Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences : Neuroscience Track

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Carnegie Mellon University

Program Overview

Carnegie Mellon University's B.S. in Biological Sciences: Neuroscience Track combines a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, and physics with intensive study of the brain and nervous system. It suits students interested in neuroscience, biomedical research, health professions, or graduate study, with advanced coursework covering cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, learning and memory, and related areas.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build the scientific foundation needed for advanced biological study through courses such as 03-121 Modern Biology, 09-105 Introduction to Modern Chemistry I, 21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus, and 33-121 Physics I for Science Students. The curriculum also introduces quantitative and computational thinking, giving students a broad base across the natural sciences.

Year 2: Students progress into core biological concepts and begin developing a stronger understanding of molecular and genetic processes through subjects such as 03-220 Genetics, 03-231 Honors Biochemistry, and 03-320 Cell Biology. Students also continue chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computing coursework as they prepare for specialized neuroscience study.

Year 3: The neuroscience focus becomes more intensive with courses such as 03-362 Cellular Neuroscience and 03-363 Systems Neuroscience, exploring neural communication, brain circuitry, perception, and behavior. Students can complement this work with subjects such as 03-343 Experimental Techniques in Molecular Biology, 03-350 Developmental Biology, or 03-351 Computation and Biology Integrated Research Lab.

Year 4: Students deepen their specialization through advanced neuroscience electives such as 03-365 Neural Correlates of Learning and Memory, 03-366 Neuropharmacology: Drugs, Brain and Behavior, 03-360/02-319 Genomics and Epigenetics of the Brain, or 03-445 Undergraduate Research. The track requires five neuroscience-focused courses, including at least two from Cellular Neuroscience, Systems Neuroscience, and Neural Correlates of Learning and Memory, allowing students to tailor their final stage of study to their interests.

Focus Areas: Cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, neural mechanisms of learning and memory, neurobiology of disease, neuropharmacology, genomics and epigenetics of the brain, developmental biology, computational biology, and brain and behavior.

Learning Outcomes: Students develop foundational knowledge across biology and related sciences, apply scientific concepts to specialized biological fields, and gain experience in experimental design, data interpretation, and scientific problem-solving through advanced coursework and research opportunities.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): The official Carnegie Mellon University program and catalog pages identify the B.S. in Biological Sciences: Neuroscience Track as a specialized Biological Sciences track, but they do not state a separate professional accreditation for this track. The track is particularly recommended by the university for students considering graduate study in neuroscience-related areas.

Reputation (Employability Rankings): Carnegie Mellon University reports strong career outcomes across the university, while the official Biological Sciences pages emphasize preparation for graduate study, research, health professions, and other science-related careers. A specific QS, Guardian, or other official university employability ranking for this individual Biological Sciences: Neuroscience Track is not stated on the official program pages.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in Carnegie Mellon University’s B.S. in Biological Sciences: Neuroscience Track develop practical skills through laboratory-based coursework, experimental design, data interpretation, and hands-on research. The track includes Cellular Neuroscience, Systems Neuroscience, and advanced neuroscience electives, while students can also pursue undergraduate research through the Department of Biological Sciences and Carnegie Mellon Neuroscience Institute. CMU reports that more than 80% of Biological Sciences undergraduates participate in research, giving students opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in active research environments.

Neuroscience Laboratories: Students can engage with neuroscience research laboratories within the Department of Biological Sciences, including laboratories studying neural circuits, brain function, learning, and behavior.
Experimental Research: Cellular Neuroscience develops skills in designing experiments and interpreting data, covering neuronal properties, neural communication, synaptic transmission, brain plasticity, and neural circuits.
Systems-Level Investigation: Systems Neuroscience connects brain circuitry with perception and behavior, providing practical exposure to how neuroscientists investigate relationships between neural structure and function.
Computational Research: Students can choose Computation and Biology Integrated Research Lab, combining biological research with computational approaches.
Undergraduate Research: 03-445 Undergraduate Research allows students to undertake faculty-supervised research with advisor approval, providing a direct pathway into independent scientific investigation.
Paid Research Opportunities: The Neuroscience Institute offers paid and unpaid undergraduate research positions, work-study opportunities, and yearlong fellowships in computational neuroscience.
Summer Research: The Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Neural Computation is a 10-week residential program featuring mentored computational-neuroscience research, with a stated $4,500 stipend, travel support, and campus housing.
Research Fellowships: The Undergraduate Research Fellowships in Computational Neuroscience support yearlong research conducted by CMU and University of Pittsburgh undergraduates, with a stated $11,000 stipend and potential travel funding.
Active-Learning Biology Labs: CMU's Biological Sciences teaching laboratories emphasize active learning in which students practice scientific skills, solve complex problems, make decisions, and explain their findings through writing and discussion.
Interdisciplinary Facilities: Students benefit from the CMU-Pitt Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, which brings together neuroscience research and scientific collaborations and is housed in the Mellon Institute alongside neuroscience laboratories.
Research Areas: The Department of Biological Sciences provides research opportunities across neuroscience, computational biology, genomics, molecular biology/genetics, cell biology, biochemistry/biophysics, developmental biology, and microbiology, allowing neuroscience students to explore interdisciplinary applications.
Digital & Computational Skills: Students can combine neuroscience with computing through options such as Neural Computation, Human Information Processing and Artificial Intelligence, Computational Perception, and Biologically Intelligent Exploration.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biological Sciences: Neuroscience Track gives students a strong foundation in biology while adding focused study of cellular and systems neuroscience, learning and memory, neurobiology, and brain-related research. Carnegie Mellon reports that 88% of Biological Sciences graduates were employed or in graduate school six months after graduation, with an average salary of $69,975 for the Class of 2025.

Typical Job Roles: Research Assistant, Neuroscience Researcher, Biologist, Clinical Research Coordinator.

Career Support & Employer Connections:

Career & Professional Development Center: Students receive support throughout the job and internship search, including resources for researching employers, applying for positions, and preparing for interviews through Handshake and other career resources.
Employer Engagement: CMU's career center connects students with employers through career events, information sessions, on-campus recruiting, and employer partnerships.
Neuroscience Research Opportunities: The Neuroscience Institute offers undergraduate research positions, paid and unpaid opportunities, work-study options, summer research programs, and yearlong computational-neuroscience fellowships.
Research Participation: More than 85% of Biological Sciences undergraduates participate in research, providing valuable preparation for research-focused careers and postgraduate study.

Employment & Salary Outcomes:

Graduate Employment/Study: 88% of Biological Sciences graduates were employed or in graduate school six months after graduation.
Average Salary: Graduates reported an average salary of $69,975 for the Class of 2025.
Recent Employers: Graduates have gone on to organizations including Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, National Institutes of Health, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Procter & Gamble.

University–Industry Connections: Carnegie Mellon maintains employer relationships through its Career & Professional Development Center, which works with employers on recruiting, career events, information sessions, and partnership opportunities. Biological Sciences graduates have also entered organizations such as Procter & Gamble, while the university's neuroscience and biological-sciences ecosystem provides research connections across academic, healthcare, and industry settings.

Long-Term Accreditation Value: Carnegie Mellon is institutionally accredited through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), with the university currently undertaking its 2025–27 reaccreditation process. The Biological Sciences: Neuroscience Track itself is not identified by CMU as having a separate professional accreditation.

Graduation Outcomes: The program develops skills in scientific inquiry, experimental methods, data analysis, and evaluation of scientific information, while the Neuroscience Track provides focused preparation in areas such as cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, learning and memory, neurobiology, and neural research. The university identifies academia and research, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, government, and health professions among the broader destinations for Biological Sciences graduates.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the bachelor's degree, students can progress to advanced study in neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, neural computation, biological sciences, computational biology, biotechnology, or related biomedical fields. Carnegie Mellon specifically states that the Neuroscience curriculum prepares students for advanced study, while the Biological Sciences department offers graduate pathways including the Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, M.S. in Quantitative Biology & Bioinformatics, M.S. in Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Engineering, and M.S. in Computational Biology.