Academic Program Advisor: psychundergrad.utsc@utoronto.ca
Co-op Program Coordinator: coopsuccess.utsc@utoronto.ca
The Specialist program in Neuroscience is a research-intensive program designed to provide students with strong breadth in the major domains of neuroscience, as well as an opportunity to intensively focus on one of three streams. The Cognitive stream focuses on understanding the neural basis of human cognition (e.g., language, memory, attention, decision-making) predominantly through the use of patient neuropsychology and neuroimaging techniques (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG)).
This is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program that combines academic studies with paid work terms in the public, private, and/or non-profit sectors. The program provides students with the opportunity to develop the academic and professional skills required to pursue employment in these areas, or to continue on to graduate training in an academic field related to Neuroscience upon graduation.
In addition to their academic course requirements, students must successfully complete the additive Arts & Science Co-op Work Term Preparation courses and a minimum of three Co-op work terms.
Students may not combine a Neuroscience Specialist program with a Minor or Major program from the Department of Biological Sciences.
Enrolment Requirements
Enrolment in the Program is limited. The admission requirements may change each year depending on available spaces and the pool of eligible applicants, and students are cautioned that there is no guarantee of admission; as such, students are strongly advised to plan to enrol in backup programs.
Note: Co-op students who started in Co-op prior to Fall 2025 are allowed to follow the calendar requirements in effect at that time.
Enrolment takes place in two stages:
Stage 1:
The minimum requirements to be considered for admission are:
1. Completion of 4.0 credits, including BIOA01H3, BIOA02H3, CHMA10H3, [CHMA11H3 or CHMA12H3], PSYA01H3, and PSYA02H3
2. A CGPA of 2.75 or higher.
Students will typically apply to Stage 1 at the end of their first year of study. When applying, note that the Subject POSt code for Stage 1 Co-op is SCSPE1072C. Application for admission will be made to the Office of the Registrar through ACORN, during the Limited Program application periods. For more information on applying to limited enrolment programs, please visit the Office of the Registrar website.
Stage 2:
To complete the program, students must choose one of the three available "Stage 2" streams: the Cognitive Stream, the Cellular/Molecular Stream, or the Systems/Behavioural Stream. Students will typically apply to Stage 2 at the end of their second year of study.
The minimum requirements to be considered for stream admission are:
1. Completion of 10.0 credits including: all Stage 1 course requirements, [MATA29H3 or MATA30H3], and all Neuroscience Foundations courses: BIOB10H3, NROB60H3, NROB61H3, [PSYB07H3 or STAB22H3], PSYB55H3, PSYB70H3
2. Completion of 1.0 credit in Stream Foundations courses from the following list*:
BIOB11H3 Molecular Aspects of Cellular and Genetic Processes
CSCA20H3 Introduction to Programming
CHMB41H3 Organic Chemistry I
CHMB42H3 Organic Chemistry II
MATA23H3 Linear Algebra
[PHYA10H3 Physics I for the Physical Sciences or PHYA11H3 Physics I for the Life Sciences]
PSYB51H3 Introduction to Perception
PSYC08H3 Advanced Data Analysis in Psychology
PSYC09H3 Applied Multiple Regression in Psychology
*Note: Students are advised to exercise caution when selecting these courses since some can be applied to all three streams (BIOB11H3, CHMB41H3, PSYB51H3, PSYC08H3), but others can be applied to only one or two streams.
3. A CGPA of 2.5 or higher.
Prospective Co-op Students
Students who have not yet been admitted into a Co-op Degree POSt must submit a co-op program request through ACORN and ensure they meet the minimum enrollment requirements as noted above. These qualifications may include a higher CGPA specific to the co-op program.
Deadlines follow the Limited Enrolment Program Application Deadlines set by the Office of the Registrar each year. Failure to submit the program request on ACORN will result in the student's application/request not being considered.
Please note that meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee enrolment in the Co-op Program of Study or Degree POSt. The required CGPA may be higher than the minimum threshold and depends on the applicant pool and number of spaces available.
Minimum Qualifications for Prospective Co-op Students:
Credits: Minimum of 4.0 credits to a maximum of 10.0 credits.
Required Courses: Program-specific courses described in the Enrolment Requirements above.
Cumulative GPA: 2.50
Current Co-op Students
Students admitted to a Co-op Degree POSt must also request a Co-op Program of Study through ACORN upon completion of 4.0 credits and meet the minimum qualifications for entry as noted below.
Minimum Qualifications for Current Co-op Students:
Credits: 4.0 credits
Required Courses: Program-specific courses described in the Enrolment Requirements above
Cumulative GPA: 2.50 or higher across all attempted courses.
Academic Program Requirements
This program requires students to complete 6.5 credits in core courses that are common to all streams. Students will complete a further 7.0 credits, specific to the Cognitive stream, for a total of 13.5 credits.
CORE (6.5 credits)
1. Scientific Foundations (3.5 credits):
BIOA01H3 Life on Earth: Unifying Principles
BIOA02H3 Life on Earth: Form, Function and Interactions
CHMA10H3 Introductory Chemistry I: Structure and Bonding
[CHMA11H3 Introductory Chemistry II: Reactions and Mechanisms or CHMA12H3 Advanced General Chemistry]
[MATA29H3 Calculus I for the Life Sciences or MATA30H3 Calculus I for Physical Sciences]
PSYA01H3 Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology
PSYA02H3 Introduction to Clinical, Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology
2. Neuroscience Foundations (3.0 credits):
BIOB10H3 Cell Biology
NROB60H3 Neuroanatomy Laboratory
NROB61H3 Neurophysiology
PSYB55H3 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience
[PSYB07H3 Data Analysis in Psychology or STAB22H3 Statistics I]
PSYB70H3 Methods in Psychological Science
COGNITIVE STREAM (7.0 credits)
3. Quantitative and Methodological Skills (1.5 credits):
PSYC02H3 Scientific Communication in Psychology
PSYC70H3 Advanced Research Methods Laboratory
[PSYC08H3 Advanced Data Analysis in Psychology or PSYC09H3 Applied Multiple Regression in Psychology]
4. Advanced Programming (1.5 credits):
MATA23H3 Linear Algebra
[[CSCA08H3 Introduction to Computer Science I and CSCA48H3 Introduction to Computer Science II]* or [PSYB03H3 Introduction to Computers in Psychological Research and PSYC03H3 Introduction to Computers in Psychological Research: Advanced Topics]]
*Note: students are strongly advised to choose the [PSYB03H3 and PSYC03H3] pairing.
5. Advanced Foundations (1.5 credits):
PSYB51H3 Introduction to Perception
and two of the following:
PSYC51H3 Cognitive Neuroscience of Vision
PSYC52H3 Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention
PSYC53H3 Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory
PSYC54H3 Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYC57H3 Cognitive Neuroscience of Decision Making
PSYC59H3 Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
6. Breadth in Neuroscience (1.0 credit):
two of the following (at least 0.5 credit must be at the C-level):
BIOB11H3 Molecular Aspects of Cellular and Genetic Processes
BIOC44H3/(NROC34H3) Neuroethology
CHMB41H3 Organic Chemistry I
NROC36H3 Molecular Neuroscience
NROC61H3 Learning and Motivation
NROC64H3 Sensorimotor Systems
NROC69H3 Synaptic Organization & Physiology of the Brain
7. Laboratory Course (0.5 credit):
one of the following:
NROC90H3 Supervised Study in Neuroscience
NROC93H3 Supervised Study in Neuroscience
PSYC75H3 Cognitive Psychology Laboratory
PSYC76H3 Brain Imaging Laboratory
8. Capstone Courses (1.0 credit):
two of the following:
PSYD17H3 Social Neuroscience
PSYD50H3 Current Topics in Memory and Cognition
PSYD51H3 Current Topics in Perception
PSYD54H3 Current Topics in Visual Recognition
PSYD55H3 Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory
PSYD62H3 Neuroscience of Pleasure and Reward
PSYD66H3 Current Topics in Human Brain & Behaviour
NROD98Y3 Thesis in Neuroscience*
*Note: only 0.5 credit of NROD98Y3 can be counted towards the Capstone course requirement
Planning Your Co-op Work Terms & Academics
Enrollment in a Co-op program requires careful planning of both academics and work terms. Students should consult their Co-op Program Coordinator and Academic Program Advisors, as well as review the standard co-op sequences and course maps available on the Arts & Science Co-op website and Arts and Science Co-op Compass for guidance.
Co-op Work Term Requirements
Students must successfully complete three Co-op work terms, totaling 12 months in duration, which can be fulfilled through the following options:
- Three 4-month work terms, or
- One 4-month work term and one 8-month work term, or
- One 12-month work term.
Students must be available for work terms during the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters and are required to complete at least one of their work terms in either the Fall or Winter semester. As a result, students must also take courses during the Summer semesters.
To be eligible for their first work term, students must be enrolled in the program, have completed at least 7.0 credits, and maintain a CGPA of 2.50 or higher. It is recommended that PSYB07H3, PSYB70H3, NROB60H3, at least one of [BIOB10H3, BIOB11H3], and at least one of [NROB61H3, PSYB55H3] be completed before the first work term. Any of these courses that are not completed prior to the first work term are recommended to be completed before the second work term. The following additional courses are recommended to be completed before the second work term for the Cognitive stream: PSYC02H3, [PSYC08H3 or PSYC09H3], and PSYC70H3. In addition to their academic courses, students must also complete the required Co-op preparation courses.
Co-op Course Requirements
Co-op students complete the following Co-op-specific courses as part of their degree:
Co-op Preparation Courses (Completed in First Year):
Work Term Search Courses:
- COPB55H3/(COPB52H3) (Completed in the semester prior to the first work term)
- COPC98H3 (Taken in the semester prior to the second work term)
- COPC99H3 (Taken in the semester prior to the third work term)
Required Work Term Courses:
Additional Work Terms & Courses:
After successful completion of the three required work terms, students interested in additional work terms will require approval from the Arts & Science Co-op Office. Additional coursework will also be required:
Note: Co-op courses are taken alongside a full course load and are recorded on transcripts as Credit/No Credit (CR/NCR). These courses have no credit weight and are considered additional credits beyond the 20.0 required degree credits. No additional course fee is charged, as registration is included in the Co-op Program fee.
For information on course codes, fees, status in Co-op programs, and certification of completion of Co-op programs, see the Co-operative Programs section and the Arts and Science Co-op section in the UTSC Calendar.
