phd student neuroscience

Neuroscience, PhD

School of medicine.

The Department of Neuroscience offers an interdisciplinary program designed to train doctoral students for independent research and teaching in neuroscience. It is the goal of the program to ensure that candidates for the Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. degrees obtain a background covering molecular, cellular, systems, and cognitive approaches to neuroscience, as well as receive training that brings them to the forefront of research in their particular area of interest. A series of core courses in neuroscience, along with advanced electives, seminar series, laboratory rotations, and original independent dissertation research, form the Neuroscience Graduate Training Program.

Students enter the program from different backgrounds and the laboratories in which they elect to work cover different disciplines; therefore, the program is tailored to fit the needs of individual students. The academic year at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is divided into four quarters plus a summer semester. Courses are designed so that students have ample time to become involved in laboratory rotations. These laboratory rotations expose the student to a variety of current research techniques in neuroscience and provide an opportunity for the student to select a laboratory in which to conduct dissertation research. Scheduling of the three rotations is adjusted to make the most convenient schedule for each student. The rotations are usually completed by the end of the first full year in the program. Most students begin their thesis research at the beginning of their second year.

For more information, please visit The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience webpage: http://neuroscience.jhu.edu.

Financial Aid

The program provides tuition remission plus a stipend at or above the National Institutes of Health Predoctoral level for all students. All entering and first-year students are encouraged to apply for individual fellowships such as those sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Vivien Thomas PhD Scholars at JHU The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is a new endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically black college and university ( HBCU ) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. More information about the VTSI program is available at this link:  https://provost.jhu.edu/about/vivien-thomas-scholars-initiative/ . To be considered for the VTSI, all application and supplementary materials must be received by  December 1st .

Admission Requirements

We use a holistic approach to evaluating applicants and look forward to reading your application. We are most enthusiastic about applicants who have taken full advantage of the opportunities available at their undergraduate institution and through other summer or postbac experiences. Our class size is typically ~18 students per year.

Applicants are expected to have received a B.S. or B.A. prior to enrolling in the graduate program. Laboratory research experience prior to enrollment is also desirable. If you have research experience, please describe your research in your Statement of Interest and Career Objectives and indicate the number of months engaged in full-time and part-time research on your CV. Students who do well in our program typically have a strong academic foundation in areas of biological or physical sciences. Some of the courses that prepare students well include general biology, neuroscience, mathematics through calculus, general physics, general chemistry, organic chemistry, statistics, engineering, or computer science.

NOTE: The Neuroscience Program DOES NOT require GRE scores. 

Program Requirements

A year-long core course provides an integrated overview of molecular and cellular neuroscience, neuroanatomy and systems, and cognitive neuroscience. This course is aimed at providing Neuroscience graduate students with a foundation for posing meaningful questions in their area of interest.  During the first two years, students are required to take 6 graduate level core courses that provide rigorous training in principles of neuroscience research. In addition, students in the first year attend research symposia and complete lab rotations to introduce them to research. Students in the program are also required to participate in core program activities such as seminars, journal clubs, a quantitative analysis boot camp, career development courses and various program events. In addition, each student selects advanced electives offered by members of the Neuroscience Training Program or other departments at the Medical School.

Seminar Program

The Neuroscience Training Program conducts several seminar series to ensure that students are exposed to recent work by researchers from across the country and the world as well as by Hopkins faculty and fellows. Graduate trainees participate actively in these series throughout their training, including inviting and hosting three speakers each year. A weekly lecture is given by an outstanding researcher in some field of neuroscience. Seminars are selected so that an overall balance of subject matter is covered yearly. Students are given an opportunity to meet with each speaker for questions and discussion. Weekly lunchtime talks are presented on current literature by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Since an ability to communicate scientific work clearly is essential, graduate students receive close guidance in preparing and evaluating their journal club presentations. Once a month, the faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students from one laboratory present and discuss the ongoing research in that laboratory. This provides an informal setting to discuss research being conducted in the laboratories of the Neuroscience Training Program and gives advanced graduate students and postdoctoral fellows a forum for presenting their work.

Requirements for the PhD Degree

A minimum residency of two academic years is required. During the course of graduate study, the student must successfully complete the required course requirements. An oral examination, conducted as prescribed by the Doctor of Philosophy Board, must be completed by the end of the second year. The student must then conduct original research and describe this research in a written thesis dissertation, which must be approved by the students Thesis Committee and the Doctor of Philosophy Board.

Training Facilities

The Training Program is centered in the Department of Neuroscience. The Training Program utilizes laboratory facilities located in the Department of Neuroscience plus several other basic and clinical departments closely associated with the Neuroscience Department. All of these laboratories are within a short distance of each other. Modern state of the art facilities for research in molecular biology, neurophysiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, cell biology, and morphology are available. The Mind/Brain Institute, located on the Homewood Campus of the University, is a group of laboratories devoted to the investigation of the neural mechanisms of higher mental function and particularly to the mechanisms of perception. All of the disciplines required to address these questions are represented in the Institute. These include neurophysiology, psychology, theoretical neurobiology, neuroanatomy, and cognitive science. All of the faculty in the Mind/Brain Institute are members of the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

Combined M.D./Ph.D. Program

A subset of the current predoctoral trainees in the Neuroscience Program are candidates for both Ph.D. and M.D. degrees. Applications for admission to the combined program are considered by the M.D./Ph.D. Committee of the School of Medicine. Application forms for the School of Medicine contain a section requesting information relevant to graduate study. Applicants interested in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program should complete this section also, and indicate specifically their interest in the “Neuroscience Training Program”. If application to the combined M.D./Ph.D. program proves unsuccessful and the applicant wishes to be considered for graduate studies, they must notify the Admissions Office of the Neuroscience Training Program by separate letter.

Steps to a PhD

Some of our graduates at spring 2023 commencement,along with professors Friedrich Sommer, Dan Feldman, Michael Silver, Joni Wallis, Marla Feller, and Ehud Isacoff. Photo by  GradImages (link is external) .

Neuroscience is a broad field that requires multidisciplinary training as well as intensive study of specific concepts and techniques related to each student’s primary research focus. The Neuroscience PhD Program is designed to provide highly individualized, flexible training that fulfills both these needs. Our PhD training program has a standard completion time of 5.5 to 6 years.  The program is PhD-granting only, there is no master’s degree program.  The following is a general overview of the steps to a Neuroscience PhD at UC Berkeley. For detailed policies, see  Resources For Current Students

First-year students begin the program with an intensive, 10-day “Neuro Camp” course held just prior to the official start of fall semester classes. The course features lectures on key neuroscience concepts and on classical and emerging experimental techniques and research seminars by Berkeley Neuroscience faculty. In addition, hands-on research projects in faculty laboratories cover techniques ranging from molecular neuroscience to neurophysiology and optogenetics to fMRI. The goal is to provide an immersive introduction to multiple disciplines and experimental approaches within neuroscience. Our Neuro Camp unites neuroscience-oriented students from multiple PhD programs.

Laboratory Rotations

During Year 1, each student spends three 10-week periods performing research projects in different faculty laboratories. The choice of laboratories is based on student preference. The goal is to expose students to different techniques and approaches in neuroscience and to provide training in experimental design, critical analysis of data, and presentation of research findings. Performance in rotations is evaluated and graded. Rotations also allow students to identify the laboratory in which their thesis research will be performed. Students formally present results from the laboratory rotations in a dedicated course designed to instruct students in clear, effective presentation of scientific findings.

The program has highly flexible course requirements. These are designed to provide students with sufficiently broad training in all areas of neuroscience, while allowing focus in the area of primary research interest.

During the first two years of the program, each student is required to take one course in each of three broad areas: (A) Cellular, Molecular & Developmental Neuroscience; (B) Systems and Computational Neuroscience; and (C) Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. Each student consults with faculty advisers to determine the most appropriate individual courses within these areas.

Students must also complete a one-semester course in Applied Statistics in Neuroscience, or an equivalent approved course in statistics or quantitative analysis methods, as well as one elective course. 

For additional details, see the Neuroscience Course Curriculum.

Training in Teaching 

Effective teaching is a critical skill required in most academic and research careers. Students are required to serve as Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs; also knows as Teaching Assistants) for two semesters. GSI teaching occurs during Years 2 and 3 and provides supervised teaching experience in laboratory and discussion settings. Teaching is evaluated, and outstanding teaching is rewarded with annual Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Awards. One to three of our students typically win this award each year.

Qualifying Examination

Students complete an Oral Qualifying Exam during the spring semester of Year 2. This exam is structured around a written thesis proposal and oral examination on this proposal, related research areas, and foundational questions in neuroscience. During the exam, a faculty committee tests the student’s knowledge of these areas and general neuroscience. Students must demonstrate the ability to recognize important research problems, propose relevant experimental approaches, and display comprehensive knowledge of relevant subjects. Students must pass the qualifying examination before advancing to doctoral candidacy.

Thesis Research

Thesis research begins after the completion of rotations in spring or summer of Year 1. During Year 2, students conduct thesis research while completing required coursework and GSI teaching. Years 3 to 5 are spent primarily on thesis research. Progress on thesis research is evaluated by the student, the thesis advisor, and a Thesis Committee of three additional faculty members. Thesis research is expected to lead to publication in top-ranked, refereed scientific journals. Students are strongly encouraged to present posters and speak at scientific meetings and conferences. During Year 4, they make a formal presentation of their research progress to their peers. Completion of thesis research is determined by the Thesis Committee. While there is no formal thesis defense, students present a formal thesis seminar to the neuroscience community in their last semester of candidacy.

Other Program Activities

During training, students are expected to participate in a range of activities to increase their exposure to neuroscience research within and outside their specialty areas. These include the annual Neuroscience Conference, the Neuroscience Seminar Series, as well as other affiliated seminar series and lectures. Students also participate in journal clubs, lab meetings, and multi-laboratory special interest group meetings focused on specific scientific topics. See Program Activities for a comprehensive list.

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Neuroscience, PhD

Neuroscience is a collaborative and interdisciplinary PhD program that provides training for careers in neuroscience research, teaching and more. Our training program is designed to provide a strong foundation of neuroscience knowledge while at the same time taking into account each student's strengths, needs, and career goals.

Virtually all aspects of traditional neuroscience are reflected in the research programs of the  186 faculty members who participate in NGG training, including computational, systems, cellular and molecular, developmental, behavioral, and cognitive neuroscience, along with the neurobiology of disease.  NGG faculty members represent 30 academic departments in the schools of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Applied Science, Wharton Business, Veterinary Medicine, Dental Medicine, and Nursing, as well as the Perelman School of Medicine.  

For more information: https://www.med.upenn.edu/ngg/ngg-courses.html

View the University’s Academic Rules for PhD Programs .

Required Courses 

The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2023 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.

Sample Plan of Study

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Neuroscience, Doctoral/PhD

The graduate program in neuroscience trains outstanding graduate students to earn a phd degree in neuroscience..

We are an interdisciplinary program spanning several Departments in the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing. Our alumni fill top-tier academic, government, and industry positions worldwide. Our curriculum emphasizes critical thinking and experimental design through an innovative applied learning model. This coursework is completed within the first 16 months, after which students perform full-time dissertation research in a laboratory chosen from 2-3 laboratory rotations completed in the first year.

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Details, Dates & Deadlines

Program details, cost/credit hour.

In State: $623 Out of State: $1101

• Online application 
• $75 application fee 
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts 
• 300–500 word essay
• Proof of English language proficiency
• CV or resume

Dates & Deadlines

Fall deadline: December 1

Program Contacts

Dr. Jennifer McFarland Academic Serv Spec. [email protected]   410-706-4701

Dr. Margaret McCarthy Program Director 410.706.2655 [email protected]  

Dr. Donna Calu Dir. of Graduate Education 410.706.5160 [email protected]

620 W. Lexington St. Baltimore, MD 21201 (410) 706-3100

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Prospective Students

The Graduate Program in Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program that draws students from a variety of scientific backgrounds. The goal of the program is to provide broad training in neuroscience to students, capitalizing on the diverse research interests of our faculty. The diversity of our faculty’s research interests allows us to provide interdisciplinary training drawing from topics, techniques, and perspectives, including neuroanatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, computational modeling, and behavior. A graduate of our program will be well versed in the neurosciences, prepared to conduct independent research, and equipped to pursue a variety of career paths.

The Graduate Program in Neuroscience offers first-year students an exposure to core principles of Neuroscience through a set of lecture and lab courses:

Further information on core courses and electives can be found in the Student Handbook .

Students in our graduate program are expected to complete each component of the curriculum satisfactorily and to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. The program also expects students to reach their academic milestones in a timely manner.

Lab Rotation

With over 140 faculty members, students in the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, have many choices for their dissertation lab. During the first year, students have the opportunity to rotate through either experimental labs, working with animals including worms, flies, zebrafish, mice, and primates, or computational labs, which primarily work with data and mathematical models. While gradate students often come in with an idea of a research direction they want to pursue, many students switch their focus or field based on interests they acquired while rotating through labs.

Teaching Practicum

The Graduate Program in Neuroscience ensures that students are provided with teaching experience in the basic concepts of neuroscience and related disciplines at the university level by pairing GPN students with an instructor who will provide mentoring and opportunities to lead classroom activities. The goal is that students will develop proficiency in teaching neuroscience to undergraduate and/or graduate students. Students earn 6 academic credits by being a teaching intern for a class with a lab for one quarter OR receive 3 credits for a class without a lab for two quarters, OR teach and design the curriculum for NeuSci 450, a journal course for two quarters. These courses are in undergraduate Neuroscience courses, or Neuroscience related courses within the Medical School, Arts & Science, and other areas as approved by the Program Committee.   Skills exercised: In all courses, teaching interns will discuss exams and other evaluative procedures with instructors before administering assignments to the students enrolled in the course. Instructors and interns will predict the utility of the assignment, analyze the accuracy of their predictions during grading, assessing whether an alternate assignment would have served course students better. In all courses, teaching interns will receive written evaluation from the faculty instructors.

Supervisory Committee Meetings, Advancement to Candidacy and Graduation

Between the first and second year, students select a lab and a dissertation advisor. Before the start of the second year, students will work with their dissertation advisor to form a Supervisory Committee, consisting of 4-7 faculties to evaluate students’ academic progress.

Graduate students making normal progress in the program are expected to advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. in the third year. To advance, students prepare a document with 1)  a brief research proposal (thesis proposal) and 2) answers to three short answer questions on prepared topics . The Supervisory Committee evaluates the written portion of the exam and, in an oral exam, assesses the student’s ability to answer questions about  topics related to the area of the dissertation and general knowledg e.

Students spend most of their remaining years finishing their research and writing the dissertation. The final exam is an oral defense of the thesis before the student’s Supervisory Committee in a public forum .

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Neuroscience

Program description.

Studying Neuroscience will allow students to participate in the exciting progress in understanding the nervous system at any level, from molecular to systems. Students will develop an appreciation for the relationship between basic neuroscience research, translational research, and clinical research by directly participating in one of these areas.

The program is supported by the S tanford University Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute  and is comprised of faculty from 17 basic science and clinical departments. The approximately 140 faculty members work in all the major areas within neuroscience, including: systems/behavioral neuroscience, cellular and molecular neuroscience, developmental neuroscience, electrophysiology, plasticity, and neurodegenerative disease, translational and clinical research.

Neuroscience is an area that lends itself to interdisciplinary collaboration, and this emphasis is expanding. Students will have the opportunity to be exposed to many areas within neuroscience, supplementing their primary research focus. The goal of the Concentration is to bring medical students into the research endeavor by close interaction with the faculty who are engaged in this process.

The breadth of faculty interests in the program allows students to participate in any of these aspects of neuroscience research. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve the care of patients with neurological disease by better understanding the underlying function of the nervous system.

Graduate Degree Programs

Stanford University School of Medicine offers a highly regarded PhD program in neuroscience, which routinely includes MD/PhD students. The program is supported in part by an ongoing training grant, and applications from interested students in the research line will be considered. Students who are interested in pursuing an MD/PhD may apply to the Neuroscience PhD Program , the Biophysics PhD Program , or one of the other programs within the Biosciences . For more general information about applying to graduate programs, visit Stanford University's Office of Graduate Admissions online.

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Study a Neuroscience PhD programme at King's:

• Research project topics span from molecules to mind, including clinical and translational aspects to make a meaningful differences in people's health
• Be part of an international and diverse student body, studying at one of three central London campuses, with an active student Neuroscience Society ( Neurosoc ) 
• Extensive programmes of seminars by our faculty and international neuroscience research stars
• Opportunities to present research findings at national and international neuroscience conferences and publish in leading journals
• Teaching opportunities for PhD students via  King's Talent Bank

What you will study

King's PhD students can complete three-year projects focusing on a specific research project or a four-year studentship through a MRes/PhD programmes. These studentships follow a '1+3' model, in which students undertake lab rotations and transferable skills training in the first year, then perform their extended lab project over years 2-4. 

PhD students gain:

• Independent project and team-working skills
• Acuity in analytical skills and critique of the literature
• Ability to communicate findings to a wide range of audiences

Read our guide on how to apply for a PhD .

Explore King's Neuroscience

Our research

Leading the world in understanding brain function and finding new treatments for patients

Facilities & Resources

World-class neuroscience facilities & resources, including MRI, neuroimaging equipment, and King's…

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PhD in Educational Neuroscience

The  PhD in Educational Neuroscience  (PEN) Program at Gallaudet University is inviting prospective students to apply to our Ph.D. program to start in Fall 2022. This doctoral program is a research-focused program where students develop a specific research focus, conducting supervised research within their mentor's lab as well as developing their own lines of research through independent research projects. Students accepted into the program receive four years of funding as follows: tuition scholarship for up to the domestic rate + $25,200 annual stipend + health insurance option. 

We actively encourage applications from diverse applicants, including deaf and hard of hearing students, students with disabilities, and students from underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds.

Educational Neuroscience is a growing field that focuses on children's learning and cognitive development. Meaningful discoveries will be communicated with society. Students in our pioneering, bilingual American Sign Language-English program gain state-of-the-art cognitive neuroscience training in how humans learn, with a focus on the neuroplasticity of visual learning.

Students in the PEN program become experts in at least one cutting edge cognitive neuroscience method (e.g., fNIRS, EEG, fMRI), study neuroethics, and gain strong critical analysis and reasoning skills in science. Students will develop their own research project under close mentorship from faculty while becoming experts in both neuroimaging and behavioral experimental science. 

As an interdisciplinary program housed in VL2, PEN enjoys a close relationship with its national resource hubs:

• Action & Brain Lab (ABL)
• Brain and Language Center for Neuroimaging  (BL2)
• Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab (CAN)
• Early Education and Literacy Lab  (EL2)
• Motion Light Lab  (ML2)
• Numeracy and Educational Neuroscience Lab (NENS)
• Translation in the Science of Learning Lab  (TL2)

PEN students benefit from Gallaudet University’s local university consortium, which provides students access to courses taught in the Washington, D.C. area, and a national network of cognitive neuroscience labs throughout the world.

PEN students can expect to receive fellowship support through a combination of University and grant funding, direct mentoring support from individual advisors, and opportunities to apply for additional resources through a fund managed by the VL2 Student Network.

Ready to take the plunge? Start your  online application   TODAY!

For information on how to apply and admission criteria, visit  our application requirements page . ​​Contact us at  [email protected] .

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The majority of graduate programs are NOT impacted by recent government announcements about tuition increases. PhD students from the rest of Canada will continue to pay Quebec fees. International PhD fees will see the same 3% increase as Quebec fees.

Neuroscience (PhD)

Program description.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Neuroscience offered by Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Science is a research-intensive program that emphasizes interdisciplinary and stimulating learning opportunities. The program's objective is to equip students with skills in literature review, original thinking, and academic writing to pursue professional opportunities in academia or industry.

Keywords: behavioural, imaging, electrophysiology, neurological disease, neurodevelopment, plasticity, cognitive, neuroinformatics, epilepsy, brain tumour.

Unique Program Features

• Comprising more than 650 graduate students and 230 supervisors, the program is the largest graduate neuroscience program in North America;
• Students benefit from exposure to a wide spectrum of research fields, from cellular and molecular neuroscience to behavioural and cognitive neuroscience;
• Learning activities include laboratory research, an extensive range of courses, an annual retreat, and a seminar program to facilitate communication between students in different neuroscience disciplines;
• Admitted students are guaranteed funding;
• Graduates pursue successful scientific careers in the field of neuroscience both in the public and private sector.

University-Level Admission Requirements

• An eligible Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0 GPA
• English-language proficiency

Each program has specific admission requirements including required application documents. Please visit the program website for more details.

Visit our Educational credentials and grade equivalencies and English language proficiency webpages for additional information.

Program Website

PhD in Neuroscience website

Department Contact

Graduate Program ipn.admissions [at] mcgill.ca (subject: PhD%20in%20Neuroscience) (email)

Available Intakes

Application deadlines.

Note : Application deadlines are subject to change without notice. Please check the application portal for the most up-to-date information.

Application Resources

• Application Steps webpage
• Submit Your Application webpage
• Connecting with a supervisor webpage
• Graduate Funding webpage

Application Workshops

Consult our full list of our virtual application-focused workshops on the Events webpage.

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

• Aix-Marseille Université
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NeuroSchool PhD Program

Join the neuroschool phd program in neuroscience for a successful international career, open to amu neuroscience* phd students, this unique training (in english) aims to broaden and improve your knowledge and skills, and your professional network. it also introduces you to the world of business and medicine with practical, clinical and scientific training..

*and related fields!

Joining NeuroSchool PhD program is an opportunity offered to PhD students at Aix-Marseille University (AMU) who are enrolled in the Life and Health Sciences Doctoral School .

• If you are doing your PhD at AMU but are not enrolled in this Doctoral School, you are very welcome to join us but check with your Doctoral School how our courses and events can be validated as PhD training.
• If you wish to do a PhD but are not enrolled yet as such at AMU, please check this page for advice about how to do a PhD .

While the Doctoral School is AMU educational structure providing PhD students with doctoral training in the general field of Life and Health Sciences, the NeuroSchool PhD program offers additional training tailored to neuroscience students. PhD students from other AMU Doctoral Schools can also join the NeuroSchool PhD Program if their Doctoral School agrees.

Through the NeuroSchool PhD program, PhD students have access to training dedicated to neuroscience and join a smaller and more targeted community. They benefit from a variety of scientific events (basic and specialized courses, monthly tutored seminars, clinical training…), as well as professional, social and networking events in which they can actively participate in and/or organize (NeuroDays, special events).

These events are constantly evolving and are selected each year to best meet the needs of our PhD students.

Watch our short videos to learn more about our actions.

Register to the PhD Program

Discover the PhD Program team

The NeuroSchool PhD program was created through true teamwork. It continues to evolve every day under the impulse of the pedagogical team and the PhD students themselves.

Goals of the PhD Program

Supporting PhD students in neuroscience

The PhD Program pursues the following goals:

• propose training for helping students in their research
• preparing students for the study-to-work transition of neuroscience graduate students into academic, clinical and corporate worlds,
• broadening students’ scientific culture and developing their critical sense ,
• building a professional network , locally and internationally.

An important objective of the PhD Program is to foster the interdisciplinary, translational and multi-cultural nature of the neurosciences at AMU. This is why NeuroSchool funds each year:

• 2-3 mobility grants to finance PhD students’ participation in summer schools
• 3 doctoral contracts for international co-supervised PhDs
• 3 doctoral contracts for international PhD students (who have obtained a master’s degree at a foreign university)
• 5 six-month-long PhD extensions
• 1 year of salary for 1 intern or young MD or PharmD wishing to devote a year to research as part of a PhD in neuroscience in an AMU laboratory
• 1-2 postdoctoral fellowships in biotech companies for young AMU graduates

Check our current calls

Students benefit from a triple training: scientific, professional and clinical.

A pedagogy based on student involvement

At the PhD level, students already work every day in a research laboratory. Our PhD program developed even more robust interactions with researchers through events involving all neuroscience laboratories, such as the monthly tutored seminars or the organisation of the annual NeuroDays, and through common courses crossing all Aix-Marseille University neuroscience subfields.

These events and courses allow students to get a wider understanding of neuroscience and to get to know researchers and fellow graduate students better. In order to complete our students’ training in highly-specialized fields, we also offer our PhD students mobility fellowships to attend international summer/winter schools.

150 registered students

By enrolling in the NeuroSchool PhD program, students benefit from a triple training: scientific, professional and clinical.

Scientific training

Basic and specialized courses.

Three courses are usually offered each year, and we accept students’ suggestions for new courses. They are usually of an advanced level but we sometimes offer more basic courses to standardize the levels of knowledge about the different areas and techniques of neuroscience, especially from students coming from backgrounds other than neuroscience.

NeuroSchool PhD program regular courses

If possible, we open our courses to master’s students and postdocs.

• Python programming for statistics (Every year in June)
• A review of the most recent advances in nervous system development (Every 2 years in winter in alternance with functional neuro-anatomy)
• Functional neuro-anatomy: an overview of the main brain systems (Every 2 years in winter in alternance with neurodevelopment)
• Developing critical thinking in neurophysiology (Every 2 years in the fall in alternance with Computational neuroscience)
• Advanced computational neuroscience (Every 2 years in the fall in alternance with Developing critical thinking)
• Brainhack (Every year in December)

Occasional workshops

• The Good Reviewer’s Guide to the Publishing Galaxy
• Human experimentation and ethics
• Neuroscience and philosophy
• Neuroscience and the ecological crisis

Courses from other institutions open to our PhD students

• M1-level introductory computational neuroscience course (around March; in French until 2024)
• ADUM list of courses
• NEW : CEDRE training in data management – in French for now, on ADUM
• Neurobiologie des addictions, in French, around November each year, Timone campus
• MOOC Gestion de projet – online, in March-April, in French
• Practical MEEG (frequency to be confirmed)
• ICN neuro-imaging courses, online access, every year

Students needing refreshers may also take a course from our master’s program (mostly in French in M1, now in English in M2) or one of our online MOOCs ( Basic cellular neurophysiology in French or in English; Autour des neurones : focus sur la myéline – contact us to get access).

To keep up to date, students are invited to read the monthly NeuroMarseille newsletter , especially the section dedicated to the PhD Program, and to check their student email account and the AMeTICE platform regularly .

How to login onto the AMeTICE platform?

NeuroSchool tutored seminars

Once a month, a renowned scientist is invited by NeuroSchool to give a seminar to our students and discuss a specific topic with them.

Throughout the course of their PhD, students have to attend these tutored seminars on topics related to basic or clinical research. Students prepare for active and critical listening of the seminar by reading articles related to the presentation and discussing them in group. After the seminar, a one-hour private discussion between the PhD students and the speaker takes place.

The objective is to encourage students to speak in public and prompt them to ask questions, even on topics that are far from their research area, thus expanding their general scientific culture.

Check out the latest seminars

Clinical training

In order to intensify collaboration with clinical units and to introduce PhD students to careers in clinical research, the NeuroSchool PhD program organizes events related to medicine, such as internships in clinical units and an annual clinical day , organized jointly by clinicians and researchers.

Our clinical days :

• February 2015 : Parkinson’s disease
• June 2016 : Brain-Machine interface
• May 2018 : Multiple Sclerosis
• July 2019 : Epilepsy
• June 2021 : Autism ( replay on YouTube – in French)
• February 2022 : Parkinson’s disease ( replay on YouTube – in French)
• December 1st, 2023 : Spinal cord injury

Learn more about clinical research opportunities during a PhD

Professional training

Our student’s future is our priority. As detailed on this webpage , we help PhD students improve their study-to-work transition in 4 main tracks :

• clinical research (see section above)
• scientific communication

The PhD Program regularly organizes:

• workshops on how to write scientific CVs and LinkedIn profiles
• networking event s where students meet alumni and other professionals with inspiring career paths.

Also, check the list of courses offered by AMU Formation doctorale : there are many courses to develop professional skills (statistics, programming, project management, writing successful grant proposals, etc).

NeuroSchool recently set up new complementary training courses :

• DESU “Communication et vulgarisation scientifiques”(in French) , in partnership with EJCAM, to learn about scientific communication (2 weeks in July and 2 weeks in August-September, with a project in between ; in French),
• DESU “Data science appliquée aux neurosciences” , for neuroscience students who wish to strengthen their skills in data science (2 weeks in June-July and 2 weeks in August-September, with a project in between ; in French),
• Course on the design of experimental procedures using animals/rodents (in January, in French for now). Such courses are also offered by the CNRS and Doctoral School 62 (on ADUM ) every year ( link to the CNRS list ). They are in great demand, so sign up as soon as possible!

Check our calls to apply

Training plan and course validation

When you register as a PhD student, you should prepare a training plan with your supervisor and submit it to the Doctoral School. The plan will also be discussed during your monitoring committee meetings. Overall, you must validate a minimum of 50 hours of scientific training and 50 hours of professional training.

You may use this model to prepare your plan ( follow this link ). You can base your plan on the courses we offer at the NeuroSchool PhD program (changed each year depending on PhD students’ demands), detailed in the two following documents:

• Number of hours per event type 98 KB

You can also use the list of current courses offered by AMU Formation doctorale , which you also see on your ADUM account ( see this link ) and by the Life and Health Science Doctoral School ( follow this link ).

How do you get your hours validated after taking courses ?

• Attend the course or event and sign the presence sheet for every part of the course.
• Request a certificate of attendance from the organizer specifying the period, title and contact information. For courses and events from the NeuroSchool PhD program, you can ask our administrator (you can do that once a year).
• Deposit this certificate in your personal ADUM space, where it will be compiled with other training you may have taken outside of NeuroSchool, in order to reach the 100 hours you have to do over the course of your PhD.

Special events

NeuroSchool PhD Program provides students with the opportunity to organize events for PhD students

Each year, the NeuroSchool PhD Program provides students with the opportunity to organize events for PhD students, the entire scientific community or the general public.

The main event of the year, called " NeuroDays ", is organized by a group of about six students every year and consists in two days of conferences based on a neuroscientific subject.

The next NeuroDays will probably take place in November, 2024. Stay tuned!

Previous editions were on the following topics : 

• 2023: "The Brain Chronicles: A journey throughout the brain's lifetime" .

• 2022:  Mens sana in corpore sano (A helathy mind in a healthy body)

• 2021: Neuroscience & Society

• 2020: Neuroscience & Society - Postponed due to Covid19

• 2019: Brain & pleasure

• 2018: Through the looking glass: beyond our reality

• 2017: When the brain plays the game

• 2016: How the brain feels the body

Once in a while, students also organize a special event, such as a day dedicated to neuroscience and philosophy , and meetings with professionals from the non-academic world .

We support and guide students in the organization and the communication of these events.

In addition, the NeuroSchool PhD program organizes, at the beginning of each year, a special day to welcome new students . It gives them the opportunity to learn more about how the program works, and to get to know each other.

Students are also encouraged to participate in special NeuroMarseille events such as the NeuroLunch & Learn sessions and the NeuroMarseille Day , or in popularization events like our NeuroStories and the Brain Awareness Week (in March every year).

PhD Monitoring

Follow-up of the PhD advancement and of the good working conditions

In line with the Health and Life Science Doctoral School requirement, the PhD program promotes a dynamic and constructive follow-up of the PhD advancement and of the good working conditions, throughout the three years of the PhD .

The rules for the PhD monitoring committee (Comité de Suivi Individuel, CSI) composition and the meeting guidelines are available on AMU Doctoral School of Life and Health Sciences ( EDSVS-62 ) website (in French, but the page should be translated soon): https://ecole-doctorale-62.univ-amu.fr/fr/doctorant/suivi-theses

You can also watch our short video about PhD monitoring here: XXXXX

Important : as of 2023, PhD students must organize a meeting of their PhD-monitoring committee (comité de suivi de thèse) every year .

Additional notes related to the new academic guidelines:

• If deemed necessary, it is possible for the CSI to write a separate confidential document , in addition to the mandatory report, to be addressed to the Doctoral School (and/or the PhD Program) while remaining undisclosed to the PhD student OR to the PhD supervisor.
• The CSI report remains available to the CSI members, the PhD student, the PhD supervisor(s), the administration and direction of the Doctoral School and of the PhD Program, and the referent for the CSI in the PhD student’s laboratory. For everyone else, the report must be considered as a confidential document.

PhD monitoring - report forms

• PhD monitoring - report form - French 283 KB
• PhD monitoring - report form - English 284 KB

If you are registered to our PhD Program, please send the evaluation forms to both your doctoral school and to the PhD program (the person in charge is Anna Montagnini ).

Good student-supervisor relationship

To start a reflection and launch a discussion in your laboratory, you can use the poster on good mentoring that Clémentine Bodin, Caroline Landelle, Anne-Caroline Martel and Irene Sanchez-Brualla presented during the 2017 PhD days.

Reminder: these tips are not strict rules and must be adapted to each context!

Students' societies

Student's societies related to NeuroMarseille and NeuroSchool. 

NeuroLink is a society that gathers all PhD students and postdocs in neuroscience at Aix-Marseille University, from all campuses! We want to improve the life of students and young researchers and have a positive impact on their scientific careers at Aix-Marseille University. On the agenda: social and professional events! Meetings between neuroscience students, lunches, poster sessions, mentoring between postdocs and PhD students, advice for local life... FREE membership contact ➡️  [email protected]

Neuronautes

This Marseilles-based association is an apolitical, asyndical, aconfessional student association for students. Its purpose is to : - Constitute support of interaction to the students. - Organize scientific and cultural events. - Facilitate a link between the university, research laboratories, companies and students. - Promote science to students as well as to the general public.

ParenThèse - PACA

The ParenThèse - PACA society offers writing days (currently online) dedicated to research work in a setting that promotes productivity. This time is reserved for reading books, writing articles, writing thesis chapters or dissertations, drawing up a detailed plan, producing posters, etc. These days offer moments of strictly individual work, punctuated by transdisciplinary exchanges. 

Hippo’thèse

Hippo’Thèse is an association of PhD students and young researchers in the field of Life Sciences in Aix¬ Marseille University. Its purpose is to: - inform PhD and MSc students about post-graduate studies and promote their professional insertion, - represent PhD students in university councils. - Establish a network between PhD students, labs, startups and the university.

Collaborative "where to go" map

PhD students have set up an interactive Google Map with useful places (laboratories, administrative resources, interesting sites...). It’s collaborative, you can add your suggestions!

Communication

The PhD program uses different media to communicate these events, courses and other information to students.

• Ametice: in order to keep you up to date with the latest news about the PhD Program, but also to allow you to give your feedback (respond to polls, register to courses etc.) we use Ametice as preferential channel of communication. You will therefore receive email alerts when a news item concerns you and you will be able to subscribe directly on Ametice. You have [email protected] email address, this is the address which allows you to connect to Ametice. Here is a link to a tutorial, helping you to connect (with English subtitles): https://youtu.be/swy-9FzDgqw
• Monthly newsletter: You will receive one newsletter per month with a summary of all news of NeuroMarseille/NeuroSchool. The newsletters are accessible from the news section of our website .
• Weekly meeting : the NeuroSchool PhD Program committee usually meets on Friday morning at 9 AM in the NeuroSchool room on the Timone campus. One can also participate by videoconference. Importantly, those meetings are open to ALL, especially students. If you want to share your ideas for an event you want to organize or a course you think we should prepare, join us for one of these meetings! You’ll be very welcome.
• Twitter : You can follow us on Twitter for all kinds of information: about scientific events, career information, etc. 2023 update : we have stopped using our Twitter/X account.
• LinkedIn : Follow us on LinkedIn for all kinds of job-related information, from job offers to networking opportunities. You may also join our NeuroCommunity , a private group dedicated to our students and alumni.
• Facebook: Follow NeuroSchool on Facebook for less formal information
• YouTube channel: On our Youtube channel, you’ll find videos about events, interviews, tutorials, etc, and even a series of 360° virtual tours of our laboratories and their technical platforms.

Check out the student's kit , the general list of useful links or our checklists for international PhD students !

Some photos of the PhD programme's actions

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Stritch School of Medicine

Phd in pharmacology.

Students pursuing a PhD in Pharmacology will enroll in the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences (IPBS). In the IPBS, a common first-year curriculum provides you with a broad base of graduate-level biomedical sciences course work. The first-year curriculum also exposes you to some specialized topics and to the research interests of the graduate faculty from among whom you may select a dissertation advisor at the end of the first year of the program. You will then select Pharmacology as a specialized track to pursue the relevant advanced course work and training that most appropriately aligns with your research interests and career goals. The PhD track in Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience is dedicated to training outstanding scientists in the pharmacological sciences. After successful completion of your formal course work you will have acquired in-depth knowledge of pharmacology and basic knowledge of molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and physiology. After completion of your research project, you will have acquired expertise in your dissertation research area, including the ability to critically evaluate the related scientific literature, mastery of a variety of laboratory procedures, skills in planning and executing an important research project in Pharmacology, and the ability to communicate results in oral and written formats. Our training will provide you with a solid foundation for successful scientific careers in a wide range of areas, including academia, government, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Learn more about the IPBS program .  

The first year of the PhD program will broaden your understanding of Biomedical Sciences. As part of the Core Curriculum in Biomedical Sciences, you will attend graduate level courses in Molecular Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Ethics in Biomedical Sciences, and Methods in Biomedical Sciences in the Fall semester. Systems Biology, Statistical Methods for the Biomedical Sciences, and Presentation Skills courses are taken in the Spring semester, along with Principles of Pharmacology and research rotations.

Formal coursework, including elective courses and advanced Pharmacology course work, is normally completed by the end of the second year, after which you will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding through successful completion of a Qualifying examination.

QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

The qualifying examination consists of preparation and oral defense of a mock grant proposal on a topic different from your intended dissertation research. Once you pass the examiniation, you are formally admitted to candidacy in the PhD program.  The purpose of the qualifying exam is to show that you have knowledge and understanding of the topic and supporting scientific literature and that you can: 

• formulate a hypothesis or experimental question that is clearly stated, testable, and well-justified;
• design an experimental approach that is logical and that directly tests the hypothesis or experimental question;
• clearly articulate and describe the research proposal.

THESIS DISSERTATION

Our graduate program is committed to training outstanding research scientists. With the mentorship of a faculty advisor, you will undertake an independent research project culminating in new and significant contributions to the Pharmacological sciences. Major areas of research emphasis are: Cell Surface Receptors; Signal Transduction Mechanisms; Neuropharmacology; Cancer Pharmacology; Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

You will select a faculty advisor in consultation with the Graduate Program Director (GPD) after you complete research rotations in your first year. After completion of at least three, six-to-eight week rotations in different laboratories.  Your faculty advisor will serve on your qualifying examination committee, help you plan a written research proposal, and establish a Dissertation Committee. Throughout your Loyola tenure, your  advisor will provide advice and direction on your research project, monitor your progress through program requirements, and provide other help and counseling needed for you to complete the program.

ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

We believe that students must be able to communicate effectively, whether writing an article that describes their analysis and interpretation of their research results, writing a grant proposal, or presenting a seminar or lecture. We will help you to develop the necessary skills that will enable you to express your thoughts in a clear, organized, and concise manner. Our program offers many opportunities to enhance your oral and written skills through a number of formal and informal sessions. These opportunities include:

The Department requires our graduate students to develop teaching skills. As senior level PhD student (3rd year and beyond), you can enroll in a Teaching Pharmacology course that will provide you with the opportunity to give up to three lectures per academic year in courses determined by the Department's Graduate faculty.  Lecture topics are usually in areas related to your dissertation research. With the guidance of the Faculty Course Director, you will learn how to organize the lecture topics, develop clear presentation materials, deliver focused informative lectures, and write and grade examination questions.

SEMINARS AND JOURNAL CLUB

An important element of our program is participation in seminars and journal clubs. The Pharmacology seminar series is held bi-monthly and is attended by the faculty, students and post-doctoral researchers. Nationally and internationally recognized faculty- and student-invited scientists from a range of disciplines present seminars on the latest developments in their research. Our seminar series serves to expand our knowledge and awareness of research activities outside our department and university. You will meet informally with the speakers, joining them for lunch, to have the opportunity to inform them of your own research interests and exchange ideas.

All Pharmacology graduate students attend weekly Journal Club. You will present and discuss recently published articles from scientific journals of particular interest. Journal club provides an excellent opportunity for you and your fellow students to learn from each other, while developing your communication and presentation skills.

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS PRESENTATIONS

In the Spring semester, Pharmacology students present seminars to the department on their research projects, providing an excellent opportunity  to update the department on your project and improve your presentation skills.  

DEPARTMENT RETREAT

Our bi-annual Pharmacology retreat is held in September at the Brookfield Zoo, when we welcome and integrate new students into the department and provide another collegial opportunity.  The retreat program includes short presentations by faculty members about their research interests and a poster session featuring the work of students and post-doctoral fellows. Complementing the scientific component, everyone has the opportunity to take a tour of the world-renowned zoo.  

OTHER ACTIVITIES

While we engage in our research activities, we also like to engage in fun activities. Our annual summer picnic is an excellent example: we gather at a nearby park and enjoy good food and drink and engage in fun activities.  Additionally, we honor faculty at our annual Faculty of the Year award dinner at a restaurant in the Chicago area.  

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