About the Major

Photo Gallery of Behavioral Neuroscience Students and Events

  • Students in classroom with guest speaker meeting
    Exclusive seminar speaker student meet n’ greet in Spring 2024 with Dr. Tamer M. Gamal El-Din, Department of Pharmacology at University of Washington
  • Two students sitting in chairs at lab bench.
    Aicha Tokar Falatah and Meigan Butler in Dr. Rose’s lab where they are analyzing research videos. These videos help the two study the behaviors of the nematodes from their experiment. // Photo by Margaret Baumgartner
  • Student in lab coat standing in front of study chambers.
    Alana Sullivan from Dr. Kaplan’s lab.
  • Student sitting in front of a microscope wearing a lab coat.
    Katrina Sanko from Dr. Grimm’s lab sitting in front of microscope.
  • Two people standing in front of a photo backdrop with the WWU logo.
    Two alumni at a gathering event for majors and alumni Spring 2024.
  • student in lab coat standing in front of microscope
    Alex McCoy from Dr. Grimm’s lab standing in front of a microscope.
  • collage of photos of students in blue scrubs.
    Photo collage of previous Neurosurgery Interns
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technician and program alumni Becca Marx (sitting) demonstrating how to use the equipment with student intern Talia Frost-Belansky (standing)
  • Two student interns standing in scrubs.
    Two Neurosurgery Interns, Kathleen Thornbourgh (left) and Avery Fisher (right) from Spring 2024
  • Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technician and program alumni Becca Marx (sitting) demonstrating equipment with student intern Talia Frost-Belansky (standing) holding device.
    Neurosurgery Interns from winter 2023, Joseph Veliz (left) and Jenavieve Barson (right).
  • Lecture hall with students attending guest seminar speaker presentation
    Visiting Seminar Speaker Dr. Tamer M. Gamal El-Din, Department of Pharmacology at University of Washington Spring 2024
  • three students standing in front of research poster
    Students from Dr. Kaplan’s lab presenting their research project results during the annual PsychFest 2024.
  • three students standing in front of research poster
    Students from Dr. Rose’s lab presenting their research project results during the annual PsychFest 2024.
  • a student standing in front of research poster
    A student from Dr. Cantle’s lab presenting their research project results during the annual PsychFest 2024.
  • two students standing in front of research poster
    Students from Dr. Kaplan’s lab presenting their research project results during the annual PsychFest 2024.
  • students attending presentation about WSU Neuroscience Graduate Program in small classroom with chairs
    WSU Neuroscience Graduate Program presentation by visiting program director Fall 2023.

Video About Behavioral Neuroscience Major and Neuroscience Research Driven Students (NeRDS) Club

11/19/2015-Clip taken from Western Window Episode #21 highlighting the Behavioral Neuroscience Program at WWU as well as the associated NeRDS Club.

Requirements to Apply for the Major

These eight essential prerequisite courses are the building blocks for applying to the major.

  • PSY 101
  • PSY 220
  • CHEM 161
  • CHEM 162
  • CHEM 163
  • BIOL 204
  • BIOL 205
  • BIOL 206

Students applying to the Behavioral Neuroscience major must first meet the following requirements:

  • Successfully declared a BNS pre-major
  • Complete at least 75 undergraduate credits
  • Complete at least 12 credits at WWU
  • Complete the following courses with an average grade point of 2.9 or higher: CHEM 161, CHEM 162, CHEM 163; BIOL 204, BIOL 205, BIOL 206; PSY 101, and PSY 220.

Visit our major application page for additional information about applying to the major.

Visit the university catalog AY 24-25  to review complete details and curriculum requirements here.

Student Learning Objectives

Content Competencies

BNS graduates will possess knowledge of:
  1. Fundamental principles in molecular, cellular, and systems neuroscience and the neural basis of normal and abnormal behavior.
  2. Foundational principles in the natural sciences, especially as they relate to understanding neuroscience.
  3. The process and limitations of basic and applied biomedical research, especially as they relate to neuroscience.
  4. Laboratory/diagnostic techniques and equipment common to the natural sciences, especially neuroscience.

Process Competencies

BNS graduates will have developed the ability to:
  1. Think integratively and creatively about issues related to the natural sciences, especially neuroscience.
  2. Think critically, in a scientific and quantitative manner, about issues related to the natural sciences, especially neuroscience.
  3. Integrate principles from across the natural sciences, especially in the context of understanding neuroscience.
  4. Communicate precisely and effectively, in written and spoken word, in general and in matters related to neuroscience.
  5. Engage independently and collaboratively in the scientific process.
  6. Recognize the applicability of an education in neuroscience to real world settings and their lives post-graduation.