Minor in Neuroscience

Neuroscience is an established, yet rapidly growing field that explores the molecular, cellular, and systems bases of neural function, as well as the neural basis of behavior and cognition.

The Neuroscience Minor offers students an opportunity to delve more deeply into this exciting and multifaceted discipline, whether to supplement a degree in biology, computer science, or engineering; to expand their understanding of cutting-edge research that regularly appears in the news; or to ready themselves for a neuroscience-based graduate program or career. Students who complete a neuroscience program are also equipped for educational and employment opportunities in research, teaching, medicine, and allied health.

Declaring the minor

The Neuroscience minor has the following prerequisites before it can be declared:

  • BBIO 180: Introductory Biology I
  • BBIO 200: Introductory Biology II
  • BBIO 220: Introductory Biology III

Students completing the Introductory Biology series at UW Bothell must also complete the following:

  • General Chemistry I and II (BCHEM 143, 153) as prerequisites for BBIO 200
  • Preparation for General Chemistry (BCHEM 139) or mathematics at Precalculus I (BMATH 122) level or higher as the prerequisite for BCHEM 143

The prerequisites must be completed (not in-progress) before declaring the minor. Once you have completed the prerequisites, contact the academic advisor for your major at any time to declare the Neuroscience minor.

Find your advisor on Navigate

Program requirements

Core requirements (15 credits)

  • BBIO 320: Behavioral Neuroscience (5 credits)
    • BBIO 310: Brain & Behavior is not accepted for the minor.
  • BBIO 351: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology I + Lab (5 credits)
  • BBIO 480: Neurobiology (5 credits)
    • BBIO 480 can count towards either the Biology major or the Neuroscience minor, but not both.

Elective requirements (10 credits)

You must take at least ten (10) credits (usually two courses) of coursework from the following list:

  • BBIO 355: Behavioral Endocrinology (5 credits)
  • BBIO 385: Animal Behavior (5 credits)
  • BBIO 390: Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System (5 credits)
  • BBIO 394: Special Topics in Neuroscience (5 credits)
    • BBIO 394 may be taken multiple times as long as the topic is different each time
  • BBIO 499: Undergraduate Research in Biology (1 to 5 credits)
    • Research must be neuroscience-related and approved by the Neuroscience Curriculum Committee. Research opportunities are not common, and depend on faculty availability.
  • BIS 270: Abnormal Psychology (5 credits)
  • BIS 422: Clinical Psychology (5 credits)

Registration

Most Neuroscience courses are Biology (“BBIO”) courses. Some courses may be restricted to students in the Biology major for registration period 1, but become available to all students from registration period 2 onwards. You can contact the academic advisor for biology for assistance with registration.

Contact the biology advisor

For Interdisciplinary Studies (“BIS”) courses, contact the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences advisors for assistance.

Contact the IAS advisors

Petitions

Neuroscience-related courses from UW Bothell or elsewhere that are not on the pre-approved elective lists are considered on a case-by-case basis. If you have a syllabus, letter from your instructor, or other detailed description of the class you want to use as an elective, you can submit a petition to request for the course to count.

Submit a Biology Major / Minor Petition

A minimum of 15 credits used for this minor must be taken at UW Bothell, which means that a maximum of 10 credits may be taken elsewhere (including other UW campuses). This does not include the 15 credits of Introductory Biology coursework.