Graduate Program in Neuroscience

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Departmental Programs

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Program Provisions Year 1

Program Provisions Year 2

Preliminary Examination

Research and Dissertation

Preliminary Examination

A printable version of the Program Provisions (9/1/08) can be downloaded here.

A Preliminary Examination will be required before starting the third year. The preliminary exam allows a student to pass to Ph.D. candidacy. The student and with his/her advisor assemble a committee comprised of a minimum of five program members with varied interest in Neuroscience. No more than three members of this committee can come from the home Department of the student’s thesis advisor; at least two must be tenured faculty; three must be full members of the Graduate College and all must be approved by the Graduate College to serve as examiners. The student’s advisor is not a member of the exam committee; thus, a “procedural” chair (who is a full member of the Graduate College) must be selected from the five examiners to insure the timely and appropriate administration of the exam. research/service

The Preliminary Examination will consist of: (1) a written research proposal in NRSA format that will be reviewed by the examination committee prior to the formal examination - this proposal will form the basis of the oral examination; and (2) an oral defense and examination before the student's committee. It is the responsibility of the Examination Committee in consult with the thesis advisor to specify whether the proposal can be related or must be unrelated to the student's dissertation project. This decision must be reported in writing in a timely manner to the student and the Director of Graduate Studies. While the committee can provide feedback to the student while preparing the written proposal, the committee must expect that the proposal shows sufficient intellectual independence and scientific quality before allowing the student to move on to the oral examination.

While the initial focus of the oral examination will be on the written proposal, the committee should probe the breadth and depth of the student’s knowledge beyond what is presented in the proposal; i.e., committee members ask questions that can be related to the proposal or to other aspects of Neuroscience. The experience allows the student to take what he or she has learned in formal course work and apply that knowledge to formulate research questions from both methodological and primary literature review stand points. It also prepares a student to deliver a lecture, solve problems and defend a scientific position. The student’s advisor can be present at the oral examination but cannot participate in the discussions. A vote of more than one failure by committee members will constitute a failure of the examination. Successful remediation of the failure must be accomplished by the end of their third year of study. Failure to remediate will result in dismissal from the program.

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