Thank you for your interest in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience.

Application fee waivers are available. Also, the cost to apply is reimbursed by the Carver College of Medicine for all applicants who receive an interview invitation and complete the interview. *Unfortunately, international students are not eligible for application fee waivers. More information is available with Graduate College Admissions. 

Students enjoy the flexibility of investigating several disciplines prior to affiliating with a specific subprogram by performing three research rotations in the laboratories of any of the Neuroscience program faculty, regardless of the faculty person's program affiliation(s). Training is conducted primarily in the laboratories and teaching facilities of the Carver College of Medicine graduate departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Internal Medicine, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Neurology, Neuroscience and Pharmacology, and Psychiatry; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences departments of Biology, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health and Human Physiology, and Psychological and Brain Sciences; and the Neuroscience Program.

Students use faculty laboratories and central research facilities for ultrastructural analysis; histochemistry and immunocytochemistry; electrophysiology; fluorescence-activated cell sorting; cellular and subcellular biochemistry; cell, tissue, and organ culture; operant and classical conditioning; molecular biology; behavioral genetics; neural substrates of complex behavior; brain-behavior relationships in humans; neuropsychology; and functional neuroimaging (PET, fMRI).

There is intensive training in experimental design, statistical methodology, and quantitative skills and literacy (enhanced by a new required course in Advanced Quantitative Training) and in professional skills development (enhanced by new curricular components in teaching, oral/written communication, networking/skill building, and grantsmanship), and detailed annual evaluation using the Individual Developmental Plan. Our Neuroscience Program incorporates three laboratory rotations, regular programmatic activities (Seminar, Research Day, journal clubs), and comprehensive training in responsible conduct of research. Our Program remains committed to training a diverse, quantitatively literate, and highly expert workforce of neuroscientists who will assume leadership roles related to the Nation's biomedical and behavioral research agendas.

Students earn a Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience which is awarded by the Graduate College. Instruction is offered through the Carver College of Medicine. 

Questions about admissions procedures can be directed to Neuroscience administrative staff at grad-neuroscience@uiowa.edu