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Faculty of Health Sciences

Neuroscience Graduate Program

Degree Requirements

Master’s Program

All students will be required to take the 700 level neuroscience course The Nervous System (full course). This course will cover the breadth of the field of neuroscience in a series of modules; different instructors will contribute to teaching the modules and the course will be directed by a course coordinator.

Neuroscience is a very broad discipline covering topics from molecular mechanisms, to the development of neuroprosthetics, to new treatments for neurologic and psychiatric disease – this course will provide an introduction to the field. It will cover the structure and function of the nervous system from the properties of neuronal mechanism to the organization of higher level function. The goal of this course is to present current theories and research from the different areas of neuroscience research that will prepare students for more advanced studies in neuroscience.

Most students will transfer to the PhD program without completing the master’s degree. The transfer will occur within the first year of master’s study, generally after 10 to 12 months in the program. Transfer requires a written report and oral presentation of the report describing the student’s master’s research.

Students who choose to finish with a master’s degree will complete a research project. A written thesis and oral presentation describing the student’s master’s research will be made to a committee of three faculty members appointed by the director. The committee will examine the student on the master’s thesis and general knowledge of neuroscience from the course taken in the first year.

PhD Program

A minimum of one (3 unit) course beyond the master’s degree requirements that must be from the list of neuroscience courses and at the 700 level.

The list of neuroscience courses covers the five areas represented in the graduate program:

  • Clinical and health neuroscience
  • Cognitive neuroscience
  • Computational neuroscience
  • Cellular and molecular neuroscience
  • Systems and behavioural neuroscience
  • Statistics and quantitative methods for research

Students will complete an original research project, which will form the basis of the PhD thesis that will be presented following the Faculty of Graduate Studies regulations.

PhD Comprehensive Requirement

The PhD comprehensive requirement must be attempted within 20 months of entering the PhD program and is designed to examine the student’s ability to:

  • Define a major question in neuroscience research
  • Evaluate the research literature critically
  • Design experiments to address the research question

The student, in consultation with their committee, will select an area of concentration. The comprehensive will take the form of a grant-style research report focused on the student’s area of concentration. The student will submit the written proposal and be examined orally on the proposal, as well as knowledge of the area of concentration. The committee will include the student’s thesis supervisor (non-voting member), one member from the supervisory committee and two additional members from the neuroscience faculty.

The student’s performance will be judged as Pass with Distinction, Pass or Fail. Students who fail will have a second opportunity to take the comprehensive exam. More information about the Comprehensive Requirement (PDF) and the Comprehensives Evaluation Form (PDF) can be found in the Program Handbook (PDF).

Supervisory Committee

All students enrolled in the neuroscience program are required to have a supervisory committee that will help to direct the student’s research. The committee will consist of the student’s research supervisor and two to three additional faculty members from the neuroscience program. The committee will meet at least once per year to review the student’s progress and objectives for the next year.

Seminar Requirement

All students will attend the seminars in the neuroscience program.

Seminars include weekly journal club, seminars presented by students and faculty and regular colloquia presented by invited speakers. Master’s and PhD students are required to present one seminar in the weekly series describing their research.

Progress Report

Each year students enrolled in the neuroscience program will submit a progress report to their supervisory committee detailing their achievements for the current year and goals for the next year.

Neuroscience Graduate Student Handbook 2024-2025 (PDF)