Program Overview

Overview

The doctoral program in the Department of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder aims to provide an academic foundation for understanding how humans and other animals function at the level of genes, cells, tissues, organs, and systems, and to develop the professional skills required to become a research scientist.

Requirements

Admission Requirements

To apply, prospective students must have an undergraduate preparation equivalent to the basic core curriculum requirements in Integrative Physiology or departmental approval of their academic preparation for graduate study. Entering graduate students must have completed an introductory course in statistics or research design, as well as human physiology or comparative animal physiology lecture and lab courses.

Deficiencies

If a prospective graduate student's undergraduate preparation is not adequate, they may be allowed to pursue graduate study with the understanding that identified deficiencies will be completed. The graduate admissions committee will determine the nature and extent of these deficiencies. Deficiencies in any area of the undergraduate major may be met by completing approved coursework in the subject at CU Boulder or at other institutions. All entering graduate students with deficiencies must satisfy all deficiencies within the first year of graduate study.

Required Courses and Semester Credit Hours

The following courses are required:

• IPHY 5100: Colloquium in Integrative Physiology (2 academic-year semesters), 4 credit hours
• IPHY 5800: Advanced Statistics and Research Methods in Integrative Physiology, 4 credit hours
• IPHY 6830: Professional Skills for the Research Scientist, 3 credit hours
• Elective coursework, 19 credit hours
• IPHY 8990: Doctoral Dissertation, 30 credit hours Total credit hours: 60

Learning Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate expert knowledge in both fundamental principles of physiology and in the student's area of specialization.
• Use the scientific method in physiology: form scientific hypotheses and theoretical models, design and conduct rigorous research protocols, and apply appropriate analytical approaches.
• Communicate findings of scientific investigations effectively, both orally and in writing.