The Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience degree brings together multiple scientific disciplines focusing on the nervous system. This interdisciplinary program offers students a solid foundation in science alongside specialization within a specific concentration area and extensive opportunities for hands-on research experience. The degree is ideal for students who intend to pursue graduate studies in neuroscience, animal behavior, psychology or medicine.  

In particular, the B.S. in Neuroscience is designed to provide students with the necessary background for entry into graduate programs in neuroscience as well as facilitate completion of pre-med requirements for entry into medical school. Majors can also apply to the B.S. with Distinction in Neuroscience to complete additional research culminating in a senior thesis.  

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate a solid base of knowledge in the core areas of neuroscience, including both the cellular/molecular level and the cognitive/behavioral level.
2. Students will demonstrate a clear grasp of the core concepts within the major concentration they have selected
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to use scientific methodology in the critical evaluation of information, including identifying assumptions, creating and evaluating hypotheses, designing relevant experiments, and evaluating the results of analyses and experiments
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate scientific literature and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, about neuroscience concepts and principles.
5. Students will demonstrate preparedness for relevant careers or entry into graduate or professional programs

Progression Requirement

Neuroscience majors may only enroll in any neuroscience major course a maximum of two times to earn the required grade of C or higher. For the purposes of this standard of progression, withdrawal with a W does not constitute enrollment. Withdrawal with a WF will count as an attempt.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to degree programs offered by the college. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another college on the Columbia campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another USC campus must fulfill one of the following requirements:

1. Be in good standing, meet the admission requirements for a baccalaureate degree on the Columbia campus, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
2. Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher on a USC campus.

Some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have special admission requirements established by the department or committee that supervises the specific degree program, for example, Cardiovascular Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Economics, Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. These requirements are listed in the sections of this bulletin that describe department and special degree programs.

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

Requirements (120 hours)

^1.

Must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

^2.

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

^3.

For the statistics requirement, students who have previously completed PSYC 220 and STAT 201 with a grade of C or better before declaring the Neuroscience major may use STAT 201 to fulfill this requirement.

^4.

Training in the methods of scientific inquiry and the dissemination of research in neuroscience. Can be fulfilled with independent research undertaken with a faculty mentor or lab-based coursework. Must be approved by the Neuroscience Program Director. 

^5.

Students must complete a minimum of 12 hours of elective coursework. Electives should be selected in conjunction with the neuroscience advisor to target each student’s interests and career goals and complement their concentration coursework.

^6.

Students intending to take BIOL 541 as part of their major requirements should also take CHEM 334/CHEM 332L as part of their program requirements, either as an elective or as part of their cognate/minor.

^7.

Students who complete Individual Research to complete the Required Neuroscience Research may take NSCI 570 as an elective.

^8.

A maximum of 6 hours of Independent Study / Individual Research can be applied as major credit.  Students admitted to the BS with Distinction in Neuroscience may apply an additional 3 hours of independent research toward their major requirements, up to a maximum of 9 hours.

BS with Distinction in Neuroscience (45 hours)

Available to students majoring in Neuroscience who wish to participate in significant research activities in their major field under the supervision of a faculty mentor.

Prerequisite

A minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major, and 3.50 cumulative, is required to apply for a BS with Distinction in Neuroscience.

Requirements

• Students must submit a written application for the BS with Distinction in Neuroscience at least eight months before completion of the degree.
• Written sponsorship agreement from a faculty mentor affiliated with the Neuroscience program.
• An established thesis committee consisting of a primary mentor who must be a tenure-track or professional-track faculty member affiliated with the Neuroscience Program and a secondary mentor who is a USC faculty or staff member with a doctoral degree (e.g., tenure-track faculty, professional-track faculty, post-doctoral researchers).
• A written thesis demonstrating significant original work and approved by the thesis committee. The student may use their senior thesis to simultaneously fulfill other requirements as well (e.g., Honors College Thesis), at the discretion of the thesis advisor.
•  A public presentation of the Senior Thesis research.
• Successful fulfillment of all requirements below with a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major and 3.50 cumulative.
• Completion of all major requirements, plus 9 additional credit hours including:
  • A minimum of three credit hours of independent research (in addition to any hours taken as part of the major requirements)
  • A minimum of three upper-level credits from the list of approved neuroscience electives (can include additional credits of independent research)
  • NSCI 499 (3 hours) or SCHC 499 (3 hours)

Note: South Carolina Honors College students satisfying the above requirements will graduate with “Honors from the South Carolina Honors College” and with “Distinction in Neuroscience.”

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Neuroscience, B.S.

¹

Regardless of individual course grades, students must achieve a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA for Upper Division status.  Students must maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for graduation. 

²

Some colleges require a minimum GPA for major courses.  Courses indicated in this column are included in the major GPA for this program of study. 

³

Students not placing into MATH 122 or 141 are required to successfully complete the corresponding prerequisites before taking MATH 122 or 141.

⁴

Supporting courses are prerequisites for Major Requirements.  Eight hours may be used to fulfill requirements for a minor, cognate, or second major. 

⁵

Students in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences are required to demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the 122 course through course credit or the corresponding foreign language placement score. 

⁶

The Carolina Core provides the common core of knowledge, skill and academic experience for all Carolina undergraduate students. 

⁷

Students intending to take any other 500-level STAT courses should take STAT 515.  Students who have previously completed PSYC 220 or PSYC 227 and STAT 201 with a grade of C or better before declaring the Neuroscience major may use STAT 201 to fulfill this requirement. 

⁸

The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences requires one U.S. History and one non-U.S. History course, both of which must be chosen from the approved Carolina Core GHS courses.  Whichever is not fulfilled through the Carolina Core GHS requirement must be fulfilled through this college requirement. 

⁹

Students must choose one of the following three concentrations. Concentrations consist of a minimum of 12 hours of core courses in a targeted area of study. Core courses should be selected in conjunction with the neuroscience advisor to target each student’s interests and career goals.

• Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Choose 12 hours from the following: BIOL 303, 530, 541*, 541L, 553, 612, 614, 620, 634, 635, 665, 667; BMEN 321; ELCT 391.
• Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience (12 hours) Choose 3 hours from List A and 3 hours from List B, with additional courses selected from either list to meet the minimum of 12 hours.
  • List A (minimum 3 hours): BIOL 460, 534, 543; EXSC 351, 562, 610, 641.
  • List B (minimum 3 hours): PSYC 400, 450, 503, 550, 571, 572.
• Neurodevelopment and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (12 hours)
  • Required: BIOL 505; PSYC 420
  • 6 hours selected from: BIOL 505, 614, 633; PSYC 510, 520, 521, 528. 

¹⁰

No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences.  The McCausland College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses.  Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. 

¹¹

Training in the methods of scientific inquiry and the dissemination of research in neuroscience. Can be fulfilled with independent research undertaken with a faculty mentor or lab-based coursework. Must be approved by the Neuroscience program director.

• Individual Research: Independent research can be done under any major independent research codes as long as the research is in the field of neuroscience and is approved by the Neuroscience Program Director. Examples include NSCI 498, BIOL 399, PSYC 498, PSYC 598, PSYC 599, SCHC 399, and BMEN 499.
• Lab Courses: NSCI 570 or other lab-based courses may be approved by the Neuroscience Program Director if they have a significant neuroscience component. 

¹²

Major Electives: BIOL 303, 460, 461, 505, 530, 534, 541*, 541L, 543, 553, 612, 614, 620, 633, 634, 635, 665, 667; BMEN 321; CSCE 556; EXSC 303, 351, 562, 610, 641; NSCI 560, 570+; PHIL 351; PSYC 370, 400, 450, 503, 550, 571, 572, Individual Research^.  Depending on the topic, special topics courses/seminars and internships may be applied as core courses towards concentrations or as major electives with permission of the Neuroscience program director: BIOL 599; NSCI 560; PSYC 589; COLA 390 or 391.

*Students intending to take BIOL 541 as part of their major requirements should also take CHEM 334/332L as part of their program requirements, either as an elective or as part of their cognate/minor.

+Students who complete Individual Research to complete the Required Neuroscience Research may take NSCI 570 as an elective

^A maximum of 6 hours of Independent Study / Individual Research can be applied as major credit. Students admitted to the B.S. with Distinction in Neuroscience may apply an additional 3 hours of independent research toward their major requirements, up to a maximum of 9 hours. 

Program Notes:

• ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 must be completed in the student’s first 60 semester hours of work in order for these courses to be credited toward graduation.
• All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade that covers the founding documents. This course may fulfill any requirement in the program of study. Courses that meet this requirement are listed in the academic bulletin.
• The B.S. with Distinction in Neuroscience is available to students majoring in Neuroscience who wish to participate in significant research activities in their major field under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
  • Prerequisite: A minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major, and 3.50 cumulative, is required to apply for a BS with Distinction in Neuroscience.
  • Requirements: 1) Students must submit a written application for the BS with Distinction in Neuroscience at least eight months before completion of the degree. 2) Written sponsorship agreement from a faculty mentor affiliated with the Neuroscience program. 3) An established thesis committee consisting of a tenure-track faculty member affiliated with the Neuroscience Program and at least one other tenure-track or research faculty member at the University of South Carolina. 4) A written thesis demonstrating significant original work and approved by the thesis committee. The student may use their senior thesis to simultaneously fulfill other requirements as well (e.g., Honors College Thesis), at the discretion of the thesis advisor. 5) A public presentation of the Senior Thesis research. 6) Successful fulfillment of all requirements below with a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major and 3.50 cumulative. 7) Completion of all major requirements, plus 9 additional credit hours including: a minimum of three credit hours of independent research (in addition to any hours taken as part of the major requirements), a minimum of three upper-level credits from the list of approved neuroscience electives (can include additional credits of independent research), and NSCI 499 - Senior Thesis (3 hours) or SCHC 499 (3 hours)