Electives (students must take at least 6 credit
hrs; other courses may fill the elective requirement with permission of the Curriculum and Tracking Committee):
The qualifying examination for advancement to candidacy for the
PhD must be taken during the third year of study. This exam will
consist of two portions, a research proposal and an oral defense
of the research proposal to a committee of three faculty members
representing three different sub-specialties of neuroscience (chosen
from the following areas: Molecular & Cellular; Developmental,
Plasticity & Repair; Behavioral, Cognitive & Systems; Human
Neurobiology).
Teaching
No teaching is required the first year. Students must serve as a teaching assistant
in one of the following neuroscience-related courses in the second
year: ANNB 295 or 301, BIOL 261 or 262, GRMD 354 or 357, PSYC 221 or 222
and must teach or serve as a teaching assistant for at least one
more course in the third year (any approved by the steering
committee and home department). Extra teaching is encouraged. Teaching
is required regardless of source of stipend support.
Years 2-5 Research
Research will involve work in the dissertation advisor's lab, attending
lab meetings as well as reading relevant original research articles.
Additional responsibilities will typically involve reviewing recently
published literature; attending local and national scientific meetings;
attending Graduate Student Journal Club and the Neuroscience Seminar
Series; and meeting with the student's dissertation advisory committee
twice annually.
* Laboratory rotations involve a student spending full time
undertaking a research project in the laboratory of a neuroscientist;
in Spring Term, there is a 14 week window prior to the start of GRMD 357
during which a student may choose to do one 14 week rotation or two 7
week rotations
