Navigating the Neuroscience Minor at UCLA: A Comprehensive Guide

For students with a keen interest in the intricate workings of the brain, a minor in Neuroscience at UCLA offers a valuable opportunity to delve deeper into this fascinating field. This interdisciplinary program draws upon the expertise of faculty from diverse departments, including biology, psychology, biochemistry, mathematics, and engineering, providing a multifaceted perspective on the study of the brain. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the requirements, considerations, and opportunities associated with pursuing a Neuroscience minor at UCLA.

Is a Minor Right for You?

Before diving into the specifics, it's important to consider whether a minor aligns with your academic and professional goals. If you have a broad range of interests, seek to enhance your major, or desire to focus on a secondary area of study, a minor can be an excellent choice. By declaring a minor, you can explore subjects that personally intrigue you, expand your skillset, and diversify your knowledge base. Furthermore, a minor can provide a competitive edge when entering the job market. UCLA boasts over 100 minors, offering numerous possibilities to complement your major in unexpected and enriching ways. For example, a Food Studies minor could nicely augment majors in chemistry, biology, or communication.

Declaring the Neuroscience Minor

The deadline to submit major and minor declaration requests is by 3PM on the last Friday of each respective declaration period. The forms will only be active during these timeframes. No exceptions will be made. Please allot for up to 7-10 business days for requests to be processed after the deadline has passed (requests are not processed on a rolling basis).

Winter 2026 Submission Deadline #1: Friday, January 23rd by 3PM.

Overlapping Course Restrictions

When planning your coursework, it's crucial to be aware of potential restrictions on overlapping courses between your major and minor. A key rule to keep in mind is that no more than eight courses can be from any one department. If a course has the letter “M” before the course number, it means that the course is multiple-listed, meaning it’s offered by more than one department and/or subject area. While the course numbers may not always be identical, all other aspects of the course are the same.

Course Enrollment and Prerequisites

Navigating course enrollment requires attention to detail. Be sure to consult the Class Notes when enrolling in any elective, as they often contain important information regarding enrollment restrictions or recommendations. For Psychology electives, Neuroscience majors/minors are not held to completing prerequisites such as PSYCH 10, 100A, or 115.

Important Resources and Support

UCLA offers a range of resources to support students pursuing the Neuroscience minor. The Undergraduate Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program (uNSIDP) Advising Office provides guidance and support specifically for Neuroscience students. However, the uNSIDP Advising Office does not issue PTE numbers. Please monitor enrollment in the course until the beginning of the quarter that it’s offered in case space becomes available.

Students are also encouraged to contact their assigned College Counseling Unit for inquiries regarding University and College requirements (e.g., GEs, Writing I/II, foreign language, etc.). College Counselors can also assist with graduation and degree planning, College petitions, unit maximums, academic difficulty, etc. Students can use the MyUCLA Degree Audit feature to track progress toward the degree. Any time prior to graduation, a student may request a review of degree progress.

Addressing Academic Challenges

Students may encounter academic challenges during their studies. UCLA provides resources to help students navigate these situations.

Dropping a Course

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether or not to drop a course. Students can drop a course with no fee or transcript notation if dropped by Friday of Week 2 (impacted courses) or Friday of Week 4 (non-impacted courses). After Friday of Week 2, students must submit an Impacted/Retroactive Drop Petition to their College Counseling Unit to drop an impacted course. Approval is not guaranteed, and a transcript notation and $20 fee for late impacted drops and $50 fee for retroactive impacted drops will be incurred if approved. Non-impacted courses can be dropped with no fee and a transcript notation by Friday of Week 7. After Friday of Week 7, students must submit a Restricted Late Drop petition to their College Counseling Unit to drop a non-impacted course. Approval is not guaranteed, and a $35 fee and transcript notation will be incurred if approved. Please be aware that students are restricted to three (3) restricted late drops during their academic career. If you have already dropped three (3) non-impacted classes between Weeks 8-10 and need to drop an additional class, you will need to submit the Impacted/Retroactive Drop Petition. Please be aware that approval is rarely granted. After Friday of Week 10, students must submit an Impacted/Retroactive Drop Petition to their College Counseling Unit to drop a non-impacted course. Any courses dropped for the Neuroscience major must be repeated.

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Incomplete Grades

An Incomplete grade can be assigned when you have been doing work of passing quality, but are unable to complete a small portion of the course requirements (i.e. a lab assignment or term paper) because of an illness or other serious problem. While it is your responsibility to speak to the instructor in order to request an incomplete, it is entirely up to the instructor whether or not to grant your request. If your professor agrees to give you an incomplete, you must finish the remaining coursework during your next completed regular quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring). Failure to resolve the Incomplete grade will automatically result in the grade lapsing to an “F”. It is your responsibility to discuss with the instructor the conditions and time frame for completing the course by the next regular term. Do not re-enroll in the course! If you cannot resolve the Incomplete within the allowed time frame, you must petition the College to request an extension of time. If this eligibility has not been met, you must submit a petition to your assigned College Counseling Unit.

Double Majors and Pre-Health Considerations

For students considering a double major alongside the Neuroscience minor, careful planning is essential. In considering a double major, you will want to ensure that you can satisfy both majors’ requirements by your Degree Expected Term. It is recommended to meet with advisors from both departmental advising offices to review each major’s requirements. To be eligible to declare a double major, you will need to complete all preparation coursework for both majors in addition to two upper division courses for each major.

If you are on a pre-health track, it's important to align your coursework with the requirements of health professional schools. Please refer to the Pre-Health Requirements worksheet to see recommended coursework for health professional schools. You will want to contact each school regarding their respective admission requirements.

Research Opportunities

Engaging in research is a valuable experience for Neuroscience students. Students typically get involved in research after their first few quarters at UCLA. You may consider contacting professors from courses you’ve taken and whose research interests you. You can also connect with your Teaching Assistants (TA’s) regarding research opportunities. No, you must have completed at least one quarter of an SRP-99 or departmental 199 in the same neuroscience-related research lab with the same faculty mentor. NEUROSC 198A/B is reserved for students pursuing departmental honors and culminates in the completion of an honors thesis.

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