The Senior Research Program is designed to provide Neuroscience
concentrators with an opportunity to engage in a year-long
independent research project and to obtain course credit
for this research. Senior Research is open to all
seniors concentrating in Neuroscience, regardless of GPA.
Neuroscience concentrators who have a distinguished academic
record and who enroll in Senior Research may also be eligible
for Honors in Neuroscience.
1. Selection of Senior
Research Sponsor
The Concentration recommends that students begin to plan
for Senior Research during their junior year as many students
(and faculty) find it beneficial to spend the summer before
their senior year working in the lab. Students who contemplate
entering the Senior Research Program should first familiarize
themselves with the research activities of the various concentration
faculty. The Neuroscience Office (Volen Center, room 206)
will provide to interested students a list of the faculty's
research interests. Faculty research interests can also
be found on the Brandeis Neuroscience web page at
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/pages/faculty. The Neuroscience
Office also maintains a collection of previously accepted
Senior Theses. Many research opportunities exist for freshmen
and sophomores as well; some of these may serve as the basis
for a Senior Research Project.
2. Enrollment in Senior
Research and Application to the Honors Program
Having secured the agreement of a Sponsor, a student applies
to enroll in Senior Research and, if appropriate, becomes
a candidate for Honors by submitting an application to the
Concentration during the first two weeks of his/her senior
year. The application (attached) should contain the title
and a brief description of the proposed research. Upon approval
of the application the student enrolls in Neuroscience 99d
and "officially" begins work in the laboratory. Enrollment
in Neuroscience 99 requires the signature of Kalpana White,
the Senior Research Coordinator. Note: Enrollment in
99d requires the submission of an enrollment form to the
University Registrar.
Eligibility for Honors
is decided according to the following criteria:
- Senior Neuroscience concentrators who enroll in Neuroscience
99 and have a grade point average of 3.30 or better in
all courses offered for concentration are automatically
eligible for Honors.
- Senior Neuroscience concentrators who enroll in Neuroscience
99 and have a grade point average between 3.0 and 3.3
and who have completed (with a grade of B or better) one
100-level elective course are also eligible for honors
(NOTE: BCHM 100a, BIOL(NEUR) 140b do not count as 100
level courses for this purpose.)
- Senior Neuroscience concentrators who have a GPA below
3.0 and those with GPAs below 3.3 who do not enroll in
a 100-level elective courses, may still enroll in Biol
99 and carry out a Senior Research Project but will not
be candidates for Honors.
3. Credit for Senior Research
Candidates enrolled in Senior Research should register
for Biol 99d, which is a year-long, two-semester course.
This involves filling out a form available at the Registrar's
office, or on the Registrar's
web site.
4. Requirements for
Senior Research, Fall semester
At the completion of the first semester of the year-long
senior research program (NEUR 99), students will write a
paper which reviews the literature in the scientific field
pertinent to their research and includes a bibliography
of cited papers. Copies are given to the faculty research
sponsor and to Professor White (Senior Research/Honors
Program coordinator).
5. Evaluation of Senior
Research and Recommendation for Honors
A formal Senior Thesis is required of all students enrolled
in NEUR 99. The thesis should consist of an Abstract
of not more than 250 words; an Introduction that
presents a reader with adequate information about the relation
of the research problem to current knowledge in that area;
a Materials and Methods section in sufficient detail
that someone else could repeat the work; Results;
a Discussion that includes a critical evaluation
of the results, possible sources of error, and significance
in relation to other findings; and a Bibliography
of cited references (in the style used by the journal Genetics).
The thesis is due at the end of the Spring semester (see
dates below). (Note: You will be able to use all or some
of your fall semester paper when you write your senior research
thesis.)
Students who are not candidates for Honors submit the Senior
Thesis to their Research Sponsor. The Research Sponsor is
responsible for evaluating the work and assigning a grade
for NEUR 99. Students who are candidates for Honors are
evaluated differently. The Research Sponsor assigns a grade
for NEUR 99 based on the student's research and thesis.
In addition, students present their experimental findings
in writing and also give an oral presentation of their work
to a Senior Research Committee, composed of the Research
Sponsor plus two additional faculty members. If the thesis,
oral presentation, and GPA warrant, the faculty may recommend
that such students graduate with Honors, High Honors, or
Highest Honors in Neuroscience.
Senior Research Committees are assigned for each student
toward the end of the academic year. Students are usually
asked to submit copies of their thesis to their committees
a week before classes end and are scheduled to give their
oral presentations the last day of the semester. Oral presentations
are scheduled for one hour and should include a 20 minute
presentation including an introduction that shows why the
work was undertaken and what goals were set. Presentation
of the results may include the use of a blackboard, posters,
or slides. The talk should conclude with a discussion of
the significance of the results. Questions may be asked
by the committee during or after the presentation.
Timetable for 2006/2007
Juniors - Learn about research areas and contact
possible Sponsors for next year. Seek the Professor's
oral agreement to accept you for senior research in
the fall.
Seniors:
Fall semester
September 11th, 2006: Last day to secure agreement
of Sponsor and file Application for Senior Research
in Neuroscience with the Senior Research Coordinator
(Dr. White), and Valerie Corapi or Jean Wong in Volen
206, and enroll in Neuro 99d.
December 11th, 2006: Submit a paper to your
sponsor summarizing the background of your research
project to and send the title and abstract page to Dr.
White
Spring semester
April 27th, 2007: Submit 3 copies of Final Draft
to the members of your of Senior Research Committee.
May 3rd, 4th and 7th, 2007: Oral presentation
of thesis research.
May 11th, 2007: One copy of complete Senior
Thesis due in Concentration Office.
Kalpana White
Senior Research Coordinator
Bassine 324
white @ brandeis.edu
