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Majors and Minors > Majors > Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies

Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies

Interdisciplinary Program of Study

Millsaps offers a major and minor and numerous research opportunities in Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies - an interdisciplinary endeavor that involves Psychology, Biology, Philosophy, and potentially several other fields.

THE BRAIN

Of all the enormous variety of combinations of matter in the universe, the only combination we know of that is conscious - that feels, thinks, wonders, remembers, judges, hopes, dreams, calculates, and desires - is the brain. This in itself is a remarkable mystery. The human brain is approximately 75% water, 10% fat, 8% protein, and a few percentage points of carbohydrates and inorganic salts.  Taken separately, none of these things think.  Put together in a mass, still no thinking. But organize the material in the right way...and it wakes up.

With approximately 100 billion neurons and taking up only 2% of the average person's body weight, the brain manages to control the vast majority of a person's thought and behavior, making us who we are. The study of the brain then is the study of who we are, what we are, and how we work. Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies is the interdisciplinary field where all these questions come together. From physiological research into neurotransmitter activity, to psychological research into language acquisition and memory, to philosophical research into the nature of consciousness and matter, the questions regarding the brain are countless and pose one of the most exciting and vigorous areas of academic research.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A DEGREE IN NEUROSCIENCE AND COGNITIVE STUDIES?

• Medical School
• Graduate School
• Biomedical Engineering
• Pharmaceutical and Biotech Business
• Science Teacher
• Educational and Psychological Testing
• Medical Technician
• Research Technician
• Governmental Regulatory Agencies

Requirements for major: Students may complete a major in Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies with 12 courses, including (BIOL 1003 & 1001) Cell Biology with lab, (BIOL 1023 & 1021) General Zoology with lab, (CHEM 1213 & 1211) General Chemistry I with lab, (NEUR 2000) Intro to Neuroscience, (PSYC 2100) Statistics of Behavioral Sciences (PSYC 2110) Research Methods, (PHIL 3340) Cognition, (PSYC 3100) Philosophy of Mind, (NEUR 4900 ) Senior Seminar, and four courses for from the following areas:

Physiology and Biochemistry

• BIOL 2000 Genetics
• BIOL 2220 Evolution and Systematics
• BIOL 3100 Histology
• BIOL 3300 Molecular Cell Biology
• BIOL 3410 Human Physiology
• BIOL 3420 Human Anatomy
• CHEM 1223 & 1221 General Chemistry II with lab
• CHEM 2110 & 2111 Organic Chemistry I with lab
• CHEM 2310 Quantitative Analysis
• CHEM 3610 Biochemistry I
• PSYC 3180 Behavioral Neuroscience
• NEUR Neural Anatomy and Physiology
• NEUR 3400 Applied Research in Neuroscience

Behavioral and Theoretical

• PHIL 2130 Biomedical Ethics
• PHIL 2160 Philosophy of Human Nature
• PHIL 3350 Philosophy of Science
• PSYC 3060 Psychology of Language
• PSYC 3110 Perception
• PSYC 3120 Learning
• PSYC 3210 Cognitive Neuroscience
• PSYC 4750 Behavioral Medicine

Requirements for a minor: Students may elect a minor in Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies with five courses including: (PSYC 2000) Introduction to Neuroscience, (BIOL 1003 & 1001) Cell Biology with lab, (CHEM 1213 & 1211 ) General Chemistry I with lab, and one course from "Physiology and Biochemistry" areas and "Behavioral and Theoretical" area of the specializations form the major.