Neuroscience Brochure | 2011

NEURAL DEVELOPMENT CELL SIGNALING NEURAL PLASTICITY LEARNING AND MEMORY DRUG ADDICTION NEURAL PHYSIOLOGY EPILEPSY NEUROIMAGING

INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE PROGRAM BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH EDUCATION AND TRAINING 340 LIGHT HALL NASHVILLE, TN 37232-0301

RESEARCH FOCUS IN CELLULAR & MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE

NEUROSCIENCE

Interdisciplinary Graduate Program

Entry into the department is facilitated by participation in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) in the Biomedical Sciences during the first year. The IGP is comprised of the eleven basic science departments or programs in the School of Medicine and College of Arts & Sciences. The IGP provides the first year of coursework for all students entering the Department of Neuroscience.

Admissions timeline August 1 Application available online for the following Fall semester December 1 Priority deadline for review of applications January 15 Deadline for applications January-March On-campus interviews for selected candidates April 15 Deadline for candidates to accept offers to the graduate programs

INTERDISCIPLINARY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN THE BIOMEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

NEUROSCIENCE

N

CURRICULUM

Neuroscience, the study of the nervous system, is a highly integrated discipline and one of the most rapidly advancing areas of modern science. The nervous system controls and coordinates all bodily functions from simple reflexes to highly complex, motivated behaviors. Neuroscience draws upon knowledge developed in many domains, including anatomy, biochemistry, biology, genetics, pharmacology, and psychology, and represents inquiries along a continuum from structural biology of signaling molecules to the understanding of brain function, scientists in this challenging field must cross boundaries dividing traditional specialties and employ multidisciplinary approaches.

GRADUATE COURSEWORK

Vanderbilt’s Neuroscience Graduate Program prepares each student to make significant contributions in neuroscience and fosters development from trainee to independent research scientist and educator. This is achieved by combining sound training in the fundamentals of neural science with more specialized trainCoursework in the ing that focuses on the Cellular & MOLECULAR integration of this knowltrack for NeurosciencE edge base into a study of Neuroscience Discussions I and II nervous system function Neuroscience Research Forum and disease. The training, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience which combines rigorous course work with opporSeminar in Neuroscience tunities for state-of-the-art Graduate Neuroanatomy research, is designed to Experimental Statistics Short Course prepare graduates for a Systems Neuroscience future in which neuroCognitive Neuroscience scientists must be able to make the transition from Advanced Molecular Neurobiology molecules and cells to neuAdvanced Neurophysiology ral systems and behavior.

QUALIFYING EXAM

The Ph.D. qualifying process consists of two major phases that should typically be completed by the end of the third year of graduate training. Successful qualification represents the final checkpoint for admission into candidacy for a Ph.D. degree.

The purpose of the qualifying examination is to test the student’s general knowledge of neuroscience and familiarity with published research related to their dissertation project, and to determine whether the student possesses and can communicate analytical abilities needed for a scholarly career.

The first phase of the qualifying process consists of a concise paper, reviewing the background literature that is relevant to the student’s projected dissertation research, followed by an oral examination of the student’s knowledge.

The review is submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies prior to the oral exam. Upon acceptance by the oral qualifying committee, this review is to be submitted for publication with the reviews from the rest of the qualifying class in Vanderbilt Reviews Neuroscience, the official journal of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. Having successfully completed the first phase, the second phase of the qualifying process consists of a dissertation proposal in NRSA or equivalent format and its defense in front of the student’s dissertation committee. Successful completion of this entire process results in the student’s admission into doctoral candidacy in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. student outcomes

Most recent graduates of the Neuroscience Graduate Program have gone on to pursue further education: some have pursued postdoctoral studies at the following institutions: Yale University, Harvard University, Northwestern University, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and Duke University’s campus in Singapore. Some graduates have pursued additional degrees in medicine and law to bring a formidable force of knowledge to contribute to society. Many others have engaged in work at biotechnology companies such as Insight Genetics, Inc., Genentech, Inc., and Chicago Abbott Laboratories. More established alumni of the program have attained high positions in biotechnology and academics, demonstrating a great breadth of possibilities for Neuroscience program trainees.

APPLY FOR FREE ONLINE http://bret.mc.vanderbilt.edu/igp/admissions VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY | Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical and Biological Sciences | 340 Light Hall, Nashville, TN 37232-0301 | http://bret.mc.vanderbilt.edu/igp/ | 800.373.0675