Hello, and welcome to USF! My name is Sarah Hillenbrand, and I am a professor in the Neuroscience Program. Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary major that combines foundational courses in neuroscience with opportunities to take courses in subjects like Biology, Psychology, Computer Science, Math, Physics, and Philosophy. In this video, I will be walking you through what you need to know to get registered for your first semester of classes.

To complete the Neuroscience Major, you will need to take 15 classes, for a total of 60 units. You will need to take a combination of foundational courses that are required for all students in the major, and electives, where you have some choice. To help guide you through these choices, the major offers three broad tracks you can follow: Technology, Research, and Ethics and Policy. If you arenÕt sure which track is right for you yet, thatÕs OK! The applications of neuroscience in todayÕs world are far-reaching, and you are NOT expected to have your career goals totally decided at this time! These tracks are not so rigid that you cannot switch. They are simply here to help guide your 4-year plan towards a long-term goal that is right for you.Ê

The Research track is designed for students who may already know that they are pursuing a career in scientific research or medicine. Research skills are essential if you plan to apply to graduate school or medical school later, so this track will get you started right away by having you take more laboratory science courses in your first year. If you are planning to take the set of pre-health courses recommended by USFÕs pre-health advising team, you should think carefully about when you would like to take courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and neuroscience that have lab components. Labs are scheduled separately from the associated lectures, and it could get overwhelming for your schedule and your workload if you try to take more than two courses with lab components in a single semester.Ê

The Technology track is designed for students interested in contributing to the development of new technologies. Compared to the Research track, the Technology track will have you taking more of the USF Core courses in your first year, giving you greater exposure to a wider variety of disciplines early on, so that you can start to better understand where exactly it is you want to go with your neuroscience education. Students on this track may choose to take more courses that build up their mathematical and programming skills. For Technology track students, it is extra important to take the appropriate placement tests and plan to take prerequisite courses that will allow access to more advanced technical courses later on.

The Ethics and Policy track is designed for students who are interested in the broader real-world applications of neuroscience. Students on this track may be interested in careers in neuroethics, law, education, science communication, social justice advocacy, or business. Like the technology track, this track also allows you a bit more freedom to explore your interests in the first years compared to the research track. Students on this track may take more classes in philosophy, along with other courses related to the ethical or societal problems they would most like to help solve.

As you advance in your coursework, you will need to make decisions about more specific areas of specialization or career pathways that you might like to pursue. For example, some students may choose to take multiple electives in Chemistry to prepare for a career as a neurochemist, developing life-saving new drugs. Others may choose to fill their elective units with Psychology courses to set themselves up for a career in counseling or neuropsychological research. It will be very important that you check each elective class you want to take to see if there are pre-requisites, and make a plan to ensure you can fit them into your schedule. Our faculty will be here to help you with that when the time comes.Ê

Right now, I am here to help you select the courses you should register for this Fall. I want to emphasize that registering for the correct courses in your first year is essential to graduating within 4 years.Ê

As a neuroscience major, you will need to register for Introduction to Neuroscience part I: Cells and Circuits. USF students typically register for a total of 16-18 credits per semester. A typical course here counts for 4 units. In this course, as well as some other science courses, there will be two components: lecture, course number 101, and lab, which is called 101L. The lab is a co-requisite, meaning you must register for both lecture and lab during the same semester.Ê

If you have studied a foreign language previously, you should also take a non-English language placement test to determine your level of competency. As a science major you need to take two semesters of a non-English language. If you are placed into the third semester of a language, you have completed your language requirement. In this instance, the department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures will need to verify your language proficiency.

I also encourage you to take a class in Rhetoric early on. Writing, speaking, and other communication skills are essential for your success as a college student. To help you decide which course to take in fulfillment of the Core A2 Rhetoric and Composition requirement, you can review the tutorial about the Core Curriculum.

You can also take another class that fulfills a Core requirement. Note that Neuroscience 101 fulfills the Core B2 requirement, so you should pick a class that fulfills a different requirement. Some examples include Public Speaking, History, Literature, Philosophy, Theology & Religious Studies, Ethics, or Visual and Performing Arts. First-year seminars are a great way to meet these requirements, since they have small class sizes.Ê

Some courses count for just 1 or 2 units, and if your 18-credit maximum allows it, adding one of these courses can be a fun way to try something new or explore an interesting topic in a low-stress way. You may also choose to take USF 101 for one credit. This is a course to familiarize you with USF and the city of San Francisco. You can take this course even if you have already reached your limit of 18 credits.Ê

Before you choose your classes, you may want to take placement tests in areas like Computer Science, Chemistry, Math, and Calculus. The Neuroscience major offers you a choice of foundational courses in other departments that can act as pre-requisites for the additional electives you will take later on. You should check out this list of options, and if you think you might like to take courses in these areas, donÕt skip the placement tests. Ask your advisor if you are unsure about which specific placement tests to take.

Once you have selected your classes, your Fall schedule should resemble something like this, if you are on the Technology Track or the ethics and policy track.Ê


1. NEUR 101: Introduction to Neuroscience 1 (Core B2)
2. PHIL 195: First-year seminar (Core D1)
3. Written Communication 1
4. Another core course of your choice

If you are on the Research Track, your schedule may look like this. Please be sure to note that both Neuroscience 101 and Biology 105 have lab components, so you would need to be extra careful in planning your schedule.Ê


1. NEUR 101: Introduction to Neuroscience 1 (Core B2)
2. PHIL 195: First-year seminar (Core D1)
3. Written Communication 1Ê
4. BIOL 105: General Biology 1Ê

Please spend some time navigating the Schedule of Classes to familiarize yourself with the layout of the website. Look for courses that you would like to register for, including specific sections, as you may find that some course times conflict with others. If two courses you want to take are scheduled to meet at the same time, thatÕs OK! Our faculty can help you strategize which one to take first, and which to save for another semester. On your own, try to find a schedule that works for you, and ask your advisor questions in cases where you are uncertain. You should also keep a Òbackup listÓ in case some classes are full, but donÕt worry about your Neuroscience courses. You are guaranteed a seat in these.

If you run into any problems, please donÕt hesitate to get in touch with your advisor. If you would like to speak by phone or Zoom, you can set up an appointment through email.Ê
shillenbrand@usfca.edu

I am looking forward to meeting you during our major orientation workshop. In this workshop we will review the major course requirements in more depth, and you will have the opportunity to meet faculty and fellow students.

Welcome to USF!