Psychobiology

Contact: Psychobiology Program
Hedco Neurosciences Building 124
(213) 740-6090; (213) 740-7351
(213) 740-5687 (FAX)

Director: William O. McClure, Ph.D.

Psychobiology is an interdisciplinary science major specifically designed for exceptional undergraduates whose specialization will come in graduate or professional school. The psychobiology major is the undergraduate component of the Program in Neuroscience. This major offers outstanding interdisciplinary educational opportunities to qualified students including many opportunities to participate in research. The curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychobiology comprises six courses in psychology, seven courses in biology, and basic courses in chemistry, physics, mathematics and general education. Specific course selections are made with the advice of the program director and faculty advisors from each department.

Admissions

Admission to the program is by application to the Psychobiology Executive Committee. The program has two tracks: a degree track and an honors track. Candidates for either track must be students of sophomore standing and above who have completed the first year of biology (BISC 106L or 116L and 107L or 117L) and chemistry (CHEM 105abL or 115abL) with a minimum grade of "B" in each course. For admission to the program, all candidates must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA. Honors track candidates must maintain a 3.5 GPA to graduate with a departmental honors designation on the transcript. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.5 may remain in the major but must matriculate in the degree track. Transfer students must complete one semester in residence, taking substantive courses applicable to the major before application for acceptance into either track.

General Science Requirements

Required coursesUnits
CHEM 105abLGeneral Chemistry, or
CHEM 115abLAdvanced General Chemistry4-4
CHEM 322abLOrganic Chemistry4-4
MATH 125Calculus I4
PHYS 135abLPhysics for the Life Sciences4-4

These are also basic pre-health science requirements.

Major Core Requirements in Psychology and Biology

Required coursesUnits
BISC 106LPrinciples of Biology I, or
BISC 116LAdvanced Principles of Biology I4
BISC 107LPrinciples of Biology II, or
BISC 117LAdvanced Principles of Biology II4
BISC 210Molecular Biology4
BISC 216LIntroduction to Biochemistry4
BISC 421Neurobiology4
PSYC 100Psychology and Human Behavior4
PSYC 274Statistics I4
PSYC 320Principles of Psychobiology4

Upper Division Requirements

Psychobiology majors must take three upper division courses in psychology and three upper division courses in biology from the following lists. Honors track students must complete all of the requirements for the degree track with the following additions: completion of four units of directed research (490), an honors seminar (BISC 493x, PSYC 480x or equivalent) and the submission and approval of an honors thesis based on 490 research. The seminar and 490 research units are additional requirements for honors track students and do not fulfill upper division major requirements.

Category I. Take two courses from the following list.
PSYC 326Behavioral Neuroscience
PSYC 404LPsychophysiology of Emotion
PSYC 420 Animal Behavior
PSYC 424Neuropsychology
PSYC 426 Motivated Behaviors
PSYC 428Psychobiology of Development and Aging
PSYC 438 Behavioral Genetics
PSYC 499Special Topics
PSYC 547Functional Neuroanatomy

Category II. Take one course from the following list.
PSYC 301LCognitive Processes
PSYC 304LSensation and Perception
PSYC 305Learning and Memory
PSYC 314LResearch Methods
PSYC 336L Developmental Psychology
PSYC 337LAdult Development and Aging
PSYC 355 Social Psychology
PSYC 360 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 461Seminar in Abnormal Psychology

Biology

Take any three upper division courses which are allowable for upper division elective credit in the Department of Biological Sciences.

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Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
Joye Day
day@mizar.usc.edu