Land Acknowledgement
The Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience (UPN) at UBC Vancouver campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. We are mindful of our responsibility to reconciliation given our position on this stolen land, and are committed to upholding this responsibility with humility and openness to feedback.

We also acknowledge our position as one part of a colonialist educational institution that has been used as a means of assimilating Indigenous peoples, leading to trauma that echoes across generations. That colonialism persists in structural, institutional, and personal colonialism and racism, impacting the rights and resources of Indigenous persons, their languages, and their cultures.

With awareness of intersectional dynamics, the UPN is committed to continually reflecting on its position and dismantling systems of oppression, and centering the voices of Indigenous peoples in a journey of learning and unlearning. We aim for our actions to speak louder than words, by placing equity and decolonization at the forefront of all discussions of policy, curriculum design, research, and pedagogy.

Finally, we wish to acknowledge that Indigenous communities have investigated and understood the workings of the brain long before the field of neuroscience. From insights into the importance of relationality for learning to appreciation of the gifts of neurodiversity, the vast knowledge of Indigenous communities must be privileged and recognized as complete systems of understanding.

The Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience is a tri-faculty collaboration between the Departments of Psychology (Faculty of Arts), Zoology (Faculty of Science), and Cellular & Physiological Sciences (Faculty of Medicine).

The Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience offers you the opportunity to focus on one of two large areas of neuroscience, while still giving you the flexibility to explore many other aspects of neuroscience.

Learn How to Apply

Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience allows students to study the nervous system at its most fundamental levels. Students will delve into the morphology and function of neurons, their role in chemical and electrical signalling, as well as learn about the molecular signalling pathways that govern neuronal function.

In Behavioural & Cognitive Neuroscience, students explore the relationship between the mind and the brain. Students will learn the neural basis of cognition, delving into essential behaviours like memory, emotion, language, sleep and decision making.

“I want to thank you both for all the work you have put in to make the neuroscience program what it is. In the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to learn from amazing professors and really feel like a part of the neuroscience community, especially getting to work with Dr. Robillard. Whether it be anatomy labs, NURC, or really cool guest lecturers, the neuroscience program provided me an opportunity to explore my interests, contribute to an awesome learning environment, and connect with my peers. I’m so grateful to have been part of the first neuroscience class and I’m so excited to see where it goes in the future.”

MAHALA ENGLISH
UPN ALUM

What is Neuroscience?

Neuroscience is interdisciplinary by nature: It is a tremendously varied field composed of individuals engaged in a wide variety of research and non-research activities.

Neuroscientists conduct both basic and applied neuroscientific research. They serve as consultants to communities and organizations, they diagnose and treat people, and they teach future neuroscientists and other types of students. They assess behavioural and mental functioning—stepping in to help when appropriate.

Neuroscience comprises a large number of subdisciplines, including but not limited to: neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neuroendocrinology, neuropathology, neuropharmacology, neurophysiology, neuropsychology, behavioural neuroscience, and cognitive neuroscience.

Neuroscience at UBC

Neuroscience has been a research area at UBC for at least 7 decades. Currently, there are over 110 research faculty members on the UBC Vancouver campus who either identify as being neuroscientists or are involved in neuroscience-related research. Neuroscientists at UBC represent over 13 departments from the Faculties of Medicine, Science, and Arts. Laboratory and teaching areas are located across the UBC-Vancouver campus, at UBC Hospital, and at Vancouver General Hospital.

Since 1984, there has been a Graduate Program in Neuroscience at UBC, offering MSc and PhD degrees. The UBC Graduate Program in Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary, research-oriented program administered through the Faculty of Medicine and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at UBC, and aims to provide students with a broad knowledge of neuroscience as well as intensive program in at least one area of research.

Advising

Make informed decisions about your academic path with the help of our advising team.

View advising

Student Services

Get the most out of your UBC experience by seeking out support in developing your learning skills and personal wellbeing.

Visit student services

Wellbeing

Take care of your mental and physical health with this list of resources available to you.

View wellbeing

Faculty

Our faculty members are award-winning instructors and researchers with a passion for teaching and investigation.

View faculty profiles

Slider 3

Slider 2

Slider 1

The new Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience is a collaboration between the Departments of Psychology (Faculty of Arts), Zoology (Faculty of Science), and Cellular & Physiological Sciences (Faculty of Medicine).