4th Year Honours Projects
Project Types & Eligibility
Acceptance into a project is mainly determined by post-undergraduate objectives and meeting eligibility requirements. An application must be submitted for every NEUR project, including the NEUR 4905 Workshop.
For students in the Neuroscience & Mental Health Honours:
- Focus on science communication to various populations in the NEUR 4905 Honours Workshop
- Write a literature review in the NEUR 4907 Honours Essay
- Conduct research involving humans or animals, or undertake a meta-analysis, in the NEUR 4908 Research Thesis.
Students in the Neuroscience & Biology Combined Honours can apply to one of the above projects or instead pursue a biology-based project in lieu of a neuroscience-based project.
NEUR Projects at a Glance
Course descriptions available here
| Project | Focus & Suitability | Prerequisites | Supervisor & Application Required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEUR 4905 Honours Workshop | Science communication; Good for pursuing medical school or professional and course-based graduate programs | Major CGPA of at least 6.5 in a neuroscience honours program (at time of application) | No & Yes |
| NEUR 4907 Honours Essay | Literature review; Good for pursuing medical school or professional and course-based graduate programs | Major CGPA of at least 9.0 in a neuro honours program (at time of application) | Yes & Yes |
| NEUR 4908 Research Thesis | Perform a meta-analyses or conduct research (human or animal) & write up findings in thesis format; Good for research-based graduate programs | Major CGPA of at least 10.0 in neuro honours program (at time of application) | Yes & Yes |
NEUR 4905 Honours Workshop
Focus
The translation and communication of scientific information to diverse populations, emphasizing transferable skills that will be appropriate in many career paths.
Schedule
Three hours of class a week plus mandatory attendance at departmental colloquia. Participants may be invited to present at the Neuroscience Research Day in April.
Post-degree Pathways
Well-suited for those interested in entering the workforce or continuing with professional or graduate programs. Does not provide hands-on research experience.
Eligibility
Major CGPA of 6.5 and 4th-year standing (or cusp). Application required to be considered for departmental permission to register.
NEUR 4907 Honours Essay
Focus
Students will carry out a literature review of current research on a topic of their choosing and write a paper detailing findings and conclusions.
Schedule
One-on-one supervision with no scheduled class time plus mandatory attendance at departmental colloquia. Participants may be invited to present at the Neuroscience Research Day in April.
Post-degree Pathways
Well-suited for those interested in entering the workforce or continuing with professional or graduate programs. Does not provide hands-on research experience.
Eligibility
Major CGPA of 9.0, 4th-year standing (or cusp), anticipated completion of NEUR 3206+3207, and preliminary supervisor approval.
NEUR 4908 Research Thesis
Focus
Depending on the supervisor’s area of research, students will do a meta-analyses, or perform human or animal-based research and write up their findings in an undergraduate thesis format.
Schedule
One-on-one supervision in lab (and associated meetings at supervisor discretion) plus mandatory attendance at departmental colloquia. Participants may be invited to present at the Neuroscience Research Day in April.
Post-degree Pathways
This project is best suited for students interested in pursuing further education in a professional or research-based graduate program, as it does provide research experience.
Eligibility
Major CGPA of 10.0, 4th-year standing (or cusp), anticipated completion of NEUR 3206+3207, and preliminary supervisor approval. Completion of NEUR 3001+3002 highly recommended.
Application Timeline
An application must be submitted for every NEUR project, including the NEUR 4905 Workshop
October
Beginning in October
Communications from the Undergraduate Administrator are directed to upper-year students & those registered in NEUR 3206 to prepare for the next cycle of applications. Info is available to all students at all times via the Neuro Hub.
November thru April
Meet with Potential 4907/4908 Supervisors
You need to have connected with at least one and up to three (recommended) potential supervisors so you can include them on your application.
April 18, 2027
Application Deadline for NEUR 4905, 4907, 4908
For projects that will be done over the fall 2027/winter 2028 year, applications are due by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 18, 2027. This includes NEUR 4905 even though there is no supervisor component (helps us with course planning).
April & May
Application Review & Decisions
Once the department reviews applications for fall/winter projects, formal decisions and instructions on next steps will be disseminated shortly after the final exam period.
Summer
Supervisor Connection, Registration, Training
Some students may begin training or lab work in summer, so be sure to connect with your supervisor about expectations. Formal registration for NEUR 4905, 4907, and 4908 takes place during July time tickets.
2027-28 Application form not yet available. It will be here once it is.
Students seeking a summer NEUR 4907 or NEUR 4908 should first secure a supervisor in advance of summer term and then contact the Undergraduate Administrator for details on how to apply.
Securing a Supervisor for NEUR 4907 or NEUR 4908
Preliminary acceptance by a supervisor is part of the application process for NEUR 4907 and NEUR 4908. This means that by the time you submit your application, you’ll have spoken to at least one (and up to three) researchers who agree you can indicate them as potential supervisor on your application.
It’s recommended to use Fall Reading Week as a benchmark for when to start looking into potential supervisors and begin reaching out to ones of interest. Some researchers will tell you contact them again in winter, whereas others may wish to set up a meeting later in the fall semester.
All projects have to be on the topic of neuroscience, but within that scope, a supervisor can be:
- a faculty member in the Dept. of Neuroscience
- a faculty member at Carleton who is cross-appointed with the Dept. of Neuroscience
- a researcher associated with the Dept. of Neuroscience but not employed by Carleton
- a researcher external to Carleton who has supervised our students in the past
- a researcher external to Carleton who is not associated with the Dept. of Neuroscience
- a faculty member at Carleton who is not associated with the Dept. of Neuroscience
Contact info is listed are below in the resource section.
If you already have an idea of who you would like to supervise your project, simply contact them to discuss further. If you do not have anyone particular in mind, start by browsing researcher profiles. Resources provided below.
For NEUR 4908 in particular, you should speak to at least two or three potential supervisors to learn what kind of research projects they may be involved with and get a sense of management styles and lab culture, as finding the right fit is important since you’ll be spending one year on this project.
A co-supervisor is only required if the primary supervisor is external to Carleton University. When discussing potential supervision with a researcher outside of Carleton you can ask them if they currently collaborate with a faculty member in the Department of Neuroscience. If so, that would be the first person to approach about co-supervision. If they do not, then you can ask any neuroscience faculty member who does similar research or ask the Undergraduate Chair to take on this role.
Supervisor Resources
All projects have to be on the topic of neuroscience. Within that scope a supervisor can be:
Neuroscience Faculty
This is a faculty member who works primarily in the Department of Neuroscience.
Cross-Appointed Faculty
Faculty members at Carleton who work primarily in other departments but have research interests in neuroscience.
Adjunct Professors
Adjunct professors are associated with the Department of Neuroscience but are not employed by Carleton University.
External Researchers
Here is a list of researchers outside of Carleton who have supervised our students in the past. A co-supervisor within the Dept. of Neuroscience must also be secured.
External Researchers Cont’d
This can be anyone you find who is doing neuroscience research and is willing to supervise your project. Use the internet as a starting point. A co-supervisor within the Dept. of Neuroscience must also be secured.
Other Carleton Faculty
Anyone at Carleton who is involved in neuroscience research can be approached to inquire about potential supervision. Since they work at Carleton, no departmental co-supervisor is required.
Supervisor Connection Strategies
Use this email template to draft your initial correspondence and check out these tips from the SSSC as well.
Attending events like the Neuroscience Colloquium and Brainbytes is a great way to find out who is doing what kind of research in the department, locally, and beyond the National Capital Region – getting a lay of the land and building relationships with people who are already doing the things you’re interested in doing is a key part of what will make up your life after undergraduate studies. It’s important to talk to strangers! Career Services has a slew of resources to assist with this side of things.
You can speak to current neuroscience graduate students, as they are the ones with whom you’ll likely be working directly. They are typically the teaching assistants in your NEUR courses, so you can initiate conversations before/after class or during office hours, where applicable.
Note, your chances of being accepted into a NEUR 4908 are higher if you are already connected with a lab through volunteering or internship. However, students not yet connected to a lab/researcher are still very much encouraged to reach out to potential supervisors about NEUR 4908 availability.