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Neuroscience Major

  1. UNO
  2. College of Arts and Sciences
  3. Neuroscience
  4. Academics

Neuroscience

"Neuroscience is exciting. Understanding how thoughts work, how connections are made, how the memory works, how we process information, how information is stored - it's all fascinating." - Lisa Randall

Academic Options available in Neuroscience Degree Offered Advisor
Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience BS Dr. Suzanne Sollars
Optional Tracks in Neuroscience*
Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience
Integrative Behavioral Neuroscience

*Note that tracks are not formal academic programs - they are a group of courses that you can take based on interests that still lead to a BS in Neuroscience.

Why Study Neuroscience?

Increasing understanding of the brain and improved methods to study it will enable scientists to develop treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease) and mental illnesses. Research will also help us find out more about normal human behavior and mental well-being and can help develop artificial intelligence. As well as treating illnesses, research could also lead to a better understanding of how we learn, allowing us to teach and learn more efficiently.

These developments are likely to provide significant benefits for society and have implications for a diverse range of public policy areas such as health, education, law, and security. However, they will also raise major social and ethical issues and raise questions about personality, identity, responsibility, and liberty.


What can I do with a degree in Neuroscience?

Students graduating with a neuroscience major from UNO will be well prepared for a variety of graduate education programs in neuroscience and related fields, including programs that feature studies in genetics and genomics, molecular and cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, or cognitive science. Completion of a Ph.D. in neuroscience would then facilitate a career as a scientist/educator in colleges and universities, government-sponsored institutions, or private industry.

Neuroscience majors will also be highly competitive for admission to medical schools or any other health professions school, such as dental school or schools that prepare physical therapists or physician assistants.

Given the broad impact of neuroscience, UNO neuroscience majors will be increasingly sought out by leaders in law, business, social sciences, arts, and humanities for collaboration where knowledge of the brain sciences addresses public policy, professional practice, and a broad understanding of human behavior.


Tracks in Neuroscience

Students who major in neuroscience can follow one of two tracks in the field through the selection of advanced elective courses that are relevant to their goals and interests. Note that tracks are not formal academic programs - they are a group of courses that you can take based on interests that still lead to a BS in Neuroscience.

The two tracks are:

Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience
  • This concentration is an examination of the function of individual neurons their morphology, molecular biology, physiology, and interactions with neighboring neurons and circuits. Or in other words, “From Cells to Brains.”
Integrative Behavioral Neuroscience
  • This concentration is an examination of how behavioral, psychological, and cognitive processes result from the activity of neural circuits. Or in other words, “From Brains to Behavior.”

Some things you may not know about brains...

  1. The average adult brain weighs just under 3 pounds (between 1.3 and 1.4 kilograms) and is roughly the consistency of soft tofu.
  2. Our brains are actually smaller than the brains of humans who lived 5,000 years ago.
  3. The brain accounts for about 2 percent of body weight, but it uses about 20 percent of the oxygen in our blood and 25 percent of the glucose (sugars) circulating in our bloodstream.
  4. The folded, meandering surface of the brain allows it to pack in more surface area — and thus, more processing power — into the limited confines of the skull.
  5. The old tale that we use just 10% of our brainpower isn't true, but we now know that neurons make up just 10% of our brain cells. The other 90% is glia.
  6. While gender does affect the development of the brain, there are no overall differences in male and female brains or their cognitive abilities.

Contact Us

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  • Phone: 402.554.3981
  • Email: ssollars@unomaha.edu

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