Admission & Curriculum
To apply, please visit the University of Missouri Graduate Studies website.
Apply OnlineThe deadline for applications is December 15 for admission for the following fall semester.
Neuroscience comprises a united field that integrates across many disciplines, so students from a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply to the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program.
Both U.S. residents and international applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
Admission
Candidates must have completed a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent before enrolling.
Typical undergraduate majors that constitute preparation for graduate work in neuroscience include, but are not limited to:
- Biochemistry
- Engineering
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Neurobiology
- Psychology
The University of Missouri Graduate School has some minimum requirements for GPA and GRE scores.
Learn MoreApplication Acceptance
We receive about 20-25 applications per year. Virtually all of our INP graduate students are financially supported by their faculty advisor’s research grants, and so the number of students accepted each year varies and depends on the availability of grant funding to support new students.
Before you apply…
We strongly suggest that you look over our list of faculty and contact those faculty with whom you are most interested in working to determine if they are interested in accepting you into their lab for the current application cycle (i.e. they have an opening in their lab and they have grants funds available to support you).
Want more information?
Contact us to learn more about admissions into the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program.
Dr. David Beversdorf
Chair of Graduate Recruitment Committee
573-882-6081
BeversdorfD@health.missouri.edu
Dr. Kevin Gillis
Director of INP
573-884-8805
GillisK@missouri.edu
Curriculum
The INP offers separate graduate programs leading to M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in neuroscience.
If you are interested in the Ph.D. degree, you should apply to enter that program initially. We do not require completion of an M.A. to enter the Ph.D. program.
Timelines
The following are typical target deadlines for Ph.D. candidates:
- Coursework: Years 1-2
- Lab Rotations: Year 1
- Qualifying Exam: Year 1
- Comprehensive Exam: Year 2
- Dissertation Research and Committee Meetings: Years 1-5
- Dissertation Defense: Year 5
Doctoral Coursework
The Graduate School requires a minimum of 72 credit hours for completion of the Doctoral degree. The Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program requires a certain number of these courses to be at the 8000 level or above (excluding research problems and thesis research).
Required Core Courses
- BioSci 8440 and BioSci 8442 – Integrative Neuroscience I and II (3 credit hr each; cross listed as Neurosci 8440 and 8442)
- All new incoming students will take these two courses. Because different institutions may offer similar Neuroscience courses, students who have taken a comparable course may request a waiver of this requirement, contingent on approval by INP and their thesis committee.
- BioSci 8050 – Professional Survival Skills (2 credit hr)
- All incoming students will take this course or an equivalent course in other departments.
- Scientific ethics (1 course, approved by thesis committee) – possibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Biochem 8060
- BioSci 8060
- Psych 8910 (or 7820)
- MPP 8415
- VetMed 8641
- Grad 9001
Selection of Core Courses
Core courses are broadly divided into two groups: cellular/molecular and system/behavior. Ph.D. students will select one from each group and M.S. student will select one from either group.
Cellular/Molecular Courses
- BE 7070 – Bioelectricity (3 credit hrs)
- BioSci 7002 – Neurobiology of Disease (3 credit hrs)
- BioSci 8450 – Developmental Neurobiology (3 credit hrs)
- MPP 9421 – Neural Pharmacology (3 credit hrs)
- MPP 9424 – Principles of Drug Action (4 credit hrs)
- MPP 9426 – Transmembrane Signaling (4 credit hrs)
- MPP 9432 – Mammalian Membrane Physiology (1-3 credit hrs)
System/Behavior Courses
- BioSci 7560 – Sensory Physiology and Behavior (3 credit hrs)
- BioSci 7590 – Computational Neuroscience (4 credit hrs)
- ECE 8570 – Theoretical Neuroscience I (3 credit hrs)
- ECE 8580 – Theoretical Neuroscience II (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 7240 – Cognitive Neurosciences (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 8210 – Functional Neuroscience (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 9210 – Psychopharmacology for Psychologists (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 9001.5 – Advanced Neural Systems (3 credit hrs)
- VBmS 8100 – Veterinary Neuroscience (2 credit hrs)
- VBmS 9467/MPP 9437 – Neural Control of the Circulation (1-3 credit hrs)
- BE 7001-04 – Brain Signals and Brain Machine Interfaces (3 credit hrs)
Note: Other neuroscience courses may be offered from time-to-time and, if appropriate, may be substituted for the above courses upon approval by the INP.
Other Required Courses
- Statistic Course – Students will select one statistics course on campus that best meets the needs of their program of study and that has been approved by their thesis committee. Possibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, Stat 7020, Stat 7070, Stat 7410, Stat 7540, Psych 3010.
- Seminars
- Ph.D. students need to take at least 2 credit hours of a neuroscience seminar course (several are offered on campus) as well as 2 credits of a neuroscience journal club (e.g. BioSci 8187, Neurosci 8187, PAS 8500).
- Master students need to take at least 1 credit hour of a neuroscience journal club (e.g. BioSci 8187, Neurosci 8187, PAS 8500).
- All students are encouraged to attend neuroscience journal clubs and neuroscience seminars across campus.
Download a PDF of the course requirements: INP_Curriculum-revised 7-2016
Rotation & Thesis Research Credits
New students who have not yet selected mentors are encouraged to complete research rotations in two to three labs during their first year. Rotations, which may last about 3 months each, are designed to acquaint students with the diverse research strengths among INP faculty as well as the different techniques of established investigators.
Research Courses
- Neurosci 7990 (non-thesis research) – primarily for post-baccalaureate students
- Neurosci 8090 – Rotation research credits
- Neurosci 9090 – Ph.D. thesis research credits
INP Master’s Program
Required Core Courses
- BioSci 8440 and BioSci 8442 – Integrative Neuroscience I and II (3 credit hr each; cross listed as Neurosci 8440 and 8442)
- All new incoming students will take these two courses. Because different institutions may offer similar Neuroscience courses, students who have taken a comparable course may request a waiver of this requirement, contingent on approval by INP and their thesis committee.
- BioSci 8050 – Professional Survival Skills (2 credit hr)
- All incoming students will take this course or an equivalent course in other departments.
- Scientific ethics (1 course, approved by thesis committee) – possibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Biochem 8060
- BioSci 8060
- Psych 8910 (or 7820)
- MPP 8415
- VetMed 8641
- Grad 9001
Selection of Core Courses
Core courses are broadly divided into two groups: cellular/molecular and system/behavior. Ph.D. students will select one from each group and M.S. student will select one from either group.
Cellular/Molecular Courses
- BE 7070 – Bioelectricity (3 credit hrs)
- BioSci 8450 – Developmental Neurobiology (3 credit hrs)
- MPP 9421 – Neural Pharmacology (3 credit hrs)
- MPP 9424 – Principles of Drug Action (4 credit hrs)
- MPP 9426 – Transmembrane Signaling (4 credit hrs)
- MPP 9420 – Mammalian Membrane Physiology (3 credit)
System/Behavior Courses
- BioSci 7560 – Sensory Physiology and Behavior (3 credit hrs)
- BioSci 7580 – Computational Neuroscience (4 credit hrs)
- BioSci 7986 – Neurology of Motor System (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 7240 – Cognitive Neurosciences (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 8210 – Functional Neuroscience (3 credit hrs)
- Psych 9210 – Psychopharmacology for Psychologists (3 credit hrs)
- VBmS 9467/MPP 9437 – Neural Control of the Circulation (1-3 credit hrs)
Note: Other neuroscience courses may be offered from time-to-time and, if appropriate, may be substituted for the above courses upon approval by the INP.
Other Required Courses
- Statistic Course – Students will select one statistics course on campus that best meets the needs of their program of study and that has been approved by their thesis committee. Possibilities include, but are not necessarily limited to, Stat 7020, Stat 7070, Stat 7410, Stat 7540, Psych 3010.
- Seminars
- Ph.D. students need to take at least 2 credit hours of a neuroscience seminar course (several are offered on campus) as well as 2 credits of a neuroscience journal club (e.g. Neurosci 8187).
- Master students need to take at least 1 credit hour of a neuroscience journal club (e.g. Neurosci 8187).
- All students are encouraged to attend neuroscience journal clubs and neuroscience seminars across campus.
Download a PDF of the course requirements: INP_Curriculum
Rotation & Thesis Research Credits
New students who have not yet selected mentors are encouraged to carry out rotations (often 3 months each but can be tailored to a student’s needs).
Research Courses
- Neurosci 8090 – Rotation research credits
- Neurosci 9090 – Ph.D. thesis research credits
Certificates in Neuroscience
First, before you can fill out a Plan of Study from for these neuroscience certificates, you must physically reside in Columbia, MO and be currently enrolled at the University of Missouri (MU), either as a non-INP graduate student (e.g. in Biology, Psychology, etc.) or as a post-bac student. The certificates are not obtainable via online courses or “distance learning” type arrangements.
Second, financial aid is not available from the INP for the neuroscience certificates.
