Certificate in Neuroscience

The undergraduate Certificate Program in Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary program requiring 20 credits of training in Neuroscience. The Program provides a group of related courses capped by a research experience. The Program is likely to be of particular interest to students who want to pursue graduate or professional training, but it is intended to appeal to any student interested in Neuroscience.

Courses taken for the certificate in the lower division (1000 and 2000 level) may satisfy general education requirements (that is, breadth requirements), if they are approved general education courses. Courses in the upper division (3000 level and above) may satisfy requirements for the student’s major, consistently with the major’s requirements. All required courses must be completed with a "B-" average or higher. Pass/Fail grades to not count.

Most courses required by the Certificate Program in Neuroscience have prerequisites. Some students may satisfy prerequisites by virtue of their prior curriculum. When this is not the case, students are responsible for satisfying the prerequisites.

How to Begin

To apply and begin working on the Certificate Program in Neuroscience, complete an enrollment form and turn it in to langeslags@umsl.edu or to the Psychological Sciences Department office in 325 Stadler Hall. This form with the mentor's signature is required to be considered for the certificate.

When you have completed all classes and the research project, email langeslags@umsl.edu to receive instruction on obtaining final signatures indicating completion of the certificate.

Requirements (20 hours)

1. Both introductory courses

2. One of the following statistics courses

3. Two elective courses from the required course list or a similar course approved by the Certificate Coordinator. At least 1 elective must be outside your major.

4. At least 3 credits from one or more semesters of research experience

This requires completion of a Directed Research Assistantship with a Neuroscience faculty member within any of the participating departments. You can contact any neuroscience certificate faculty members that you are interested in working with to ask if they have any undergraduate research assistant positions available, and if so, how you could apply. The research project must be approved in advance by the undergraduate advisor with the assistance of a committee of Neuroscience faculty. It is expected that this research will lead to a presentation of the research (e.g., at the UM-St. Louis Neuroscience seminar or the Undergraduate Research Symposium).

*BIOL 1831 is strongly recommended, especially for those considering taking BIOL 4822 Introduction to Neurosciences towards their Neuroscience Certificate (BIOL 1831 is a prerequisite for BIOL 4822)