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General InformationTraining of Ph.D. students in Neuroscience is based on a combination of didactic course work, formal interactive learning situations (Journal Club, Student Seminar), more informal student-faculty interactions and, most importantly, the student-mentor interactions through which the thesis research is directed. The course work and laboratory rotations are completed in the first two years of the Program. By the end of this period, a thesis mentor and an area of thesis research is identified. Upon acceptance, a faculty advisor is identified for each student. A major responsibility of the advisor is to assist the student plan an educational program. Because of the highly individualized nature of the training needs of Ph.D. students, a specific curriculum will be designed by each student with the advice and approval of the student's faculty advisor, the graduate committee and, when chosen, the thesis mentor. The common course requirements for all students include:
The one-year series of Core Courses in Neuroscience is designed to introduce basic concepts and experimental strategies used to achieve our current awareness of the structure and function of the nervous system. The course is composed of four independent sub-units: cellular and molecular neurobiology, developmental neurobiology, the vertebrate nervous system, and disorders of the nervous system. In the Neuroscience Survey course students are introduced to ongoing research in the laboratories of the Neuroscience Graduate Faculty. In the Neuroscience Critical Readings class, students participate in the discussion and critical analysis of the current research literature. The Neurobiology of Disease ties the molecular/cellular/systems neuroscience presented in the core courses to clinically relevant diseases of the nervous system. The course in Scientific Ethics involves discussions between students and faculty about ethical issues in the conduct of biomedical research. Additionally, it is expected that all students will attend and participate in the ongoing Journal Club and Seminar series. The Journal Club gives students the opportunity to select and present papers from the literature. The Neuroscience Seminar Series consists of formal presentations by invited speakers, faculty, and students in the program. Additional course work is chosen from the list of Neuroscience Program Elective Courses, General Elective Courses and, where appropriate, other graduate-level courses. Although specific courses are not required, it is expected that all students will have an understanding of disciplines related to neuroscience such as biochemistry, cell biology, histology, immunology, molecular biology, pharmacology, physiology and statistics. Students are encouraged to supplement their previous knowledge with additional courses in some of these areas as appropriate. In addition, it is expected that students will obtain more detailed knowledge in several areas of neurobiology. In most cases students will take 9 to 12 credits per semester for four semesters prior to beginning thesis research full time. It should be stressed that the most important aspect of the Ph.D. program is the dissertation research. Students begin to experience laboratory research through the series of Laboratory Rotations, concurrent with taking classes. With the completion of course work and the Comprehensive Exam (prior to commencing the 5th semester) students begin their Thesis Research. Upon completion of the research project, a thesis is written and defended, and a Ph.D. degree is awarded. PIRE Program Students in
the IPN can be considered for an NSF-funded training Program in Cognitive,
Computational and Systems Neuroscience (PICCS), which includes training
in various international partner laboratories. Students who have majored in Psychology
and are not certain whether they should get a Ph.D. in Neuroscience or
Psychology should look at the
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