The Interdisciplinary Major in Neuroscience at Rhodes bridges the fields of Biology, Psychology, Chemistry and Philosophy. The major provides students with an understanding of the methodological challenges and conceptual issues that lie at the heart of efforts to understand the function of the nervous system and its role in behavior.

In addition to maintaining a cumulative and major GPA of at least 3.5, honors candidates are required to enroll in Neuroscience 399 in the Spring of their junior year. By the start of the senior year, the candidate must submit a proposal for an independent research project for approval by the Program Committee. Up to 8 credits of Neuroscience 495-496 are taken each semester of the senior year. In addition to submitting a written report, the candidate is required to make an oral presentation at the conclusion of the research project. The honors degree in Neuroscience is contingent upon committee acceptance of the research manuscript.

Professors

David Kabelik. 2009. H.B.Sc., University of Toronto; Ph.D., Arizona State University. (Neuroscience, endocrinology, physiology, animal behavior.)

Associate Professors

Kelly A. Dougherty. 2014. B.S., West Chester University; Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson University. (Neuroscience, biophysics, neurophysiology.)

Jason Haberman. 2014. B.A., University of Miami; M.A. and Ph.D., University of California - Davis. (Neuroscience: visual psychophysics; object recognition, ensemble perception.)

Rebecca Klatzkin. 2011. B.S., University of Richmond; Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. (Behavioral neuroscience: stress; eating behavior; binge eating disorder.)

Larryn W. Peterson. 2011. B.A., Carroll College; Ph.D., University of Southern California. (Organic Chemistry.) 
 

Assistant Professors

Carlos Lafourcade. 2023. Licenciate degree and Ph.D., University of Buenos Aires. (Epilepsy, stress, cannabinoids.)

Jared Millson. 2021. B.A., Boston University; Ph.D., Emory University. (Philosophy of cognitive sciences.)

Tanushree Pandit. 2019. B.S., M.S., RTM Nagpur University; Ph.D., Umea University. (Developmental neuroscience.)

Laura Shannahan. 2022. B.S., University of Wisconsin at Madison; Ph.D., Northwestern University. (Cognitive neuroscience, sleep, sensory systems.)

A total of fifty-four to fifty-eight (54-58) credits as follows:

1. Seven (7) core requirements (28 credits total):
   1. Chem 120&125L (Foundations of Chemistry & Lab)
   2. Biol 130&131L (Biology I & Lab)
   3. Biol 140&141L (Biology II & Lab)
   4. Psyc 150 (Introduction to Psychological Science)
   5. Psyc 211 or Math 211 (Statistical Methods in Psychology or Applied Statistics for the Natural Sciences)
   6. Neur 270 (Neuroscience)
   7. Neur 485 or 486 (Senior Seminar)
2. Two (2) depth requirements (10 credits total):
   1. Biol 375&375L or Biol 376&376L or Biol 377&377L (Neuroendocrinology & Lab or Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience & Lab or Developmental Neuroscience & Lab)
   2. Neur/Psyc 344&344L or Neur/Psyc 345&345L (Neuroscience of Sleep & Lab or Cognitive Neuroscience & Lab)
   3. Neur 300 (Topics in Neuroscience with Lab)
3. Two (2) breadth courses from the following (8-10 credits total):
   1. Chem 411&411L (Medicinal/Computational Chemistry & Lab - independent project must be Neuroscience based to count toward major)
   2. Neur 299 Topics in Neuroscience 
   3. Neur/Psyc 318 (Clinical Neuroscience)
   4. Neur 451-452 (Research in Neuroscience; 4 credits required)
   5. Phil 219 (Foundations of Artificial Intelligence)
   6. Phil 312 (Philosophy of the Cognitive Sciences)
   7. Psyc 216 (Perception)
   8. Psyc 327 (Cognitive Processes)
   9. A third depth course
4. Two (2) electives from the following list (8-10 credits total):
   1. Biol 204&204L (Animal Development & Lab)
   2. Biol 207&207L (Animal Behavior & Lab)
   3. Biol 303 or 304&304L (Genetics or Genetics & Lab)
   4. Biol 307 (Cell Biology)
   5. Biol 325&325L (Molecular Biology & Lab)
   6. Biol 340&340L (Animal Physiology & Lab)
   7. Chem 315 (Biochemistry)
   8. Chem 416 (Pharmacology)
   9. Comp 141 or 142 (Computer Science I or II)
   10. Scientific Research 451-452 (in a major outside of Neuroscience, as approved by the Neuroscience committee; 4 credits required)
   11. Psyc 218 (Psychology of Addiction)
   12. Psyc 220 (Psychology of Health)
   13. Psyc 224 (Psychological Disorders)
   14. Psyc 231 (Psychology of Aging)
   15. Psyc 306 (Psycholinguistics)
   16. Up to two additional depth or breadth courses
5. Courses recommended but not required:
   1. Chem 211-212 & 212L (Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II & Lab)
   2. Math 115 (Applied Calculus)
   3. Math 212 (Applied Regression)
   4. Math 330 (Biostatistics)
   5. Phys 109-110 & Lab or 111-112 & Lab (Physics for the Life Sciences & Labs or Physics for the Physical Sciences & Labs)