Psychobiology

• FACULTY
• UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
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Faculty

( ) Year of initial appointment at Binghamton

Burright, Richard G., Professor, PhD, 1966, University of Illinois: Sensory processes, gene-environment coactions, quantitative methods. (1963)

Clark, Anne Barrett, Associate Professor, PhD, 1975, University of Chicago: Evolution and ecology of behavior; behavioral development and life histories of birds. (1989)

Di Lorenzo, Patricia M., Professor, PhD, 1981, University of Rochester: Neurophysiology of the chemical senses. (1985)

Donovick, Peter J., Professor, PhD, 1966, University of Wisconsin: Human neuropsychology, traumatic brain injury, biopsychology, gene-environment coaction. (1966)

Gerhardstein, Peter, Assistant Professor, PhD, 1973, University of Minnesota: Perception, memory, development. (1999)

Gold, Paul E., Professor and Coordinator of Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Area, PhD, 1971, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Brain and behavior; neurobiology of learning and memory. (1999)

Horwath, Kathleen L., Associate Professor, PhD, 1982, University of Notre Dame: Comparative and environmental biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, circadian and insect physiology. (1988)

Isaacson, Robert L., Bartle Distinguished Professor, PhD, 1958, University of Michigan: Limbic system, mechanisms of cell death and brain damage. (1978)

Korol, Donna L., Assistant Professor, PhD, 1991, University of Virginia: Neurobiology of learning and memory, aging. (1999)

Madison, Dale M., Associate Professor, PhD, 1971, University of Maryland: Behavioral ecology and sociobiology, chemical ecology of vertebrates. (1977)

Miles, Carol I., Assistant Professor, PhD, 1986, University of Washington, Neurobiology and behavior of invertebrates. (1999)

Miller, Ralph R., Professor, PhD, 1969, Rutgers — The State University of New Jersey: Information processing in animals, evolutionary psychology. (1979)

Romero, Maria-Teresa, Assistant Professor, PhD, 1987, City University of New York: Neural plasticity, transplantation and biological rhythms. (1993)

Savage, Lisa, Assistant Professor, PhD, 1992, University of Minnesota: Animal models of memory disorders, psychopharmacology. (1995)

Smotherman, William P., Professor, PhD, 1974, Northern Illinois University: Developmental psychobiology. (1988)

Spear, Linda P., Distinguished Professor, PhD, 1975, University of Florida: Developmental psychobiology, psychopharmacology. (1976)

Spear, Norman E., Distinguished Professor, PhD, 1963, Northwestern University: Memory processing, developmental psychobiology. (1974)

Wilson, David S., Professor, PhD, 1975, Michigan State University: Evolutionary and theoretical ecology. (1988)

Witt, Diane, Assistant Professor, PhD, 1989, University of Maryland: Neurobiology of reproductive processes and social behavior. (1996)

Affiliated faculty have appointments in the departments of Psychology and Biological Sciences.

Undergraduate Program

The BS major in psychobiology offers the student a firm basis in biology, psychology and chemistry, along with courses in a variety of other disciplines. The program provides the breadth and depth necessary for the interdisciplinary study of the biological bases of behavior. The major is offered in two tracks.

In order to declare their major, students must first meet with the psychobiology program’s academic adviser for a brief advising session to discuss major requirements. Students then receive permission to formally declare their major at the Harpur College academic advising office.

For more information, e-mail the
undergraduate psychobiology program at psybio@binghamton.edu.

Molecular Track

Organismic Track

Requirements For Either Track:

CORE: The following 11 core courses must be taken (44 credit hours):

• PSYC 111, 243, 344, 362, BIOL 113, 114, BIOL 363 or 464 or PSYC 327, CHEM 111 or 107 and 108, CHEM 231 and 332, and PSBL 480 or PSYC 473 (requires prior adviser approval) BIOL 480 (requires prior adviser approval).

• CHEM/MATH/PHYS: Six to 10 credit hours of electives in chemistry, math, and physics selected from CHEM 221, 335, 434, MATH 221, 222, 323, CS 140, 240, PHYS 121 or 131, PHYS 122 or 132.

• RELATED SUBJECTS: Four to six credit hours of electives in related subjects selected from ANTH 111, 168, 337, 338, BIOL 479, CLAS 121, PHIL 121, 122, 148, 200, 423, SOC 251, CS 100, 105.

Additional Requirements

1. Laboratory Requirement — among the electives, three courses (two to four credit hours each) at the 200 level or above must be taken that are either laboratory courses or courses that contain a weekly laboratory or field experience. Organic Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 335), as well as elective laboratory courses in biology and psychology, meets this requirement.

2. Upper-level Requirement — at least 20 credit hours of the elective courses for the major must be taken at the 300 level or above.

3. Pass/Fail — no courses for the major may be taken Pass/Fail, other than independent research.

4. Minimum Grade — students must earn a passing grade (D or better) for course credit.

5. Some courses may fulfill multiple requirements. For example, PSYC 352 satisfies one laboratory course, two credits of the 20 required credits in 300-level or above courses, and two credits in the psychology electives category.

6. The Psychobiology Seminar (PSBL 480) may be fulfilled by taking a four-credit seminar that covers a psychobiology-related area. These are offered each semester in both biology and psychology. A list of approved seminars is available prior to advance registration each semester. Any upper-level psychology or biology seminar (400 level or above) may be used as a psychology or biology elective, but the same seminar cannot be used to fulfill both the PSBL 480 requirement and a psychology or biology elective requirement.

7. In order to fulfill degree requirements, students need to have 32 credits from the courses listed in whichever track they have chosen. Taking the minimum amount of credits for each subdivision in a track does not meet this requirement. They need to take two more four-credit courses to fulfill the correct credit amount.

ADDITIONAL ELECTIVE REQUIREMENTS DEPENDENT UPON TRACK SELECTED:

*Electives

Type A Biology Electives: Select from BIOL 115, 215, BCHM 301 and 302, BCHM 303 and 304, BIOL 302, 310, 311, 313, 318, 320, 350, 420, 421, 422, 457.

Type B Biology Electives: Select from BIOL 115, 250, 312, 330, 335, 360, 363, 424, 459, 464, 466, 470.

Psychology Electives:
Select from PSYC 220, 223, 327, 330, 351, 352, 353, 354, 356, 357, 358, 359, 473 (requires prior adviser approval), 490 (requires prior adviser approval).

With the advance permission of the psychobiology program’s academic adviser, up to eight credits of independent research may substitute for eight hours of elective credit under either the type A biology, type B biology or psychology elective category as determined by the adviser. In order for the full eight credits to count toward the major, one independent study must be in psychology and one in biology. In this instance, up to eight credit hours of independent research may count as one of the required laboratory courses and/or up to eight hours toward the upper-level elective requirement (except where noted). If a student has two independent studies in either psychology or biology, only one counts toward the major. Independent research experience is recommended for students planning post-graduate studies.

Independent Study Courses

• PSYC 392. Introduction to Psychology Research*

• PSYC 397. Independent Study*

• PSYC 499. Advanced Independent Study*

• BIOL 496. Independent Study* (BIOL 496 may not fulfill laboratory requirement)

• BIOL 497. Independent Research*

* credit varies; requires prior adviser approval

Honors Program in Psychobiology

Prerequisites and Requirements

To gain acceptance to the honors program in psychobiology, a student must:

1. have declared psychobiology as a major (with "molecular" or "organismic" track specified);

2. have achieved at least junior standing;

3. have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.3 in those courses taken toward the major; and

4. be accepted by a supervising faculty member whose research is in the field of psychobiology.

Appeals

Any student who fails to meet one or more of the requirements listed above may petition the director(s) of the psychobiology program for a waiver of a particular requirement. No waiver will be granted without the written support of the supervising faculty member. Such appeals must be requested before the thesis project is begun.

Procedures

Formation of Honors Committee
Prior to the end of the seventh semester, a student must form an honors committee, consisting of three faculty members: the student’s supervising faculty member (who acts as chair) and two other faculty members, at least one of whom must be from a department other than that of the supervising faculty member. These additional faculty members should be chosen in consultation with the supervising faculty member. When appropriate, post-doctoral staff or faculty members from other universities may be appointed.

Written Research Proposal

Academic credit for honors work

Honors Thesis

Defense of the Thesis

Procedures for Final Certification