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SPECIAL
PROGRAMS & OPPORTUNITIES
Honors Program
The Honors Program is a University-wide program designed to enhance the college experience of students who excel in the classroom. Students enter the program either as a freshman or may apply to the program after at least one quarter at Northeastern. Acceptance to the program requires a cummulative of at least 3.4, but continuation once accepted only requires a cummulative 3.25.
Advantages of being in the program include the opportunity to: do a Junior/Senior Honors Project, take larger course loads and Honors Adjunct courses, participate in activities organized by the Honors Program, and receive Honors recognition at graduation. Honors courses are designated as such on your transcript.
To receive Honors recognition by the University at graduation you must enter the program as a freshman and complete all of the program requirements. If you enter the program later you still enjoy the many advantages of the program and can be recognized as an Honors student at graduation by the College of Arts and Sciences by completing the Junior/Senior Honors Project.
For a description of Honors Courses and the required schedule for taking them visit the Honors Program’s website or contact the office (1 Nightingale, 373-2333).
To complete a Junior/Senior Honors Project, Behavioral Neuroscience majors must:
- Be
a participant in good standing in the Honors Program.
- Identify
a faculty member who will supervise your work on a research project.
- In
consultation with the faculty advisor, identify two other faculty members
to serve as readers of your proposal and attend your final oral presentation.
The three faculty members constitute the student's Honors Project Committee
and should be given a proposal no later than the 6th week of the quarter
before your project begins.
- A
copy of the approved proposal with a Behavioral Neuroscience and Arts
and Science cover sheet attached ust be delivered to the Honors Program
Office (1NI) by the end of finals week in the quarter before your project
is to begin.
- Through
the Honors Program, the student must register for a total of 8 QH of
Junior/Senior Honors Project (PSY 1895-1898 or BIO 1495-1498) over two
quarters.
- Near
the beginning of the project the student should meet with the Committee
so that all committee members can offer feedback on the proposal. This
meeting is not required prior to approval of the proposal by the advisor.
- Submit the final project report and give an oral presentation of the project to your committee at least one week before the end of classes of the second quarter in which you are enrolled in Honors Project. The advisor must submit a letter to the Honors Program Office indicating satisfactory completion of the Honors Project. A final copy of the written project must accompany this letter.
The Honors Project proposal should be 3-5 pages long and include:
- an Introduction clearly describing the general area addressed by the project and the specific hypothesis to be tested; and
- a Research Plan
- a summary of Expected Results with some discussion of possible problems or possible changes in the research plan; and
- a bibliography of cited references.
The final report of the project should be similar but with the addition of the actual results of the project, more thorough discussion of the results, and more detailed methods in the case of laboratory research.
Directed Study
Directed Study is academic credit received for participation in the research of a faculty member who’s research is related to Behavioral Neuroscience. Directed Study can be taken through either the Psychology Department or the Biology Department.
In Psychology there is a sequence of four Directed Study courses (PSY 1890 - 1894) each of which carries 4 QH of credit. In Biology there is a sequence of two courses (BIO 1491 - 1492) each of which carries 2 QH. Any number or combination of these courses can be taken. It is possible for one of the PSY courses or both of the BIO courses (4 QH total) to substitute for one advanced elective in the major (Level 3 courses). If a Directed Study is related to a coop or is a continuation of a prior directed study and includes a written report, it can fulfill the Experiential Education requirement.
Directed Study courses can be taken during any quarter as long as the participating faculty member is in agreement. Directed Study courses are generally not listed in the course schedules for each quarter and consequently do not have predetermined key numbers. Once agreement with a faculty member is established, the student should go to the appropriate departmental office to be registered.
A Directed Study should be arranged before the term in which it is to occur. Usually the student takes the initiative in contacting a faculty member, but it is also common for a faculty member to advertise that they are interested in having students participate in their research through a Directed Study. Directed Study opportunities and a list of Northeastern faculty doing research in Neuroscience are posted on the Research Opportunities page. Additional opportunities are posted on the CEA (center for Experiential Education and Academic Advising) web site.
Although
the type of work performed during a Directed Study is highly variable
students should plan on spending 3 hours per week per credit engaged in
research. This time maybe rigidly scheduled or flexible. The student should
expect to write a report of the work performed and should plan on participating
in laboratory meetings if and when they occur.
Study Abroad
Northeastern
University provides opportunities to study at other universities around
the world through its Study Abroad
program. With prior approval, courses taken abroad can satisfy requirements
of the Behavioral Neuroscience major, even advanced electives. Study abroad
can also fullfil the experiential education requirement.
To become
eligible for teacher certification you must complete a major such as Behavioral
Neuroscience as well as complete appropiate Education course work (for
early childhood or elementary education) or minor in Education (for middle
and high school education). Education itself does not exist as a major.
For early childhood and elementary education it is important to begin
coursework in your freshman year. Completing Teacher Certification coursework
also satisfies the Experiential Education requirement. For more information
contact Prof. Irene Nichols, 69 Lake Hall, 373-3302, or see the
Education web site.
Double Majors and Minors
To Double
Major (e.g., Behavioral Neuroscience and Mathematics) you must complete
all requirements for both programs. It is possible for the same course
to satisfy a requirement in both majors. To enter a second major, you
must complete a College of Arts and Sciences petition and have it signed
by an advisor in the second major you wish to enter.
A Dual Major combines coursework from two majors and has fewer
requirements than a double major. Behavioral Neuroscience is essentially
a dual major between Psychology and Biology.
It is also possible to Minor in another program. The requirements
for a minor are usually an additional 6-10 courses. The requirements are
described in the College of Arts and Sciences publication
about minors. A minor in Biology or Psychology is not allowed because
of the redundancy in course requirements. An exception to this is the
more specific Marine Biology minor which has course requirements that
differ substantially from the biology component of Behavioral Neuroscience.
East-West Program in Marine Biology
Northeastern University, in conjunction with the University of Washington, offers the option of one year of intensive marine studies. The program is held in various locations:
Fall quarter at the Friday Harbor Laboratory, University of Washington
Winter quarter at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab in Jamica
Spring quarter at Northeastern University.
Any Northeastern Student with the appropriate perrequisites is eligible to take East-West program courses, depending on space availability. For more information visit the East-West program website.
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