Neuroscience Specialist (Science Program) - ASSPE1472

HMB: Neuroscience
Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field aimed at understanding the brain and nervous system utilizing integration of research at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels, and through all stages of human development. The application of neuroscience has important implications for understanding human behaviour and for promoting the development of effective strategies for diagnosing and treating nervous system disorders. The objective of the HMB: Neuroscience specialist and major programs is to provide students with a solid foundation and facilitates the integration of concepts from multiple fields to their understanding of neuroscience.

This is a limited enrolment program. Students must have completed 4.0 credits and meet the requirements listed below to enrol.

Note there are different options depending on whether a student has completed between 4.0 and 8.5 credits, or 9.0 or more credits.

For students who have completed between 4.0 and 8.5 credits:

Variable Minimum Grade
Minimum grades in required courses or their equivalents are needed for entry, and these minimums change each year depending on available spaces and the number of applicants. The following courses must be completed:

To ensure that students admitted to the program will be successful, applicants with a final grade lower than 70% in BIO130H1, a final grade average lower than 70% in ( CHM135H1, CHM136H1), or a final grade lower than 70% in CHM151Y1 will not be considered for admission. Please note that obtaining the minimum grades does not guarantee admission to the program.

For students who have completed 9.0 or more credits:

Variable Minimum Grade
A minimum grade is needed for entry, and this minimum changes each year depending on available spaces and the number of applicants. The following courses or their equivalents must be completed:

To ensure that students admitted to the program will be successful, applicants with a final grade lower than 70% in BIO230H1/​ BIO255H1 will not be considered for admission. Please note that obtaining this minimum final grade does not guarantee admission to the program.

Students applying for admissions to the program utilizing transfer credits will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students entering from CEGEP or from another university should contact hmb.undergrad@utoronto.ca after their transfer credit assessment has been complete for program enrolment assessment. Please consult the Arts & Science Program Toolkit for more information on program enrolment.

Students in this program have the option to request enrolment in the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) stream. Students can apply for the ASIP stream after Year 1 (Year 2 entry) or after Year 2 (Year 3 entry, starting Fall 2025). Full details about ASIP, including student eligibility, selection and enrolment, are available in the ASIP section of the Arts & Science Academic Calendar. Please note that the majority of students enter ASIP in Fall term of Year 2. Space is more limited for Year 3 entry and there are program-specific year 3 entry enrolment requirements. Students applying for Year 3 entry must have been admitted to the Neuroscience Specialist program in the Summer after Year 2 and have completed BIO230H1, HMB265H1 and HMB200H1 prior to ASIP entry.

Required Courses (12.0 credits, including at least 1.0 credit at the 400-level)

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

  1. ( CHM135H1, CHM136H1)/ CHM151Y1
    Transfer credits will be accepted in lieu of the chemistry requirements only if they carry a direct exclusion or equivalency to a pre-approved chemistry course.
  2. MAT135H1/​ PHY131H1/​ PHY151H1/​ CSC108H1/​ CSC110Y1/​ CSC148H1
  3. BCH210H1

Biological Foundations of Living Systems

4. BIO120H1, BIO130H1
5. BIO230H1/​ BIO255H1
6. HMB265H1/​ BIO260H1
7. PSL300H1

Neuroscience Concentration Courses

8. PSY100H1 Transfer credits from AP and IB Psychology are not accepted
9. HMB200H1
10. HMB300H1
11. CJH332H1
12. HMB320H1
13. JHA410H1/​ ANA300Y1

14. 2.0 credits from HMB360H1/​ HMB385H1/​ HMB420H1/​ HMB430H1/​ HMB440H1/​ HMB442H1/​ HMB450H1/​ HMB460H1/​ HMB471H1/​ HMB473H1/​ HMB490Y1/​ CSB345H1/​ CSB346H1/​ CSB430H1/​ CSB432H1/​ CSB445H1/​ CSC321H1/​ LMP410H1/​ NEW335H1/​ BPM335H1/​ NFS489H1/​ PCL475H1/​ PCL476H1/​ PSL374H1/​ PSL432H1/​ PSL440Y1/​ PSL445H1/​ PSL446H1/​ PSL450H1/​ PSL452H1/​ PSL472H1/​ PSY342H1/​ PSY371H1/​ PSY372H1/​ PSY390H1/​ PSY395H1/​ PSY460H1/​ PSY470H1/​ PSY471H1/​ PSY473H1/​ PSY480H1/​ PSY490H1/​ PSY492H1/​ PSY493H1/​ PSY492H1/​ PSY493H1/​ PSY494H1/​ PSY496H1

Data Analysis and Research-Based Courses

15. 0.5 credit in statistics: EEB225H1/​ STA220H1/​ STA288H1/​ PSY201H1
16. 0.5 credit from bioethics: HMB306H1/​ HMB406H1/​ PHL281H1
17. 0.5 credit from upper-year lab course: HMB310H1/​ HMB314H1/​ PSY369H1
18. 1.0 credit from project course: HMB490Y1/​ HMB491Y1/​ HMB496Y1*

* A research project from a different unit may be accepted with prior written approval from Human Biology.

Neuroscience Specialists Notes:

  1. Courses can only count toward one requirement, even if listed as options to multiple requisites of the program.
  2. Not all courses listed have priority enrolment for Neuroscience specialists. Students are responsible for checking priority of courses and meeting course prerequisites for courses they wish to take.
  3. Effective Fall 2021, courses associated with New College's Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health program will have the new "BPM" designator.

Course Group

Neuroscience Centric Courses:

HMB200H1, HMB300H1, HMB310H1, HMB320H1, CJH332H1, HMB360H1, JHA410H1, HMB420H1, HMB430H1, HMB440H1, HMB442H1, HMB450H1, HMB460H1, HMB473H1

Students in this program have the option to complete the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) stream.