Search

New Neuroscience BS degree announced by CU Boulder’s College of Arts & Sciences

We’re happy to announce our department will offer a Neuroscience BS degree, starting fall 2026! We have outlined some key points below. Please see the College of Arts & SciencesFAQs page for further questions.

What does the introduction of a Neuroscience BS mean for you?

If you are a neuroscience major graduating fall 2025, spring 2026 or summer 2026:

  • You will graduate with a BA degree. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism for us to confer a BS degree before fall 2026.

If you declare a neuroscience major before July 30, 2026, and graduate fall 2026 or later:

  • If you declare a neuroscience major before July 30, 2026, you will see a BA degree listed on your audit.
  • If you are graduating fall 2026 or later, you have the option to either remain on the BA track (you must graduate by May 2030), or switch to the BS track starting fall 2026. We will provide additional information about the option to switch nearer the time. (Note - once you switch to a BS, you will not be allowed to switch back to a BA)

If you declare a neuroscience major after July 30, 2026:

  • If you declare a neuroscience major after July 30, 2026, you will be on the Neuroscience BS degree track. A BA degree option will no longer be offered to newly declared majors.

How does the Neuroscience BS degree differ from the BA degree?

The neuroscience BS degree has the same general structure as the neuroscience BA degree. The only difference is a requirement for 9 credit hours of upper-division elective coursework for the BS degree, compared to 6 credit hoursof upper-division elective courseworkfor the BA degree. For both the BA and BS degrees, these electives are selected from an extensive list of courses offered across multiple departments (PSYC & NRSC; BCHM, MCDB, IPHY, EBIO, SLHS).

How can I evaluate how these changes affect my degree plan?

To help you evaluate how these changes affect your degree plan, Arts & Sciences has put together “What-if Degree Audits” that apply your current coursework to the new degree plans. Note that these are draft degree audits and subject to change. To run a What-if Degree Audit:

  1. In Buff Portal, search "degree audit"
  2. On the degree audit page, click on "Select a different program"
  3. College = AS
  4. Degree = BS
  5. Program = Pick the major you are interested in
  6. Catalog Year = Fall 2026

What about a Psychology BS Degree?

The department is currently exploring a range of possibilities for its psychology degree programs. There are no immediate plans to introduce a Psychology BS degree.

Where can I go if I have questions?

Please visit the College of Arts & SciencesFAQs page if you have further questions.We also recommend reaching out to you Academic Advisor if you need clarification on what this new degree offering means.