Curriculum Requirements

Curriculum Requirements

Required core courses

(Full course descriptions)

  • Physiology and Pharmacology of Excitable Cells (NEU 827)
  • Systems Neuroscience (NEU 839)
  • Advanced Behavioral Neuroscience (NEU 811)
  • Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology (NEU 804)
  • Statistics for the Biological Sciences (PHM 830 or PSY 815)
  • Strategies in Neuroscience Research (NEU 807)

Electives

Students are encouraged to take electives in advanced areas of neuroscience or in other disciplines that complement their research interests. Students will choose elective courses in consultation with their faculty advisor and guidance committee. Electives will normally be taken in years two or three of study. Examples of currently offered electives in advanced neuroscience are:

  • Vertebrate Neural Systems (ANT 885)
  • Synaptic Transmission (PHM 810)
  • Developmental Psychobiology (PSY 809)
  • Neuropsychology (PSY 851)
  • Principles of Drug-Tissue Interaction (PHM 819)
  • Confocal Microscopy (NSC 837)
  • Writing and Manuscript Preparation in the Neural and Behavioral Sciences (PSY 992)

Research Forum (NEU 800)

First year NSP predoctoral students DO NOT enroll in NEU 800 (Research Forum) during their first year in the Program, but attend Research Forum sessions in the Fall and Spring semesters that are appropriate for early stage trainees. At the beginning of each semester, students will be informed about which weeks they are expected to attend Forum.

Second year NSP predoctoral students and beyond MUST ENROLL in NEU 800 (Research Forum) every Fall and Spring semester until graduation, unless there are schedule conflicts. If this is the case, the student should notify Jim Galligan in writing before the semester in which there is a conflict, explaining the nature of the conflict (e.g., another course, experimental schedule). Research Forum activities are often targeted to students in specific stages of training, and attendance at every Forum meeting may not be expected of every student. At the beginning of each semester, students will be informed about which weeks they are expected to attend Forum. For an enrolled student to receive a passing grade, the student can miss no more than three of the meetings that he/she is expected to attend. All students must earn 4 credits of Research Forum in order to receive the Ph.D in Neuroscience.

Forum Core Objectives