Program in Neuroscience

The human brain is incredibly complex: it contains tens of billions of nerve cells (neurons), and just a thimbleful of brain tissue contains trillions of connections. Neuroscience is the study of this remarkable organ and how it develops, processes information, changes, and produces thoughts and actions. Understanding the brain is one of the great intellectual challenges of our time, and neuroscience research is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing areas in modern biology. This growth has been made possible by both technical and conceptual advances, including molecular, genetic, and biophysical tools to manipulate neural function; imaging techniques to monitor the function of single neurons and whole brains during the performance of cognitive tasks; and advances in understanding the interactions that occur during development and in the dynamics of mature neuronal networks. These advances promise fundamental insights into both normal brains and neurological disorder.

The certificate program in neuroscience enables interested students to understand and work on these challenges. Students who complete the program are ready for graduate work in neuroscience, biology, or psychology. Through coursework, students are introduced to neuroscience at the molecular and cellular, developmental, integrative systems, and cognitive levels. Students gain additional direct experience through independent research with a faculty mentor. Current examples of neuroscience research at Princeton include the role of neurotransmitter receptors and their genetic control in learning and memory; the birth of new brain cells in the adult (neurogenesis); viruses that trace synaptic pathways; the “neural code” by which neurons express information; brain imaging of human cognitive and emotional processes using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and high-density scalp electrical recording; and theoretical analysis and computer stimulation of neural network function.

The program’s courses complement and extend concentrations in the student’s home department. Students are admitted to the program after they have chosen their field of concentration and consulted with the program directors, who will help them choose an adviser. Junior and senior independent work is overseen by the adviser or by another participating faculty member. Normally, students entering the program have completed the freshman and sophomore prerequisites, which include a year of calculus, Molecular Biology 214 (Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology) or Molecular Biology 215 (Quantitative Principles in Cell and Molecular Biology), Psychology 258 (Fundamentals of Neuroscience), and Psychology 259 (Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience). Students must also take Molecular Biology 408/Psychology 404 (Cellular and Systems Neuroscience) and two approved neuroscience electives. Upon completion of this program, students are awarded a certificate in neuroscience. Additional details of the program and its relationship to concentrations in relevant departments are described in the Undergraduate Announcement.