The Neuroscience major officially begins during the 2019-20 academic year

A new major at Elizabethtown College in Neuroscience is available for students beginning in the 2019-20 academic year. The program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of how the brain works at a cellular and behavioral level. It also will allow students to take classes in different fields with the major offering a strong interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates courses from the Biology, Psychology, Chemistry, and Computer Science departments.

“Aside from having multiple viable career options after graduation, students have an opportunity to grow intellectually as this major requires integrating multiple subjects,” said Elizabethtown College Assistant Professor of Psychology Robert Wickham.

Students will build their foundational knowledge in the major by taking courses such as Introduction to Neuroscience, Sensation and Perception, Behavioral Neuroscience (laboratory course), and Neuroscience of Drug Abuse.

“There is a strong emphasis on writing in this major, especially in the upper-level courses, and students will have opportunities to develop this vital skill,” said Wickham.

All students will participate in hands-on laboratory research and will be required to complete a capstone that involves original faculty-supervised research or an internship with a research or clinical focus.

“We want our students to gain hands-on neuroscience research through coursework as well as independent research studies,” said Wickham. “We are also aiming for our student to build strong communication skills, which, in my opinion, is on the same level of importance as technical know-how.”

The Neuroscience program will prepare students for work in biological and clinical laboratory settings and for graduate work in Neuroscience and related fields like:

  • Neurology
  • Neuropsychology
  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Medicine

“Many neuroscience graduates can be employed right in the private sector working as a researcher,” said Wickham.

View profiles of E-town graduates in Neuroscience-related fields.

“Neuroscience is also particularly attractive major for students interested in medical school, likely because both require a strong knowledge of a multitude of scientific subjects,” Wickham explained. “Many who major in neuroscience will pursue PhDs in either neuroscience or a related field, which opens doors to positions in biotechnology consulting, medical writing, and leading independent research groups either in pharmaceuticals or at the college level.”

View more information about the Neuroscience program at Elizabethtown College.