The Honors Tutorial College program in Neuroscience provides students with a solid interdisciplinary foundation and allows them to pursue their individual interests in diverse areas including behavioral, cellular, cognitive, molecular, psychological, and quantitative neuroscience. The program aims to provide maximum flexibility while ensuring that students are fully prepared for admission into?graduate or professional school. ? Tutorials, the Honors Thesis, and Other Courses
Students are required to complete six tutorials in their first three years. In a typical tutorial, a professor and the student meet on a weekly basis to discuss specific research topics in neuroscience; tutorials may include a laboratory component. Tutorials are designed to promote students? understanding of research practices in the field, as well as increasing their depth of understanding of neuroscience.?During their senior year, students?complete two research tutorials and write an honors thesis on their own original, independent research project, under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The research is expected to be of the highest quality; the thesis must be accepted by the faculty mentor, the director of studies, and the dean of the college.
Each student receives advice from the director of studies regarding courses, choice of tutors and?thesis advisor, and other procedural matters every semester. In addition to the tutorials, the student must complete English requirements, all core courses not covered by tutorials, and an appropriate number of approved electives. Internships and/or study abroad may be included within the program with special permission from the director of studies.
Students throughout the program earn letter grades consistent with the University grading system and are expected to maintain a?GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students who earn less than a B (3.0), or who maintain less than a 3.5 GPA?must confer with the director of studies and/or the dean of the college. In addition to letter grades, tutors complete course descriptions and evaluations of each student?s progress toward reaching a sophisticated level of understanding of topics and research in neuroscience. Students are expected to demonstrate a professional work ethic and personal sense of responsibility in their tutorials, classes, and interactions with members of the Honors Tutorial College and greater community.