Graduate students are required to complete Neuroscience Program core courses (listed below) prior to taking the Comprehensive Examination. (On rare occasions, core courses may be completed after the Comprehensive Examination; e.g., if a course is not available in a feasible manner. The student should make such arrangements in consultation with their mentor, the Program Director, and the Student Advisory Committee.) Graduate students must achieve a grade of “B” or better in core courses in order to satisfy this requirement. If a student receives a grade of less than a “B” in a core course, the course may have to be repeated or a student may have to perform remedial work as specified by the Student Advisory Committee, mentor, and Program Director. Based on courses undertaken prior to entering the Neuroscience Program, some core Neuroscience course requirements may be waived.

Core Courses

  • PSY:6370 Principles of Neuropsychology, 3 s.h.
  • ACB:6252 Functional Neuroanatomy, 4 s.h.
  • BIOL:5653/5658 Fundamental Neurobiology I, 3 s.h.; with Discussion, 2 s.h.
  • BIOL:5654/5659 Fundamental Neurobiology II, 3 s.h.; with Discussion, 2 s.h.
  • NSCI:7235 Neurobiology of Disease, 3 s.h.

Neuroscience Courses

NSCI:5212 Foundations in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience 4 s.h.

Concepts, methods, and findings in behavioral and cognitive neurosciences. Prerequisites: BIOL:3253. Same as PSY:5212.

NSCI:5365 Seminar: Neuropsychology and Neuroscience arr.

Clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience: cutting-edge research from scientific journals, case presentations in clinical neuropsychology, and current research. Same as NEUR:5365, PSY:5365.

NSCI:5653 Fundamental Neurobiology I 3 s.h.

Neurobiology from molecular/cellular to systems levels, including cell biology of the neuron; membrane electrophysiology; synaptic transmission and plasticity, functional neuroanatomy, sensory, motor and autonomic systems; emotion, memory, sleep, language, attention and cognition, neuronal development; focus on systems and developmental neurobiology; first in a two-semester sequence. Same as BIOL:5653, PSY:5203.

NSCI:5654 Fundamental Neurobiology II 3 s.h.

Neurobiology from molecular/cellular to systems levels, including cell biology of the neuron; membrane electrophysiology; synaptic transmission and plasticity; functional neuroanatomy, sensory, motor and autonomic systems; emotion, memory, sleep, language, attention and cognition, neuronal development; focus on molecular/cellular neurobiology and neurophysiology; second in a two-semester sequence. Prerequisites: BIOL:5653 or NSCI:5653 or PSY:5203. Same as BIOL:5654, PSY:5205.

NSCI:5658 Fundamental Neurobiology I Discussion 2 s.h.

Discussion of selected papers, including classics from neurobiology literature; coordinated with BIOL:5653 lecture material. Same as BIOL:5658, PSY:5204.

NSCI:5659 Fundamental Neurobiology II Discussion 2 s.h.

Discussion of selected papers, including classics from neurobiology literature; coordinated with BIOL:5654 lecture material. Same as BIOL:5659, PSY:5206.

NSCI:6265 Neuroscience Seminar 0-1 s.h.

Research presentations. Same as ACB:6265, BIOL:6265, MPB:6265, PSY:6265.

NSCI:7235 Neurobiology of Disease 3 s.h.

Broad, thematic understanding of disease mechanisms in neurobiological disorders. Prerequisites: ACB:6252. Same as NEUR:7235.

NSCI:7305 Neuroscience Research arr.

Requirements: neuroscience graduate standing.

Neuroscience Seminar (NSCI:6265:0001)

The Neuroscience Seminar Series provides a weekly forum for research presentations by faculty and students of the Program, and by invited guest speakers. The Seminar is attended by all students in the Program, by Program faculty, and by faculty and guests from other Departments and Programs on campus.

Scholarly Integrity / Responsible Conduct of Research

First year students must complete web-based training modules of Collaborative Instruction Training Initiative (CITI). Students must complete with a passing grade of 80% or higher four modules in the fall semester (August) and four modules in the spring semester (January). 

Second year students will enroll in a face to face 0 semester hour course, which includes the following elements (both include four 90-minute small group sessions): 

  1. BMED:7270 Scholarly Integrity/Responsible Conduct of Research 1 (fall)
  2. BMED:7271 Scholarly Integrity/Responsible Conduct of Research 2 (spring) 

In addition, students continue to participate in education in Scholarly Integrity and Responsible Conduct of Research throughout their graduate training. This is accomplished via special presentations during Seminar, laboratory-specific training and education, and instruction delivered in NSCI:6265, Neuroscience Seminar. 

More information can be found on the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website here

Statistics

All students are required to take 1 semester of statistics (at least 3 s.h.) for graduation. It is strongly recommended that the statistics course be completed before the Comprehensive Examination. Students with an extensive background in statistics can petition the Program for an exemption to the statistics requirement.

To satisfy the statistics requirement, students may take one of the following:

  • PSY:5050, “Quantitative Methods in Psychology,” taught by Professor J. Toby Mordkoff in the Department of Psychology. Professor Mordkoff normally offers this course in the Fall semester. This is a 4 s.h. course.
  • BIOS:4120, "Introduction to Biostatistics," 3 s.h. This course has traditionally been offered in both Fall and Spring semesters.

As an introductory primer, students may also be interested in: PCOL:5204, "Basic Biostatistics and Experimental Design." This is a 1 s.h. module offered in the Fall semester.

Additional statistics courses can be counted towards elective requirements. Students are encouraged to consult with their Mentor and with the Program Directors to determine whether additional statistics curses might be useful for their program of study.