Neuroscience, Minor
School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Program Overview
By declaring a minor in neuroscience, you will join one of the most rapidly advancing fields of research and training. Through a combination of course work and research opportunities across a variety of disciplines, you’ll investigate the relationship between the brain and behavior. Neuroscience as a discipline attempts to explain behavior in terms of the interactions among the body, mind, and environment. This is an interdisciplinary minor offered jointly by the Department of Psychology and the Department of Biology, which draws heavily from the traditional, natural, and social sciences.
Minor Details
The program information listed here reflects the approved curriculum for the 2024–25 academic year per the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Bulletins from past academic years can be found here.
Minor Requirements (18–21 Credits)
This interdisciplinary minor, offered by the departments of Psychology and Biology, requires 18 to 21 credits, including 12 advanced credits, each completed with a grade of C- or higher. At least nine of the advanced credits must be completed at Brooklyn College.
All courses listed in Group A may be used to satisfy the requirements of both the minor in neuroscience and the major in psychology. Only one course from Group B may be used to satisfy the requirements of both the minor in neuroscience and the major in psychology. Psychology 3600 and one of the courses from Group B may be used to satisfy the requirements of both the minor in neuroscience and the minor in psychology. It is also highly recommended to take Biology 1001 and Biology 1002.
Students who do not major in psychology are strongly encouraged to also take Psychology 3400 or Mathematics 4501.
Both A and B below are required:
A. All of the following:
- Psychology 2600 Mind, Brain, and Behavior
- Psychology 2610/Biology 2020 Neurobiology
- Psychology 3600 Behavioral Neuroscience
B. Three of the following:
- Psychology 3510 Learning
- Psychology 3520 Sensation and Perception
- Psychology 3610/Biology 3020 Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
- Psychology 3660 Drugs and Behavior
- Psychology 3670 Comparative Psychology
- Psychology 3680 Human Neuropsychology
- Psychology 3695 Advanced Special Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience
Note that the prerequisite for Psychology 2600 is one of the following: Psychology 1000 or Health and Nutrition Sciences 2300 or Kinesiology 3271. Therefore, students who otherwise would not take any of these courses will have to complete 21 credits for the minor. Both Biology 2020 and Biology 3020 can count toward both the minor in neuroscience and major in biology.
The Support You’ll Find
Brooklyn College is an integral part of the cultural and artistic energy of New York City. Our faculty members in the departments of Biology and Psychology offer incomparable expertise and tremendous talent, and each brings a unique perspective to their teaching and mentoring in and out of the classroom.
