Program Overview

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Introduction to the Master of Science Degree Program

The Master of Science degree program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in the field of Neuroscience. The program is tailored to meet the needs of students who wish to pursue a career in research, academia, or industry.

Program Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have obtained at least a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (4-point system)
• Have combined GRE scores of 300 (2012 scoring system), although this is recommended but not required for admission
• Have a basic background in science, including a minimum of 3 semester credits each in:
  • Calculus
  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Biology
• Students lacking this background may be admitted with the provision that appropriate remedial coursework is completed

Program Requirements

The program requires students to complete a total of 30 units, including:

Neuroscience Core Courses (16 units)

• BIOL 675 - Neurobiology (3 units)
• PSY 721 - Advanced Psychophysiology (3 units)
• BIO/PSY/SOM - Journal club/research presentations (4 units)
• BIO/PSY 797 - Thesis research (6 units)

Additional Course Requirements (8 units)

• PSY 706 (or equivalent) - Statistics (3 units)
• PSY/CS/BCH - Computing or bioinformatics options (3 units)
• PHAR 725 - Ethics and scientific research (2 units)

Electives (6 units)

Cognitive Neuroscience (PSY)

• PSY 627 - Computer applications (3 units)
• PSY 709 - Comparative sensory neuroscience (3 units)
• PSY 720 Perception (3 units)
• PSY 729 - Memory (3 units)
• PSY 755 - Individual reading (multiple units)
• PSY 761-3 - Special topics (multiple units)

Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

• CMB 710 - Molecular cell biology (4 units)
• BCH 704 - Molecular genetics (3 units)
• BCH 706 - Functional genomics (3 units)
• BCH 709 - Introduction to bioinformatics (3 units)
• BIOL 677 - Genes, Brain and Behavior (3 units)
• BIOL 681 - Principles of animal behavior (3 units)
• BIOL 654 - Genomic conflict, epigenetics (3 units)
• BIOL 666 - Developmental biology (3 units)
• BIOL 691 - Independent Study (3 units)
• BIOL 705 - Current topics in cellular and molecular biology (multiple units)
• BIOL 711 - Advanced cellular biology (3 units)
• PHAR 710 - Molecular Pharmacology (3 units)

Program Completion Requirements

It is the student's responsibility to fulfill all requirements in a timely manner, and all courses must be completed with a letter grade of B or higher. Failure to meet these requirements may result in academic probation, loss of funding, or dismissal from the program.

Thesis Research

Students in the Neuroscience MS program will complete 2 semesters of thesis research during their second year. In the first year, they have the option of earning elective credits for additional research in their first year or substituting these credits with elective courses. MS students must complete a thesis based on an independent research project. The thesis must be defended orally before their examining committee.

Faculty Advisor

Before the third semester in the program, each student must select a research/thesis advisor in consultation with the program director and the desired faculty member, who must be an affiliate member of the program. The advisor will serve as chair of the student's advisory/examination committee.

Journal Club

The journal club is designed to expose students to important current work in the field as well as familiarize them with diverse approaches and ongoing research within the program. Active participation is required.

Annual Research Retreat

The Neuroscience program schedules an annual research retreat for graduate students, faculty, and research fellows. All graduate students are required to attend and present their research findings at this conference, either as a poster or talk, as determined by the retreat organizing committee.

Seminar Series

The program also participates in an ongoing colloquium series hosting speakers from both within and outside the university. Graduate students play an active role in identifying the speakers and scheduling their visits as members of the Colloquium Committee and are expected to attend the talks as well as additional opportunities to interact with the speakers.

Continuous Enrollment

Graduate students without an assistantship must enroll for three (3) graduate credits each fall and spring semester until graduation. Graduate students with an assistantship must enroll for six (6) graduate credits each fall and spring semester. Graduate students may also enroll in at least 1 credit during the summer sessions.

Program Completion

The final decision on courses to be taken is made by each individual student's advisory/examination committee, and approval by the program directors. There is no qualifying exam requirement for students enrolled in a terminal Masters degree.

General Procedures and Examination Requirements

During the second semester of residence in the Neuroscience program, each MS student must select, in consultation with the program directors and the desired faculty member, a research/thesis advisor from among the program faculty. This advisor will serve as chair of the student's advisory/examination committee. After having selected a research advisor, the student will arrange for one additional Neuroscience group faculty member to serve as an advisory/examination committee.

Thesis Examination Requirements

Prior to formally choosing a date for the final oral examination, graduate students must submit a copy of their final thesis for review by their examining committee. The thesis does not need to be in its final form but must contain sufficient information to allow their committee to make an informed decision about the state of completion of their studies.

Non-Thesis MS Option

In rare cases where the student's advisor and committee deem it is not possible for the student to complete a research project for their thesis, at the discretion of the program, the student may be allowed to complete a non-thesis MS degree. This option must be approved by the faculty advisor for the degree and by the program directors.

Graduate Student Performance Standards

All graduate students in the Neuroscience program are considered full-time scientists and are expected to adhere to high standards of professional and personal behavior. Failure to adhere to these standards may be grounds for removal from the program, at the discretion of the Program Directors.

Ethics

All Neuroscience students are required to adhere to the scientific misconduct policy of the University. Failure to adhere to these standards may be grounds for removal from the program, at the discretion of the Program Directors.

Disciplinary Actions

In the event of a potential breach of ethics, evaluation of a student's performance will be determined by the Student Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC may receive input from individual faculty and students. After preliminary considerations, the committee will inform the student of areas of concern and may suggest disciplinary action. These can include probationary status, which may include loss of financial support and/or non-registration, or permanent expulsion from the program.