THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Students must complete the following requirements
to obtain the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy:
Boot
Camp
Boot Camp is an intense pre-graduate
laboratory course, intended mainly for
the incoming first year students. This course is patterned after summer courses at the Marine Biological
Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, MA, with a series of intensive lab
exercises that run six days a week from early morning until midnight and
beyond, held in September, just before regular classes begin in Fall
Quarter. In addition,
part of each morning is devoted to lectures
by 5-7 faculty members, highlighting
the major research interests being pursued
in their laboratories. At lunch time,
the students give short talks about the
research they have done before entering
this graduate program. The purposes of
Boot Camp are to introduce the new students
to basic ideas and techniques of neuroscience,
to get them acquainted with a number
of the faculty members and more senior
graduate students (who serve as TAs),
and for them to get to know one another.
All incoming students participate in
Boot Camp.
Research Rotations
Research rotations provide the opportunity for
first- year students to obtain hands-on research experience in several
different laboratories. A rotation generally lasts one quarter. At
least three rotations must be completed by the end of the summer quarter
of the student’s first year. By this time each student should
have found a faculty member under whose sponsorship and in whose laboratory
the dissertation research will be completed.
The student is responsible for arranging his or her own rotations and registering with the Registrar’s Office. Only Fall Quarter rotations may be scheduled before arriving in San Diego. Winter and Spring rotations may be scheduled after Boot Camp is over. The student should inform the Graduate Program Coordinator prior to starting a rotation, so that a section number can be set up for enrollment.
Prior to the beginning of the rotation, the student and faculty member should discuss what is expected. Regular meetings between the student and the faculty advisor are expected. At the conclusion of each rotation, written evaluations are submitted both by the faculty member and the student to the Graduate Program Coordinators. Students are required to present a short rotation talk on one of the three rotations at boot Camp at the end of their first year.
For MSTP Students:
MSTP students are expected to have completed at least two rotations before joining the graduate program, and must complete three rotations before joining a thesis lab. At least two of the rotations must be in labs associated with the Neurosciences Graduate Program. MSTP students must complete all rotations by Fall quarter after entering the graduate program, and must select a thesis lab by the end of the Fall quarter. The thesis advisor will take financial responsibility for the student (stipend and fees) once the student joins the lab.
Course Work
All students in the Program are required
to take six Core Courses, fulfill elective
requirements, attend Research Rounds
for two years, complete three research
rotations, and teach for at least one
quarter.
Grading
Core Courses, research rounds, and required
electives must be taken for a letter
grade and a grade of "B" or better must
be obtained. (If taking a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
course, a letter written by the instructor
stating the letter grade is sufficient.)
All other courses may be taken for a
grade of "satisfactory", where "satisfactory" grade
is considered to be a "B-" or better.
If a student receives a grade of "C+" or
lower or "unsatisfactory", (s)he has
the option of either repeating the course
or taking a different course from the
list of allowable electives.
It is the responsibility of each student to clear up any grading problems. Students should check their academic record on TritonLink each quarter for grading errors, missing grades and/or incorrect course enrollment. If grading errors are not cleared up by the end of the quarter, the grade “F” or “U” will be assigned. All academic errors must be corrected within one year.
Petitioning
Many of the academic and administrative
requirements are handled by "General
Petitions," as outlined in Appendix VIII
of the Student
Handbook. Note an important use of
the General Petition, listed under section
H. Other: "...may also be used when requesting
exceptions to academic policy not covered
in other petition sections." This means
that students can petition for exceptions
to essentially any policy, and these
requests will be considered.
Core Courses
By the time of the Minor Proposition
Exam (see p.14), students are expected
to demonstrate competence in the basics
of neuroscience by taking five quarters
of mandatory course work:
- NEU
200A, B, C: Core Neuroscience courses
- NEU
225 Statistical Methods and Experimental
Design
- NEU
257 Mammalian Neuroanatomy Laboratory
- Ethics Course Requirement
Statistical Methods & Experimental Design (NEU 225)
All first year Neurosciences students, including MSTP students, MUST
register for this course. Students with prior statistical coursework
that resulted in a letter grade: "A" will meet the degree
requirements if they also fulfill the course requirements of the
Computational Neurobiology specialization. This course is designed for
graduate students in the neurosciences. The course will address
principle issues of statistical methods and study design as well as
selected advanced topics relating to neurosciences research. The course
will combine lectures, discussion, and practical examples drawn from
medical research and neurosciences.
Electives
Neurosciences Graduate Program
Electives Requirement
Students are required to take 12 credits of elective courses, at least 4 credits need to be advanced topics courses based on reading of primary literature. This can be satisfied by either by completing Neu 221 courses or by completing readings based courses offered by the Departments of Neurosciences, Biological Sciences, Cognitive Science, and Psychology. To qualify for a readings-based course, at least one session per week should be devoted to discussion of published research papers.
The remaining 8 credits may be selected from advanced courses (200 level) offered by the Departments of Neurosciences, Biological Sciences, Cognitive Science, and Psychology.
Courses
offered
by these
departments can
be found here.
Students may petition to receive elective
credit for courses offered by other departments,
or for courses taken previously, as long
as they are graduate level courses directly
relevant to neuroscience. To receive
credit for a readings-based elective,
the course must be based primarily on
reading and discussion of primary literature.
MSTP students automatically get 4 units
of elective credit for Basic Neurology.
All petitions must include a course
syllabus or reading list and should be
submitted to the Chair of the Curriculum
Committee or the Director of the Graduate
Program for approval. Once approved,
the student must send the notice of approval
to the Graduate Program Coordinator so
that it can be noted in his/her record.
The following is a list of recommended
electives:
NEU 222 Molecular and Cellular Neuroendocrinology
(course coordinator Dr. Wylie Vale)
This course examines the role of the
central nervous system in controlling
reproductive functions, with emphasis
on the cellular mechanisms of neuroendocrine
function. The lectures are given by experts
on the various topics. Lectures include
a basic introduction on the topic followed
by a discussion of current research in
the area. Winter quarter, alternate years.
NEU 263 Developmental Neurobiology
(course coordinator Dr. Greg Lemke)
This course examines cellular and developmental
aspects of the nervous system. Topics
include neuroembryology, neuroglial cells
and neuron-glia interactions, control
of neuronal survival and differentiation,
and plasticity and regeneration of the
nervous system. Spring quarter, alternate
years.
NEU 268 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology
(course coordinator Dr. Pamela Mellon)
This course focuses on the cellular
and molecular basis of nervous system
function. The lectures will communicate
current genetic and cell biological approaches
used to study the specialized structures
and cell types of the nervous system.
Topics include cell organelles, chromatin
structure and function, cytoskeleton
and membrane interactions, receptors
and signal transduction, channels and
pumps, cellular junctions and synapses,
node of Ranvier, and neuroplasmic transport.
Fall quarter, alternate years.
NEU 277 Neuropsychopharmacology (Drs.
Mark A. Geyer and Ron Kuczenski)
This course examines the molecular
and biochemical bases of drug and transmitter
action. The course is devoted to receptor
mechanisms, neuropharmacology, and drug
action on excitable tissues. Spring quarter,
alternate years.
NEU 221 Advanced Topics in Neuroscience
The advanced topics courses are typically
entirely based around reading research
papers and discussions. Different advanced
topics courses are offered each year.
Past courses have included:
- Advanced cellular & synaptic
physiology (Dr. Jeff Isaacson)
- Biology of the synapse (Dr. Paul
Martin)
- Neurodegenerative diseases (Drs.
Koo and Masliah)
- Neuroinformatics (Dr. Martone)
- Feedback and sensorimotor control
(Dr. Kleinfeld)
- Developmental neurobiology (Dr. Turner)
- Neurotransmitter Storage Vesicle
(Dr. O’Connor)
- Visual system (Drs. Thomas Albright
and Harvey J. Karten)
- Inhibition: synapses, cells, & circuits
(Dr. Ed Callaway)
- Ion Channels (Dr. Paul Slesinger)
- Neuropsychiatric disorders of misguide
urge, impulse, and action (Dr. Swerdlow)
NEU 232 Neuroscience at the Boundaries of Neurology and Psychiatry, Part I & II (Drs. Eddie Koo and Neal Swerdlow)
This course focuses on disorders affecting the nervous system, emphasizing phenomenological and mechanistic links and common biological themes across these disorders. Clinical presentations, pathology, and basic science of selected diseases will be covered in lecture and discussion format.
Research
Rounds
Research Rounds is a weekly
seminar course that meets
in Fall, Winter and Spring
quarters, in which graduate
students beyond their second
year in the Program present
their current research. Students
in their first and second
years are required to take
Neurosciences Research Rounds
(NEU 276). Teaching
All students are required to perform as a teaching assistant (TA) for at least one quarter during their graduate career to develop their talents and gain experience as teachers. To this end, opportunities to lecture and to assist in laboratory exercises and demonstrations are available through a number of departments, including Neurosciences, Biology and Cognitive Science. This teaching requirement must be fulfilled before advancing to candidacy. Furthermore, as TAships are a curriculum requirement for the program, they are not a source of supplementary income. In cases where the students’ TAships provide financial support, the total annual support will remain at the standard level, currently $26,500/year. Students are encouraged to complete their TA requirement during their second or third year, and should directly contact the course instructor of the course they wish to TA. Minor Proposition
Exam The Minor Proposition Exam is generally
taken during the Fall quarter of
the student’s second year.
The exam must be passed by
the end of the second academic year.
The exam is designed to meet
two objectives:
- To evaluate the ability of the
student to propose and defend an
original research project.
- To evaluate the proficiency of
the student’s general neuroscience
knowledge as drawn from the Core
Courses taken in the first two
years of study.
The
Minor Proposition Examination
requires the student to select
a research problem in the neurosciences
and propose an experimental
approach for solving it. The
selected problem should be
broad, requiring experimental
approaches from more than one
discipline, and should be outside
the area of the student’s
anticipated dissertation research.
Students will be required to
demonstrate a working knowledge
of the disciplines
involved in the Minor Proposition.
There
are four
phases
to the
Minor Proposition:
- Selection
of an
approved
topic
through
the production
of a
two-page
abstract
submitted
to the
Minor
Proposition
Committee.
- Submitting
a ten-page
proposal
in NIH
small-grant
format.
- Taking
an oral
examination
consisting
of a
thirty-minute
presentation
followed
by a
period
of open
questioning
by a
four-member
committee,
two of
whom
are appointed
by the
Minor
Proposition
Committee
(other
two members
are chosen
by the
student).
Note
that
the student
may be
examined
on any
aspect
of the
core
curriculum.
- The Chair of the students committee will submit an evaluation form to the Graduate Program Office describing the students Minor Proposition presentation and outcome of exam.
Upon passing the Minor Proposition Exam,
the student is eligible to receive his/her Masters Degree (see Appendix
III in the Student
Handbook).
Advancement to Candidacy
Examination
This exam is required by the
Graduate Council of the Academic Senate to evaluate the quality
of the dissertation work completed as well as the proposed additional
experiments. The emphasis of the exam is on the conceptual rationale
of the dissertation proposal. In addition, it is the charge of
the Doctoral Committee to estimate the time required to complete
the project. Passing the qualifying exam advances the student to
candidacy, effectively changing his/her status from doctoral student
to doctoral candidate.
The Graduate Program in Neurosciences encourages students to advance by the end of their third year, however, they must advance by the end of their fourth year. The University will not allow students to register for the fall quarter of their fifth year or receive any financial support unless they have successfully advanced to candidacy. The Graduate Council requires that students advance to candidacy a minimum of three quarters (not including summer) prior to their final dissertation defense. This requirement may be waived under special circumstances.
To take the qualifying examination, a student must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in upper-division and graduate course work with no more than eight units of "F" and/or "U" grades. Additionally, the student must have grades of "B" or better in all Core Courses, fulfilled their teaching requirement, and must have completed a minimum of three academic quarters. All Core Course work must be completed before a student is permitted to advance.
In preparation for advancement, the student must put together a Doctoral Committee that is approved by the Program Director and OGSR. Names of your proposed committee members must be submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator at least one month prior to the anticipated exam date. After review, the coordinator will send the nomination form to OGS for review and requested approval. Allow three weeks for the OGS review process. Students should not schedule their exam date until they have received final approval for the appointment of their doctoral committee by OGS. (See Appendix IV in the Student
Handbook for detailed information on
criteria for selecting a Doctoral Committee.)
Dissertation Proposal
After selecting a Doctoral Committee, the
student must schedule the examination and
present a written dissertation proposal to
the Doctoral Committee. There is no required
format for the dissertation proposal, but
the proposal (generally less than 10 pages)should
describe the goals of the project, summarize
previous work in the area, describe the experimental
design, present the progress that the student
has already made, and discuss future plans.
The Thesis Advisor should read and approve
the proposal before it is distributed to
other Doctoral Committee members. The committee
should have your proposal at least one week
prior to the Qualifying Examination. At the Qualifying Examination, the student
is required to give an oral presentation
that is followed by a period of open questioning
from the committee members. When the dissertation
proposal is approved, the Committee members
sign the exam approval sheet (see Appendix
IV in the Student
Handbook, exhibit two). A $65.00 Advancement
to Candidacy fee is required, in advance,
to complete the paperwork. The Neurosciences Graduate Program will not cover this fee, however the students may request reimbursement from their doctoral advisor or thesis lab.
Doctoral (Thesis) Committee Meetings
In addition to the administering the Qualifying Exam, the Doctoral Committee (also called thesis committee) oversees the progress of the dissertation and administers the Final Examination. The student should schedule at least one thesis committee meeting each year during Spring Quarter (see Spring Evaluations) after Advancement to Candidacy. The Chair of the thesis committee and three additional members must sign a progress report at each meeting to indicate that the student is making adequate progress towards completing his/her dissertation
(see form in Appendix X in the Student
Handbook).
Defense of Dissertation
The Final Examination
consists of two parts.
1. A public presentation of the dissertation
work, followed by public discussion. 2. An oral defense, in closed session,
with the student’s Doctoral Committee. The student MUST contact the Graduate Program Coordinator at least one month prior to scheduling their defense/final exam. The requirements listed in the Instruction
for Preparation and Submission of Doctoral
Dissertations issued by the Office of Graduate
Studies must be closely followed.
At the conclusion of the Final Examination,
all members will sign the "Final Report of
the Final Examination and Filing of the Dissertation
for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy" (Appendix
VI, Exhibit 1 in the Student
Handbook), directly following the examination.
The student delivers the form in person to
obtain the appropriate signatures from the
Program Director, OGS, and University Archivist.
The Ph.D. degree is conferred at the end
of the quarter in which all forms are completed.
The student may, if they choose, attend the
graduation ceremonies held in the following
June.
Support Limit
This is the maximum time during which a doctoral student is eligible for support. If the student does not complete all requirements by the end of the sixth year, (s)he may continue as a student for an additional year, but will not be eligible for financial support during that year. This includes fellowships, scholarships, and employment administered by the University and its affiliated institutions (i.e. the Salk Institute, the Burnham Institute, and the Scripps Research Institute), but does not affect financial aid loans.
Additional information
about academic advising can be found in the Student
Handbook.
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