Program Requirements

We offer a core curriculum in cellular/molecular, systems/circuit, and translational neuroscience. These subjects are taught via both lecture-based and discussion courses. An equally important mission of our program is to develop students’ skills as effective and confident communicators of science. To this end, all trainees take a formal grant-writing course in the second year of graduate school and are required to submit F30/F31 proposals. Beginning in their third year, trainees present their ongoing research to the Neurosciences Department in a Works-in-Progress presentation. These formal presentations will be augmented by activities including the Neurosciences Department Annual Retreat and student-invited research talks given by leading neuroscientists from outside CWRU. A major focus of our training program is to provide a curriculum enabling doctoral students to build a strong foundation in experimental design, statistical methodology and quantitative reasoning. In our program, we offer broad instruction and mentoring in the full spectrum of scientific inquiry, from hypothesis formulation and methods acquisition to interpretation and publication of novel findings.