Program Details
Program Details
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Bachelor of Arts
Randolph-Macon College
Program Details
Behavioral Neuroscience (BA)
Bachelor of ArtsBehavioral Neuroscience (BA)
Randolph-Macon College
Behavioral Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary course of study within the broader framework of neuroscience that explores the impact of various aspects of behavior and environment on the brain's functions. In the Randolph-Macon behavioral neuroscience laboratory, students have explored the impact of parenting, enriched environments, chronic stress, exercise and various social interactions on behavioral and neural responses.
The behavioral neuroscience major exposes students to the fundamental elements of the discipline, bolstered by opportunities to conduct relevant original research and complete internships in various professional settings. In multiple courses, students will learn the fundamental properties of the nervous system in order to fully understand its integration with various aspects of behavior and mental processes. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, students will take relevant courses in several disciplines including the departments of psychology, biology, and chemistry.
Generally, the mission of the behavioral neuroscience major is to provide Randolph-Macon students with an opportunity to gain sufficient expertise/mastery to enable them to become critical thinkers in the discipline. Students will gain mastery in behavioral neuroscience (e.g., competence in critical thinking, science methodology, and communication skills) by conducting original research projects (and writing formal papers and presenting the information) as they progress through the Randolph-Macon behavioral neuroscience curriculum.
Program Overview & Guidance
Delivery Mode
In-Person
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Delivery Mode
Online
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Delivery Mode
Hybrid
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| Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Considerations for Selecting Degree | Behavioral Neuroscience emphasizes the interaction of behavior with biological systems including brain pathways, nervous systems and hormonal systems.Behavioral neuroscience has emerged as one of the most exciting and fastest-growing disciplines in science, leading to exciting career paths including medicine, health sciences, academia, government and private sector. This interdisciplinary field of study helps students develop intellectual skills in critical thinking and sound reasoning, and requires integration of knowledge from multiple levels of analysis, all of which are important characteristics of a liberal arts education. In Virginia we are one of only two Neuroscience programs among comparable colleges. With nearly 200 US Universities and Colleges offering some type of major, program, or concentration in neuroscience, more and more undergraduate students are interested in embarking on some form of formal instruction in the neuroscience discipline. Demand for professionals in the field, in various capacities (from research assistant to medical professionals and teachers), has increased steadily in the past decade, offering a very promising career path. An advantage for students attending small liberal arts colleges is that, given the lower student to faculty ratios, students are more likely to have an opportunity to conduct original research projects with faculty. These experiences truly set our students apart, and are one of the main reasons why so many of our graduates are highly competitive for graduate and medical school, and professional positions. Involved in: Nu Rho Psi Honorary in Neuroscience Neuroscience Club Psi Chi Honorary in Psychology Tri Beta Honorary in Biology Undergraduates who participate in research in Behavioral Neuroscience are often much more like early graduate students in terms of their preparation, and accomplishments. Our students present at international conferences, and are on papers published from our laboratories. This truly sets them apart from their peers, and is partially why our graduates have gone on to competitive medical and graduate programs, post baccalaureate research training programs, and professional careers. Here are just some of the papers published with our undergraduates: Immunomodulatory Effects of Stress and Environmental Enrichment in Long-Evans Rats (Rattus norvegicus). Scarola SJ, Perdomo Trejo JR, Granger ME, Gerecke KM, Bardi M. Comp Med. 2019 Feb 1;69(1):35-47. doi: 10.30802/AALAS-CM-18-000025. Epub 2019 Feb 6. PMID: 30728094 Free PMC article. Enriched Environment Exposure Enhances Social Interactions and Oxytocin Responsiveness in Male Long-Evans Rats. Neal S, Kent M, Bardi M, Lambert KG. Front Behav Neurosci. 2018 Sep 5;12:198. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00198. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30233335 Free PMC article. Profiling coping strategies in male and female rats: Potential neurobehavioral markers of increased resilience to depressive symptoms. Kent M, Bardi M, Hazelgrove A, Sewell K, Kirk E, Thompson B, Trexler K, Terhune-Cotter B, Lambert K. Horm Behav. 2017 Sep;95:33-43. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.07.011. Epub 2017 Aug 4. PMID: 28755980 Free PMC article. Natural-enriched environments lead to enhanced environmental engagement and altered neurobiological resilience. Lambert K, Hyer M, Bardi M, Rzucidlo A, Scott S, Terhune-Cotter B, Hazelgrove A, Silva I, Kinsley C. Neuroscience. 2016 Aug 25;330:386-94. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.05.037. Epub 2016 May 26. PMID: 27238894 Parity modifies endocrine hormones in urine and problem-solving strategies of captive owl monkeys (Aotus spp.). Bardi M, Eckles M, Kirk E, Landis T, Evans S, Lambert KG. Comp Med. 2014 Dec;64(6):486-95. PMID: 25527030 Free PMC article. Contingency-based emotional resilience: effort-based reward training and flexible coping lead to adaptive responses to uncertainty in male rats. Lambert KG, Hyer MM, Rzucidlo AA, Bergeron T, Landis T, Bardi M. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014 Apr 28;8:124. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00124. eCollection 2014. PMID: 24808837 Free PMC article. |
| Considerations When Selecting Courses |
Behavioral Neuroscience Minor Psychology Major /Minor Biology Major/MInor Chemistry Minor
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| Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
| Doing More With Your Degree | While in the program, students have opportunities to conduct research in collaboration with a faculty member. Some examples of previous studies are: Alex Chapman (‘23) investigated if social play could mitigate the toxic effects of chronic unpredictable stress. She found that social play, and environmental enrichment, increased the expression of a beneficial resilience factor, NPY, in the brains of animals that played. This was also Alex’s SURF research and she is planning on doing a senior research project as her senior capstone in Behavioral NSCI. Alex presented her research at the International Behavioral Neuroscience annual meeting in Summer 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland. She also won a very competitive travel award from the society to present this work. Alex’s mentor for these projects is Dr. Massimo Bardi. Hailey Donald ‘23, Molly Ambrosio ‘25, and Dagny Hudgins ‘23 presented research related to an ongoing project investigating the long term effects of early life stress in mice. They showed that mice who had experienced early life stress had changes in their brains related to increased inflammation, and that those who were allowed to exercise had decreased inflammation. It’s important to point out that they looked at the brains of these animals as early adults, showing that the early life stress enacts chronic changes in the brain. Importantly, this is some of the first work to show that exercise can potentially offset some of the damaging effects of this stress. This is work that they did as part of SURF project last summer, and that Hailey Donald is continuing as her senior project/capstone in Behavioral Neuroscience. They presented their research at the International Behavioral Neuroscience annual meeting in Summer 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland. The mentor for these projects is Dr. Kim Gerecke. Aftyn Trumbo ‘21 investigated if the effects of two stressors would combine to produce synergistic damage in the brain. She combined a psychological stressor with a physiological one, the bacteria endotoxin lipopolysaccharide. When administered chronically, this endotoxin produces damage in the brain similar to that seen in Parkinson’s disease, due to the inflammation it causes. Aftyn’s project investigated if Cannabidiol (CBD) would protect against the toxic effects of LPS and stress. This project started as a SURF project, and grew into a multi year project. She presented this work at the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in summer 2021, and this was her Senior Capstone project. Her mentor was Dr. Kim Gerecke. Students also have the opportunity to travel through courses such as Comparative Animal Behavior: "Working with primates in the wild or in semi-free ranging habitats is a unique opportunity for our students," says Massimo Bardi, the director of the Behavioral Neuroscience program and the Randolph-Macon College Primate-lab in Miami, FL. "Studying primates can be a transformative experience for our students. Not only these animals are fascinating and full of surprises, they offer the best chance to challenge our knowledge on the origin of human behavior. For example, monkeys at the DuMond Conservancy in Miami engage in a curious play behavior involving rocks and a stick. We are speculating that this could give us a window into an early form of music production." Students investigated the issue of animal culture, which has been debated in several disciplines, including ethology, zoology, sociology, and comparative psychology. They also experienced a unique opportunity to study one of the most intriguing primate species, snow monkeys, by conducting observational research at the Arashiyama Park (Kyoto Prefecture, Japan). Monkeys at this location are wild, but are accustomed to humans because feeding stations have been maintained since the early 1950s. "Studying wild snow monkeys in Japan is an incredible learning adventure," says Bardi. "The social trajectory and evolution of snow monkeys and Japanese people are intertwined, since they shared the same habitat and very similar needs for thousands of years." Observing monkeys, says Bardi, allows scientists to focus on a simplified version of cultural variation in different populations, thus providing them with a better framework to develop and test specific hypotheses about the origin and function of cultures. "For example, the monkeys of Arashiyama are well known for a behavior called 'stone playing,'" he explains. "They accumulate rocks and then spend hours playing with them and trying to create different sounds by smashing one into another. The amount of time, the kinds of rocks, and the preferred sounds vary group by group. Trying to observe, analyze and understand why that happens is much easier than trying to disentangle all the functions of rituals, playing behavior, and politics in humans." Graduates from our program are employed with companies such as: Lieber Institute for Brain Development Virginia Commonwealth University Youth and Family Services of Virginia - ASSET Program Mid Atlantic Chiropractic Center Virginia Department of Health Other graduates have continued their studies in programs such as: National Institutes of Health University of Virginia School of Medicine Old Dominion University - Doctor of Physical Therapy University of Maryland: School of Medicine Genetic Counseling Program. University of Maryland Baltimore County - Neuroscience Doctoral Program |
| Program Successes & Highlights | Our program offers rigorous academic standards together with unparalleled research / experiential opportunities. We are the only program in Virginia requiring our students to take advanced Neuroscience techniques and Statistical Modeling classes. We also offer hands-on experience with primates thanks to our satellite Primate lab in Miami, FL - with both human and non-human primates thanks to international collaboration with Japan and Italy, together with traditional laboratory animal research (both mice and rats) in our Neuroscience lab. Students interested in working with humans can also experience internship activities in state-of-the-art facilities such as the VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, the Center for Neurorehabilitation Services, and Speech Connections Rehabilitation Center, just to name a few. This excellent academic / experiential preparation can explain why students majoring in Neuroscience have an excellent placement success in medical and doctoral graduate programs. We are one of only two small liberal arts colleges in the entire state of Virginia that offers Neuroscience as a major. We value intensive professional development of our students, and many of them leave here having presented their research at an international conference, and/or published their work in refereed journals. This is unusual for undergraduates, and truly sets them apart from many of their peers. |
Program Credit Requirements
Credit and Course Requirements for the Program are expected in a future release. Please look above to see if a Transfer Guide is available for this program. If you are a current Virginia Community College student or are planning to start at a Virginia Community College before transferring to this institution and program, please follow the Transfer Guide to plan your courses at the community college.
If you wish to see how your credits may apply, you can:
If you wish to see how your credits may apply, you can:
- Contact the institution where a staff member can help you map your credits to the requirements for this program.
- View the program requirements listed in the institution's catalog.
Applicable Admissions Agreements
The table below lists admissions agreements between Randolph-Macon College and partner institutions that may guarantee admission to this program if you meet the required criteria. Click on the title name of the agreement to view a summary of those criteria.
You can view the full text of these Agreements in the Resource Center
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?
| Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Associate Transfer Degree Completion | Students admitted under our guaranteed admissions agreement are guaranteed completion of most general education requirements. Students may need to complete additional foreign language coursework to complete the Effective Communication requirements and must complete the college's Cross-Area Requirements, most of which can be fulfilled through major programs and should not significantly increase the time to completion of degree.
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Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School |
| Credit for Prior Learning | We accept AP (4 or 5 on the exam) and IB (5, 6, or 7 on higher level exams). |
| Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information
Transfer Center
Transfer Admissions : Randolph-Macon College (rmc.edu)
Visit our transfer site for more information
Number of Transfer Students
120
Percent of Accepted Transfer Students
71
| College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Is This College Right For Me? | At Randolph-Macon, we recognize the breadth of knowledge and experience you bring as a transfer student. Our personalized, hands-on approach to learning lets you build on that foundation, honing the skills you'll need to excel. No matter what your future goals, we'll set you on a path to success that’s uniquely yours. |
| Transfer Student Catalog Year | Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance at RMC. |
| First Year Student Catalog Year | Catalog year determined by first semester of attendance |
| Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | GAA students must complete the RMC transfer application and submit all required materials by June 1 (for fall term) or December 1 (for spring term). GAA students will submit an Intent to Transfer form through their current community college contact to RMC. |
Where Can This Degree Transfer
This section displays degrees most closely related to this program
and to which you may be able to transfer. So, you can use this list to find the
next degree you can complete in your major. Please click the degree name to
visit that program page.
| Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Newport University | Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, Major in Neuroscience | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Richard Bland College | Associate of Science-Life Science | Associate | Associate of Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
| Roanoke College | Bachelor of Science in Psychology | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| George Mason University | Neuroscience, BS | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| William & Mary | Neuroscience - Bachelor of Science | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Marymount University | Neuroscience (BS) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
| Roanoke College | Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
Careers Where This Degree Applies
| O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19-1029.01 | Bioinformatics Scientists | Conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. May design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic information, or other biological information. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 25-1042.00 | Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
| 19-1029.00 | Biological Scientists, All Other | All biological scientists not listed separately. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 19-1029.04 | Biologists | Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 11-9121.01 | Clinical Research Coordinators | Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data. | Management Occupations |
| 19-1029.03 | Geneticists | Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 19-1029.02 | Molecular and Cellular Biologists | Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 11-9121.00 | Natural Sciences Managers | Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields. | Management Occupations |
| 11-9121.02 | Water Resource Specialists | Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues. | Management Occupations |
| 19-1042.00 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
| 19-4021.00 | Biological Technicians | Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs. | Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations |
Cost To Complete