2024-2025 Academic Catalog 
    
    Oct 11, 2024  
2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Physiology and Neuroscience, BS


Program Description:

The Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology offers a program leading to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Physiology and Neuroscience. The curriculum offers students an in-depth foundation in physiology and neuroscience developed from the ground up by an interdisciplinary team of Wright State University faculty. This program uniquely emphasizes how prerequisite coursework from multiple fields of science relates to and can be applied to physiological and neuroscientific concepts. This is achieved via pedagogical best practices focused on engaging students in their learning such that they are actively involved in understanding these concepts and ideas and fostering scientific creativity and critical thinking.

The Program’s coursework focuses on foundational neuroscience topics related to cellular neuroscience, physiological neuroscience, and behavioral neuroscience. Additionally, coursework will be complemented with foundational physiology and anatomy topics related to homeostasis, metabolism, and the function and structure of various organ systems of the body. These will be supplemented with training in fundamental research techniques, as well as opportunities to work with faculty members on cutting-edge research in these fields.

This Program will aid in students being competitively prepared for careers in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to:  scientific research, medicine, education, biotechnology, public policy, scientific writing, and law.

Admission Requirements

All students are eligible to be directly admitted into the Bachelor of Science in Physiology and Neuroscience program.

Program Learning Objectives and Outcomes

The Bachelor of Science in Physiology and Neuroscience program is focused on in-depth physiology and neuroscience content knowledge centered around four main learning goals: organization of the various systems of the body, cellular and organ system physiology, peripheral and central information processing, and how various systems of the body work together to elicit behavioral and physiological responses to conditional needs.

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in the Physiology and Neuroscience, BS program will learn to:

  • Map out the various systems of the body.
  • Predict direct changes to the physiology of cells and organ systems, as various perturbations occur.
  • Describe how the body senses, processes, and perceives stimuli to elicit a response.
  • Model how various organ systems work together to meet the biological needs of an organism due to intrinsic or extrinsic demands.

In addition to the content knowledge, physiology and neuroscience majors will develop an array of broadly applicable skills, including being able to:

  • Independently search for existing scientific data and techniques.
  • Critically evaluate results; identifying the methods used to obtain them, and how to interpret them.
  • Proficiently use a variety of laboratory research techniques to address scientific questions.
  • Collaborate with colleagues, including peers, faculty, and staff.
  • Effectively communicate scientific information in both oral and written formats.
  • Implement the scientific process to address both hypothetical and actual scientific questions.
  • Problem-solve by identifying the variables and resources available.
  • Design effective and logical research experiments to address scientific questions.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, graduates of the Physiology and Neuroscience, BS program can:

  • Map out the various systems of the body.
  • Predict direct changes to the physiology of cells and organ systems, as various perturbations occur.
  • Describe how the body senses, processes, and perceives stimuli to elicit a response.
  • Model how various organ systems work together to meet the biological needs of an organism due to intrinsic or extrinsic demands.
  • Independently search for existing scientific data and techniques.
  • Critically evaluate results; identifying the methods used to obtain them, and how to interpret them.
  • Proficiently use a variety of laboratory research techniques to address scientific questions.
  • Collaborate with colleagues, including peers, faculty, and staff.
  • Effectively communicate scientific information in both oral and written formats.
  • Implement the scientific process to address both hypothetical and actual scientific questions.
  • Problem-solve by identifying the variables and resources available.
  • Design effective and logical research experiments to address scientific questions.

Additional Information:

Program Requirements:


Note:  Students must complete all courses in II. Physiology and Neuroscience Core Requirements with a grade of “C” or better.

I. Wright State Core: 44 Hours


Element 1 - Communication: 6 Hours


Element 2 - Mathematics: 4 Hours


Required:

Element 3 - Global Traditions: 6 Hours


Element 4 - Arts and Humanities: 3 Hours


Element 5 - Social Sciences: 7 Hours


Required Course:

Element 6 - Natural Sciences: 8 Hours


Required courses:

Additional Core Courses: 10 Hours


Required courses:

II. Physiology and Neuroscience Core Requirements: 28 Hours


III. Physiology and Neuroscience Electives and Requirements: 12 Hours


Select four courses from the list below. One must be an NEU course. Up to 1 non-listed 3000- or 4000-level PSY course may count towards the four courses.

V. General Electives: 9 Hours


Total: 120 Hours


Graduation Planning Strategy


The graduation planning strategy (GPS) has been created to illustrate one option to complete degree requirements within a four-year time period. However, each student’s strategy to completion may be unique. Therefore, students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to adjust this plan based on credit already earned, individual needs, or curricular changes that may not be reflected in this year’s catalog.

Physiology and Neuroscience, BS (GPS)