Declaration of Major:
Students may declare major in CBN up to the Fall semester of their Senior year. To declare major in CBN, students must:
- Complete both Fundamentals of Neurobiology and Fundamentals of Cell and Developmental Biology with a grade of C or better. In addition, a grade of C or better in all classes applying toward the CBN major is required at the time of major declaration.
- Declare major in CBN at SAS MyMajor. You will be notified of your major approval by a CBN advisor.
CBN major graduation requirement:
In order to graduate with a CBN major, students must
- Complete all the courses required for the major with a grade of C or better.
- Ensure that each course required for the major, if necessary, is repeated only once to replace the D/F grades.
Major Options:
The Cell Biology and Neuroscience curriculum offers two Major options:
Option A is designed for students who, upon graduation, seek immediate employment or plan to attend professional schools in health-related fields.
Option B is for students who, upon graduation, plan to attend graduate school in cell biology or neuroscience or professional schools in health-related fields. A student must qualify for admission into the honors research track. See departmental honors program for student qualifications.
Students in both tracks must complete the core courses in addition to courses that are required for each track.
Core Courses (59 credits)
| Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
| 119:101-102 or 119:115-116 and 119:117 |
General Biology |
(4,4) (4,4) 2 |
| 160:161-162 or 160:165-166 or 160:163-164 |
General Chemistry Honors Chemistry Solid (GEMS) Honors General Chemistry |
(4,4) (4,4) |
| 160:171 |
Introduction to Experimentation |
1 |
| 160:307-308 or 160:315-316 |
Organic Chemistry Principles of Organic Chemistry |
(4,4) (4,4) |
|
160:311 |
Organic Chemistry Laboratory Organic Chemistry Laboratory Organic Chemistry Laboratory |
2 2.5 (1,1) |
| 750:203-204 and 750:205-206 or 750:193-194 or 750:201-202 |
General Physics General Physics Laboratory Physics for the Sciences Extended General Physics |
(3,3) (1,1) (4,4) (5,5) |
| 640:135 and 640:138 or 640:135-136 or 640:151-152 or 640:135 and 960:401* or 640:135 and 960:379 |
Calculus I Calculus II for the Biol. Sci. Calculus I / II Calculus for Math. and Phys. Sci. Calculus I Basic Statistics for Research Calculus I Basic Probability Theory |
4 4 (4, 4) (4,4) 4 3 4 3 |
| 447:380 |
Genetics |
4 |
| 694:301 or 694:407 or 11:115:301 |
Introductory Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Introduction to Biochemistry |
3 3 3 |
| 694:408 or 146:478 or 11:126:481 |
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Molecular Biology Spring Molecular Genetics |
3 3 3 |
| 146:245 |
Fundamentals of Neurobiology Fall, Spring |
3 |
| 146:270 |
Fundamentals of Cell and Developmental Biology Fall, Spring |
3 |
Option A (General Track; 12-13 credits)
| Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
| Choose 2 of the following courses: ** 146:322 146:445 146:447 146:470 146:472 146:474 |
Human Histology (includes lab) Spring Advanced Neurobiology I Fall Advanced Neurobiology II Spring Advanced Cell Biolog Fall Advanced Developmental Spring Immunology Spring |
4 3 3 3 3 3 |
| Two 300-400 level life science electives equaling 6 or more credits, 1 elective must have an associated lab or is a lab course*** or One 300-400 level life science elective and two semesters of independent research in the same lab**** |
See Approved Electives for the list of approved electives. |
Total 6 or more 3 (3,3) |
Option B (Honors Research Track; 18-19 credits)
| Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
| Choose 2 of the following courses:** 146:322 146:445 146:447 146:470 146:472 146:472 146:474 |
Human Histology (includes lab) Spring Advanced Neurobiology I Fall Advanced Neurobiology I Spring Advanced Cell Biolog Fall Advanced Developmental Spring Advanced Developmental Spring Immunology Spring |
4 3 3 3 3 3 3 |
| 1 elective at the 300-400 levels in the life sciences area, equaling 3 or more credits. |
See Approved Electives for the list of approved electives |
3 |
| 146:405 |
Honors Seminar (to be taken in the Senior Spring semester) |
3 |
| 146:408-409 |
Honors Research Fall Spring |
(3,3) |
*Students with AP Statistics equivalent of 960:211, transfer credit for 960:211 or who have taken 960:211 at Rutgers must take 960:212.
**The CBN Advanced course can only count as an elective after the advanced course requirement is fulfilled. Each advanced course cannot be used to complete the advanced course and the elective requirement at the same time.
***One course must have an included (e.g. Animal Histology) or an associated (e.g. Systems Physiology and Systems Physiology Lab) laboratory component, or be a 3-credit stand-alone laboratory course (e.g. Advanced Cell Biology Lab).
****With the approval of a CBN Advisor, two semesters of "Research in Cell Biology and Neuroscience," carried out under the direction of the same faculty member, may be used as one of the electives and fulfill the lab requirement. These electives must be selected in consultation with a faculty adviser.
For CBN Major residency rules, please check the Residency Requirements.
Major Worksheet (PDF)
