Undergraduate Studies
Students from many majors complete neuroscience courses at NC State to gain a grounding in the field, which they can then apply to their own work, whether the eventual goal is research, medicine, or other fields. Students who are particularly interested in neuroscience often major in the B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology and/or minor in Cognitive Science, Biology, or Psychology. Many other NC State majors accommodate neuroscience coursework, offering the student versatility and personalization. Common majors of NC State undergraduates interested in neuroscience include not only the IPN degree, but also all other life science majors, including but not limited to B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Human Biology or Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, B.A. in Biology, B.S. in Genetics, B.S. in Microbiology, Engineering (especially Biomedical Engineering), Statistics, Psychology, and other majors such as Computer Science or Chemistry.
B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology (IPN)
For more information and details about IPN and other offered concentrations, visit the Biological Sciences website.
The B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology (IPN) provides a comprehensive grounding in the principles of physiology and neuroscience, as well as in-depth exposure to the application of those principles in understanding whole-animal function, different organ systems, links between physiology and behavior, and integration across these systems. IPN majors recognize that the brain is interconnected with the rest of the body and have the skills to probe these links.
IPN students graduate with the skills to work in industry, healthcare, research, academia, and other settings. Experiential learning and internships are encouraged and can be easily incorporated into the degree. Graduates are well prepared to continue their education by pursuing advanced degrees in many areas of the biomedical sciences. The IPN concentration also strongly prepares students to pursue professional degrees in medicine, dentistry, optometry, physician assistant, and many other health-related areas.
Featured Minors
For more information and details on additional science-related minors, visit the Undergraduate Minors website.
Cognitive Science Minor
For more information about the Cognitive Science Minor, visit the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies website.
The Department of Psychology and the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies offer an interdisciplinary minor in cognitive science. This minor offers the student the opportunity for in-depth study with the framework of the “computer model” of the mind. Students study topics including the nature of human information processing, the acquisition and the use of language, and machine intelligence. No courses for the minor may be taken for S/U credit.
Biological Sciences Minor
For more information about the Biological Sciences Minor, visit the Department of Biological Sciences website.
The Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Sciences offers an undergraduate minor in Biological Sciences that is intended to enhance the programs of students whose major fields are outside the biological sciences. The required courses (8 credit hours) provide an overview of the field of biology, and students then select additional courses (at least 7 credit hours) within the biological sciences that best match their interests. This coursework can include neuro-oriented classes.