<p>[Edward</a> Stricker | Honors College | University of Pittsburgh](<a href=“http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/person/edward-stricker]Edward”>http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/person/edward-stricker)</p>
<p>On that website you can see that Dr.Stricker completed his Bachelor’s Degree & Masters Degree in Chemistry and PhD in Psychology. Is it just me or does it surprise anyone else, too?</p>
<p>This is no surprise! Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary field and people come into it from many different disciplines. It’s the subject and quality of a scientist’s research that determines their standing in academia.
Back when he was in grad school, I doubt there were even any named programs in neuroscience.</p>
<p>I see, so you’re saying the materials he teaches in Neuroscience are stuff he learned when he was conducting researchs?</p>
<p>I wonder if I’m able to do that given how much Neuroscience has progressed. i’m also very curious about my chances of getting into grad school if i have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology compared to a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience.</p>
<p>I also mean - that Neuroscience is both Chemisty and Psychology. His fields of study are directly relevant. In fact, it may be a perfect combination for the field.</p>
<p>It depends on what you want to study in grad school. Bachelors in Psychology is nowhere near as rigorous, but it’s ok for grad school in Psychology.</p>
<p>Neuroscience is a young field. The Society for Neuroscience wasn’t founded until 1969. Many neuroscience departments actually split off of psychology back in the day…which is how Pitt’s evolved. But as was mentioned previously, there is a ton of overlap with multiple fields. It is hugely interdisciplinary field, with major underpinnings in all manners of biological sciences including physiology and biopsychology. </p>
<p>If you goal is to get into a neuroscience PhD program, you don’t have to have a neuroscience undergrad, but it would be somewhat better to have a biologically based undergrad major (like neuroscience or molecular biology) than a psychology degree. A neuroscience degree at Pitt is going to prepare you a heck of a lot better for a neuroscience PHD program than a psychology degree. </p>
<p>The main thing in getting into a PHD program is really going to be your research. You have to have significant research experience to get into any sort of notable PhD program.</p>
<p>How about GPA? How much does GPA affect the admission into grad school? What would be a good GPA to have? By that I mean minimum safe pointer.</p>
<p>[Let</a> me google that for you](<a href=“LMGTFY - Let Me Google That For You”>LMGTFY - Let Me Google That For You)</p>
<p>GPA for grad school? Depends on the school. You want to aim for a 3.5 but you could get in decent places if it was lower…depending what classes accounted for the lower GPA and what else you have on your application (GRE scores can compensate, but research background certainly will…along with good recommendations).</p>
<p>You probably need to have above a 3.0…, including in science classes… and that is probably true for most grad programs in any field…I’d consider 3.2 or something like that to be minimal.</p>
<p>You need to have a good GPA and GRE score to get an interview. But to get admission, your going to need significant demonstration of an interest in and understanding of research in the biological sciences. A goal should be to have some sort of authorship, preferably on a publication or, minimally, presentations (like posters) at professional societies.</p>
<p>Haha, southeastmom, my bad. I should’ve specify my questions</p>
<p>wgmcp101, do you mean each science class should have above a 3.0 or do you mean all science classes should combine to have above a 3.0?</p>
<p>The GPA of your combined science classes probably should be over a 3.0. And, they probably all should be a B or above. Really, it depends on the program you are applying , which courses, and how many courses you low grades…essentially whether it looks like an anomaly or not. If you get a C in Intro to Biology, that is going to be a red flag. If you have less than a B in a science class, particularly a bioscience class if you are looking to apply to a biological sciences PhD program, consider taking the course over.</p>
<p>What do you think of a B- in General Chemistry 1?</p>
<p>Depends what the rest of your transcript looks like. You’re probably ok with a B-.</p>
<p>The lack of interest in Chemistry was probably the reason I got a B-. Plus analytical chemistry isn’t really my strong suit. It requires a lot of mathematical reasoning. My only interest lies in pure Biology & Psychology.</p>