboratory II | ||
| Option 3 (given approval from the Physics Department) | ||
| Advanced General Physics I:Modeling the Physical World | ||
| Project Physics Laboratory I | ||
| Advanced General Physics II:Modeling the Physical World | ||
| Project Physics Laboratory II | ||
| Total Credits | 10 | |
B.S., Neuroscience (40 Credits)
Neuroscience Core Requirements (Maximum of 33 Credits, Depending on Course Selections. Completion of Required Courses will fulfill Designated Courses within the Magis Core.)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| PSY 437 | Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
| BIO 462 | Neurobiology | 3 |
| BIO 463 | Neurobiology Laboratory | 1 |
| PHR 350 | Introduction to Neuropharmacology | 3 |
| PHL 424 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| NES 510 | Neurophysiology Lab | 2 |
| NES 592 | Neuroscience Senior Seminar | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Neurobiology of Disease | ||
| Bioethics and Society | ||
| Sciences, Ethics & Society | ||
| Biomedical Ethics: Philosophical and Theological Approaches | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Physiology | ||
| Human Physiology (Follows Pharmacy School Schedule) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cell Structure and Function | ||
| Biochemistry of Metabolism | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Biostatistics | ||
| Elementary Probability and Statistics | ||
| Probability and Statistics in the Health Sciences | ||
| Electives | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Electives: 4 courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum of 4 additional courses from any of the groups listed below may be selected. Electives may also fulfill Magis Core requirements. | ||
| Cellular and Organismal Neuroscience | ||
| Neurobiology of Disease | ||
| Pharmacology of Drugs and Abuse | ||
| Introduction to Clinical Neuroscience | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Animal Behavior Laboratory | ||
| Developmental Biology | ||
| Current Topics in Neuroscience | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Psychopathology | ||
| Neuropsychology | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
or PSY 441 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| Principles of Behavior | ||
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Physical Neuroscience | ||
| Modern Physics | ||
| Modern Physics Laboratory | ||
| Electronics Laboratory | ||
| Physics in Medicine | ||
| Introduction to Biological Physics | ||
| Radiation Biophysics | ||
| Physics of Medical Imaging I | ||
| Physics of Medical Imaging II | ||
| Computational Neuroscience | ||
| Bioinformatics | ||
| Advanced Linear Algebra | ||
| Advanced Differential Equations | ||
| Mathematics in Medicine and Life Sciences II | ||
| Data Structures | ||
| Algorithm Design and Analysis | ||
| Introduction To Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Philosophical Neuroscience | ||
| Epistemology | ||
| Philosophy Of The Human Sciences | ||
| Philosophy Of The Natural Sciences | ||
| Metaphysics | ||
| Theological Neuroscience | ||
| Ultimate Questions: Where Theology Meets Neuroscience | ||
Service Learning
Independent Study Service Learning Course (Optional - Instructor Consent)
This course is designed to allow students to receive credit for educational outreach. The course may be taken up to four times. Outreach of 0 credits may be taken if the student has reached 18hrs of course credit. Students will use knowledge acquired in Neuroscience major specific course work and develop content to support Neuroscience education outreach and high school student tutoring in preparation for the Brain Bee. The Brain Bee is a high school level, Neuroscience competition that is held at Creighton annually. The winner of this competition qualifies for the national competition. The Brain Bee is delivered by Creighton's Chapter of Nu Rho Psi, the Neuroscience Honor Society under the direction of Dr. Gwen King.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroscience Outreach | ||
| NES 498 | Neuroscience in the Community | 0-3 |
Research COURSEs
Introduction to Research Design and Methods (Optional - Instructor Consent)
This course allows students to receive credit for research activities. The course may be taken one time. Research of 0 credits may be taken if the student has reached 18hrs of course credit.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NES 297 | Directed Research | 0-3 |
Neuroscience Research Designation (Optional - Instructor Consent)
An equivalent of two semesters worth of directed research credit is required (NES 397, NES 497). Research of 0 credits may be taken if the student has reached 18hrs of course credit. The research designation will be met by submission of a written abstract and evaluation of a presentation (oral and/or written) of the research project at a local, regional, and/or national meetings for each semester of NES 397 or NES 497.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NES 397 | Directed Independent Research (Extramural) | 0-3 |
| NES 497 | Directed Independent Research (Intramural) | 0-3 |