Neurosciences, PhD

Neurosciences: Admission Requirements

Designed for students interested in teaching and interdisciplinary research careers in the neurosciences, the program also accepts students with an undergraduate or medical degree as well as other professional students wishing to pursue graduate study. Students are admitted for entry during the fall semester of a given academic year. Applicants for admission are evaluated by an admissions committee chaired by the Director of the Division. Candidates are required to provide three letters of recommendation written by individuals who know them academically. Consideration for admission includes the applicant’s overall academic record, the quality of the recommendations, his or her motivation and ability to pursue independent studies and the description of the applicant’s scientific research interests. Minimal admission criteria to the program are consistent with the general requirements of The Graduate College and include competitive scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

This program is not currently accepting new students.

Neurosciences: Academic Policies

Students are required to pass a combination of written and oral comprehensive examinations toward the end of the second year and after completion of the required coursework. Students failing the comprehensive examinations are given a second chance three months later. A second failure results in termination. Throughout the first two years of required coursework, students whose grade point average falls below a “B” (3.0) will be placed on academic probation. If a student fails to remedy this average, he or she will be asked to withdraw from the program. A student who completes the comprehensive examinations successfully is admitted to candidacy and qualifies for the doctoral dissertation proposal defense. Students choose a preceptor to supervise their research during the first year of residence. The preceptor and the student gather an advisory committee that is chaired by a core faculty member of the program and includes the preceptor and four other members, two from within the program, one from another division within the institution, and one neuroscientist from another institution. The thesis proposal should be in the format of an NIH RO1 grant application and will be defended before the advisory committee. The rest of the student’s time in residence is spent on the doctoral dissertation research. Each student dissertation is evaluated by a neuroscientist from another institution who is an expert in the specific area of research.

Neurosciences: Curriculum

The program is preceptor-based. The study and research schedule outlined below should be completed within four to five years of full-time study beyond the bachelor’s degree. The program follows the minimal residence requirement established by The Graduate College. During the first two years, students are expected to complete required coursework (and any deficiencies). First-year required courses consist of The Graduate College Core curriculum courses, the Rush Medical College Medical Neurobiology ( NEU 502 ) course and Introduction to Physiology/Pharmacology (PHR-504). Graduate students are expected to receive a grade of at least “B” in these courses. In the fall term of the second year of study, all students are required to enroll in and pass a statistics and experimental design course (NEU 544 ). During the first two years of study, students rotate through various laboratories involved in the program and learn techniques commonly in use in neuroscience laboratories. The requirement is mastery of four techniques outside any of those used by the student in his or her research. The major required course in the second year of study is an Advanced Neuroscience Proseminar (NEU-591) taught jointly by participating faculty. A seminar format is used that encourages extensive discussion and student participation. A course titled “Selected Topics in Neuroscience” (NEU 690 ) is available to advanced students (in their third or fourth year of residence) for credit. The offerings in this course change from year to year depending on demand and interest, and the course is taught by different faculty members. In addition to coursework, students are encouraged to participate in and carry out independent research in their first two years of residence.

Required courses in the first two years of study are: