Unravelling the nervous system

Major: Neuroscience (Bachelor of Science)
Minor: Neuroscience

The neuroscience major and minor at Lycoming College are designed to enhance students’ understanding of the mind, brain, and nervous system. Working closely with our faculty, you can model human learning disorders using fruit flies, study reward and addiction, discover how dopamine is transmitted and how mouse neurons develop axons and dendrites to coordinate balance, or be led by your own research question! Our program takes an interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to look at the nervous system from biological, philosophical, psychological, cognitive, behavioral, and sociological perspectives. Enriching coursework with intensive, hands-on lab experiences provides students with breadth and depth of knowledge in the fundamental structures and functions of the nervous system, including current neuroscience research. The collaborative community of distinguished faculty and engaged peers within the neuroscience program offers mentors, networking connections, and exciting opportunities within the field.

Student Opportunities

  • Design your own research project based on your interests and gain experience using modern neuroscience instrumentation.
  • Take advantage of our advanced research facilities, such as the fluorescent microscopy facility, the sterile tissue culture facility, the fly lab, and the rodent behavioral facilities.
  • Partner with faculty to perform neuroscience research.
  • Present independently and with faculty at regional or national conferences.
  • Participate in summer research experiences working in professors' labs.

Why Lycoming?

  1. Students gain access to neuroscience laboratory instrumentation, such as fluorescent microscopy, cyclic voltammetry equipment, and operant conditioning chambers, and research opportunities starting their first year.
  2. Significant laboratory experience prepares students for careers in medicine and other health sciences, neuroscience research in academia, industry, government, and clinical psychology/counseling.
  3. An interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience allows students to excel as critical and analytical thinkers.
  4. Opportunities to do collaborative research with faculty are integrated into the curriculum.
  5. Full-time faculty with doctoral degrees teach in low student-to-faculty ratio settings both in the classroom and in the laboratory.

Why Lycoming is the Right Choice →