<p>Is it a major by itself or a concentration in biology or psychology? Does Rochester have its own neuroscience department or is it interdisciplinary? How good are the research opportunities? Is it filled primarily with pre-med kids? Is there a cognitive science major?</p>
<p>There are 2 ways to study neuroscience at UR.</p>
<p>The first is the neuroscience concentration offered thru the biology dept. </p>
<p>Requirements here: [Undergraduate</a> Neuroscience Course Requirements](<a href=“http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/neuro/course_req.html]Undergraduate”>Neuroscience : Undergraduate Programs : Brain and Cognitive Sciences : University of Rochester)</p>
<p>The other way is thru the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Dept.</p>
<p>Requirements here: [BCS</a> Undergraduate Program: Requirements for the B.S. Degree](<a href=“http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/undergrad/BSrequirements.html]BCS”>http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/undergrad/BSrequirements.html)</p>
<p>If you look at the course requirements you will there is substantial overlap between the 2 majors. Neuro has more a biological systems orientation while BCS has more theory/philosophy and CS orientation. But truthfully, both majors require many of the same classes and both work in the same labs.</p>
<p>D2 is bio/neuroscience major and has found that there are plenty of both wet labs (neuronal studies, neurotransmitter, etc) and imaging labs open to undergrads. She doesn’t delve into the behavioral side of neuroscience, so I haven’t heard any specific feedback on those, but I suspect there are undergrad research slots available too.</p>
<p>The CAOS lab just opened it primate research lab this past winter.</p>
<p>Additionally, there is separate neuroscience dept at UR’s med school and some BCS and neuro undergrads work with those profs.</p>
<p>And still more–if you’re more of brain-machine interface person, there is some (but not a terrible lot) of that being done in the BME dept.</p>
<p>As for the prevalence of pre meds—D2 is taking the senior neuroscience seminar right now. Approx half of all the current senior neuro majors are enrolled (it’s a required course). She reports that of the 30 kids in the seminar–27 are pre meds and only 2 are on their way to grad school in neuroscience. The one last kid is D2–who is undecided if she’d rather go to med or grad school. (My money’s on a MSTP --she’s too successful in the lab to give research up for clinical practice. Unless Google or Paul Allen’s new project woo her away.)</p>
<p>There are plenty of pre meds who are BCS majors also, but fewer than thru the bio dept–mostly because there is less overlap between major requirements and the coursework required for med school admissions.</p>
<p>The one weak area of neuro/BCS at UR is in computational neuroscience–which according to my kid is the big, new, hot field. (And, of course, the one field she’s acutely interested in…)</p>
<p>BTW, graduate school placement for UR’s neuroscience grads is excellent. Lots UR neuro kids go to Duke and Yale.</p>
<p>thanks for the detailed reply+pm. the bcs major is closer to what i’m looking for, a mix between neuroscience, philosophy, computer science. it also has its own department which generally insinuates strength of the program. and i’m glad bcs is not entirely filled with pre-med kids because i’m looking to go to law school//graduate school afterwards.</p>