Working with the Brain and the Human Body Within a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience Program
Many documentaries were already done in unlocking the power of the mind and revealing how the brain and mind work together. Our memories, either short term or long term, are associated to learning and vice-versa. There are people who suffer from short-term memory defects or amnesia. What happens inside their brain? How can they forget something that has been part of their consciousness like an experience, a name, a place?
Our dreams are also fascinating to study. Although the study of dreams is also associated with Psychology, still our brain’s activities when we are asleep definitely use energy or electricity from our neurons. They say we do not see colors in our dream. Why is that?
And why other people have higher IQ than the average individuals? How do they develop such? What happens inside their brains when they answer IQ tests?
The highest IQ record holder is Abdesselam Jelloul. In 2012, he went through a 13-dimentional IQ test and scored an adult IQ of 198. Before him, the highest IQ ever recorded was by Marilyn vos Savant with a score of 185. Others who made remarkable history were famous chess master Bobby Fischer with 187, Korean child Kim Ung-Yong with an IQ of 210, Albert Einstein with 160 and Leonardo da Vinci with 190.
Taking a “Brainy” Path
The field of Neuroscience could possibly provide answers to these questions. A Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience is a degree program that covers behavioral and brain sciences. It is the study of the nervous system and its cells. It gives special focus on the study of the central nervous system, the brain – its system, characteristics, and components – both cellular and molecular. A degree in Neuroscience is a preparation for graduate or medical degrees including dental, biomedical research and other health sciences.
A neuroscience major would also study the various functions, malfunctions, interactions of the nervous systems to the other parts of the body. There will also be studies on the cognitive functions of the brain and the human brain development. The goal of a Neuroscientist is to identify and understand the various systems that enable the brain to function as such and how could this help to advance the understanding of mankind – how we think, how we express emotions, how we learn and use language, and more.
Careers for Neuroscientists
There are several job opportunities for neuroscientists. Those who specialize in the molecular level can work on antibodies and genetic probes in medical research centers; the neuroanatomists work on structure of the nervous system; the neurosurgeons work on major surgeries involving the nervous system; and the developmental neuroscientists who work on the brain development – they can either work for educational and medical institutions.
Other careers for starting students are psychologist, clinical neuropsychologist, neuroimmunologist, psychopharmacologist, animal neurologist, biotechnologist, patent agent, neural stem cell researcher, genotyping, neural network researcher, neural engineer and neuroeconomist. The average salary for starting students with undergraduate degrees is US $26,000 per year while the full-pledged Neuroscientists can get a salary of as high as US $90,000 per year.
Other can also work with the government or take full-time jobs in publications. Book-writing and advocacy works are also enticing career paths for degree-holders of Neuroscience.
