Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) uses scientific tools and concepts: knowledge of formal systems such as logic or calculus, probability theory, computer science, chemistry, biology, physics, and statistics. Accordingly, students in upper-division (UD) courses must have an adequate background in these topics.

Lower-division (LD) courses for the major should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. These requirements will guarantee an adequate background for the topics of the upper-division (UD) CBN courses.

3 Natural Science Courses

• COGS 17
• Plus choose two of the following:
  • BILD 1, 2, 3, 10, 20, 26 (BILD 12 and 22 are NOT accepted)
  • CHEM 4*, 6A, 6B, 6C, 11*, 12, 13
  • PHYS 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2C, 10, 11

*Only one of CHEM 4 or 11 can be taken for credit.

4 Formal Skills Courses

• PSYC 70 or COGS 14A
• MATH 10A or 20A*
• MATH 10B or 20B*
• MATH 10C or 20C*

* Preferred calculus courses critical for the success of students who plan to pursue mathematically intensive areas of CBN.

1 Computer Programming Course (choose one of the following)

• BILD 62
• COGS 18*
• CSE 6R, 8A, 11, 12
• CSS 1

* Preferred computer programming courses critical for the success of students who plan to pursue research careers in Cognitive Science or Psychology.

**The Psychology Department will accept CSS 1 or BILD 62 to satisfy the computer programming requirement. Please send a Virtual Advising Center (VAC) message to have this exception applied to your degree audit.

1 Statistics Course (choose one of the following) - Statistics must be taken for a letter grade.

• PSYC 60
• COGS 14B

**The Psychology Department will accept MATH 11 to satisfy the statistics requirement. Please send a Virtual Advising Center (VAC) message to have this exception applied to your degree audit.

Note: All lower-division courses must be passed with a minimum grade of C- or P.

2 Research Courses (choose two of the following courses)

Students may complete the required 8 units of research for the major using any combination of research lab courses and/or independent research courses.

• Research Lab Courses:^ 
  • PSYC 112, 113, 114, 115B, 116C, 117, 118, 121, 140, 193L, 194ABC* 
  • COGS 102B, 102C, 118A, 118B, 119, 120, 121, 138, 153, 165, 170, 189, 190ABCD*
  • BIPN 162
• Independent Research:** PSYC 199 or COGS 199

*Successful completion of either PSYC 194ABC or COGS 190 ABCD (Dept. Honors) fully satisfies the research requirement.

COGS 160 may be used for one lab if pre-approved by Psych advising prior to the start of the course.

By petition, BIPN 105 may be accepted for the major.

B.S. Research Paper (may be titled "Research Experience")

^Students who use at least one of the Research Lab courses from the list above, do not have to submit a B.S. Research paper to the Psychology Advising Office.

**Students who satisfy their research requirement using 8 units of PSYC 199 or COGS 199 are required to submit a B.S. Research paper to the Psychology Advising Office to fully satisfy their B.S. major requirements. You can learn more about the B.S. Research Paper Guidelines on our website.

B.S. Research Paper section on your Degree Audit: must be manually cleared by a Psychology advisor; therefore, even if you are not required to write a B.S. Research paper, this section will not be marked complete until after one of the advisors reviews and approves your Degree and Diploma Application (DDA).

4 CBN Core Courses

• COGS 107A
• PSYC 102 or COGS 101A
• PSYC 106 or COGS 107B
• PSYC 108 or COGS 107C

6 CBN Courses (choose six of the following)

• PSYC 116, 122, 123, 125, 132, 133, 144, 150, 159, 169, 170, 171, 179, 181, 189
• COGS 115, 116, 118C, 119, 154, 163, 164, 165, 169, 170, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 184
• HDS 110

2 Elective Courses (choose two of the following)

• PSYC 100, 101, 104, 105, 110–193
  • Note: Research courses are not approved to count as UD CBN Elective courses: PSYC 71, 81, 99, 112, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 193L, 194, 196, 199
• COGS 101B, 101C, 102A, 102B, 102C, 109–189

  - Please send the Psychology Advising Office a Virtual Advising Center (VAC) message once a final grade has been posted for the course to apply an exception to your degree audit for the following items:

• Students are allowed to use one 4-unit COGS 195P or PSYC 195P toward the upper-division (UD) PSYC Elective requirement.
• Students may use one 4-unit AIP 197 toward the Upper-Division (UD) Psychology Elective requirement. Pre-approval from the Psychology Advising Office is required to count the course toward the Psychology Major.

  - Graduate courses (2XX) are not generally accepted for credit toward the major, but petitions for exceptions will be considered.

Note: All upper-division courses numbered 100-193 must be taken for a letter grade and a minimum grade of C- is required for the course to count toward the CBN major.