Advising FAQs

All sophomores who have not declared a major by the beginning of Advanced Registration period for the following Fall semester will be put on hold by the College until they officially declare a major.

All junior Neuroscience majors are placed on registration hold preceding Advance Registration for the Fall semester of their senior year.  All junior Neuroscience majors are required to meet with a Neuroscience advisor to update their Penn inTouch worksheet and review their remaining requirements for completion of the major.  Juniors should come in during advising hours prepared to discuss their plan for coursework in their senior year.  Students may come to walk-in advising hours to meet with a Neuroscience advisor.

Students are encouraged to take as many NRSC/BIBB courses as they like. Eight approved courses can count towards the Neuroscience major electives. Additional NRSC/BIBB courses may be used towards another major or minor, depending on that department's requirements, or towards unrestricted college electives.

Yes, Neuroscience majors may double-count NRSC/BIBB courses towards both their Neuroscience major and the Neuroscience/HCMG minor.

A list of potential advisors can be found on the NGG website at http://www.med.upenn.edu/ngg/faculty_categories.shtml. Research advisors must be standing faculty members working in the broad field of neuroscience. Students should identify 4-5 professors whose work interests them. Students are then encouraged to e-mail each professor requesting a meeting to discuss potential research projects.

Students must enroll in NRSC 3999/BIBB 399 and NRSC4999/BIBB 499 during their junior or senior year, completing both semesters working in the same lab on the same project. In order to qualify for NRSC4999/BIBB 499, a student's cumulative GPA must be above 3.5. Students wishing to graduate with honors are required to complete an additional 400-level NRSC/BIBB course, attend the Honors Seminar held each Spring semester and to give a presentation of their research at the Neuroscience Student Research Symposium held in the Spring of each year.

Students must submit a completed Independent Research application form for each semester in which they engage in research for credit. 

Students whose GPA does not qualify them for NRSC4999/BIBB 499 may enroll in additional semesters of NRSC3999/BIBB 399.  A total of two semesters of NRSC/BIBB research credit may be counted towards the student’s Neuroscience major electives.

AP credits issued by other departments (e.g., AP credit for STAT 1110/111 or MATH 1400/104) may be counted towards the Neuroscience major or minor if the credit granted matches the Neuroscience requirement.  Students with other AP credits or waivers should consult with a Neuroscience advisor to find appropriate advanced coursework advance their knowledge in the field. 

Neuroscience majors go on to hold a variety of positions, from analysts to researchers to physicians.  Career Services reports on the employment of Penn graduates by major can be found on their website at https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/surveys.php#Alumni.