Interest in neuroscience is growing nationwide and locally, with Bryn Mawr College seeing neuroscience majors nearly double since the program launched in 2021, writes Susan Snyder for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Bryn Mawr introduced neuroscience as a joint major with Haverford College, after both institutions offering a minor in it since 2013.
Since the start of the year, Bryn Mawr has nearly doubled its neuroscience majors to 49, with Haverford experiencing comparable growth. Enrollment in neuroscience classes offered to students at both schools rose from 154 in 2014 to 800 last fall.
“We knew that neuroscience was going to be popular, but we did not anticipate this growth,” said Helen White, Haverford’s provost.
According to students and faculty, neuroscience attracts interest because it bridges multiple disciplines, including psychology, biology, and chemistry, creating diverse career opportunities. The subject also resonates on a personal level for some, as it focuses on conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, which remain incurable, along with stroke and traumatic brain injury care.
“I would say about 90 percent of my students are coming into my lab because they have someone in their family with one of these diseases,” said Rob Fairman, a Haverford biology professor.
Read more about Bryn Mawr College’s neuroscience program in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
