Neuroscience

The Princeton Neuroscience Institute (link is external)offers the neuroscience concentration for undergraduates with a strong interest in pursuing an in-depth study of the brain. Neuroscience is a broad interdisciplinary field requiring rigorous preparation in basic science. Students in this discipline are expected to understand the basic principles and approaches of modern neuroscience. The concentration provides an opportunity for the serious study of molecular, cellular, developmental, and systems neuroscience as it interfaces with cognitive and behavioral research. Since modern neuroscience is relying increasingly on quantitatively sophisticated methods and theory, students are also expected to gain competency in, physics, mathematics and computation. By offering a combination of courses and interdisciplinary research, students who complete the neuroscience concentration will be highly qualified to pursue graduate work at the best neuroscience, psychology or biology graduate programs and will also have completed, in large part, the background requirements to enter medical or veterinary school.

In addition to the prerequisites for entry into the program, concentrators must complete the following:

1. NEU 350, Laboratory in Principles of Neuroscience

2. NEU 314, Mathematical Tools for Neuroscience (beginning spring, 2016)

3. PHY 101 and PHY 102, Introductory Physics I, and Introductory Physics II
Note: Placement into or out of these Physics courses is decided by the Department of Physics.

4. Five NEU courses that in combination draw from at least three of the following subject areas:

I. Molecular/Cellular/Disease

• MOL/NEU 447, Neuroimmunology: Immune Molecules in Normal Brain Function and Neuropathology
• MOL/NEU 451, Genes, Brains, and the Human Mind
• MOL 459, Viruses: Strategy and Tactics
• NEU 301/MOL 310, Cellular Neurobiology
• NEU/MOL 403, Neurogenetics of Behavior

II. Neural Computation

• NEU/PSY 330, Introduction to Connectionist Models: Bridging between Brain and Mind
• NEU/MOL/PSY 437, Computational Neuroscience
• PSY/NEU 338, Animal Learning and Decision Making: Psychological, Computational and Neural Perspectives

III. Systems and Circuits

• NEU/MOL 403, Neurogenetics of Behavior
• NEU 427, Systems Neuroscience
• PSY/NEU 260, The Life Cycle of Behaviors
• PSY/EEB/NEU 336, The Diversity of Brains
• PSY 345/NEU 325, Sensation and Perception
• PSY/NEU 422, Dynamics in Cognition

IV. Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

• ELE/NEU/PSY 480, fMRI Decoding: Reading Minds Using Brain Scans
• MOL/NEU 451, Genes, Brains, and the Human Mind
• NEU/PSY330, Introduction to Connectionist Models: Bridging between Brain and Mind
• NEU/PSY 425, Neuroeconomics
• PSY/NEU 306, Memory and Cognition
• PSY/NEU 331, Introduction to Clinical Neuropsychology: Case Studies in Cognitive Neuroscience
• PSY/NEU 337, Neuroscience of Social Cognition and Emotion
• PSY/NEU 338, Animal Learning and Decision Making: Psychological, Computational and Neural Perspectives
• PSY/NEU 407, Sleep: From Molecules to Mattress
• PSY/NEU 417, The Neural Basis of Goal-Directed Behavior
• PSY/NEU 516, Brain Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience Research

5. One 200-level or higher course in cell biology from the following list:

• MOL/EEB 214, Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology
• MOL/EEB 215/CBE 215, Quantitative Principles in Cell and Molecular Biology
• MOL 342, Genetics
• EEB/MOL 211, Life on Earth: Chaos and Clockwork of Biological Design

6. One 200-level or higher course in behavior from the following list:

• EEB 311A/B, Animal Behavior
• EEB 323, Integrative Dynamics of Animal BehaviorPSY 252, Social Psychology
• PSY/CGS 254, Developmental Psychology
• PSY/CGS 255, Cognitive Psychology
• PSY/NEU 338, *Animal Learning and Decision Making: Psychological, Computational and Neural Perspectives
• PSY345/NEU 325, Sensation and Perception*

*Note: Cross-listed NEU courses will not count twice in the elective total

7. One course in quantitative thinking from the following list:

• SML 201, Introduction to Statistics and Machine Learning
• COS 126/EGR 126, General Computer Science

Independent Work

Junior Independent Work. In the fall semester of the junior year students participate in tutorials, read papers from the original literature, and prepare papers on assigned topics. In the spring term students carry out a second program of independent work with a faculty adviser with whom they will eventually do their senior thesis. In some instances this may include experimental work. A paper, in the form of a grant proposal, preparatory for the senior independent work, is due in early May.

Senior Independent Work. During the senior year each student, with the guidance of a faculty adviser, undertakes a major research effort. This research project can be a laboratory or independent study that will be written and presented as a senior thesis.

Senior Departmental Examination

Students are required to present their work to two thesis readers during an oral exam. The exam usually takes about one-half hour and students should be prepared to describe the background of the thesis, defend its contents, and propose future directions. The grade for the oral defense will be the average of the two from the faculty members. A grading rubric will be used by the examination committee.

Study Abroad

Students interested in study abroad should consult with the departmental representative as early as possible, preferably during their first year.

1. Submit
   • A Completed Application. You must submit your application online through either the Common Application, Coalition Application or the Universal College Application. 
   • Princeton's Supplement. In addition to the application provided by the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application, all applicants must submit the Princeton Supplement. You should submit the Princeton Supplement online through the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application website. 
   • Application Fee or Fee Waiver. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways: 1) Select the fee waiver option on the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application. Your college or guidance counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax. 2) Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton Supplement: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board, NACAC or Realize Your College Potential. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. Students named QuestBridge Finalists should select the QuestBridge fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your college counselor. Learn more about fee waivers on the How to Apply page.
2. Request
   • Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a guidance counselor or school official.
   • School Report (SR). The SR form is available from the Common Application and Universal College Application websites. Please ask your guidance counselor or other school official to complete and submit the SR form. If you are using the Coalition Application, the SR and counselor recommendation are uploaded as one item.
   • Counselor Recommendation. If you are using the Common Application online, please note that the SR and the Counselor Recommendation are separate items. Be sure to 'invite' your guidance counselor or academic adviser to complete both items. If you are using the Coalition Application, please invite your counselor to upload the counselor recommendation and school report.
   • Two (2) Teacher Recommendations. Please ask two of your teachers from different academic areas of study to complete and send the teacher recommendation forms, available on the Common Application, Coalition Application and Universal College Application websites. Choose teachers who have taught you in higher-level courses.
   • Mid-year School Report. Please ask your guidance counselor or other school official to complete and submit this form when your mid-year grades are available. The form may be found on the Common Application, Coalition Application and Universal Application websites.
3. Report
   • SAT with Essay or ACT with Writing. Early action applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their SAT with Essay or ACT with Writing test before the Nov. 1 deadline. Regular decision applicants should take the SAT with Essay test by the January test date or take the ACT with Writing by the December date. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the following codes to ensure your scores are sent to Princeton: SAT: 2672 and ACT: 2588. Learn more about standardized testing for admission.
   • SAT Subject Tests. We recommend, but do not require, the submission of two SAT Subject Tests, which often assist us in the evaluation process. We have no preference for the specific SAT Subject Tests applicants might choose to take. However, if you apply for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, we recommend that you take mathematics Level I or II, and either physics or chemistry. If you decide to submit Subject Tests, early action applicants should take them by the November test date, and regular decision applicants should take them by the January test date. Learn more about standardized testing for admission.
   • TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores. If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), in addition to the SAT with Essay or ACT with Writing. You are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic if English is your native language or if you have spent at least three years at a secondary school where English is the primary language of instruction. Please have your scores sent directly to Princeton: TOEFL: 2672

Optional Application Components

• Arts Form, if applicable. If you've excelled in architecture, creative writing, dance, music, theater or visual arts, and would like us to consider your talent, consult Princeton's online Optional Arts Form. Early action applicants must submit digital arts materials by Nov. 7; regular decision applicants must submit digital arts materials by Jan. 6. You can only submit your online Optional Arts Form after we have received the Common Application, Coalition Application or Universal College Application. If you are unable to submit online, please use the paper Optional Arts Form. For a list of acceptable file formats and submission types, review our Optional Arts Form page. For more information on the optional arts supplement, please visit our FAQs page.
• Interview. Depending on availability, once you have applied, you may be invited to interview with a member of one of our Princeton Alumni Schools Committees. If so, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Interviews take place after the Admission Office has received your application. Many Princeton Alumni Schools Committees have enough volunteers to offer every applicant an interview. As the interview is not a required element of the application, you will not be at a disadvantage if an interview is not available in your area. We do not offer on-campus interviews. Please visit our FAQs page for more information.

The full need of all admitted international students is met the same as it is for students from the United States. Your family’s ability to pay for your university education is not a factor in our admission decision. Students who qualify for financial aid will receive a grant, rather than a loan that has to be repaid, and a term-time job (8-9 hours per week) to meet their need as determined by the Financial Aid Office.

Our financial aid program is entirely based on need. Princeton does not offer academic or athletic merit scholarships. Financial aid awards cover the difference between Princeton’s costs and the amount your parents are expected to contribute to your education. The parental contribution is based on our evaluation of your financial aid application.