university of toronto cognitive neuroscience phd

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Cognitive Neuroscience

The study of human cognition and perception involves investigating the mental processes that allow one to successfully interact with the world, and includes the study of the basic input systems that receive information, the motor systems that afford interaction with the world, the internal representation systems that enable learning, memory, and belief systems, and the control systems that regulate how these processes interact with each other. Our research strengths include visual perception, sensory-motor integration, language processing, and metaphor comprehension, memory, conscious and unconscious processing, music cognition, the way people think, reason, and solve problems, general intelligence, and individual differences in problem solving abilities. Research in our department also involves study of the manner in which any of these sub-areas develops throughout childhood, and degrades with normal aging or neural damage. We use a variety of approaches to study these issues, including behavioral studies, EEG, fMRI, fNIRS, eye tracking, and connectionist modeling. Finally, the cognition and perception area contributes to the undergraduate program in Cognitive Science, which emphasizes the strong working relationships among researchers in psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy, in the common pursuit of understanding the mind.

Core Faculty:

• Blair Armstrong
• Jonathan Cant
• George Cree
• Vina Goghari
• Cendri Hutcherson
• Steve Joordens
• Olivia Podolak Lewandowska
• Adrian Nestor
• Matthias Niemeier
• Mark Schmuckler
• Michael Souza

Brain and Neuroscience 

Our Brain and Neuroscience researchers study neuropsychology, neuroimmunology, neurogenetics, proteomics, neuro-oncology, and neurological disease mechanisms.

Their investigations, and study of their respective pathobiological networks, aim to better understand and treat neurodegenerative diseases, and all diseases related to the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s and brain cancer.

Our broad spectrum of research includes:

• the role of ion channels
• receptors and signal transduction
• synapse formation and plasticity
• neural cell fate
• neuronal guidance
• neuronal networks
• tumour genomics and genetics
• brain changes in degenerative disease

Latest news on Brain and Neuroscience research

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School of Graduate Studies

Neuroscience.

The University of Toronto is a world-renowned school so I knew I was applying to a leading graduate institution [Psychology […]

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Welcome to the department of psychology.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, brain, and behaviour. Measured by major global university rankings, research productivity and impact, the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto is one of the world’s best. Importantly, we combine excellence with accessibility more successfully than virtually any other university in the world. Collectively, we take pride in training the next generation of psychologists to equip them with the skills and knowledge to graduate with pride, healthy habits of mind, and meaningful ways of knowing. Let the Department of Psychology help you realize your potential.

Click here to read the Chair's message!

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School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Calendar

Neuroscience, neuroscience: introduction, lead faculty of the collaborative specialization, participating degree programs.

Biochemistry — MSc, PhD Bioethics — MHSc Biomedical Engineering — MASc, PhD Cell and Systems Biology — MSc, PhD Community Health — MScCH Computer Science — MSc, PhD Dentistry — MSc, PhD Developmental Psychology and Education — MA, PhD Immunology — PhD Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology — MSc, PhD Medical Biophysics — MSc, PhD Medical Science — MSc, PhD Music — MA, PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences — MSc, PhD Pharmacology — MSc, PhD Physiology — MSc, PhD Psychology — MA, PhD Public Health Sciences — MPH, MSc, PhD Rehabilitation Science — MSc, PhD

The graduate programs listed above participate in the Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience.

Participating graduate units contribute courses and provide facilities and supervision for graduate research. Students must follow a plan of studies acceptable to both the participating unit and the Neuroscience collaborative specialization. Upon successful completion of the degree requirements of the participating home graduate unit and the collaborative specialization, students will receive the notation “Completed Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience” on their transcript.

Students interested in joining the specialization should visit the Neuroscience website and complete the application form. Students should register within one month of initial registration in their participating degree unit. The Neuroscience website provides areas of research for all faculty in the collaborative specialization, their graduate unit affiliations and contact information, as well as additional information on neuroscience courses.

Students in the specialization receive the Neuroscience newsletter and notification about neuroscience lectures held on campus. The collaborative specialization runs a Distinguished Lectureship Series of talks by eminent neuroscientists and an annual research day; students are required to attend and present at this event.

Contact and Address

Web: www.neuroscience.utoronto.ca Email: [email protected] Telephone: (416) 978-8637

Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience University of Toronto Room 3306, 1 King's College Circle Toronto, ON M5S 1A8 Canada

Neuroscience: Master's Level

Admission requirements.

Applicants who wish to enrol in the collaborative specialization must apply to and be admitted to both the collaborative specialization and a graduate degree program in one of the collaborating units.

Specialization Requirements

The thesis topic must be in the neuroscience area.

The student's supervisor must be a core faculty member of the Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience.

All master's-level students must complete at least 0.5 full-course equivalent (FCE) chosen from the list of courses approved by the collaborative specialization, as listed below.

The student must attend and present their work as first author at the Annual Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience Research Day at least once.

The student must complete NEU1000H Neuroscience Distinguished Lecture Series (Master's) by attending at least 70% of the lectures in the CPIN Distinguished Lectureship Series (including the Julius Axelrod Distinguished Visiting Neuroscientist Lecture) or CPIN Emerging Leaders in Neuroscience Lecture Series, during one academic year (or a minimum of seven lectures in total over the program). As part of the seminar series, the student must present his/her work at least once at the CPIN Research Day.

Neuroscience: Doctoral Level

All PhD students must complete at least 1.0 full-course equivalent (FCE) course, such as JNR1444Y Fundamentals of Neuroscience: Cellular and Molecular , or JNS1000Y Fundamentals of Neuroscience: Systems and Behaviour , or one of several additional courses in cognitive psychology or imaging, or neuroscience-related course to be determined by the collaborative specialization committee and posted on the Neuroscience website in July of each year.

The student must attend and present their work as first author at the Annual Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience Research Day at least twice.

The student must complete NEU2000H Neuroscience Distinguished Lecture Series (Doctoral) by attending at least 70% of the lectures in the CPIN Distinguished Lectureship Series (including the Julius Axelrod Distinguished Visiting Neuroscientist Lecture) or CPIN Emerging Leaders in Neuroscience Lecture Series, during three academic years (or a minimum of 21 lectures in total over the program). As part of the seminar series, the student must present his/her work at least twice at the CPIN Research Day.

MSc or MA students who have completed the Neuroscience specialization and who wish to continue on to complete at the doctoral level must register in NEU2000H Neuroscience Distinguished Lecture Series (Doctoral) and fulfil the doctoral requirements.

Neuroscience: Courses

Neuroscience courses offered by the participating units are listed below. Not all courses are offered each year.

0 Course that may continue over a program. Credit is given when the course is completed.

+ Extended course. For academic reasons, coursework is extended into session following academic session in which course is offered.

Other Courses

Courses not specifically in neuroscience which do not fulfil the requirements as neuroscience courses but might be useful for neuroscience students.

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Advancing Brain Research in Mental Health and Suicide Risk

Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory | University of Toronto

What Do We Do?

We conduct research at the intersections of clinical psychology , neuropsychology and cognitive-affective neuroscience .

Our research advances foundational knowledge about cognition —especially executive functions and emotion perception —and the brain . We apply this knowledge to drive discoveries about mental health —primarily impulsive-spectrum diagnoses such as personality disorders and substance use disorders —and suicidal thoughts and behaviours .

We seek to achieve a mechanistic understanding of the factors that give rise to mental health conditions and related disturbances in cognition and the brain, with a primary focus on the effects of cumulative lifetime stress .

In our collaborative studies with other research teams, we investigate the impacts of research supported treatments —including psychotherapies and non-invasive brain stimulations —on mental health conditions and self-injurious thoughts and behaviours, and their corresponding effects on cognition and the brain.

Who Do We Train?

Our laboratory trains exceptional undergraduate students in Psychology and Neuroscience, graduate students in Clinical Psychology, and post-doctoral research fellows at the University of Toronto. 

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Cognitive Science

“Learn to question what you think…” Jesse Berlin, Cognitive Science Alumnus

Our program seeks an understanding of perception, language, reasoning and consciousness by drawing on work in computer science, linguistics, human biology, philosophy and psychology.

Outside all the boxes

Our students are encouraged to excel in the field’s sub-disciplines, but are also rewarded for thinking outside of these disciplinary boxes to synthesize their learning and enrich their understanding. As alumnus Jesse Berlin observed, “Cognitive Science is about the hard problems of tomorrow and today. It's where you learn to question not only what you think and how you think, but also what thinking is. It's utterly fascinating."

Diverse Curriculum

In addition to dedicated Cognitive Science courses, our curriculum comprises a blend of mind-related courses in Computer Science, Human Biology, Linguistics, Philosophy, and Psychology.

Flexible Programs

Cog Sci is offered as either an arts or science major, each with a choice of streams tailored to your intellectual and career interests. Arts streams include Perception and Attention, Language and Cognition or Thinking and Reasoning; Science streams include Computational Cognition or Cognition and the Brain.

An Expanding Field

The Cognitive Science program is fast-growing -- enrolment is up 76 per cent since 2009! We strive to enhance scholarship and travel opportunities for students and to foster outreach programming such as our biennial undergraduate conference, “Interdisciplinary Symposium on the Mind.”

UC Welcomes New Cognitive Science Faculty Member Can Mekik

Cognitive Science Professor Yang Xu Finds ‘Unified Foundation’ of Word Meaning in Child Language Development and Language Evolution

Student Initiatives

Student Association

All of our students are entitled to membership with CASA (Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence Students’ Association). CASA aims to bring together anyone in the U of T community interested in the study of the mind.

Symposium (UTism)

The University of Toronto Interdisciplinary Symposium on the Mind (UTism) is a biennial conference offered by CASA to explore an array of topics in cognitive science and related disciplines.

Have a question about Cognitive Science at UC?

Applied Cognitive Neuroscience

Applied Cognitive Neuroscience (ACN) at TMU spans 15 active research laboratories specializing in auditory cognition, attention, memory, emotion, decision-making, development, and cognitive aging. This research area is unique to TMU, blending the rigour and advanced methodologies of cognitive neuroscience with an emphasis on societal relevance.

ACN faculty use a wide variety of research methods including behavioural methods (accuracy, reaction time, eye tracking), psychophysics, computational modelling, electrophysiology (EEG/ERP), neuroendocrinology, brain stimulation (tRNS, tDCS) and functional neuroimaging (fMRI, fNIRS). Laboratories are housed in the Psychology Research and Training Centre, located in Toronto’s Discovery District, providing excellent opportunities for collaboration with surrounding hospitals, institutes, and industry. Graduate students affiliated with ACN are enrolled in either the Psychological Science program or the Clinical Psychology Program. Students enrolled in the Psychological Science program take complementary courses with an applied focus including Applied and Translational Research Methods, as well as practica that can be completed in non-academic settings (e.g., industry, non-profits, or government).

Participants are typically recruited from the community and the TMU student body. Middle‐aged and senior participants are recruited through ongoing partnerships with TMU's Chang School of Continuing Education, and our in-house TMU Senior Participant Pool. Infant and child participants are recruited through our in-house TMU Infant and Child Database. Through external collaborations we additionally have access to various clinical populations (e.g., Dementia, Hearing Loss, Schizophrenia). ACN labs maintain a high degree of research productivity with funding from NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR, Mitacs, the Canada Research Chair Program, Brain and Behavior Foundation, and other agencies. ACN meetings tend to be held biweekly with a mix of in-house and invited guest speakers. The meetings are a lively forum for discussions, collaboration, and promotion of research excellence.

All ACN Events

Upcoming Events

Researchers who are affiliated with this research area include:

• Dr. Alexandra Fiocco
• Dr. Todd Girard
• Dr. Molly Henry
• Dr. Behrang Keshavarz  (external link, opens in new window) 
• Dr. Naomi Koerner
• Dr. Lili Ma
• Dr. Margaret Moulson
• Dr. Tisha Ornstein
• Dr. Brandon Paul
• Dr. Natasha Rajah
• Dr. Frank Russo
• Dr. Moriah Sokołowski
• Dr. Julia Spaniol
• Dr. Karl Szpunar
• Dr. Lixia Yang
• Lifespan Development
• Community & Health
• Social Psychology

Undergraduate Programs

Back to Undergraduate Programs

Neuroscience

St. George Campus, Faculty of Arts & Science

Program Information

Degree(s): Honours Bachelor of Science

Program(s): Human Biology: Neuroscience (Major, Specialist)

OUAC Admission Code: TLG (Life Sciences)

Academic Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma Six 4U/M courses, including:

• Biology (SBI4U)
• Calculus & Vectors (MCV4U)
• Chemistry (SCH4U)
• English (ENG4U)
• Physics (SPH4U) is recommended

Find equivalent requirements for Canadian high school systems , US high school system , International Baccalaureate , British-Patterned Education , French-Patterned Education , CAPE , and other international high school systems .

Mississauga Campus

Program(s): Neuroscience (Specialist)

OUAC Admission Code: TMP (Psychology)

• Advanced Functions (MHF4U)
• Calculus & Vectors (MCV4U) is recommended

Scarborough Campus

Program(s): Neuroscience (Co-op, Major, Specialist) Cellular/Molecular Stream (Co-op, Specialist) Cognitive Stream (Co-op, Specialist) Teaching Stream (Co-op, Specialist)

OUAC Admission Code: TSL (Life Sciences)

• Chemistry (SCH4U) is recommended
• One Grade 12 U Math

• Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

The Graduate Program in Neuroscience strives to educate and support graduate students as they expand the breadth and depth of their knowledge about the brain through enriching research experiences. The program embraces principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and recognizes and accommodates individual needs and academic backgrounds. Through two core courses on molecular/cellular and systems neuroscience, respectively, students in the program develop a broadly based and applicable neuroscientific knowledge base. Additional related courses are available for selection by the student and their supervisor. The program is research-oriented and students engage in research from the start of their studies. Research is undertaken in the laboratory of the supervisor and in their affiliated home department, over a wide range of basic and clinical neuroscience topics. With its inter-departmental structure, the program offers collaborative research opportunities that extend beyond the usual boundaries of neuroscience. 

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

The Graduate Program in Neuroscience is a multidisciplinary program administered under the Faculty of Medicine and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at the University of British Columbia. It offers a coordinated program of graduate studies leading to MSc and PhD degrees in Neuroscience. The objective of the program is to educate graduate students as neuroscientists with intensive experience in at least one area of research, and to ensure that students in the program develop a broadly based knowledge of the neurosciences.

The program is comprised of more than 120 faculty members representing 20+ departments from the Faculties of Medicine, Science, and Arts at the University of British Columbia. Laboratory and teaching areas are located across the UBC campus, at UBC Hospital and Vancouver General Hospital.

Our faculty have research collaborations that span across departments, industries, and international borders. Although the program is inter-departmental, various regular seminars, journal clubs, and invited lectures provide ample opportunity to meet and discuss current topics in neuroscience. The program encourages its graduate students to participate in the many academic and social events organized by the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health and by the program’s student association.

UBC's Neuroscience program provides a large cross-disciplinary network of outstanding researchers working in different fields of neuroscience ranging from molecular to systems neuroscience, as well as research in healthy and clinical populations.

Philipp Kreyenmeier

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD)

Whereas a commitment from a supervisor is not required prior to applying to the program, a supervisor is required for admission. Please view Graduate Program in Neuroscience faculty here:  https://neuroscience.ubc.ca/faculty/ . When contacting potential supervisors, we recommend including a CV, unofficial academic transcript, and a brief and specific explanation of why you are interested in joining that particular lab.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research facilities.

With more than 155,000 square feet of space, the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health has both laboratory and clinical research areas within the Centre proper and in the UBC Hospital Koerner Pavilion. Our core facilities are essential to ongoing collaboration, teaching, and research.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

There is a minimum funding stipend provided by each supervisor. For more information, please visit Minimum Funding for Students. For both MSc and PhD students, the Department follows a minimum funding support guideline. For PhD students, from September 2023, the stipend is $26,000 per annum for four years. For MSc students, the stipend is $22,500 per annum for two years. This stipend can come in any form (for example – scholarship, TA-ship, grant funding, or a combination).

Average Funding

• 20 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 20 students was $9,880.
• 48 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 48 students was $20,943.
• 12 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 12 students was $2,526.
• 53 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 53 students was $8,053.
• 11 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 11 students was $17,439.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

92 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 2 are in non-salaried situations; for 6 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 84 graduates:

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

The 6-7 year PhD in Neuroscience is designed to prepare students for employment in the public or private sector, or to pursue further studies in the PhD program. Recent graduates have taken positions at Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Weston Brain Institute, BC Cancer Center, Science World and many other organizations. Those looking to pursue a postdoc in Neuroscience have gone on to study at other universities such as McGill as well as our own PhD program.

Alumni on Success

Tamara Bodnar

Job Title Postdoctoral Fellow

Employer The University of British Columbia

Rochelle Hines

Job Title Assistant Professor

Employer University of Nevada Las Vegas

Carmen Chan

Job Title Postdoctoral Researcher ("Research Scientist")

Employer RIKEN Brain Science Institute

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Accili, Eric (molecular mechanisms responsible for cellular pacemaking behavior )
• Allan, Douglas (Nervous system)
• Altshuler, Doug (Zoology; flight control; visual guidance; visual neuroscience; neuroethology; avian biomechanics; aerodynamics; wing morphing; motor control)
• Auld, Vanessa (Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Zoology; Cell; Cell Biology; Development; Developmental Genetics; epithelia; Genetics; glia; in vivo imaging; Molecular Genetics; nervous system; Neurogenesis and Gliogenesis; permeability barriers)
• Austin, Jehannine (Clinical genetics (except cancer genetics); genetic counseling; genetics services; mental health)
• Bamji, Shernaz (Medical and biomedical engineering; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; neurodevelopmental disease; primary neuronal cultures; synapse biology; transgenic mouse models)
• Barr, Alasdair (Mental health and addictions, with a particular emphasis on psychosis and the medications used in its treatment, Anesthesiology )
• Barton, Jason (face perception, object recognition, eye movements, higher visual function, Human vision and eye movement)
• Beasley, Clare Louise (identify changes in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder that may elucidate the etiology of these disorders and provide clues to novel treatments; white matter pathology and inflammation; effects of antipsychotic medications on the brain)
• Bhagavatula, Sastry (Age-related research, Anesthesiology, plasticity of synaptic transmission, mammalian central nervous system)
• Blouin, Jean-Sebastien (Kinesiology; sensorimotor integration; Motor System; robotics and automation; Trauma / Injuries; Physiology; Balance robot; Computational approaches; Head and neck; Sensorimotor physiology; Sensory virtualisation; Standing balance; Whiplash injuries)
• Boyd, Lara (Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Physical therapy; Rehabilitation medicine; Learning; Learning and Memory; Motor System; Motor learning; Neurophysiology; Physiology; Plasticity / Neuronal Regeneration; stroke)
• Brotto, Lori (Human reproduction and development sciences; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Clinical psychology; mindfulness; Sexual Dysfunctions; sexual desire; treatment of sexual concerns; women's sexual health; asexuality; digital health interventions)
• Cairns, Brian (Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences (except clinical aspects); electrophysiology; headache; Neuropharmacology; Oro-Facial Pain; pain; pain mechanisms; peripheral analgesics; sex-related differences; temporomandibular disorders)
• Cembrowski, Mark Steven (Molecular neuroscience; Mathematical modelling and simulation; Mechanisms of memory in the brain; Anxiety; Big Data; Bioinformatics; Cell types; Computation; CRISPR-Cas9; Fear; Genetics; modeling; Neural circuits; neuroscience; Neuroscience of memory; PTSD; RNAseq)
• Chakrabarty, Trisha (Cognitive dsyfunction; Virtual reality cognitive retraining; Bipolarity; Psychotherapy approaches for mood disorders)
• Ciernia, Annie (Biochemistry; Neurosciences, biological and chemical aspects; Neurosciences, medical and physiological and health aspects; Autism; Brain development; Epigenetics; Gene-Environment Interactions; Neurodevelopmental disorders)
• Clark, Luke (Gambling, Problem Gambling, Addiction, Decision-Making, Reward, Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms involved in gambling behaviour and disordered gambling)
• Craig, Ann Marie (Excitatory and inhibitory synapses, Synapse development and plasticity, Synapse organizing proteins, Neurotransmitter receptors, Autism and schizophrenia)
• Cresswell, Silke (Functional imaging (PETand fMRI) in Parkinson)
• Cynader, Max (eye diseases; glaucoma; dyslexia; stroke; neurotrauma; memory; vision; learning disabilities; hearing development; recovery after brain damage; ischemia; gene therapy, Alzheimer's)
• Diamond, Adele (executive functions; prefrontal cortex; dopamine; working memory; self-control; self-regulation; cognition; COMT gene; Sex differences; stress; ACEs (adverse childhood experiences); ELS (early life stress); resilience; social determinants of health; ADHD; depression; PTSD; Physical Activity; the arts; mindfulness)
• Emberson, Lauren (Learning, Perception (audition, vision, crossmodal or multisensory), Language development, Face/object perception, Impacts of premature birth, Neural connecitivty, fNIRS, Neonatal and Infant development , Early adversity / Risk and resilience , Increasing diversity and representation in the neurosciences , Naturalistic neuroimaging recordings)
• Eng, Janice (Medical, health and life sciences; Stroke Rehabilitation; Motor function; Wearable sensors; Recovery of walking after stroke; Recovery of upper extremity function after stroke)
• Enns, James (Behavioural neuroscience of reward and motivation; attention; action kinematics; social perception; perceptual development)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• Cerebellar developmental vulnerability in the context of prematurity : understanding the underlying pathophysiology to improve interventions
• Regulation of CNTNAP2 expression and modification and its role in autism spectrum disorders
• Enhancement of the GluN2B subtype of n-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor for memory improvement
• Modes of regulation for neurexin-1 function at hippocampal synapses
• A machine learning approach to overdose risk assessment
• Towards a better understanding of the bidirectional relationship between decision-making and addiction vulnerability
• Eye movements as a continuous indicator of sensorimotor integration
• Maintenance of neural circuits in the adult nervous system
• Metabolic treatments in murine models of multiple sclerosis
• Social motivation, visual experience, and face recognition in autism spectrum disorder
• Prefrontal cortex mechanisms of the novel cognitive enhancer d-govadine
• Hippocampal neurogenesis and the entorhinal-dentate gyrus circuit under healthy and pathological conditions
• Effect of non-invasive neurostimulation on hippocampal plasticity and memory
• Fast imaging reveals how experience modifies neural structure and function in an awake brain
• Cognitive and neural underpinnings of the interaction between reward-paired cues, risky choice, and cognitive flexibility

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Same specialization.

• Master of Science in Neuroscience (MSc)

Further Information

Specialization.

Neuroscience offers these core courses: Neuroanatomy, Neurophysiology, Neurochemistry, Psychobiology, Molecular Neurobiology, and Neuropharmacology.

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Shalini Iyer

I learned that UBC was one of the Canadian institutions at the forefront of neuroscience research with access to cutting-edge technology. UBC provides a collaborative, supportive environment, which is crucial for fostering scientific growth, networking opportunities and an overall positive graduate...

Aysha Allard Brown

UBC has consistently offered me an exceptional research environment with opportunities I could have never envisioned. Upon completing my Bachelor’s at UBC in Biology and Kinesiology, I knew that pursuing my graduate degree here would continue to promote my personal and career growth, allowing me to...

Rocio Hollman

Having done my undergrad at UBC I knew that not only were the labs stunning, but so is the campus! I wasn't ready to leave such a beautiful place just yet.

Kaitlin Sullivan

I was drawn to UBC for my graduate studies because I was really interested in the research done by my supervisor Dr. Mark Cembrowski. The study of memory has always interested me and his multidisciplinary approach merging molecular, cellular, circuit, and behavioural aspects of this faculty of the...

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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.

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Application Workshops

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Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Cognitive Science (Science)

Honours Bachelor of Science

The neuroscience of singing: How choirs help our brains and bodies recover from burnout

For some, the sensation feels like fireworks exploding out of their brain into the night sky.

For others, there’s a kind of buzz — electricity or vibration. Goosebumps cover their whole body.

"A bit like a warm hug." A moment of "collective happiness", "clarity", and feeling totally grounded. Entering some kind of "flow state".

This is what it's like to sing in harmony as part of a community choir.

Humans have come together in song for — at least —  tens of thousands of years. Through ancient songlines and sacred hymns, in times of celebration and in grief.

And if you ask any of those who dedicate a window of their everyday lives to this practice, they'll tell you just how good it feels.

Many say it's a form of therapy, and that without it, they're not sure they would survive.

Scientists have been singing the praises   of choirs for decades. These musical gatherings seem to support social and emotional wellbeing for all sorts of groups — among small or large crowds, those with established connections and those who are just getting to know each other, and across cultures.

Researchers have established how group singing can support and even facilitate recovery in patients with Parkinson's disease , post-natal depression and some types of cancer — and they say they've only just begun to scratch the surface on the cognitive possibilities.

A safe place to recover and reconnect

Emily Fleming went in search of a choir as part of her recovery from chronic illnesses that worsened after an episode of severe burnout.

In her mid-20s, Emily was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS. She became so unwell she was unable to leave her house for about a year, feeling isolated, disconnected, and confused about the road to recovery.

"Most health professionals would say, 'this is something you'll have forever, you won't ever be able to run again, you won't be able to go out and do the things you used to do', which is just devastating. And so I guess in the back of my mind, I'd always thought that recovery for me looks like getting back into the community," she says.

When Emily eventually became well enough to venture out into the world again, she set her sights on a community choir run by Brisbane musician Emma Dean.

"I had wanted to join a choir for so long because I loved music at school, it was a big part of my life. And then as an adult, I felt like there was a part of me missing … I thought, I'm just gonna do it. Because I think it's what my soul is longing for."

It's a common refrain at Cheep Trill. Every week, choristers gather in community halls — one on Brisbane’s north side and one on the south — to sing together. Manager Corinne Buzianczuk and musical assistant Tony Dean lead the choir in a physical and vocal warm-up before Emma takes the reins to work on the one of the arrangements she's been teaching the group for their end-of-term performance.

Section by section, sopranos, altos, tenors and basses practise their do-dos and woah-ohs, listening intently and frequently bursting into applause when their fellow singers nail a phrase — or a kind giggle when someone flubs a lyric.

There's a break for tea and biccies before switching to a fresh song for the second half of rehearsals. A hum of friendly chatter fills the hall once more as people stack and pack away the chairs, wash up the mugs and wander back out into the night.

From her first rehearsal, Emily says she felt an instant connection with her fellow singers.

"Choir people are just the best, because it's so inclusive …  I didn't get to connect with people for such a long time and so I do miss having that kind of connection with people of different ages. That for me has been what Cheep Trill has given me — intergenerational friendships," she says.

"To have this community of people that are from different walks of life, and in different stages of life, and to really understand that we're kind of going through the same thing."

This sense of community is more than just a hunch — there's an extensive volume of research that shows how singing as part of a group can alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation, and increase self-efficacy and self-esteem.

Researchers led by Genevieve Dingle, director of clinical psychology programs at the University of Queensland, have found choirs are particularly powerful for people experiencing chronic ill health or significant social disadvantages .

Rockelle Duffy, who joined Cheep Trill in 2023, says it has been a lifeline — a safe space in a particularly dark period.

She had been struggling with what she now understands is functional neurological disorder and fibromyalgia on top of a major depressive disorder and anxiety. Like Emily, Rockelle became unable to work or leave her home.

"I found that I was really reclusive. I had incredibly terrifying dark thoughts constantly running in my brain, screaming at me … I became fearful of going out. So while that's going on in one part of my mind, this little creative spark kept trying to light up and grab my attention," Rockelle says.

She decided to join Cheep Trill after accompanying a friend and long-term member, David Truong .

"I remember going the first night of that term … I just was turned into this blubbering mess. I was streaming tears, my nose was full of snot, my body was shaking … I felt really safe just to sit there and go through whatever was going on for me,” Rockelle says.

“During the course of that term, one of the few things that would get me out of the house aside from attending to the multitude of medical appointments and so forth was choir."

Through the choir, Rockelle has been able to connect with her creativity, process difficult emotions and explore new opportunities — she's started singing in a rock band and writing her own music.

But she says the biggest change has been regaining her self-worth and learning to show up for herself day after day.

What's happening to our bodies when we sing together?

It perhaps goes without saying that in a room full of self-confessed musical theatre nerds, there's a lot of talk about feelings. But the benefits of group singing go beyond the mushy stuff.

Professor Sarah Wilson, a clinical psychologist credited with pioneering music neuroscience research in Australia, explains it as "an internal therapy tool" that engages several parts of the brain at once.

That "singing network", as Professor Wilson calls it, includes areas that control complex motor activity, auditory processing, language, emotion and memory.

Vocal motor control networks activate and coordinate the right muscles to project our voice and manage our airflow. Auditory and language networks help us to pitch our notes correctly, adjust our volume and sing the right lyrics.

Professor Wilson explains that in choir singing, higher level executive functions are also involved, "making sure we come in at the right time, on the right note, and that hold note in our mind … timing it and coordinating relative to the music and the other singers".

Long-term, engaging in musical activities has been shown to support neuroplasticity — that is, the ability to heal and adapt, creating new pathways over time — in healthy ageing brains.

Some of Professor Wilson's work has focused on using singing, through Melodic Intonation Therapy, to help rehabilitate speech in patients recovering from severe strokes .

"We're watching their brain rewire itself, in real time, and switching back on parts of the language network to support their rehabilitation and brain plasticity," she says.

"So it's a really powerful, innate tool … both for our brain plasticity and cognitive health, but also our mental health."

There are also physiological factors at play — our heartbeats and breathing sync up when we sing together .

Both Emily and Rockelle say they've noticed the regular practice has helped in other ways, too.

“I first thought that it would be purely for my mental health … What I wasn't expecting was how much of a physical difference [choir] has made for me," Emily says.

"With the conditions that I have, standing up for a long period of time is really challenging. With choir, for two hours a week [I'm] standing up and down, and just sort of practising those movements. So that has really improved my standing tolerance."

Rockelle says singing has become part of her "self-deigned therapy program" in managing her FND and chronic pain.

"When my body doesn't want to behave the way we think it should, when the signals aren't working properly, I tune into music. I get out the choir [guide tracks], and I look at the [sheet music] … and I'll sway and I'll dance on the spot. It gets that cognitive conversation happening … to get me moving again," she says.

Rockelle says learning about how to engage and switch between her chest voice and head voice has been helpful for regulating her breathing during bouts of extreme anxiety or panic attacks.

The academic jury is still out on exactly how singing in a group affects our levels of oxytocin — that warm, fuzzy feel-good brain chemical.

Professor Wilson says we know singing directly activates the brain's reward network, and there is evidence to suggest choir practice can reduce cortisol levels — an indicator of stress — and even boost immune function.

In two recent studies that measured hormone response in choir singers — one from the University of Regensburg in 2017 , and a smaller pilot study from the University of Toronto in Canada in 2021 — researchers found that positive effects of singing were more pronounced after group singing compared with solo singing.

In addition, Professor Wilson explains that choir singing engages the mirror neuron system, which plays a powerful part in social bonding.

"When we have a verbal conversation, we can't do it together, we have to take turns — otherwise, it's impossible, we're just talking over each other. Whereas singing is this one chance where we get to use our voices in unison," she says.

"Our brain activity is mirroring each other. That activates our own circuitry, and it helps us put ourselves in their shoes. And that facilitates that bonding that we experience when we're singing in a choir."

Cultivating a community around creativity

Cheep Trill is just one of the hundreds — possibly thousands — of community choirs in Australia that focus on bringing amateur singers together in a non-auditioned and non-competitive format.

The purpose of these groups is as much about connection as it is about crafting perfect harmonies.

That people feel supported, welcomed, and held in this space is no coincidence. It's a culture that every single one of the dozen or so 'Trillers' who spoke to the ABC puts down — at least in part — to their musical director, Emma Dean.

In 2014, Emma had been slogging it out to make a name in New York, working as a kids' entertainer and performing late-night opening sets for off-Broadway drag and cabaret artists, making very little money and careening towards total burnout.

With her marriage falling apart and a deep depression setting in, Emma says she had reached rock bottom when a friend suggested that she should start a choir. 

And so she returned to Brisbane and started singing with a small group of musical mates on a friend's verandah. Something clicked into place — watching other people shine gave Emma a new purpose.

“This choir, this strange little group of people who gathered on this verandah, saved me. Really genuinely saved my life," she says.

"They saved my love of music, because I kind of felt like music had betrayed me at some point. I knew that that wasn't completely the truth, but I knew I had to reignite the spark I felt for music."

In the 10 years since, the choir has evolved into a buzzing community of singers from all walks of life, welcoming fresh faces and expanding their repertoire each term.

It's seen new friendships blossom, family ties strengthen, and set the backdrop for at least one marriage proposal.

There are practical and intentional decisions that have allowed Cheep Trill to grow — finding a space that wheelchair users and singers with assistance dogs can navigate seamlessly, making sure there are vegan and gluten-free snacks available during the break, crafting arrangements that share melodies equally between parts, and working on creative solutions for singers with particular sensory needs.

Many community choirs have found ways to offer concessions on term fees or open up sponsored spots for choristers to pay it forward for singers who don’t have the financial means to join.

Emma says above all, she tries to conduct and teach in a way that "creates a space that is safe for people to explore their voice, to explore their creativity", without fear of judgement.

"We're not doing brain surgery. We're just singing a song. I actually quite like mistakes. They're fabulous," she says.

"It's also about facilitating a meeting place where people who have never come across other sorts of people are kind of forced to listen to each other."

Whatever the reasons behind it, there's just something magical that happens when people sing together.

What does it feel like to sing together in a choir?

On an almost-chilly Saturday morning earlier this month, the hundred-or-so Cheep Trillers gathered to share that magic with crowds wandering through the West End markets.

Diligently dressed in their brightest colours, the northside and southside chapters came together to perform four pieces for a small crowd under the shade of a mighty fig tree on the banks of the Brisbane River.

After 10 weeks spent working towards their creative debut, it was a big moment.

Rockelle noticed the feelings in her body, like "a ray of sunshine" penetrating from head to toe.

"My ears are soothed, my tummy settles and my heart swells with love," she says. "I feel light, I feel bright. I feel like I'm worthy. And that there's something here for me — let's keep going."

For Emily, it was a feeling of pure clarity. "Like that is the only thing that I'm thinking of in that moment. I'm not even thinking of the fact that I'm singing and remembering the words, I'm just thinking about how it sounds together, how we're blending our voices together."

There's a synchrony, too, in the way these singers talk about working creatively towards a common goal.

"That's the power of a choir. It's supportive, like you're an instrument in an orchestra, and everyone's voice is part of that," says Piet, who adds Cheep Trill has become like "a second family".

Liz Bremer joined this term as part of a challenge to herself after her father's death to do something each year that scares her.

"When it clicks, everybody starts to sound like one voice and you sort of don't even hear yourself. And that's when as soon as the song's finished, you just feel elated. It's really energising," she says.

"It feels electric," adds her new friend Lucy, another alto-slash-tenor who's new to Cheep Trill. "There's something beautiful about doing something where you can mess up and maybe embarrass yourself in public, but then you don't ... even if you sing off-key or you accidentally sing the wrong lyric, it is such a safe place."

Lucy passes the mic back to Liz: "It reminds you that you're not alone."

Professor Wilson calls it kama muta, a Sanskrit phrase that roughly translates to "being moved by love".

"It's that real sense of being moved by music … and being part of maybe something that's bigger, a communal sense, a higher connection," she says.

In fact, this suspected link between music and feelings of nostalgia or kama muta is currently under investigation by one of Professor Wilson's PhD students at the University of Melbourne. That research is still underway, but Professor Wilson says the hypothesis is that this overwhelming communal feeling is an important evolutionary function of music.

On a basic level, Emma says there is "this great joy, and a great relief that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself".

"Singing solo is a very different experience to singing in a group … you feel lifted, you feel supported by so many other people around you," she says.

"You are creating something so special, that is not only making the people in the choir happy, but also the people listening to it. You're giving this incredible gift to people witnessing this magic."

Again, the science supports that sentiment. Another study from Professor Dingle and her fellow UQ researchers in 2023  found that watching a choir performance "can foster admiration, respect and positive regard toward choristers" among members of the audience.

The crowd watching Cheep Trill seemed to agree. Uplifting, engaging, playful, a little bit whimsical — a good vibe all round, was how some enjoying the performance put it afterwards.

They did notice, however, one singer standing towards the back who became a bit teary during a moving rendition of REM's Nightswimming. Overcome with emotion, perhaps. The choir sang on while she gathered herself — it's a safe space, after all.

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Tracy Riggins named Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year

Congratulations to NACS faculty Tracy Riggins, Professor of Psychology, for receiving the 2024 Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award! This award recognizes faculty with outstanding achievement in mentoring students. More information about the award can be found here .

Posted 4/29/24

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