NSP Degree Requirements/ Program of Study (to be completed in approximately 5 yrs):

Year 1

 

Coursework

Research

Other Required Activities

 

Fall

PHM 827- Excitable Cells (4cr)

PHM 980- Statistics (fall of even years, 3cr)

OR

PSY 815- Statistics (every fall, 4cr)

NEU 890- Rotation # 1

NSP Thursday seminar

Research Forum

Begin Attending
"Responsible Conduct
of Research" workshops*

Spring

NEU 839- Systems Neuroscience (4cr)

NEU 806- Neuroscience Methods (3cr)

NEU 890- Rotation # 2

NSP Thursday seminar

Research

Summer

 

Pre-thesis research

Choose thesis advisor/lab

Form PhD guidance committee

Year 2

 

 

 

 

 

Fall

NEU 804- Molec/Dev’t Neurobiology (3cr)

Statistics (if not taken in yr 1)

Pre-thesis research

NSP Thursday seminar

Research Forum

Spring

PSY 811- Behavioral Neuroscience (3cr)

Pre-thesis research

NSP Thursday seminar

Research Forum

Summer

 

Pre-thesis research

Comprehensive Exam:
Standardized Portion

Meet w/ PhD committee

Year 3

 

 

 

 

 

Fall

NEU 800- Research Forum (enroll, 1cr)

Advanced
Elective (encouraged)

Thesis Research

enroll in NEU 999**

NSP Thursday seminar

Dissertation proposal seminar and defense

Research Forum

Spring

NEU 800- Research Forum (enroll, 1cr)

Thesis Research

NEU 999

NSP Thursday seminar

Dissertation proposal (if not done in fall)

Research Forum

Summer

 

Thesis Research

NEU 999

Meet w/ PhD committee

Year 4

 

 

 

 

 

Fall

NEU 800- Research Forum (enroll, 1cr)

Graduate seminar
(encouraged)

Thesis Research

NEU 999

NSP Thursday seminar

Research Forum

Spring

NEU 800- Research Forum (enroll, 1cr)

Thesis Research

NEU 999

NSP Thursday seminar

Research Forum

Summer

 

Thesis Research

NEU 999

Meet w/ PhD committee

Year 5

 

 

 

 

   

Graduate seminar
(encouraged)

Thesis Research

NEU 999

NSP Thursday seminar

Research Forum

Thesis seminar and defense


* The Neuroscience Program requires graduate students to attend at least 8 "Responsible Conduct of Research" workshops sponsored by the Graduate School that have been approved by the Neuroscience Program.


** MSU requires a minimum of 24 hours of NEU 999 to earn a PhD. These are credit hours for thesis research. While a student can enroll in NEU 999 at any time once a thesis lab is identified, students customarily enroll in NEU 999 upon passing his/her comprehensive exam, typically at the end of year 2.