Neuroscience and Applied Mathematics at Princeton...

<p>Hello CC,</p>

<p>Is there a Neuroscience major at Princeton? If there is no Neuroscience major, is it possible in the future. If so, when? I really love Princeton's certificate programs... However, I am interested in pursuing Neuroscience as a major. My second choice is Applied Mathematics... I did not find Applied Mathematics in the list of majors however. So, does anyone have ideas of a major which could be most similar to Applied Mathematics?</p>

<p>Thanks in Advance :)</p>

<p>No neuroscience major, though you can get a certificate in neuroscience through the psychology department.</p>

<p>There’s a certificate in applied math (though no major). In my opinion, the closest thing to applied math would be ORFE (Operations Research and Financial Engineering): [Undergraduate</a> Program | Operations Research and Financial Engineering](<a href=“http://www.orfe.princeton.edu/academics/undergraduate]Undergraduate”>http://www.orfe.princeton.edu/academics/undergraduate)</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply!</p>

<p>A new Neuroscience facility is due to open next spring.</p>

<p>[Neuroscience</a> and Psychology Buildings - Facilities Info Center](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/facilities/info/major_projects/neuropsychology/]Neuroscience”>http://www.princeton.edu/facilities/info/major_projects/neuropsychology/)</p>

<p>You can also do a certificate through the molbio and a variety of other concentrations.</p>

<p><a href=“https://www-dept-edit.princeton.edu/neuroscience/education/undergraduate-education/[/url]”>https://www-dept-edit.princeton.edu/neuroscience/education/undergraduate-education/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Princeton is in the process of further strengthening its neuroscience department. They have changed requirements for the certificate this year and they are preparing for the opening of the new building set for next spring.</p>

<p>[Neuroscience</a> and Psychology Buildings - Facilities Info Center](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/facilities/info/major_projects/neuropsychology/]Neuroscience”>http://www.princeton.edu/facilities/info/major_projects/neuropsychology/)</p>

<p>Does the completion of the Neuroscience facility mean that a Neuroscience major will become available?</p>

<p>I don’t know whether neuroscience will necessarily hit major status in the next few years, but I know someone who designed her own concentration in quantitative and computational neuroscience (expanding on the QCN track in the NEU certificate) by combining neuroscience with applied math. Creating an independent concentration isn’t necessarily a popular option, but the opportunity is there if you want it.</p>

<p>I don’t know either, about the major thing. But my daughter did work in the Computational Neuroscience area, modeling and testing memory with software. It was a great lab too, with a wonderful professor - Dr. Ken Norman.</p>

<p>[Department</a> of Psychology / Princeton University /](<a href=“http://psych.princeton.edu/psychology/research/norman/index.php]Department”>http://psych.princeton.edu/psychology/research/norman/index.php)</p>

<p>Is the independent concentration viewed by grad schools as a negative thing?
Where can I ask about the possibility of Neuroscience becoming a major in the future?</p>

<p>Call the Psychology department, or the Mo Bio department, and ask to speak to someone about the plans. Princeton is set up for high level people to answer questions of very young students.</p>

<p>You should be more concerned with the education you can obtain than the degree you can earn. Princeton is a very small research university. Princeton does not offer as many majors as larger universities. However, the large number of certificate programs and the ability to conduct research on a topic of your interest in your junior and senior year provide the flexibility to concentrate in a field where Princeton does not offer a major. </p>

<p>The small size of the university does offer advantages. For example, in several freshman seminars freshman have been exposed to the functional MRI. See: [Princeton</a> University - Exploring the science and nuance of facial perception](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S31/97/45O71/index.xml]Princeton”>Exploring the science and nuance of facial perception) and
[Aspire</a> - News & Videos](<a href=“http://giving.princeton.edu/news/archive/neurophilosophy.xml]Aspire”>http://giving.princeton.edu/news/archive/neurophilosophy.xml)<br>
You should check to see if the larger universities that have a neuroscience major allow undergraduates to conduct research on advanced medical imaging devices.</p>

<p>If you are interested in both biology and applied math you should review the seminars and research done in the Center for Quantitative Biology. [Center</a> for Quantitative Biology at Princeton University](<a href=“Center for Quantitative Biology | Lewis-Sigler Institute”>Center for Quantitative Biology | Lewis-Sigler Institute) </p>

<p>Graduate schools are primarily concern with the education you have obtained, your faculty recommendations, and your test scores, e.g. MCAT. Princeton students major in many fields for preparation for med school. Princeton students do not have to major in science to be accepted in med school.</p>

<p>Thank you all for your input.
@ PtonAlumnus I am interested in Neuroscience, and then I have Applied Math as
a second choice.</p>