Program in Neuroscience
Faculty
Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Elizabeth Gould
Director of Graduate Studies
- Jonathan W. Pillow
Associated Faculty
- William Bialek, Physics
- Elizabeth R. Gavis, Molecular Biology
- Coleen T. Murphy, Molecular Biology
- Joshua W. Shaevitz, Physics
- Diana I. Tamir, Psychology
- Teodora Z. Todorova, Building Services
Program Information
The neuroscience certificate program is offered by the Princeton Neuroscience Institute and is designed for undergraduates with an interest in the brain but pursuing a concentration in another subject area. In the past, students from a wide range of majors—including engineering, economics, chemistry, art history, English, and music—have successfully completed the neuroscience certificate program. Students in the neuroscience certificate program will be prepared to meet the entry requirements of many graduate schools in neuroscience, as well as molecular biology or psychology.
Program Requirements
Students are admitted to the program by filling out an enrollment form that can be found here.
Students must complete the enrollment form no later than the first semester of their senior year.
Students in the program must complete as prerequisites either NEU 200 Functional Neuroanatomy or Introduction to Neuroscience or NEU 201 Fundamentals of Neuroscience, along with NEU 202 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience.
Although either will satisfy a prerequisite for the neuroscience certificate, only NEU 201 will count as a prerequisite for the concentration in neuroscience. Students who take NEU 200 and later decide to concentrate in neuroscience will still be required to take NEU 201 (and NEU 200 will count as a NEU elective). Therefore, students who are undecided about whether to pursue a neuroscience concentration versus a certificate are strongly encouraged to take NEU 201.
In addition to the two prerequisites, all students are expected to take at least four neuroscience electives that span three out of four subject areas. These areas include (1) molecular/cellular/disease, (2) neural computation, (3) systems and circuits, and (4) social and cognitive neuroscience. Students should consult the NEU electives website for a complete list of possibilities.
Note: Cross-listed NEU courses will not count twice in the elective total. Courses can only be used one time and in one elective category.
Certificate of Proficiency
Students who officially enroll in the certificate program and fulfill all the requirements of the program will receive a certificate in neuroscience upon graduation.