Neuroscience Major (B.Sc.) (65 credits)
Offered by: Science (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Program credit weight: 65
Program Description
The Neuroscience Major is a focused program for students interested in how the nervous system functions. It is highly interdisciplinary and borrows principles and methodologies from a number of fields including: biology, biochemistry, physiology, psychology, mathematics, physics, computer science, and immunology. To ensure that they have the appropriate foundation, students are required to take 29 credits in lower-level courses from physiology, biology, mathematics, computer science, psychology, and ethics. The program offers students a concentrated selection of 15 credits to be taken from one of three areas of current scientific activities in the neurosciences:
- Cell/Molecular,
- Neurophysiology/Computation, or
- Cognition/Behaviour.
In addition, students select 21 credits from a wide array of complementary courses to obtain more specialized training in areas of neuroscience that best suit their interests.
Enrolment in the Neuroscience Major is limited to a total of 50 students per year. U0 students seeking admission to this program should consult the neuroscience website for admissions requirements and should have completed the courses listed below or their equivalents.
Degree Requirements — B.Sc.
This program is offered as part of a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree.
To graduate, students must satisfy both their program requirements and their degree requirements.
- The program requirements (i.e., the specific courses that make up this program) are listed under the Course Tab (above).
- The degree requirements—including the mandatory Foundation program, appropriate degree structure, and any additional components—are outlined on the Degree Requirements page.
Students are responsible for ensuring that this program fits within the overall structure of their degree and that all degree requirements are met. Consult the Degree Planning Guide on the SOUSA website for additional guidance.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Program Prerequisites
Students may complete this program with a minimum of 65 or a maximum of 67 credits.
Notes on admission to the Neuroscience Major program: Enrolment in the Neuroscience Major is limited to a total of 50 students per year. U0 students seeking admission to this program should consult the neuroscience website for admissions requirements and should have completed the courses listed below or equivalent.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 112 | Cell and Molecular Biology. | 3 |
Cell and Molecular Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The cell: ultrastructure, division, chemical constituents and reactions. Bioenergetics: photosynthesis and respiration. Principles of genetics, the molecular basis of inheritance and biotechnology. | ||
| CHEM 110 | General Chemistry 1. | 4 |
General Chemistry 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table. | ||
| CHEM 120 | General Chemistry 2. | 4 |
General Chemistry 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry. | ||
| MATH 139 | Calculus 1 with Precalculus. 1 | 4 |
Calculus 1 with Precalculus. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Review of trigonometry and other Precalculus topics. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications. | ||
| MATH 140 | Calculus 1. 1 | 3 |
Calculus 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications. | ||
| MATH 141 | Calculus 2. 2 | 4 |
Calculus 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series. | ||
| MATH 150 | Calculus A. 1 | 4 |
Calculus A. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Functions, limits and continuity, differentiation, L'Hospital's rule, applications, Taylor polynomials, parametric curves, functions of several variables. | ||
| MATH 151 | Calculus B. 2 | 4 |
Calculus B. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Integration, methods and applications, infinite sequences and series, power series, arc length and curvature, multiple integration. | ||
| PHYS 101 | Introductory Physics - Mechanics. 3 | 4 |
Introductory Physics - Mechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introductory course in physics without calculus, covering mechanics (kinematics, dynamics, energy, and rotational motion), oscillations and waves, sound, light, and wave optics. | ||
| PHYS 102 | Introductory Physics - Electromagnetism. 4 | 4 |
Introductory Physics - Electromagnetism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Electric field and potential. D.C. circuits and measurements. Capacitance. Magnetic field and induction. Electromagnetic waves and geometrical optics. | ||
| PHYS 131 | Mechanics and Waves. 3 | 4 |
Mechanics and Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations, waves, and wave optics. | ||
| PHYS 142 | Electromagnetism and Optics. 4 | 4 |
Electromagnetism and Optics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical optics. | ||
- 1
Students complete one of MATH 139 Calculus 1 with Precalculus., MATH 140 Calculus 1. OR MATH 150 Calculus A..
- 2
Students complete one of either MATH 141 Calculus 2. OR MATH 151 Calculus B..
- 3
Students complete one of either PHYS 101 Introductory Physics - Mechanics. OR PHYS 131 Mechanics and Waves..
- 4
Students complete one of either PHYS 102 Introductory Physics - Electromagnetism. OR PHYS 142 Electromagnetism and Optics..
Core Required Courses (20 credits)
Note: Students who have successfully completed an equivalent of CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. in CEGEP or elsewhere must replace these credits with a 3-credit elective course to satisfy the total credit requirement for the Neuroscience Major.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 200 | Molecular Biology. | 3 |
Molecular Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The physical and chemical properties of the cell and its components in relation to their structure and function. Topics include: protein structure, enzymes and enzyme kinetics; nucleic acid replication, transcription and translation; the genetic code, mutation, recombination, and regulation of gene expression. | ||
| CHEM 212 | Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. | 4 |
Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 A fundamental study of aliphatic compounds and saturated functional groups including modern concepts of bonding, reaction mechanisms, conformational analysis, spectroscopy, and stereochemistry. | ||
| NSCI 200 | Introduction to Neuroscience 1. | 3 |
Introduction to Neuroscience 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to how nerve cells generate action potentials, communicate with one another at synapses, develop synaptic connections, early brain development, and the construction of specific neural circuits. | ||
| NSCI 201 | Introduction to Neuroscience 2. | 3 |
Introduction to Neuroscience 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to how the nervous system acquires and integrates information and uses it to produce behaviour. | ||
| NSCI 300 | Neuroethics. | 3 |
Neuroethics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to ethical issues arising from basic and clinical neuroscience. Overview of therapeutic, diagnostic, and research interventions in mental and neurological disorders, and their implications on society. | ||
| NSCI 400D1 | Neuroscience Seminar. | .5 |
Neuroscience Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Analysis of current research in neuroscience. | ||
| NSCI 400D2 | Neuroscience Seminar. | .5 |
Neuroscience Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See NSCI 400D1 for course description. | ||
| PSYC 311 | Human Cognition and the Brain. | 3 |
Human Cognition and the Brain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The course is an introduction to the field studying how human cognitive processes, such as perception, attention, language, learning and memory, planning and organization, are related to brain processes. The material covered is primarily based on studies of the effects of different brain lesions on cognition and studies of brain activity in relation to cognitive processes with modern functional neuroimaging methods. | ||
Complementary Courses (45-47 credits)
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 373 | Biometry. | 3 |
Biometry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Elementary statistical methods in biology. Introduction to the analysis of biological data with emphasis on the assumptions behind statistical tests and models. Use of statistical techniques typically available on computer packages. | ||
| MATH 324 | Statistics. | 3 |
Statistics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, contingency tables, nonparametric inference, regression, Bayesian inference. | ||
| PSYC 305 | Statistics for Experimental Design. | 3 |
Statistics for Experimental Design. Terms offered: Summer 2025 An introduction to the design and analysis of experiments, including analysis of variance, planned and post hoc tests and a comparison of anova to correlational analysis. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 202 | Foundations of Programming. | 3 |
Foundations of Programming. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Introduction to computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, primitive types, methods, conditionals, loops. Introduction to algorithms, data structures (arrays, strings), modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging, exception handling. Selected topics. | ||
| COMP 204 | Computer Programming for Life Sciences. | 3 |
Computer Programming for Life Sciences. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Computer Science (Sci): Computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, types, functions, conditionals, loops, objects and classes. Introduction to algorithms, modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging. Emphasis on applications in the life sciences. | ||
3 credits from:
Note: Students who have successfully completed an equivalent to MATH 222 Calculus 3. at CEGEP or elsewhere, must replace these credits with a 3-credit elective course to satisfy the total credit requirement for the Neuroscience Major.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 309 | Mathematical Models in Biology. | 3 |
Mathematical Models in Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Application of finite difference and differential equations to problems in cell and developmental biology, ecology and physiology. Qualitative, quantitative and graphical techniques are used to analyze mathematical models and to compare theoretical predictions with experimental data. | ||
| MATH 222 | Calculus 3. | 3 |
Calculus 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals. | ||
Streams
15 credits selected from one of the following streams:
A. Cell and Molecular Stream
9 credits as follows:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 311 | Metabolic Biochemistry. | 3 |
Metabolic Biochemistry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The generation of metabolic energy in higher organisms with an emphasis on its regulation at the molecular, cellular and organ level. Chemical concepts and mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis are also emphasized. Included: selected topics in carbohydrate, lipid and nitrogen metabolism; complex lipids and biological membranes; hormonal signal transduction. | ||
| BIOL 202 | Basic Genetics. | 3 |
Basic Genetics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to basic principles, and to modern advances, problems and applications in the genetics of higher and lower organisms with examples representative of the biological sciences. | ||
| PHGY 311 | Channels, Synapses and Hormones. | 3 |
Channels, Synapses and Hormones. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In-depth presentation of experimental results and hypotheses on cellular communication in the nervous system and the endocrine system. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 212 | Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function. | 3 |
Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introductory course describing the biochemistry and molecular biology of selected key functions of animal cells, including: gene expression; mitochondrial production of metabolic energy; cellular communication with the extra-cellular environment; and regulation of cell division. | ||
| BIOL 201 | Cell Biology and Metabolism. | 3 |
Cell Biology and Metabolism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course introduces the student to our modern understanding of cells and how they work. Major topics to be covered include: photosynthesis, energy metabolism and metabolic integration; plasma membrane including secretion, endocytosis and contact mediated interactions between cells; cytoskeleton including cell and organelle movement; the nervous system; hormone signaling; the cell cycle. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MIMM 214 | Introductory Immunology: Elements of Immunity. | 3 |
Introductory Immunology: Elements of Immunity. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic immunology, organs and cells, elements of innate immunity, phagocytes, complement, elements of adaptive immunity, B-cells, T-cells, antigen presenting cells, MHC genes and molecules, antigen processing and presentation, cytokines and chemokines. Emphasis on anatomy and the molecular and cellular players working together as a physiological system to maintain human health. | ||
| PHAR 300 | Drug Action. | 3 |
Drug Action. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of pharmacology and toxicology. Frequently encountered drugs will be used as a focus to illustrate sites and mechanisms of action, distribution, metabolism, elimination and adverse side effects. | ||
B. Neurophysiology/Neural Computation Stream
3 credits as follows:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHGY 311 | Channels, Synapses and Hormones. | 3 |
Channels, Synapses and Hormones. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In-depth presentation of experimental results and hypotheses on cellular communication in the nervous system and the endocrine system. | ||
3 credits as follows:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 212 | Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function. | 3 |
Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introductory course describing the biochemistry and molecular biology of selected key functions of animal cells, including: gene expression; mitochondrial production of metabolic energy; cellular communication with the extra-cellular environment; and regulation of cell division. | ||
| BIOL 201 | Cell Biology and Metabolism. | 3 |
Cell Biology and Metabolism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course introduces the student to our modern understanding of cells and how they work. Major topics to be covered include: photosynthesis, energy metabolism and metabolic integration; plasma membrane including secretion, endocytosis and contact mediated interactions between cells; cytoskeleton including cell and organelle movement; the nervous system; hormone signaling; the cell cycle. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 306 | Neural Basis of Behaviour. | 3 |
Neural Basis of Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Neural mechanisms of animal behaviour; neuroethology; cellular neurophysiology, integrative networks within nervous systems; neural control of movement; processing of sensory information. | ||
| PHGY 314 | Integrative Neuroscience. | 3 |
Integrative Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In depth presentation of experimental results and hypotheses underlying our current understanding of how single neurons and ensembles of neurons encode sensory information, generate movement, and control cognitive functions such as emotion, learning, and memory, during voluntary behaviours. | ||
6 credits from:
Note: Students who have successfully completed an equivalent to MATH 222 Calculus 3. at CEGEP or elsewhere, must replace these credits with a 3-credit elective course to satisfy the total credit requirement for the Neuroscience Major.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 321 | Circuitry of the Human Brain. | 3 |
Circuitry of the Human Brain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course explores the functional organization of the human brain and spinal cord. The course focuses on how neuronal systems are designed to subserve specific motor, sensory, and cognitive operations. | ||
| BIOL 309 | Mathematical Models in Biology. | 3 |
Mathematical Models in Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Application of finite difference and differential equations to problems in cell and developmental biology, ecology and physiology. Qualitative, quantitative and graphical techniques are used to analyze mathematical models and to compare theoretical predictions with experimental data. | ||
| COMP 206 | Introduction to Software Systems. 1 | 3 |
Introduction to Software Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Comprehensive overview of programming in C, use of system calls and libraries, debugging and testing of code; use of developmental tools like make, version control systems. | ||
| COMP 250 | Introduction to Computer Science. | 3 |
Introduction to Computer Science. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Mathematical tools (binary numbers, induction,recurrence relations, asymptotic complexity,establishing correctness of programs). Datastructures (arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists,trees, binary trees, binary search trees, heaps,hash tables). Recursive and non-recursivealgorithms (searching and sorting, tree andgraph traversal). Abstract data types. Objectoriented programming in Java (classes andobjects, interfaces, inheritance). Selected topics. | ||
| MATH 222 | Calculus 3. | 3 |
Calculus 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals. | ||
| MATH 223 | Linear Algebra. | 3 |
Linear Algebra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications. | ||
- 1
Students take either COMP 206 Introduction to Software Systems. or COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science., but not both.
C. Cognitive/Behavioural Stream
6 credits as follows:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 213 | Cognition. | 3 |
Cognition. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Where do thoughts come from? What is the nature of thought, and how does it arise in the mind and the brain? Cognition is the study of human information processing, and we will explore topics such as memory, attention, categorization, decision making, intelligence, philosophy of mind, and the mind-as computer metaphor. | ||
| PSYC 318 | Behavioural Neuroscience 2. | 3 |
Behavioural Neuroscience 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The physiological bases of motivational states, with respect to feeding, drinking, sexual behaviour, drug use, and aggression. Physiological bases of learning and memory. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 306 | Neural Basis of Behaviour. | 3 |
Neural Basis of Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Neural mechanisms of animal behaviour; neuroethology; cellular neurophysiology, integrative networks within nervous systems; neural control of movement; processing of sensory information. | ||
| PHGY 314 | Integrative Neuroscience. | 3 |
Integrative Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In depth presentation of experimental results and hypotheses underlying our current understanding of how single neurons and ensembles of neurons encode sensory information, generate movement, and control cognitive functions such as emotion, learning, and memory, during voluntary behaviours. | ||
6 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 321 | Circuitry of the Human Brain. | 3 |
Circuitry of the Human Brain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course explores the functional organization of the human brain and spinal cord. The course focuses on how neuronal systems are designed to subserve specific motor, sensory, and cognitive operations. | ||
| PSYC 302 | Pain. | 3 |
Pain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to pain research and theory, with emphasis on the interactions of psychological, cultural and physiological factors in pain perception. The role of these factors in clinical pain and its management by pharmacological and non-pharmacological means will be discussed. | ||
| PSYC 317 | Genes and Behaviour. | 3 |
Genes and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Focuses on current techniques employed to study which genes influence behaviour, and how they do so. | ||
| PSYC 342 | Hormones and Behaviour. | 3 |
Hormones and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The role of hormones in organization of CNS function, as effectors of behaviour, in expression of behaviours and in mental illness. | ||
Other Complementary Courses
21-23 credits chosen as follows:
3-16 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 301 | Cell and Molecular Laboratory. | 4 |
Cell and Molecular Laboratory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to biology research and communication with a focus on cell and molecular biology. Through conducting a series of project-based experiments and writing a final report, molecular and synthetic biology techniques such as gene cloning, manipulation, protein isolation and characterization and how research is conducted, analyzed and communicated will be addressed. In addition, an introduction to bioinformatics methods and their role in analysis will be provided. | ||
| BIOL 389 | Laboratory in Neurobiology. | 3 |
Laboratory in Neurobiology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Methods of neurobiological research, including extracellular and intracellular recordings, electrical stimulation, and the study of neuro-behavioural problems. | ||
| NSCI 410D1 | Independent Research 1. | 3 |
Independent Research 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent laboratory research in neuroscience. | ||
| NSCI 410D2 | Independent Research 1. | 3 |
Independent Research 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See NSCI 410D1 for course description. | ||
| NSCI 420D1 | Independent Research 2. | 4.5 |
Independent Research 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent laboratory research in neuroscience. | ||
| NSCI 420D2 | Independent Research 2. | 4.5 |
Independent Research 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See NSCI 420D1 for course description. | ||
5-20 of the credits should be taken from the following lists. At least 15 of the 21-23 credits must be at the 400- or 500-level, which could include the above NSCI 410D1 Independent Research 1./NSCI 410D2 Independent Research 1. or NSCI 420D1 Independent Research 2./NSCI 420D2 Independent Research 2. research courses:
200- and 300-level Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 321 | Circuitry of the Human Brain. | 3 |
Circuitry of the Human Brain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course explores the functional organization of the human brain and spinal cord. The course focuses on how neuronal systems are designed to subserve specific motor, sensory, and cognitive operations. | ||
| BIOC 212 | Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function. 1 | 3 |
Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introductory course describing the biochemistry and molecular biology of selected key functions of animal cells, including: gene expression; mitochondrial production of metabolic energy; cellular communication with the extra-cellular environment; and regulation of cell division. | ||
| BIOC 311 | Metabolic Biochemistry. | 3 |
Metabolic Biochemistry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The generation of metabolic energy in higher organisms with an emphasis on its regulation at the molecular, cellular and organ level. Chemical concepts and mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis are also emphasized. Included: selected topics in carbohydrate, lipid and nitrogen metabolism; complex lipids and biological membranes; hormonal signal transduction. | ||
| BIOL 201 | Cell Biology and Metabolism. 1 | 3 |
Cell Biology and Metabolism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course introduces the student to our modern understanding of cells and how they work. Major topics to be covered include: photosynthesis, energy metabolism and metabolic integration; plasma membrane including secretion, endocytosis and contact mediated interactions between cells; cytoskeleton including cell and organelle movement; the nervous system; hormone signaling; the cell cycle. | ||
| BIOL 202 | Basic Genetics. | 3 |
Basic Genetics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to basic principles, and to modern advances, problems and applications in the genetics of higher and lower organisms with examples representative of the biological sciences. | ||
| BIOL 300 | Molecular Biology of the Gene. | 3 |
Molecular Biology of the Gene. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of current knowledge and approaches in the area of regulation of gene expression, post-transcriptional control of gene expression, and signal transduction. | ||
| BIOL 306 | Neural Basis of Behaviour. | 3 |
Neural Basis of Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Neural mechanisms of animal behaviour; neuroethology; cellular neurophysiology, integrative networks within nervous systems; neural control of movement; processing of sensory information. | ||
| BIOL 307 | Behavioural Ecology. | 3 |
Behavioural Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. How an organism’s behaviour relates to its physical, biological, and social environment, using evolutionary and ecological perspectives. Emphasis is on general principles, covering topics such feeding, predator avoidance, aggression, reproduction, social behaviour, communication and cognition. | ||
| BIOL 320 | Evolution of Brain and Behaviour. | 3 |
Evolution of Brain and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Functional and comparative approach to neuroanatomy, examining how species changes in brain organization contribute to evolutionary changes in behaviour. | ||
| CHEM 222 | Introductory Organic Chemistry 2. | 4 |
Introductory Organic Chemistry 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, and amines, with special attention to mechanistic aspects. Special topics. | ||
| COMP 206 | Introduction to Software Systems. 2 | 3 |
Introduction to Software Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Comprehensive overview of programming in C, use of system calls and libraries, debugging and testing of code; use of developmental tools like make, version control systems. | ||
| COMP 250 | Introduction to Computer Science. 2 | 3 |
Introduction to Computer Science. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Mathematical tools (binary numbers, induction,recurrence relations, asymptotic complexity,establishing correctness of programs). Datastructures (arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists,trees, binary trees, binary search trees, heaps,hash tables). Recursive and non-recursivealgorithms (searching and sorting, tree andgraph traversal). Abstract data types. Objectoriented programming in Java (classes andobjects, interfaces, inheritance). Selected topics. | ||
| MATH 223 | Linear Algebra. | 3 |
Linear Algebra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications. | ||
| MATH 315 | Ordinary Differential Equations. | 3 |
Ordinary Differential Equations. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions. | ||
| MATH 323 | Probability. | 3 |
Probability. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Sample space, events, conditional probability, independence of events, Bayes' Theorem. Basic combinatorial probability, random variables, discrete and continuous univariate and multivariate distributions. Independence of random variables. Inequalities, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem. | ||
| MATH 324 | Statistics. | 3 |
Statistics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, contingency tables, nonparametric inference, regression, Bayesian inference. | ||
| MIMM 214 | Introductory Immunology: Elements of Immunity. | 3 |
Introductory Immunology: Elements of Immunity. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic immunology, organs and cells, elements of innate immunity, phagocytes, complement, elements of adaptive immunity, B-cells, T-cells, antigen presenting cells, MHC genes and molecules, antigen processing and presentation, cytokines and chemokines. Emphasis on anatomy and the molecular and cellular players working together as a physiological system to maintain human health. | ||
| MIMM 314 | Intermediate Immunology. | 3 |
Intermediate Immunology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An intermediate-level immunology course covering the cellular and molecular basis of lymphocyte development and activation in immune responses in health and disease. | ||
| NEUR 310 | Cellular Neurobiology. | 3 |
Cellular Neurobiology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of the functional organization of nerve cells, signalling in the nervous system, and principles of neural development. Topics include cell polarity, neurotransmitters, neurotrophins, receptors and second messengers, cell lineage, guidance of axon outgrowth, and nerve regeneration. Emphasis will be placed on analysis of neurons at the molecular level. | ||
| PHAR 300 | Drug Action. | 3 |
Drug Action. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of pharmacology and toxicology. Frequently encountered drugs will be used as a focus to illustrate sites and mechanisms of action, distribution, metabolism, elimination and adverse side effects. | ||
| PHGY 210 | Mammalian Physiology 2. | 3 |
Mammalian Physiology 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Physiology of cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine and renal systems. | ||
| PHGY 311 | Channels, Synapses and Hormones. | 3 |
Channels, Synapses and Hormones. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In-depth presentation of experimental results and hypotheses on cellular communication in the nervous system and the endocrine system. | ||
| PHGY 314 | Integrative Neuroscience. | 3 |
Integrative Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In depth presentation of experimental results and hypotheses underlying our current understanding of how single neurons and ensembles of neurons encode sensory information, generate movement, and control cognitive functions such as emotion, learning, and memory, during voluntary behaviours. | ||
| PSYC 213 | Cognition. | 3 |
Cognition. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Where do thoughts come from? What is the nature of thought, and how does it arise in the mind and the brain? Cognition is the study of human information processing, and we will explore topics such as memory, attention, categorization, decision making, intelligence, philosophy of mind, and the mind-as computer metaphor. | ||
| PSYC 302 | Pain. | 3 |
Pain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to pain research and theory, with emphasis on the interactions of psychological, cultural and physiological factors in pain perception. The role of these factors in clinical pain and its management by pharmacological and non-pharmacological means will be discussed. | ||
| PSYC 315 | Computational Psychology. | 3 |
Computational Psychology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Application of computational methods to the simulation of psychological phenomena. Comparison of natural and artificial intelligence. Symbolic and neural network techniques. Methods for evaluating simulations. | ||
| PSYC 317 | Genes and Behaviour. | 3 |
Genes and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Focuses on current techniques employed to study which genes influence behaviour, and how they do so. | ||
| PSYC 318 | Behavioural Neuroscience 2. | 3 |
Behavioural Neuroscience 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The physiological bases of motivational states, with respect to feeding, drinking, sexual behaviour, drug use, and aggression. Physiological bases of learning and memory. | ||
| PSYC 319 | Computational Models - Cognition. | 3 |
Computational Models - Cognition. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the purpose, design, and role of computational modeling in the cognitive sciences. Domains examined will include memory, categorization, and language. Focus will be on computational models to attain a better theoretical understanding of human behaviour. New trends, including the use of big data and machine learning. | ||
| PSYC 342 | Hormones and Behaviour. | 3 |
Hormones and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The role of hormones in organization of CNS function, as effectors of behaviour, in expression of behaviours and in mental illness. | ||
- 1
Students take either BIOL 201 Cell Biology and Metabolism. OR BIOC 212 Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function., but not both.
- 2
Students take either COMP 206 Introduction to Software Systems. or COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science., but not both.
400- and 500-level Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 414 | Invertebrate Brain Circuits and Behaviours . | 3 |
Invertebrate Brain Circuits and Behaviours . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of the neural and molecular mechanisms that drive animal behaviour, with a focus on invertebrates, including the principles of neural circuits and behaviour. | ||
| BIOL 506 | Neurobiology of Learning. | 3 |
Neurobiology of Learning. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of the neurobiological basis of learning, from molecules to circuits, focusing on the synaptic, cellular and circuit-level processes that support learning, in the context of different brain regions and forms of learning. | ||
| BIOL 530 | Advances in Neuroethology. | 3 |
Advances in Neuroethology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Neural mechanisms underlying behaviour in vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. | ||
| BIOL 532 | Developmental Neurobiology Seminar. | 3 |
Developmental Neurobiology Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discussions of all aspects of nervous system development including pattern formation, cell lineage, pathfinding and targeting by growing axons, and neural regeneration. The basis for these discussions will be recent research papers and other assigned readings. | ||
| BIOL 580 | Genetic Approaches to Neural Systems. | 3 |
Genetic Approaches to Neural Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course will focus on recent research employing genetic-based methods to examine the functional and structural properties of the nervous system. The focus will be on approaches for studying neural circuits and behavior in a range of model organisms. Topics will include recent technological advances, such as optogenetics for modifying and controlling neuronal activity, and animal models of neurological diseases. Students will critically analyze the application of these methods to current research through in-class discussion of primary literature, student presentations, and written assignments. | ||
| BIOL 588 | Advances in Molecular/Cellular Neurobiology. | 3 |
Advances in Molecular/Cellular Neurobiology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discussion of fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying the general features of cellular neurobiology. An advanced course based on lectures and on a critical review of primary research papers. | ||
| BMDE 519 | Biomedical Signals and Systems. | 3 |
Biomedical Signals and Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the theoretical framework, experimental techniques and analysis procedures available for the quantitative analysis of physiological systems and signals. Lectures plus laboratory work using the Biomedical Engineering computer system. Topics include: amplitude and frequency structure of signals, filtering, sampling, correlation functions, time and frequency-domain descriptions of systems. | ||
| COMP 546 | Computational Perception. | 4 |
Computational Perception. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Computational models of visual perception and audition. Vision problems include stereopsis, motion, focus, perspective, color. Audition problems include source localization and recognition. Emphasis on physics of image formation, sensory signal processing, neural pathways and computation, psychophysical methods. | ||
| MATH 437 | Mathematical Methods in Biology. | 3 |
Mathematical Methods in Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The formulation and treatment of realistic mathematical models describing biological phenomena through qualitative and quantitative mathematical techniques (e.g. local and global stability theory, bifurcation analysis and phase plane analysis) and numerical simulation. Concrete and detailed examples will be drawn from molecular and cellular biology and mammalian physiology. | ||
| MIMM 414 | Advanced Immunology. | 3 |
Advanced Immunology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced course serving as a logical extension of MIMM 314. The course will integrate molecular, cellular and biochemical events involved in the ontogeny of the lymphoid system and its activation in the immune response. The course will provide the student with an up-to-date understanding of a rapidly moving field. | ||
| MIMM 509 | Inflammatory Processes. | 3 |
Inflammatory Processes. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course concentrates on the non-specific aspects of the immune response, an area which is not adequately covered by the other immunology courses presented at the university. Interactions between guest researchers (from McGill and other universities) and students will be furthered. | ||
| NEUR 502 | Basic and Clinical Aspects of Neuroimmunology. | 3 |
Basic and Clinical Aspects of Neuroimmunology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The role of inflammation in physiological function of the nervous system, as well as in a broad range of neurological diseases where inflammation can act as a contributing factor to the development of pathology or promote recovery, including fundamentals of neuroimmunology to molecular/cellular aspects of neuroinflammation underlying the pathology seen in clinical conditions. | ||
| NEUR 503 | Computational Neuroscience. | 3 |
Computational Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of computational methods commonly used to model brain function, including mathematical modeling to describe the relationship between neuronal activity and perception, action, and cognition. Mathematical basis for vision, motor control and attention. Data relevant to brain processes and models explaining these data, using engineering, statistics and artificial intelligence. | ||
| NEUR 507 | Topics in Radionuclide Imaging. | 3 |
Topics in Radionuclide Imaging. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The course deals with neuroreceptor and oncologic imaging and imaging of cerebral bloodflow and metabolism. The role of radiochemistry and physics will be demonstrated in the context of clinical and research applications. Understanding how radiochemistry and physics intermingle with the medical aspects of radiotracer development will result in a deeper insight into the complex pathways of tracer design and the methods necessary to properly interpret the data obtained. | ||
| PHAR 562 | Neuropharmacology. | 3 |
Neuropharmacology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Topics in pharmacology with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms of drug-action and cellular targets in the nervous system. | ||
| PHGY 425 | Analyzing Physiological Systems. | 3 |
Analyzing Physiological Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to quantitative analysis of physiological data, both to the mode of thinking and to a set of tools that allows accurate predictions of biological systems. Examples will range from oscillating genetic networks to understanding higher brain function. Modelling and data analysis through examples and exercises will be emphasized. | ||
| PHGY 451 | Advanced Neurophysiology. | 3 |
Advanced Neurophysiology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Topics of current interest in neurophysiology including the development of neurons and synapses, physiology of ionic channels, presynaptic and postsynaptic events in synaptic transmission and neuronal interactions in CNS function. | ||
| PHGY 513 | Translational Immunology. | 3 |
Translational Immunology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced key concepts in immunology as they relate to health and disease, including infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases and autoimmunity, and cancer immunology. | ||
| PHGY 524 | Chronobiology. | 3 |
Chronobiology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the field of chronobiology. The aim is to provide basic instruction on different types of biological rhythms, with particular focus on circadian rhythms. | ||
| PHGY 556 | Topics in Systems Neuroscience. | 3 |
Topics in Systems Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Topics of current interest in systems neurophysiology and behavioural neuroscience including: the neural representation of sensory information and motor behaviours, models of sensory motor integration, and the computational analysis of problems in motor control and perception. Students will be expected to present and critically discuss journal articles in class. | ||
| PSYC 410 | Special Topics in Neuropsychology. | 3 |
Special Topics in Neuropsychology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Developments in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychiatry via readings from primary sources. Topics include the neural bases of memory, emotion, social cognition and neuropsychiatric diseases. Integrating knowledge from studies in clinical populations and functional neuroimaging studies. | ||
| PSYC 427 | Sensorimotor Neuroscience. | 3 |
Sensorimotor Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A systematic examination of the sensorimotor system, drawing on models and data from both behavioural and physiological studies. Topics include: cortical motor areas, cerebellum, basal ganglia, spinal mechanisms, motor unit properties and force production, prioception, muscle properties. | ||
| PSYC 433 | Cognitive Science. | 3 |
Cognitive Science. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The multi-disciplinary study of cognitive science, exploring the computer metaphor of the mind as an information-processing system. Focus on levels of analysis, symbolic modeling, Turing machines, neural networks, as applied to topics such as reasoning, vision, decision-making, and consciousness. | ||
| PSYC 443 | Affective Neuroscience. | 0-3 |
Affective Neuroscience. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Focus on the neurobiology of emotion, the links between emotion and cognition, and the role of experience and individual differences in emotional states associated with psychopathology. | ||
| PSYC 444 | Sleep Mechanisms and Behaviour. | 3 |
Sleep Mechanisms and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course covers basic biological mechanisms, possible functions and behavioural aspects of sleep. Additional topics include: disorders of sleep, their effects on behaviour and cognition, and treatment approaches; as well as medical, neurological and psychiatric disorders, and drugs, that affect sleep. | ||
| PSYC 470 | Memory and Brain. | 3 |
Memory and Brain. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Memory systems are studied with an emphasis on the neural computations that occur at various stages of the processing stream, focusing on the hippocampus, amygdala, basal ganglia, cerebellum and cortex. The data reviewed is obtained from human, non-human primates and rodents, with single unit recording, neuroimaging and brain damaged subjects. | ||
| PSYC 502 | Psychoneuroendocrinology. | 3 |
Psychoneuroendocrinology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This advanced seminar course offers an in-depth introduction to current topics in psychoneuroendocrinology. Students will read and discuss original scientific literature from human and animal research interrogating the mechanisms by which hormones act in the brain to influence behaviour in health and disease. Students will gain a refined understanding of key concepts in psychoneuroendocrinology, such as negative feedback control and the key neuroendocrine axes and their role in behavioural control. They will apply this knowledge to critically evaluate original scientific literature and generate hypothesis-driven research questions from the scientific literature. | ||
| PSYC 506 | Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention. | 3 |
Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to cognitive properties and neural mechanisms of human attention. The material will include an overview of the history of attention research, contemporary theories of attention, the varieties of attention, behavioral and neuroimaging experimental methods, the nature of attentional dysfunctions, and the links between attention and other cognitive functions including memory and consciousness. | ||
| PSYC 513 | Human Decision-Making. | 3 |
Human Decision-Making. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Interdisciplinary study of decision-making, covering contemporary approaches to understanding how humans compute values and make choices. Measurement of and techniques for assessing variables such as risk and uncertainty, utilities and preferences, reinforcement learning, heuristics and biases, and self-control. Emphasis on quantitative models of decision-making. | ||
| PSYC 514 | Neurobiology of Memory. | 3 |
Neurobiology of Memory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advances in the understanding of the neurobiological bases of fundamental memory processes, such as memory consolidation maintenance, retrieval, and forgetting. The contribution of their dysregulation to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. Consideration of findings from a variety of species, spanning insects to humans. | ||
| PSYC 522 | Neurochemistry and Behaviour. | 3 |
Neurochemistry and Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Anatomical, biochemical and physiological aspects of neurotransmitter systems in the brain, current theories of the function of these systems in normal and abnormal behaviour, and the actions of psychotropic drugs. | ||
| PSYC 526 | Advances in Visual Perception. | 3 |
Advances in Visual Perception. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. We examine in detail the structure of the visual system, and its function as reflected in the perceptual abilities and behaviour of the organism. Parallels are also drawn with other sensory systems to demonstrate general principles of sensory coding. | ||
| PSYC 529 | Music Cognition. | 3 |
Music Cognition. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Interdisciplinary study of music cognition, with an emphasis on psychological, computational, and neuroscientific approaches. Focuses on listeners' response to sound, including perception, attention, memory, motor control, skilled performance, and emotional response. | ||
| PSYT 500 | Advances: Neurobiology of Mental Disorders. | 3 |
Advances: Neurobiology of Mental Disorders. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Current theories on the neurobiological basis of most well known mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, dementia). Methods and strategies in research on genetic, physiological and biochemical factors in mental illness will be discussed. Discussion will also focus on the rationale for present treatment approaches and on promising new approaches. | ||