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Brain, Behavior and Cognition

“Understanding and promoting brain health is a global issue impacted by so many different factors like stress, socioeconomic and environmental conditions, and overall quality of life. Experiences abroad help understand how different societies and cultures approach health and social care issues including those that can impact the brain, and will broaden your perspective” - Ginger Withers, Professor

Off-Campus Studies can help BB&C students…

  • Take relevant neuroscience courses not currently offered here at Whitman
  • Gain awareness of the major discipline in a different academic and geographic setting
  • Develop primary research skills from field or lab work in a different locale
  • Expand cross-cultural communication and problem-solving skills
  • Prepare for an increasingly diverse and international workplace
  • Improve foreign language skills

How does a semester of OCS help students in BB&C prepare for various career opportunities?

  • Study abroad provides exposure to the international scientific community that enhances international career opportunities.
  • Programs at research universities also may provide BB&C majors with research opportunities.
  • Other programs that offer practicums or experiences associated with health care, particularly mental health, give hands-on opportunities to address these issues.

As a general rule of thumb, the Brain, Behavior, and Cognition Department recommends the following for students who wish to study off campus.

  • First-year students should take PSYC 110, CHEM 125/135, 126/136 , and BIOL 101.
  • Second-year students should complete Biol 102 , aim to complete BIOL 205 or other Biol elective approved for the BB&C major, complete at least one of the Psych foundational courses and complete 3-4 additional credits in a second foundational or elective Psych course .
  • Second-year students also might consider partially fulfilling the interdisciplinary requirements of the major.
  • Note: While chemistry can be deferred to year 2, this will limit opportunities to take Biology courses.

Major Credits Off Campus Which requirements can Brain, Behavior, and Cognition majors fulfill while off campus?

  • Both required neuroscience and elective major credits from Biology equivalent to 200 and 300-level courses would be acceptable.
  • Both foundational and elective major credits in Psychology can be acceptable. It is recommended that the 300-level Psychology Seminar be completed on the Whitman campus.
  • Research-oriented courses could potentially provide a foundation for thesis work.

Major Credit Limitations

  • The maximum number of credits that can be applied to the Brain, Behavior, and Cognition major from off-campus studies (including AP credit, IB credit and credits from other U.S. institutions) is 12 credits with the approval of your major advisor.

University-based programs offering neuroscience , biology and other natural science courses:

  • IES Amsterdam at the Vrije Universitat (Note students must have completed at least 5 psychology courses prior to study abroad to enroll in psych courses)
  • IFSA: University College Dublin (Ireland)
  • IFSA: University of Melbourne Partnership (Australia)
  • University of Otago (Dunedin, New Zealand)

University of St Andrews, (St Andrews, Scotland) Students interested in health professions/public health may wish to consider the following Study Center options:

  • DIS Copenhagen (Denmark)
  • DIS Stockholm (Sweden)
  • IES: London Health Practice and Policy (England)
  • SIT: Kenya Global Health and Human Rights

Students interested in Off-Campus Studies should attend an OCS First Step meeting in the fall of their second year, discuss their interests with their major advisor, and schedule an appointment with an OCS advisor.

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