Course Selection
Enrolment in the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience is limited. Admission into this module occurs in Year 2, and progression to Years 3 and 4 requires completion of certain courses, grades, and averages. See the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience in the Academic Calendar for more details. The sections below provide a bit more information than what is housed in the Academic Calendar.
NEW for 2024:
See the Course and Module Updates page for proposed changes to the admission requirements for students going into year 2 for the 2024-25 Academic Year.
Additional Requirements
Optional courses are not indicated in the sections below, but students should note that they require 20.0 credits for this degree, including 1.0 course from Category B (see Breadth Requirements for Graduation).
A full load of courses (5.0 during the Fall/Winter) is not required for admission to or progression in the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience.
Graduation Requirements
The Academic Calendar outlines the Graduation Requirements for Honours Bachelor Degrees. The current Academic Calendar must always be used as the official site for academic requirements. Check in with Jen Chambers, BMSUE Coordinator (Interdisciplinary Studies) if you discover that the requirements of your module have changed and you are not sure whether the current Academic Calendar is the one that you should use.
Refer to the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience worksheet for a Checklist of Module and Degree Requirements.
July 13th email to Year 2 Neuroscience students: registration update (pdf)
Questions?
One on one virtual appointments are available on a limited basis with Jen Chambers, BMSUE Coordinator (Interdisciplinary Studies) by visiting the Connect with a BMSUE Coordinator page.
Have questions but can't wait (or just don't want to wait) for an appointment?
Join Jen's "Ask Me Anything" drop-in Zoom sessions: Every Monday and Thursday. (students will be brought in from the waiting room to speak individually with Jen):
- Mondays, from 11:00am-12:00pm - click this link to join the waiting room for Zoom drop-in
- Thursdays, from 11:30am-12:30pm - click this link to join the waiting room for Zoom drop-in
Year 1 course selection
Selection for the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience
1.0 course: Biology 1001A and Biology 1002B.
1.0 course: Psychology 1002A and Psychology 1003B.
1.0 course: Chemistry 1301A and Chemistry 1302B.
0.5 course from: Calculus 1000A/B or Calculus 1500A/B.
0.5 course: Data Science 1000A/B.
Additional 0.5 course that must be completed prior to Year 3 Neuroscience:
0.5 course from: Physics 1201A or Physics 1501A, or the former Physics 1028A or the former Physics 1301A.
Although students usually take a full load of 5.0 courses during the Fall/Winter of Year 1, admission to Year 2 of the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience does not require completion of a full load of courses in first year. Keep in mind, however, that 20.0 courses are required to graduate.
Selection for students in Medical Sciences 1 who want to apply to Year 2 Honours Specialization in Neuroscience while keeping open the option to progress to Medical Sciences 2
Principal courses for Neuroscience:
1.0 course: Psychology 1002A and Psychology 1003B.
1.0 course: Chemistry 1301A and Chemistry 1302B.
0.5 course from: Calculus 1000A/B or Calculus 1500A/B.
0.5 course: Data Science 1000A/B.
Additional courses required to progress from Medical Sciences 1 to Medical Sciences 2:
0.5 course from: Physics 1201A or Physics 1501A.
Note: We recommend that students who are interested in applying to Year 2 of the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience defer the following course identified in the suite of courses required for Med Sci 1:
0.5 course from: Computer Science 1026A/B, Physics 1202B or Physics 1502B.
If admitted to Year 2 Honours Specialization in Neuroscience, then students will not need to complete Physics 1202B or Computer Science 1026A/B. Students who are not admitted to Neuroscience and who progress to Medical Sciences 2 must complete this 0.5 requirement by the end of the fall/winter of Medical Sciences.
Link to Academic Calendar for Honours Specialization in Neuroscience
Year 2 course selection
Modular courses:
1.0 course: Neuroscience 2000 (minimum mark of 75% is required).
0.5 course: Biochemistry 2280A.
0.5 course: Biology 2382A/B.
1.0 course: Psychology 2801F and Psychology 2802G.
1.0 course from: (Psychology 2811A and Psychology 2812B)* or (the combination of Biology/Statistics 2244A/B + Computer Science 2120A/B**).
NOTES:
- Although the Academic Calendar states that a minimum of 3.5 of the 4.0 modular courses above must be completed by the end of Year 2, the only course that can actually be deferred until Year 3 is Computer Science 2120A/B. All of the other 2000-level courses are necessary prerequisites for the 3000-level courses required in the module
- * Psychology 2811A/B and 2812A/B may NOT be used in lieu of Biology/Statistics 2244A/B in any basic medical science module other than the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience
- students interested in keeping open the option of applying to Year 3 BMSc (or any basic medical science Major that has a senior statistics requirement) must take either Biology or Statistics 2244A/B. Special permission will NOT be granted to use Psychology 2811A/B and 2812A/B or the former Psychology 2810 in lieu of Biology/Statistics 2244A/B in any other basic medical science module.
- students considering Year 3 BMSc: keep in mind that to be considered for admission to Year 3 BMSc from the competitive pool, students must complete the Admission Requirements for the module to which they apply prior to the beginning of Year 3.
- Although it isn't stated in the Academic Calendar, either Biology 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2244A/B can be used in place of Psychology 2810 as the statistics prerequisite for the 3000-level Psychology courses listed in the module. The online registration system should recognize either 2244A/B course as an acceptable statistics prerequisite - no special permission is required.
- ** Computer Science 1026A/B is antirequisite to Computer Science 2120A/B. This means there is substantive overlap in course content and both cannot be taken for credit.
- In the instance where a student took Computer Science 1026A/B in first year and wishes to take Biology/Statistics 2244A/B, Computer Science 1026A/B will be used in place of Computer Science 2120A/B for fulfilling the modular requirements. In this case, the student must replace Computer Science 2120A/B with a 0.5 1000-level course by the end of year 3 to complete their first-year requirements.
Link to Academic Calendar for Honours Specialization in Neuroscience
Registration Update: email sent to students last year on July 14, 2022.
Year 3 course selection
Modular courses:
0.5 course: Neuroscience 3000G (minimum mark of 75% is required).
1.0 course: Pharmacology 3620.
0.5 course: Physiology 3140A.
0.5 course from : Communication Sciences and Disorders 3317A/B, Medical Sciences 3991F, Neuroscience 3996F/G.
1.0 course from: Neurosciences 3997G, Psychology 3138F/G, Psychology 3139A/B, Psychology 3185F/G, Psychology 3209F/G, Psychology 3221F/G, Psychology 3224A/B, Psychology 3225A/B, Psychology 3226A/B, Psychology 3228A/B, Psychology 3230F/G, Psychology 3285F/G, Psychology 3312F/G, Psychology 3316F/G, Psychology 3440F/G, Psychology 3441F/G, Psychology 3442F/G, Psychology 3443F/G, Psychology 3444F/G, Psychology 3485F/G.
NOTES:
- to progress to Year 4, students must complete at least 7.0 2000- and 3000-level modular courses prior to Year 4. One 3000-level half course in Psychology may be delayed until Year 4 - the other modular courses are prerequisites for 4000-level courses and must be completed by the end of Year 3.
- Although it isn't stated in the Academic Calendar, either Biology 2244A/B or Statistical Sciences 2244A/B can be used in place of Psychology 2811A/B and 2812A/B as the statistics prerequisite for the Psychology courses above. The online registration system should recognize either 2244A/B course as an acceptable statistics prerequisite - no special permission is required.
- Computer Science 2120A/B must be taken by the end of Year 3 for those students who completed either Biology or Statistics 2244A/B in Year 2. See the year 2 course registration tab if Computer Science 1026A/B was previously taken.
- There are a limited number of spaces reserved for students in each of Communication Sciences and Disorders 3317A and Medical Sciences 3991F. There are not enough spaces in either of these courses for all students in Year 3 Neuroscience and students are not assured a spot in a particular course. There are enough spaces between the two courses, however, for all Year 3 Neuroscience students.
- Neuroscience 3996F/G and 3997G (any full-time faculty member in the general area of Neuroscience may supervise).
Some of the 3000-level Psychology courses may not be offered in any given year.
Year 4 course selection
Modular courses:
1.5 courses: Neuroscience 4000E (Honours Thesis = 1.5 courses).
1.0 course from: Anatomy and Cell Biology 4451F/G, Anatomy and Cell Biology 4452A/B, Pharmacology 4370A/B, Pharmacology 4380A/B, Physiology 4630A/B, Physiology 4650A/B, Physiology 4680A/B, Physiology 4710A/B, Physiology and Pharmacology 4750B.
0.5 course from: Psychology 4115F/G, Psychology 4190F/G, Psychology 4195F/G, Psychology 4222F/G, Psychology 4223F/G, Psychology 4224F/G, Psychology 4260F/G, Psychology 4290F/G, Psychology 4295F/G.
and any modular course required but not yet completed (e.g. 3000-level Psychology course)
Some of the 3000- and 4000-level Psychology courses are not offered in any given year.
Link to Academic Calendar for Honours Specialization in Neuroscience
