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Curriculum

Behavioral Neuroscience Minor Faculty

Mark Berg

Ph.D. (University of Canterbury [New Zealand]), Associate Professor of Psychology: perceptual category learning, experimental analysis of behavior, history of psychology, motivation, industrial/organizational psychology

John Bulevich

Ph.D. (Washington University), Associate Professor of Psychology: cognitive control and long term memory, aging and metacognition

Vincent Cicirello

Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University), Professor of Computer Science and Information Systems: artificial intelligence, multi-agent systems, operations research, machine learning, software engineering, information assurance, biologically-inspired computing techniques

Joshua Duntley

Ph.D. (University of Texas), Associate Professor of Criminal Justice: evolutionary psychology, forensic psychology, homicide, stalking, victim defenses, human mating, statistics

Jessica Fleck

Ph.D. (Temple University), Professor of Psychology: brain, behavior and cognition, research in problem-solving, creativity, working memory, schizophrenia

More Information

Jessica Fleck

Ph.D. (Temple University), Professor of Psychology: brain, behavior and cognition, research in problem-solving, creativity, working memory, schizophrenia

Research Website

Christine Gayda-Chelder

Ph.D. (Drexel University), Associate Professor of Psychology: health psychology, clinical neuropsychology, traumatic brain injury, early detection of dementia, caregiver burden

Tim A. Haresign

Ph.D. (University of Connecticut at Storrs), Associate Professor of Biology: neuroscience, animal behavior, bioacoustics, evolutionary psychology, cognitive science, issues of diversity

Nathaniel Hartman

Ph.D. (Wesleyan University), Associate Professor of Biology: neuroscience, stem cells, developmental biology, anatomy, physiology

Rodger L. Jackson

Ph.D. (Michigan State University), Professor of Philosophy: Ethical theory, applied ethics, pragmatism, history of philosophy

Fang Liu

Ph.D. (University of Pennsylvania), Associate Professor of Physics: biomedical and health physics, positron emission tomography (PET), surgical probe, biophysics

Jennifer Lyke

Ph.D. (Temple University), Professor of Psychology: counseling psychology, research methods, abnormal psychology, eating disorders, advanced statistics, states of consciousness

Elizabeth Shobe

Ph.D. (University of Toledo), Professor of Psychology and Program Coordinator: cognition, learning theories, experimental psychology, statistical methods, evolution and behavior

Marcello Spinella

Ph.D. (City University of New York), Professor of Psychology: physiological psychol¬ogy, clinical neuropsychology, psychometrics, psychopharmacology, herbal medicines, executive functions, addiction, aging and mental health

John White

Ph.D. (North Texas State University), Professor of Psychology: sex crimes, violent crimes, police psychology, forensic psychology, criminal profiling

Melissa Zwick

Ph.D. (University of Kentucky), Assistant Professor of Biology: neurobiology, human anatomy, vertebrate physiology, toxicology, science education

Admission to the Minor

The Behavioral Neuroscience Minor is open to students of all majors. Interested students should inform their preceptor of their interest and be sure to complete the Declaration of Major/Minor Form, available through   Academic Advising to officially declare the minor. The declaration form must be signed by the minor coordinator.

Because of the varied nature of the coursework, many of the courses in the curriculum can be applied toward either cognate or at-some-distance requirements, depending on the student’s academic major and specific course selections within the minor. Much of the minor’s coursework would be considered as cognates for students with majors in Natural Sciences and Mathematics or Social and Behavioral Sciences, whereas most courses would be considered at-some-distance for majors in Arts and Humanities, Business, and Health Sciences.

Many of the elective courses in the minor are general studies courses that can be used to meet these requirements. Students should consult with their preceptor and the minor coordinator to determine exactly how courses in the minor will be applied. The decision about where minor courses fit in a student’s academic plan is usually made by the student’s preceptor on behalf of the program in which the student majors.

Planning early, particularly in programs with highly structured requirements, can help students complete the minor without taking additional coursework beyond the 128 credits required for graduation.

Career Opportunities

Completing a minor in Behavioral Neuroscience would increase one’s success in applying to graduate programs such as:

• Medicine,
• Neuroscience programs
• Biology
• Clinical neuropsychology
• Forensic psychology,
• Criminal justice
• Law
• Physical and occupational therapy

Specialized training in the study of the brain would also be an asset for students entering into or completing professional programs, such as nursing and speech audiology and pathology, in which an advanced understanding of the brain’s structure and function would assist students in applying interventions aimed at rehabilitation.

In addition, training in neuroscience will help prepare students to work in applied laboratory settings that utilize neuroscience techniques and related approaches. Because neuroscience has become an integral component of many fields, the minor will serve as a complement to many undergraduate programs that prepare students to enter directly into service and applied professions, such as education, social work, and law enforcement.