<p>I've read posts on College Confidential that have suggested that there were developments in neuroscience at Rice. Correct me if I'm wrong, but to my understanding, Rice offers Neuroscience as an interdisciplinary major (which lacks focus on hard sciences). I'm inquiring about whether this will change in the near future. I'm class of 2013 (high school), btw.</p>
<p>Actually, Rice does not have a neuroscience major for undergraduates. Right now, the most you can do is a Cognitive Sciences major with a concentration in neuroscience. This would, as you say, not focus as much on the hard sciences as it involves things like philosophy, linguistics, psychology etc. </p>
<p>I actually just got an email about the neuroscience minor that they have been trying to get off the ground for several years now and hope to have approved by the end of next school year. It consists of 2 required classes and 4 electives. 1 of the required classes is in the biochemistry department (everyone takes this) and then for the other you choose between one in the psychology department or another in the biochem department. This sets you up for a track within the minor either cellular/molecular neuro if you do the biochem class or behavioral/cognitive neuro if you do the psychology class. Then your electives will be in whichever track you do. So you could choose to do a more hard sciences neuro minor if that’s what you are looking for. </p>
<p>Please let me know if you have any other questions, and I’ll try to answer them. For the record I am a cognitive sciences(concentration in neuro)/psychology double major and a senior here.</p>
<p>^ I thought I had read here that the minor was already approved to be offered beginning fall 2012. Is this not true?</p>
<p>This is what the email I got said:</p>
<p>“The Neuroscience minor proposal that we have worked on this year is not yet finalized. It is being resubmitted to the Faculty Senate in August. We think by then it will have the requisite hiring commitments from the Rice administration to be accepted by the Senate. (That has so far been the sticking point - a couple of crucial hires, for which we have had the people but not the solid Rice appointments. But the administration is finally working out the details of the appointments!)”</p>
<p>Most (if not all) of the classes for the minor are in place so they are recommending that students who want the minor start taking them next fall, but the minor isn’t quite finalized yet.</p>
<p>ah bureaucracy - thanks.</p>
<p>Incredibly helpful, sffhgoalie73! Rice would be my dream school if neuroscience was offered, but I’ll still apply, all the same.</p>