Bachelor [Neuroscience] From DePauw University

Students in both majors receive training in the scientific approach as it has been applied to the study of such topics as: the structure and function of the nervous system, perception, learning, motivation, memory, development, social influence, attitudes, organizational behavior, and mental disorders and treatments. Understanding how these topics have been investigated scientifically requires the development of critical thinking skills, quantitative reasoning skills, and speaking and writing abilities necessary to communicate research knowledge to others, as well as an appreciation for the ethical issues involved in research and practice.?

These skills are developed throughout the curriculum for the Psychology and Neuroscience majors; and demonstrated competence in the Statistics and Research Methods is essential for success in both areas of study. Our majors have gone on to successful careers in research, counseling and teaching, medicine, business, journalism and law.

Writing in the Neuroscience major is distributed across the curriculum beginning with introductory core courses in biology, chemistry, computer science, and psychology, and continuing in upper level courses representing multiple disciplines. The interdisciplinary nature of Neuroscience means that students should learn to communicate their science to varying audiences. As an example, writing for an audience grounded in the biological tradition can be quite different from writing for an audience grounded in the psychological tradition. The requirement to complete 300 level coursework in Biology and Psychology will ensure that students are exposed to, and gain experience with, communicating to audiences in two of the principle disciplines related to Neuroscience. Within these courses, students will gain experience writing a variety of different kinds of documents (e.g., laboratory reports, reports the findings of an empirical study, integrative reviews of the literature). For instance, laboratory reports represent a key writing component of required 300 level coursework in Biology and Psychology.?