<p>So here is my problem and i may just be panicking because next year I'll be applying to grad school. I'm a psychology major at my school B.S. track. I have a bio psych certificate (which is basically means I took more biology based psych classes and more bio classes than required for my major or our science graduation component). In the end I'll have Inorganic Chem 1/2, Intro to Biology, Ecology, Genetics + Lab, Neuropsychopharmacology, Neuropharamcology, Experimental Psych 1+2, and Sensory/Perception as my 'science' based classes for graduation.</p>
<p>I also have 3 semesters worth of research...2 of these being honors research credits with 1 presentation at a national research symposium.</p>
<p>I'm not asking you to chance me but my question/problem is this:</p>
<p>I REALLY want to get into behavioral neuroscience. I love the research connection between the hard science and the abstract brain, but I'm worried I won't be considered 'science strong' enough. My research was 20 hours a week during the semesters and 30 hours a week during the winter/summer breaks, but it was in a very 'psychology' based lab that focused on Children's learning patterns in relation to low income areas of living. It wasn't a 'hard science' based lab. Granted, like I said I've been in the same lab for 3 semesters and have a poster. Most grad schools I've seen have no problem/encourage Psychology applicants, but will not having a hard science lab hurt me?</p>
<p>You should look at the requirements for the programs you want to apply to and see if they prefer if you’ve had organic chem or physics (some umbrella programs may). Other than that it seems like most beh. neuro programs recruit heavily from psych, so I would think that would be normal. If you want to purely for your own interest/curiosity you might look into working in an fMRI lab between now and when you apply.</p>
<p>There are some more psych-based neuroscience programs and some more biology-based neuroscience programs - you have to figure out which ones are which and get the right fit for you. I am studying social psychology in a department that also has a neuroscience concentration - you get a PhD in psychology, but the students do all of their research and take classes in neuroscience. They’re all psych majors in undergrad. Basically, you have to find the programs that fit you, and that includes focus.</p>
<p>Your research lab experiences won’t hurt you if you apply to programs that have a strong behavioral focus and are not all focused on dissecting rat brains or what have you.</p>
<p>thanks both of you.</p>
<p>I want a program that deals with a good amount of the hard-core science, but also allows me to explore the abstract of the brain. I have the option for my next 1.5-2 years to stay in this lab, or go into a more focused neuroscience behavioral science lab. Do you think if I want to do a more biology based program I should switch? Or, with sticking with my desire to deal with the abstract part of the brain with still a science focus, I should stick with the more psych based field? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>What do you mean by “the abstract of the brain”? I study cellular and molecular mechanisms in cognition, so I think of all of it as based on biology. I know a lot of fMRI people though so I might be able to give advice if I know what you’re interested in.</p>
<p>For example I can give you the abstract of the lab i’m working in right now: "Dr. Rabin’s research interests focus on the use of a ground-based model to study the effects of exposure to galactic cosmic rays (GCR) on central nervous system function and on behavior. Rats are exposed to heavy particles, which are components of GCR, using the alternating gradient synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Following exposure, rats are evaluated for changes in brain function, e.g., deficits in neurotransmitter release or increased oxidative stress, and related changes in behavior, e.g., operant responding or cognitive performance. "</p>
<p>I like this research a lot. And I’d like to do something similar to it, something who’s results can be used to develop tangible new ways to improve learning or tackle questions about ‘psychological’ defects or issues in the brain. I’d love to have something that works more focused on humans though in my PHD program research.</p>
<p>Oh, I have a friend who is a biophysics grad student who studies the effects of GCR on the retina. I would think that any neuro program would look favorably on this work. I say just do whatever you find to be most interesting.</p>