Major Code BS1937

Honors Tutorial College
35 Park Place
Phone: 740.593.2723
Fax: 740.593.9521
honors.college@ohio.edu
www.ohio.edu/honors

Janet Duerr, director of studies/contact person
duerr@ohio.edu

Program Overview

Modern neuroscience is a highly interdisciplinary field that brings together ideas and methodologies from a variety of disciplines such as biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, philosophy, physics, and psychology. The Honors Tutorial College program in Neuroscience provides students with a solid interdisciplinary foundation and allows them to pursue their individual interests in diverse areas including behavioral, cellular, cognitive, molecular, psychological, and quantitative neuroscience. The program aims to provide maximum flexibility while ensuring that students are fully prepared for admission into graduate or professional school.

Tutorials, the Honors Thesis, and Other Courses

Students are required to complete six tutorials in their first three years .In a typical tutorial, a professor and the student meet on a weekly basis to discuss specific research topics in neuroscience; tutorials may include a laboratory component. Tutorials are designed to promote students’ understanding of research practices in the field, as well as increasing their depth of understanding of neuroscience.  During their senior year, students complete two research tutorials and write an honors thesis on their own original, independent research project, under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The research is expected to be of the highest quality; the thesis must be accepted by the faculty mentor, the director of studies, and the dean of the college.

Each student receives advice from the director of studies regarding courses, choice of tutors and thesis advisor, and other procedural matters every semester. In addition to the tutorials, the student must complete English requirements, all core courses not covered by tutorials, and an appropriate number of approved electives. Internships and/or study abroad may be included within the program with special permission from the director of studies.

Students throughout the program earn letter grades consistent with the University grading system and are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students who earn less than a B (3.0), or who maintain less than a 3.5 GPA must confer with the director of studies and/or the dean of the college. In addition to letter grades, tutors complete course descriptions and evaluations of each student’s progress toward reaching a sophisticated level of understanding of topics and research in neuroscience. Students are expected to demonstrate a professional work ethic and personal sense of responsibility in their tutorials, classes, and interactions with members of the Honors Tutorial College and greater community.

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

Students are selected by the director of studies of the neuroscience tutorial program and the Honors Tutorial College on the basis of superior ability and sustained motivation. We look for excellent scores on standardized tests (30 composite score on the ACT or a combined score of 1300 on the SAT) and an excellent high school record (class standing in the top 10%). To allow for personalized evaluation, recommendations from two high school teachers, including one science or math teacher, as well as an interview with the director of studies, are required for acceptance into our program. The personalized aspects of the tutorial system occasionally make it possible for us to accept students who have not performed well on standardized measures of ability but who demonstrate exceptional aptitude in other ways. The priority deadline for application for admission is December 1, and admission interviews are held in January.

Internal and External Transfer Admission

First year students at Ohio University or at other institutions may apply to transfer into the neuroscience honors tutorial program and the Honors Tutorial College. These students must meet the same entrance requirements as entering freshmen. The priority deadline for application is December 1.

Opportunities Upon Graduation 

This major will fulfill the admission requirements for graduate work or professional school (e.g., medicine, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, etc.).Coursework will be tailored for individual students so that they meet the prerequisites for their graduate program of interest.

Requirements