Students in our PhD program receive comprehensive interdisciplinary training in all areas of neuroscience, with a strong emphasis placed on performing research at the highest level. Beyond the lab, we equip students with essential professional skills, including advanced data analysis, effective science communication, and teaching, to excel in diverse modern careers.
Our PhD program features a rotation-based structure during the first year, allowing incoming students to conduct 2–3 short lab rotations before formally joining a lab.
The table below outlines the core requirements, research expectations, and training milestones from Year 1 through dissertation defense:
Our PhD program features a rotation-based structure during the first year, allowing incoming students to conduct 2–3 short lab rotations before formally joining a lab.
The table below outlines the core requirements, research expectations, and training milestones from Year 1 through dissertation defense:
Year |
Key Milestones & Coursework |
Focus Phase |
Year 1 |
Rotations (2-3) | Core Courses (Math Tools, Cellular NS, Neuroanatomy, Systems NS, Behavioral/Cognitive NS or Molecular NB) | Join a Lab |
Training & Foundations |
Year 2 |
Form Committee (by Feb 15) | 1st Committee Meeting (by May 1) | First Year Talk | Grant Writing Course | TAship / Electives |
Research & Proposal |
Year 3 |
Qualifying Exam (Oral by Nov 15, NRSA Proposal) | Annual Committee Meeting | Academic Conferences |
Qualifying & Research |
Year 4 |
Third Year Talk | M.Phil Degree Conferral (End of Y4) | Elective Completion | Optional Industry Internship |
Advanced Research |
Year 5+ |
Pre-Defense Committee Meeting | Dissertation Writing (~3 months) | Public Talk & Closed Door Defense |
Defense & Graduation |
Core Courses
In their first year, students take the following core courses to establish a strong foundation in neuroscience:
All students also select an area of specialization, based on their research interests: Molecular, Cellular, and Translational (MCT) or Systems, Cognitive, and Computational (SCC). This provides students with an opportunity to delve more deeply into the subfields of neuroscience in which they are most interested, choosing between additional core courses:
Students also learn about quantitative methods, which are critical for modern neuroscience research, choosing one of the following:
In their first year, students take the following core courses to establish a strong foundation in neuroscience:
- Cellular Neuroscience and Laboratory in Neural Science I. Through lectures, conferences, and labs, this course covers basic principles of cellular neuroscience, from membrane biophysics to synaptic transmission and plasticity. The course interweaves electrophysiological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms to provide a thorough understanding of this essential material.
- Systems Neuroscience and Laboratory in Neural Science II. This course covers neurophysiological, behavioral and psychophysical functions of the nervous system. Lectures, conferences, and labs examine the network and computational organization of sensory and motor systems in the brain, establishing a comprehensive understanding of information processing.
- Neuroanatomy. This hands-on course covers the detailed anatomy of the human peripheral and central nervous systems within a functional context, including discussions of clinical cases that allow students to fully integrate and apply their knowledge.
All students also select an area of specialization, based on their research interests: Molecular, Cellular, and Translational (MCT) or Systems, Cognitive, and Computational (SCC). This provides students with an opportunity to delve more deeply into the subfields of neuroscience in which they are most interested, choosing between additional core courses:
- Molecular Neurobiology (MCT). Through lectures and conferences, this course covers key aspects of the cellular biology of neurons and glia, including transcription, translation, intracellular signaling, cytoskeleton and development.
- Behavioral & Cognitive Neuroscience (SCC). This course is designed to familiarize students with essential experiments and theory in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, preparing them to think critically about research.
Students also learn about quantitative methods, which are critical for modern neuroscience research, choosing one of the following:
- Math Tools for Neuroscience (SCC). This course delves into rigorous data analysis and modeling based on MATLAB programming.
- Biostatistics (MCT). Several courses are available that provide students with an understanding of statistical analysis.
Advanced Electives
Additional courses fill in areas of expertise and expand on topics directly relevant to the students’ thesis work. Students can take electives taught by our faculty (such as those listed below) as well as relevant courses from outside departments like Psychology, Data Science, Physics, Biology and Medicine.
Additional courses fill in areas of expertise and expand on topics directly relevant to the students’ thesis work. Students can take electives taught by our faculty (such as those listed below) as well as relevant courses from outside departments like Psychology, Data Science, Physics, Biology and Medicine.
- Decisions & Actions (Dora Angelaki)
- Assembly and Function of Neural Circuits (Jeremy Dasen)
- Genetic Dissection of Behavior (Jeremy Dasen & Kathy Nagel)
- Disorders of the Nervous System (Margaret Rice & Dayu Lin)
- Neural Statistics (Alex Williams)
- Neural Data Analysis (Cristina Savin)
- Bayesian Models of Behavior (Weiji Ma)
- Computational Neuroscience (Xiao-Jing Wang)
- Independent Study