Why is Neuroscience Such a Popular Major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s also an easy program for a small college to have. No major lab costs.

Wouldn't most neuroscience faculty want access to neuroimaging facilities though? Unless they're computational neuroscience I guess.

[Anonymous]

It's inherently interesting.

[Anonymous]

Neuroscience is a tough major

[Anonymous]

My kid has been fascinated by brains since first grade. Neuroscience was made for her.

[Anonymous]

Grey’s Anatomy - Derek Shepherd

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grey’s Anatomy - Derek Shepherd

This makes me laugh. But given that DD and all her friends binge-watched GA during Covid, I guess it’s possible!

From what I’m getting from the above posts, I can see the popularity. In some ways it sounds like a STEMed up version of the traditional Psychology major. Or it can be a more interesting route to pre-med. Or a nice addition to an Engineering degree. I see how it can appeal to a broad range of students.

I just hope the major includes some Humanities courses, too. I worry when the STEM aspects of majors like this crowd out the “human” element. Hopefully there’s at least a core Ethics class required?

[Anonymous]

My ds1 did it because he's adhd, like his brother and dad. He's in med school now.

[Anonymous]

It sounds fancy.

[Anonymous]

I minored in neuroscience 30 years ago. It's a fascinating subject.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grey’s Anatomy - Derek Shepherd

This makes me laugh. But given that DD and all her friends binge-watched GA during Covid, I guess it’s possible!

From what I’m getting from the above posts, I can see the popularity. In some ways it sounds like a STEMed up version of the traditional Psychology major. Or it can be a more interesting route to pre-med. Or a nice addition to an Engineering degree. I see how it can appeal to a broad range of students.

I just hope the major includes some Humanities courses, too. I worry when the STEM aspects of majors like this crowd out the “human” element. Hopefully there’s at least a core Ethics class required?

What does ethics have to do with modeling the brain? A theory of mind/consciousness course would be more relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my engineering college years there were more than a few electrical engineers who also had a minor in neuroscience.

I thought it was an interesting combination.

interesting, my DD wants to do engineer but also interested in medical school potentially....this would probably be a very hard major/minor--what type of engineering?

oops-you did say EE,,,she is torn between ee, me or comp s

Many Chem Es also went to med school, but that's a tough degree if your kid's interests lay elsewhere (EE, ME, Comp S)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's inherently interesting.

+1.

It’s so fascinating, and we are learning so much all the time.

[Anonymous]

I have only heard of a very few of my kids friends majoring in Neuroscience. They end up doing either pharmaceutical sales or going back to school. You can't do anything with the degree without a friend of the family helping you out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grey’s Anatomy - Derek Shepherd

This makes me laugh. But given that DD and all her friends binge-watched GA during Covid, I guess it’s possible!

From what I’m getting from the above posts, I can see the popularity. In some ways it sounds like a STEMed up version of the traditional Psychology major. Or it can be a more interesting route to pre-med. Or a nice addition to an Engineering degree. I see how it can appeal to a broad range of students.

I just hope the major includes some Humanities courses, too. I worry when the STEM aspects of majors like this crowd out the “human” element. Hopefully there’s at least a core Ethics class required?

What does ethics have to do with modeling the brain? A theory of mind/consciousness course would be more relevant.

DP: Ethics is pretty important with regards to the brain--neuroscience comes from a pretty spotty ethical history with people making claims about criminality and the like based on head shapes, neurology experiments done on human subjects, and any human subjects domain also needs ethical training. Theory of mind/consciousness also relevant of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From my engineering college years there were more than a few electrical engineers who also had a minor in neuroscience.

I thought it was an interesting combination.

interesting, my DD wants to do engineer but also interested in medical school potentially....this would probably be a very hard major/minor--what type of engineering?

oops-you did say EE,,,she is torn between ee, me or comp s

Many Chem Es also went to med school, but that's a tough degree if your kid's interests lay elsewhere (EE, ME, Comp S)

We heard Chem ES jobs are in texas-and my kid definitely wants to live on cold climate and not TX