Undergraduate Program
Announcements
The new neuroscience major is planned to launch in fall 2024. This website describes the major, as an aid for students who are considering it. These pages are currently under construction, so please check back as more information is added, and contact our undergraduate advising office with any questions about the major: neuro-uao@berkeley.edu.
Students who are interested in studying the biological and computational basis of brain function, cognition and behavior should join the new neuroscience major. Students who are interested in mind and cognition from the psychological perspective should join the psychology or cognitive science majors. Once the neuroscience major launches, the neurobiology emphasis within Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) will not accept new majors. Thus, students who are specifically interested in studying neuroscience from a biological perspective should join the neuroscience major, while students who are more broadly interested in molecular and cell biology should join the MCB major.
About the neuroscience major
Neuroscience is the study of the biological mechanisms that underlie behavior and cognition. In this major, students learn how the brain works at the molecular, biochemical, and cellular levels; how it processes information; and how it generates sensation, action, emotion, and high-level cognition. Students learn about the nature of neural computation in the brain, the causes of neurological and neuropsychiatric disease, and how emerging neurotechnologies are uniting brain science and engineering.
The major combines biology, psychology, behavior, and computation, providing a broad education that spans the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience. An optional capstone experience allows seniors to apply their knowledge to an in-depth research question.
The neuroscience major prepares students for many careers and post-baccalaureate training programs, including health-related professional programs (e.g., medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy), PhD training programs, biotechnology, teaching, science communication, data science, and scientific research.
Visit the major requirements page for information on course requirements, course timing, and optional courses and experiences.