NEU Honors Program

The Honors Program in Neuroscience is an exciting opportunity for students who wish to design and carry out a neuroscience-related independent research project under the mentorship of a Neuroscience faculty member. It consists of 4 - 8 units of independent research (NEU H196A and H196B), a thesis, and a presentation. It’s a great way to receive recognition for your outstanding academic achievements. 

If you are a sophomore or junior, interested in pursuing honors during your senior year, now is a good time to look for a lab position. You can get some tips on how to find a lab by talking to a staff or peer advisor.

What are the Requirements of the Honors Program?

  • Be declared in the Neuroscience major
  • Currently have a 3.3 cumulative GPA**
  • Currently have a 3.5 major GPA** (all courses required for the major including upper and lower division)
  • Take 2 semesters of honors courses: NEU H196A and NEU H196B 
    • H196A is taken during 2nd to last semester, and H196B is taken in final semester

**Students must maintain the minimum GPA requirements to graduate with NEU Honors

Faculty Sponsorship:
The Honors Program (NEU H196A/B) must be sponsored by a NEU faculty member. If you are in a NEU lab, then the faculty principle investigator (PI) is your sponsor. If you are in a non-NEU lab, you must find a NEU faculty member to sponsor the research. Typically, students will check with their PI for existing collaborations with NEU faculty members or approach past instructors. Note: If you are in a non-NEU lab on campus you can probably get units through that department.

Credit:

  • H196A is 1-4 units and taken for P/NP. Students may earn 1 unit of credit for every 3 hours of work per week in the lab, up to a maximum of 4 units. 
  • H196B is 4 units and taken for letter grade. It assumes an average of at least 12 hours of work per week in the lab with the completion of a final honors research thesis. 

Note: No more than a total of 16 units of special studies courses may be used to meet the requirements for a bachelor’s degree. 

Honors Thesis and Presentation:
Students are required to write an honors thesis due at the end of their final semester. The thesis should summarize the experimental progress and results from the student’s honors work. Students are also required to present their research at a poster session or oral presentation.

The poster session is a department-wide event open to all undergraduate NEU majors in which participants present research in poster format. Over the course of two hours, students will discuss their project, often one-on-one, with attendees and answer their questions. Students are expected to be able to present a clear and concise 2-3 minute summary of their research for the audience so that they are able to get a snapshot of your endeavors.

**An honors student's PI and faculty sponsor will correspond with one another to assign a letter grade for each honors course, research project, thesis and poster. Students are required to submit their project and thesis to both their PI and faculty sponsor. The department does not set grading rubrics for honors projects.

What is the Application Process?

  1. Discuss your proposed project with your lab group's faculty principle investigator (PI). If the lab is outside of the NEU department, find a NEU faculty member to sponsor your research. 

  2. Submit the NEU Research Application online form by the Friday of the third week of the semester (must be logged in to Berkeley email). This form requires student information from CalCentral, lab information (PI/sponsor name and email, lab department, lab location), project title, and project proposal (up to one page). 

  3. If the proposal is eligible for the units requested, the PI is sent an email with a copy of the student's application. If approved, the NEU faculty sponsor, if applicable, is also asked for approval.

  4. Once approved, the advising office will send students their class numbers to enroll in research units on a daily basis. Students must enroll themselves by the campus add/drop deadline: Wednesday of the fourth week of instruction.

    1. Please note that a late add fee of $5 per course is charged to students who add classes after the Friday of the third week of instruction.

How do I Calculate My GPA?

  • Your GPA calculation will be based upon the grades in the all courses you have taken to date, including electives. 
  • We will round the GPA to the thousandths place.
  • We will include grades of all courses you have taken for the major at UCB, even if you have earned AP credit that would have waived you from those requirements, e.g. if you received a 5 on the AP biology exam, then took Bio 1A/1AL here and earned a C, we will include the C in your GPA calculation.
  • H196 grades are not used in major GPA calculations.

How Do I Get More Guidance and Information?