Program in Neuroscience Handbook

Preface

The Program

Administration of the Program

Faculty of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience

Program Requirements

Dissertation Advisor and Dissertation Committee

Qualifying Exam

Comprehensive Examination

Dissertation and Defense

Minor in Neuroscience

Preface

Welcome to the Program in Neuroscience at the University of Arizona. The purpose of this handbook is to guide you through the mechanics of obtaining an advanced degree in Neuroscience and to explain the organization of our program. The handbook outlines the rules and regulations of the degree process. Most of the basic rules are policies of the Graduate College of the University of Arizona and must be followed by all programs offering graduate degrees. More specialized requirements were established by the Committee on Neuroscience to ensure the quality of your training. As questions arise, good sources of information are the Graduate Program Coordinator and The Graduate Advisor.
Certainly the most important component of your training will be the experience of designing, performing and evaluating your dissertation research. Courses will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss the fundamentals of neuroscience with established investigators, and to learn how to approach and evaluate the scientific literature. A critical goal of the faculty will be to teach you how to take responsibility for your own education. As a scientist, you must determine what you need to know, figure out how to learn it, and pursue the information aggressively - be it in the classroom, library, or laboratory.
We are pleased that you have chosen to pursue your research training here. Best of luck as you begin your scientific career.

The Program

The purpose of the University of Arizona's Program in Neuroscience is to provide formal doctoral and postdoctoral education in contemporary Neuroscience, including the areas of Cellular, Molecular, Developmental, Systems, Behavioral, and Medical Neuroscience. Among the Program's principal foci are Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Developmental Neurobiology, Insect Neurobiology, Motor and Visceral Control, Neurobiology of Aging, and Neuroethology. The Program has strong ties with the University of Arizona's Cognitive Science Research Group, Institute for Neurogenic Communicative Disorders, Motor Control Group, Center for the Study of Complex Systems, and Center for Insect Science. A formal liaison has also been established with the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.
In keeping with the diverse nature of current approaches included within the realm of Neuroscience, the Neuroscience Ph.D. program at the University of Arizona transcends traditional departmental boundaries. Students in the program complete a series of core Neuroscience courses and other requirements, and pursue research in the laboratory of one of over 60 faculty members, who are drawn from 21 departments.

Administration of the Program

The Executive Committee (EC) of the University Committee on Neuroscience (CN) is charged with administration of the Program (reporting to the Dean of the Graduate College). The CN comprises all faculty members in the University who qualify for inclusion in the Regular Faculty. The EC is assisted by the Graduate Program Coordinator.
The EC consists of at least seven members of the CN, appointed to renewable three-year terms by the Dean of the Graduate College. One member of the EC is appointed by the Dean of the Graduate College to serve for a renewable five-year term as Chairperson of the EC and Director of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience. A subcommittee of the EC, the Graduate Student Recruitment and Admissions Committee (GSRAC), is responsible for coordinating the admissions and advising of graduate students.
The EC will also include one student member who will be appointed by the EC for a one year term. The student member should be a Neuroscience graduate student nominated by his/her peers. The student member will be asked to leave the meeting when individual students are being discussed.

The EC:

• develops and implements policies and procedures for the operation of the Graduate Program and for associated teaching and research programs of the CN;
• evaluates nominations and applications for Regular and Affiliate membership in the CN and reviews faculty appointments annually;
• appoints CN faculty to serve on the standing committees of the Program in Neuroscience;
• acts on recommendations from the Graduate Student Recruitment and Admissions Committee regarding applications from prospective students;
• acts on recommendations of the Graduate Student Advisory & Progress Committee regarding academic counsel to new students and evaluations of students in the early phases of the Program until each has a Dissertation Advisor and an individual Advisory Committee;
• plans for future developments in the area of neuroscience in the University;
• prepares and submits an annual report of Program activities and accomplishments for the Dean of the Graduate College;
• ensures that regular reviews of the Program, consistent with requirements of the Board of Regents, are carried out;
• facilitates interaction and communication within the CN and between the CN and interested parties in the University (such as the deans and the heads of related academic units);
• seeks funding in support of the Program; and
• nominates CN faculty for EC membership to ensure continuity over time.

The Chairperson of the EC (Director of the Program in Neuroscience):

• with the assistance of the Graduate Program Coordinator, administers the Program and the activities of the EC and the CN;
• convenes and chairs meetings of the EC and the CN;
• acts on behalf of the EC to implement the Program (e.g. to sign requests to schedule examinations, to approve recommendations for appointments to examination committees, etc.); and
• serves as representative of the Program and the CN to the University Administration, granting agencies, prospective students, etc.

Current Administration:
Chair:

• Bruce McNaughton, Professor, ARL Division of NSMA

Executive Committee:

• Julie Barkmeier, Associate Professor, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Andy Fuglevand, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology
• Herman Gordon , Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
• Wulfila Gronenberg, Associate Professor, ARL Division of Neurobiology
• Richard Lane, Professor, Department of Psychiatry
• Linda Restifo , Associate Professor, ARL Division of Neurobiology
• Lee Ryan, Professor, Department of Psychology
• Scott Sherman, Professor, Department of Neurology
• Todd Vanderah, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology
• David Andrew , 2nd year student in Program in Neuroscience

Faculty of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience

The faculty of the Graduate Program are organized in two categories: CN General Members and Neuroscience GIDP Faculty.  Both membership types, but especially the GIDP Faculty category, have specific criteria and expectations that are given below, and will be enforced through a periodic review mechanism.
The Neuroscience GIDP Faculty are members of the University of Arizona faculty who are admitted to membership after fulfilling the following criteria (see bylaws for a complete list of criteria):

• one who is recommended (and suitable) to serve as advisor to a graduate student conducting dissertation research in neuroscience;
• one who is active in research in neuroscience (as assessed by current record of research support, publication of recent, refereed papers based upon that research, recent service as a Ph.D. thesis/dissertation advisor, etc.); one whose neuroscientific research constitutes a major component of her/his overall research program; and one who actively participates in the Program and other CN activities.

Neuroscience GIDP Faculty are eligible to:

• serve as major advisor for Neuroscience GIDP student.
• serve on Neuroscience graduate student advisory committees.
• host Neuroscience GIDP students for lab rotations.
• vote on GIDP curriculum and policies.
• serve on Executive Committee.

• nominate and host CN seminar speakers.

The CN General Members are scientists who fulfill the following criteria (see bylaws for a complete list of criteria):

• one who is interested and knowledgeable in neuroscience but not necessarily actively involved in current research in the field; and
• one who contributes significantly to the goals of the Program by teaching courses, organizing seminars, serving on committees, etc.

CN General Members are eligible to:

• nominate and host CN seminar speakers.
• serve on Neuroscience graduate student advisory committees (but not as major advisor).
• host Neuroscience GIDP students for lab rotations (students should confer with the Neuroscience Graduate Advisor in advance regarding the specifics of the research project to be carried out during the rotation).
• request transition to Neuroscience GIDP Faculty status if they are willing and able to meet those criteria.

The Graduate Program Coordinator works closely with the students, faculty, EC and standing committees to ensure timely fulfillment of UA and Program policies and flow of information, as well as to assist faculty and students as needs arise.

Program Requirements

Supervision. A subcommittee of the EC, the Graduate Student Advisory & Progress Committee (GSAPC), advises each student in the preparation of her/his first-year program of study. The committee may require that remedial course work be completed. Depending upon the student's interests, the Committee may also assign the student to an interim faculty advisor selected from the Principal Faculty. After the student has a Dissertation Advisor (the Major Advisor), advising and research supervision are provided by the student's Dissertation Advisor and individual Dissertation Committee. They make every effort to tailor the student's course work to her/his individual needs.

Vacation Policy. Graduate students are also research trainees and University employees, so interpretation of holidays can be complicated. As trainees anticipating a research career, graduate students should plan to take advantage of the semester breaks and the summer to work in the laboratory or library. They will find that these class breaks allow long periods of uninterrupted work that are essential for the completion of a successful research or writing project. First year students should consult with the GSAPC, or with more advanced students for guidelines on how much vacation is considered appropriate. Once students are in the laboratory of a major professor, they should negotiate when to take vacations and how long they will be gone from the laboratory. Students are required to notify the Graduate Program Coordinator or their Major Advisor when they make vacation plans. Attendance at scientific meetings or specialized courses is not considered vacation.

Courses in the Major Field. A minimum of 36 units of graduate work must be taken in the major field (exclusive of dissertation research). Of the 36 units, at least half must be for course work taken for letter grades. Six required courses normally account for 21 units:

• NRSC 588, Principles of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
• Choose one of the following: NRSC 506, NRSC 564, or NRSC 589
• NRSC 502, a course on principles of neuroanatomy (ordinarily taken in the first year)
• two semesters of laboratory "rotations" (NRSC 700) in the laboratories of at least two members of the CN
• NRSC 595b, Science Writing and Ethics
• one semester of Statistics
• NRSC 695b, Neuroscience Seminar

Additional course work in Neuroscience amounting to 8 units is selected, ordinarily from Table 2 , in consultation with Program advisors. The remaining units of the total of 36 units required in the major field are ordinarily selected from lists (b) and (c) and from among appropriate courses offered by other programs. The student should consult the GSAPC to determine if a course that is not listed is acceptable.
In addition to the 36 units of course work in the major field, the student will complete at least 9 units in the minor field, and at least 18 units of Dissertation Research (NRSC 920). The student is also required to register for NRSC 695c, Neuroscience Seminar, each semester. In total, the Graduate College requires at least 72 units of graduate work.

Minor in Another Field. At least 9 units of classes, as determined by the guidelines of the minor program. Students can pursue a minor in an established department or program, or may choose the "Distributed Minor in Neuroscience" option that offers a flexible curriculum tailored to the student's interests. Examples of some minor programs are shown in Table 3. Other programs include Cell Biology & Anatomy, Biochemistry, Cognitive Science, Entomology, Genetics, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Medical Pharmacology, Physiological Sciences, Psychology, Speech & Hearing Sciences, and others. The minor should be selected in consultation with the dissertation advisor and must be approved by the NS Graduate Advisor.

Rate and Quality of Work. Ordinarily, students should complete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree within 4-5 years. Every student must take at least 12 units of graduate course work in each fall and spring semester in order to remain in good standing in the Program. A checklist of requirements (see page v) is maintained by the Graduate Program Coordinator and reviewed annually for each student by the GSAPC and by the EC. If a student falls one major semester behind the timeline laid out in the checklist, he or she will meet with the GSAPC, which will make recommendations to help resolve any problems. If a student falls one year behind the recommended timeline, in the absence of extenuating circumstances, he or she may be referred to the Graduate College for conversion to non-degree status. Students will be notified by June 1st of each year of their satisfactory or unsatisfactory progress. Students in the Program must achieve a grade of B or better in each core (required) course. If a student receives a lower grade, s/he must repeat the course at its next offering; failure to achieve a grade of B or better in the second taking of a course will result in dismissal from the Program and conversion to non-degree status. Students in the program are expected to maintain an overall grade-point average of at least 3.00 (B) and to have no more than a total of 2 grades of C; failure to achieve such a record can result in dismissal from the Program and conversion to non-degree status at any time. Students in non-degree status may be ineligible for continuing financial support, depending on the source of the funding. In unusual circumstances, a student may apply for and be granted up to a one-year leave of absence. In the event of unexcused interruption of graduate work for one semester (not including summers), the student must apply to be readmitted to both the Graduate College and the Program.

Research Rotations. In preparation for the selection of rotation laboratories and a dissertation research advisor, the student should become familiar with the research interests of the Program's Principal Faculty. This is accomplished in two steps: (a) Soon after arrival, first-year students should examine and become familiar with files of recent research papers by the Program's Principal Faculty that will be maintained in the office of the Program; and (b) Each student should meet individually with several members of the Principal Faculty of the Program during the first weeks in residence in order to discuss the research activities of, and opportunities with, those faculty. One suggestion is to arrange to spend 1 or 2 days in the laboratory. Each student must take at least two research rotations in the first year in the Program. The required course "Methods in Neuroscience," NRSC 700, provides a formal mechanism for these rotations, the purpose of which is to encourage the student to have "hands-on" experience in one or two areas of interest to her/him, to learn selected research methods in the field, and to become acquainted with the laboratory work and research group of one or two prospective dissertation advisors. Faculty members will expect a serious and conscientious effort on the part of rotation students, but successful rotations will not necessarily lead to the completion of a specific project and/or publication.

Ordinarily, lab rotations will last between 8 and 16 weeks, spending 10-20 hours/week in the lab. The durations of the rotations and the expectations of both the student and the faculty member must be discussed in advance. To receive credit for NRSC 700, the student must submit a one-page outline of the proposed rotation in advance to the GSAPC through the Graduate Program Coordinator. This outline must specify the length and hours per week of the rotation, along with a description of the work to be performed. The outline must be signed by both the student and the faculty member. Upon completion of the rotation, the student must submit a brief, one-page summary that describes the work performed and the techniques learned. A grade will not be issued until the report is turned in. Students may receive credit for NRSC 700 during both the fall and spring semesters of their first year. Both students and faculty are advised to contact the Graduate Program Coordinator midway through the rotation to provide a status report. The rotation focus or duration in a given laboratory can be altered at any time through mutual consent of the student and faculty member. All changes must be communicated in writing to the Graduate Program Coordinator.

First-Year Evaluations. Each student undergoes an evaluation by the GSAPC at the end of each semester of the first year in the program. These evaluations involve review of the student's research and course performance and input from the student's rotation advisor(s). Progress in the selection of a dissertation advisor is an essential component. The result of the evaluation will be reported to the EC. If the student fails to make satisfactory progress, the EC will recommend guidelines for improvement or dismissal from the Program.

A M.S. degree is awarded only in rare instances in which a student who has passed the first-year evaluation is unable, for whatever reason, to continue in the Program. In such instances the EC shall determine whether or not an M.S. degree is merited. To qualify for the M.S. degree, the student must complete the written and oral comprehensive exams and fulfill all the requirements of the Graduate College for that degree. Note that the completion of these requirements will ordinarily demand two years of work. The Program generally accepts only students seeking the Ph.D. degree.

Teaching. Because teaching is an important element in academic careers in Neuroscience, supervised experience in university-level teaching is considered essential. Each student is therefore required to serve as a Teaching Assistant, in courses approved by the EC, for at least one semester out of the first four. In addition, the student may be required by her/his Advisory Committee and the EC to assume certain other limited teaching responsibilities that are deemed to be an integral and essential part of her/his predoctoral education.

Annual Advisory Meetings for Advanced Students. The student shall arrange a meeting with her/his Dissertation Committee during the fall semester of the second and subsequent years in the Program. Prior to that meeting, the student submits to the Dissertation Committee a written report (ca. 3-5 typed pages) on her/his progress toward completion of course work and dissertation research over the preceding year. A summary of this information must be submitted to the GSAPC through the Graduate Program Coordinator. At the meeting, the student presents a carefully prepared and illustrated oral version of the report (ca. 30 min) outlining research progress over the prior year and submits to questioning about that work. The Committee then discusses the student's progress with the Major Advisor (in the absence of the student) and with the student (in the absence of the Major Advisor). A brief report of each such meeting is to be submitted to the GSAPC by the chairperson of the student's Dissertation Committee. In addition, the student's comments concerning the Major Advisor may be submitted, in confidence, to the Program Director by another member of the Dissertation Committee.

Seminars and Journal Clubs. Each student is required to participate, actively and throughout the period of predoctoral study, in one or more of the journal clubs and discussion groups under the auspices of the CN and to attend regularly the public seminars and colloquia sponsored by the CN. Advanced (3rd year and beyond) students must present their research progress in one of these settings at least once a year (this does not include the Data Blitz). It is the student's responsibility to notify the Graduate Program Coordinator and the members of the Advisory Committee of the presentation. These presentations will be publicly announced to the CN community. The student's attendance and performance in these forums will be evaluated by her/his Major Advisor and Advisory Committee. Other program requirements are described below.

Dissertation Advisor and Dissertation Committee

By mid-May of the first year, the student is expected to choose a dissertation advisor (the Major Advisor) from among the Principal Faculty of the Program and, having obtained the concurrence of the faculty member, to communicate this decision in writing to the GSAPC. The Committee consults with the student and the proposed advisor and then presents the proposal to the EC. The selection of a dissertation advisor may be delayed, in unusual circumstances, with permission from the EC.
The Major Advisor's responsibilities include:

• to supervise the student's dissertation research; and
• to advise the student on the selection of a Dissertation Committee, on the preparation of the Plan of Study, on the preparation of a dissertation proposal, and on research toward and preparation of a dissertation.

The Dissertation Committee should consist of at least five members, including at least two members of the Principal Faculty of the Program (one of whom is the major advisor), two faculty members from the student's minor field, and an additional faculty member chosen from either the major or minor area, or another appropriate field. Note that since CN faculty may also be associated with the minor program, more than two members of the committee may belong to the CN. One of the CN faculty members on the Dissertation Committee other than the major advisor will serve as the chair and will preside over all examinations and other deliberations of the committee. The chair will also provide a summary report of all meetings to the Graduate Program Coordinator. The student proposes the composition of the Dissertation Committee, on the form for that purpose to the program office ordinarily by the end of May of the first year, for approval by the EC. The committee proposal must be submitted no later than three months after selection of a major advisor.
The responsibilities of the Dissertation Committee include:

• to advise the student on course work and research and to conduct annual advisory meetings,
• to conduct the comprehensive examinations, and
• to accept the dissertation and conduct the final examination (dissertation defense).

Having chosen a major advisor, students will begin a research project. Credit for this research may be obtained by enrolling in NRSC 900.

Qualifying Examination

The Graduate College's requirement of a Ph.D. qualifying examination will be satisfied when the student has:

• passed the first year evaluation,
• selected a dissertation advisor and finalized the dissertation committee,
• satisfactorily completed the course work of the fourth semester, and
• been favorably reviewed by the Graduate Advisor, who will then make a recommendation to the EC.

Every effort will be made by the Graduate Advisor and the EC to help the student meet these requirements. Failure to complete the requirements for the qualifying exam at the end of the fourth semester, however, may be cause for dismissal from the Program.

Comprehensive Examination

After the requirements of the Qualifying Examination have been fulfilled, the Comprehensive Examination is the major requirement that a student must pass before being admitted to formal candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. For scheduling requirements of the Graduate College, students are advised to consult the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Graduate College publication "Program Requirements" (http://grad.arizona.edu/Current_Students/Program_Requirements/). Forms required by the Graduate College must be electronically submitted to the Graduate Degree Certification Office (“login to My GradColl“: https://grad.arizona.edu/gc/) at least 7 working days prior to the proposed oral exam date.

The Comprehensive Examination is considered a single examination, although it consists of written and oral parts that are both designed to meet two main objectives:

• To evaluate the proficiency of the student’s general neuroscience knowledge
• To evaluate the ability of the student to:
• independently evaluate and critique a body of neuroscience literature,
• integrate the acquired information into broad conceptual schemes,
• develop testable hypotheses,
• devise experimental approaches and thereby evaluate hypotheses,
• demonstrate the communication skills required to present and defend scientific ideas in oral and written formats.

The Comprehensive Examination must be taken in the student's fourth or fifth semester in the Program. The EC may only grant an extension for compelling reasons upon written petition from the student's Advisory (Dissertation) Committee.

A revised format of the comprehensive exam has been acquired in December 2007. For a transition period of up to 2 years (12/31/2009), a student is free to choose between the new (Format A) and the previous exam format (format B).

Format A

Overview. Students will prepare (written exam) and defend (oral exam) a research proposal in the form of a mock grant application. The topic of this proposal must be clearly outside the focus of the student’s planned dissertation research and the dissertation advisor’s research. The Comprehensive Examination will evaluate the written proposal, its oral defense, and fundamental knowledge in all basic areas of neuroscience. The areas include molecular/cellular, developmental, systems, behavioral, computational neuroscience or medical neuroscience.

Comprehensive Exam Committee. By the end of the first year in the program, the student selects an Advisory Committee, which will conduct the comprehensive examination. After the comprehensive exam, the Advisory Committee may then be re-structured to serve as Dissertation Committee (for details, see section Dissertation Committee).

Initial Preparation. The student must convene an initial meeting with the committee to select:

• a specific topic for the research proposal
• date for submission of research proposal (written examination): 8 weeks after initial meeting
• date for oral examination: 10-12 weeks after initial meeting

Prior to the first meeting, the student submits a brief description of three research topics (approximately one page for each topic) to the committee. The proposed topics must be clearly outside the focus of the student’s planned dissertation research and the dissertation advisor’s research. The pre-proposals should reflect an informed analysis of the relevant literature and should be supported by essential citations.

At the first committee meeting, a general agreement must be reached to select one or a modification of one of the proposed topics on which the student will be examined.  The committee will ensure that the selected topic does not overlap with the student’s dissertation project.  The committee chair is charged with ensuring that such review has been carried out and that appropriate dates for the written and oral exam (see time line) have been selected.

While preparing the research proposal, it is highly recommended that the student periodically seeks feedback from committee members. However, such interactions should be restricted to information on the strengths and weaknesses of experimental approaches or on background information.

Timeline.

• Initial committee meeting and identification of a specific topic for the research proposal (ideally during the fourth, the latest by the end of the fifth semester)
• Deadline for submission of research proposal (time of written exam): 8 weeks after initial committee meeting
• Announcement of written exam evaluation: no later than 1 week after submission of the proposal.
• Oral examination: 10-12 weeks after initial committee meeting (2-4 weeks after submission of the proposal)

 
Written Exam.After selection of the specific research topic, the student will have 8 weeks to write a mock grant application based on the selected problem. The student will need to evaluate the literature in the selected area, formulate significant and relevant hypotheses, and devise experimental strategies to test hypotheses.  The research proposal should follow the basic form of an NIH Predoctoral NRSA grant application, and should be a realistic proposal for 3 years of research.

The guidelines for the written proposal are those used for the standard NRSA grant application format (PHS 416 athttp://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/phs416.htm). The only distinction from NRSA guidelines is that the page limit for the research proposal of the comprehensive exam is twenty 1.5-spaced pages, including all figures and tables. NOTE that the bibliography does not count as part of the page limit. The limits on font size, margins and document length must be followed.

The research proposal must include the following sections:
Specific Aims (1 page max.): This section should include a concise statement of what the proposed research is intended to accomplish and/or what hypothesis is to be tested. It also lists the aims (2-3) of the proposal and brief statements of how each aim will be addressed.
Background and Significance (~8 pages): The section should include a concise presentation of pertinent literature in the chosen area of interest. It is expected that the relevant literature is critically and scholarly evaluated in substantial depth such that specific gaps are identified that the proposal can intend to fill. This section should also include a statement regarding the significance of the proposed research (1-2 paragraphs).
Rationale (1 page max.):Description of links between background, hypothesis, and specific aims; brief justification of general experimental approaches in relation to the questions of the proposal.
Research Plan (~10 pages): Description of experiments that are proposed to achieve the research goals of the proposal.  This section should place less emphasis on methodological details and more emphasis on anticipated outcomes and potential experimental pitfalls. The experimental plan should also accommodate unexpected findings and alternative strategies should be identified.  Experiments for each of the proposed aims should be discussed in the order listed in the specific aims section. This discussion should include:

• Discussion of experimental or other procedures and their advantage over alternative methodologies. Brief description of any new and non-standard methodology.
• Description of means by which the data will be analyzed and interpreted.
• Discussion of possible results, both positive and negative, and an interpretation of different outcomes.
• Discussion of potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed experiments and identification of alternative approaches that might be taken to achieve the aim.

References (not part of the page limit): Full citations of all referenced literature must be included. Any format of in-text citations can be used. In the bibliography each literature citation must include the names of all authors, the year of publication, the title of the publication, the name of the book or journal, volume number, and page numbers.

Students are highly encouraged to look at actual grant applications submitted by their advisor, other committee members or students to get a sense of what is included in an application. Students may also seek feedback from their committee to discuss ideas while working on the research proposal.  However, such interactions should be restricted to information on the strengths and weaknesses of experimental approaches and background information. Students are not allowed to receive assistance with written drafts of their exam or guidance in the construction of the proposal.

The written exam (research proposal) must be electronically submitted to the chair of the committee within 8 weeks after the initial meeting (preferably as a pdf file).

Evaluation
The student's research proposal will be immediately distributed to all committee members for their evaluation, using the following criteria:

• Expectation that pertinent literature in the chosen area of interest is presented in substantial depth and that the addressed problem is presented in relation to a wider context (“big picture”).
• Expectation that the existing knowledge is critically and scholarly evaluated such that specific gaps in our knowledge are identified.
• Expectation that hypothesis-driven approaches are proposed and that the logic between hypothesis, experiment approaches, experimental outcomes, and possible conclusions is clearly developed and presented. 

Each committee member will submit a letter grade of A (4), B (3), C (2), D (1), or F (0) to the committee chair to calculate an average score. An average score of 3.0 or higher will be necessary and sufficient for the student to pass the written section of the examination. Additionally, committee members are asked to provide constructive and useful written feedback to the student regarding both the strengths and weakness of the proposal. The chair of the committee will compile these comments and transmit them to the student together with the average grade.

The chair of the committee will notify the student, the other members of the committee, and the chair of the GIDP of the outcome within 1 week of submission of the proposal. The student must have passed the written examination in order to proceed to the oral examination.

At the discretion of the committee, a student who fails the written examination may be permitted to repeat the examination once. When this is permitted, the examination must be repeated for one of the two remaining originally proposed research topics. A repeated examination must be completed within 5 months after the first examination.

A student with an average of 1.0 or lower shall not be allowed to repeat the examination. In this case, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Oral Exam. The oral part of the comprehensive examination should be taken as soon as possible, and no longer than 4 weeks after successful completion of the written examination. At least 7 working days prior to the proposed date, the form entitled “Application for Oral Comprehensive Examination for Doctoral Candidacy” must be electronically submitted to the Graduate Degree Certification Office (“login to My GradColl“: https://grad.arizona.edu/gc/).

The oral examination involves in-depth questions within the area of specialization (topic of research proposal but also dissertation research) and broad questions across the general field of neuroscience (including molecular/cellular, developmental, systems, behavioral, computational and/or medical neuroscience). The first 30-60 minutes of the oral exam are devoted to the defense of the research proposal. The student may initially give a 10-15 minute overview of the research proposal using audio-visual materials. A LCD projector and, if needed, a laptop computer will be made available for the exam. The remaining time consists of a broad examination covering any aspect of neuroscience and/or the chosen minor field of study. The exam must last a minimum of 2 hours but cannot exceed 3 hours.

Students are advised to have at least one practice oral exam with other graduate students and postdocs about two weeks before the scheduled exam. This can be helpful in identifying strengths and weaknesses since students often need practice to effectively illustrate answers to posed questions on a black board.

Evaluation
The student is expected to defend the proposed hypotheses and scholarly address questions concerning all background information relevant to the topic, significance, and design of the proposed experiments. In addition, the student is expected to demonstrate strong fundamental knowledge in all basic areas of neuroscience, including molecular/cellular, developmental, systems, behavioral, computational and/or medical neuroscience.

After no more than 2 hours into the exam, the student will be briefly excused from the room and the committee will discuss the student's performance. At this time, the committee may decide that the student has either passed or failed the exam, or it may decide that the examination should continue with additional questions. If continued, the chair is charged to ensure that the exam time is limited to three hours, by which time the committee must decide on a pass or fail grade. Committee deliberation time is not included in the exam time.

If a student fails the oral examination, the committee may recommend that the student be dismissed from the Program or be re-examined no later than six months from the date of the failed oral examination (provided that the student is not already on probation and has not taken the written exam twice). Failure to pass the oral comprehensive exam within six months of the original date will be grounds for dismissal from the program.

After successful completion of the comprehensive exam, the student will be promoted from Graduate Assistant to Graduate Associate (effective the next January 1 or July 1). The student must then apply for Advancement to Candidacy. This application must be submitted before the student may enroll in NRSC 920, Dissertation Research. At least 18 units are required, with no more than 9 being taken in any one semester.
 Format B
The student must choose 3 of the 6 major, broadly defined, subdivisions of the field in which to be examined; at least one from each of two categories ("A" and "B"):

A. molecular/cellular, developmental, or computational neuroscience;
B. systems, behavioral, or medical neuroscience.

The student must convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee at which the dates for the written and oral examinations and the three examination areas will be agreed upon. Prior to that meeting, the committee and the student shall each review these guidelines. The committee chair is charged with ensuring that such review has been carried out. The student will then be asked to leave the meeting and the Committee chair (who is not to be the student's Ph.D. supervisor) will oversee the designation of which members will submit questions on the particular chosen topics.

It is highly recommended that, as soon as possible after the Committee meeting, the student meet individually with each member of the Advisory Committee for additional guidance in preparing for the exams. It is also highly recommended that the student meet again with each Committee member at least one month before the scheduled date of the exam to report on their study progress and discuss any details needing clarification. This will assist the student in ensuring that they have reviewed the subject area adequately and should also aid the Committee member in devising exam questions appropriate to the student's focus of study.

Written Examination . To satisfy the written part of the comprehensive examination, the student must first have passed each core course with a grade of B or better. The student must then pass three, 3-hour, written examinations prepared by the Advisory Committee and approved by the EC; one exam for each of the three subdivisions listed above, as chosen by the student.

Each written examination will consist of five questions drawing upon the materials covered in courses offered in the Program as well as on important papers in current leading journals, seminars and colloquia presented under the auspices of the Program. The student is required to answer three of the five questions. The written examination must test the student's comprehensive knowledge, both in breadth across the general field of study (Neuroscience), and in depth within the subdivisions of specialization. The members of the student's Advisory Committee and the Executive Committee of the CN all share the responsibility to ensure that the examination meets both parts of that objective. Questions will be compiled by the Chair of the Advisory Committee, who then will distribute the whole examination to the Committee for comment. The whole examination should be reviewed for clarity, breadth, and depth and approved by all members of the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee Chair will then forward the proposed exam to the EC for approval. In order to allow for revisions prior to the examination, it is important that questions be submitted to the EC well in advance of the examination.

The location, exact scheduling, use of a computer, and other details of the conduct of the examinations are left to the discretion of the Advisory Committee, but the use of notes, books, or other supplementary material during the examination is not allowed.

Scheduling and Procedures . The student's Advisory Committee may use the first meeting, usually held early or in the middle of the second year, to plan the student's written Comprehensive Examination. In any case, the Committee should begin planning the examination at least 3-4 months before the examination. The full examination must be submitted to the Executive Committee for review, no less than 1 month prior to the examination date. The EC may require revision of the proposed exam by the student's Advisory Committee. In such cases, revisions should be completed sufficiently far ahead of the examination date to allow final approval by the EC.

The student's written examination answers will be distributed to the Committee members immediately after the exam. Each answer will be evaluated by the Committee member who wrote that question and will be assigned a letter grade of A (4), B (3), C (2), etc. The Committee Chair will calculate an average score, or "GPA," for each section of the examination. A "GPA" of 3.0 or higher will be necessary and sufficient for the student to pass that section of the examination. A student who passes all three sections of the examination passes the written examination as a whole. The chair of the Advisory Committee will notify the student, the other members of the Committee, and the Chair of the Executive Committee of the outcome within three days after the third exam has been completed. The student must have passed the written examination in order to proceed to the oral examination.

A student who passes one or two, but not all three, sections of the exam fails the written examination, but, at the discretion of the Advisory Committee, may be permitted to repeat the examination once. When this is permitted, the examination will be repeated on a section-by-section basis. Each repeated section will consist of a full three-hour examination, with all new written questions. Questions for a repeated examination will require prior approval by the Executive Committee of the CN. A repeated examination must be completed within 3 months after the first examination.

A student who scores below 3.0 on all three sections of the written examination fails the examination, and will not be allowed to repeat the examination. In this case, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Summary of Responsibilities

Student:

• Hold Advisory Committee meeting (at least 3-4 months prior to intended examination date)
• Meet individually with Committee members (at least 2 months prior to examination)

Advisory Committee chair:

• Ensure that the student and committee members have reviewed these guidelines.
• Organize assignment of question-writing responsibilities among Committee members, with the questions in each area of the examination written by one or two Committee members (at least 3-4 months prior to intended examination date)
• Compile and uniformly format written questions, and in conjunction with individual Committee members,
• revise or replace questions as needed to achieve breadth, depth, and clarity in each area of the examination
• Distribute complete examination to all Committee members for review and approval
• Submit examination to CN Executive Committee for review (at least 2 months prior to examination date), and make changes as suggested by the CN EC (at least one month prior to examination). Send complete revised examination to all Committee members
• Arrange with student details of time, place, location, computer use, etc., for examination
• Collect written answers from student, and distribute to appropriate Committee members for evaluation (immediately following examination)
• Collect evaluations from Committee members, calculate "GPA," and inform student and EC of outcome (within 3 days after the third examination)
• If necessary, organize Committee meeting to consider possible repeat examination.

Committee member:

• Write clear, concise questions that individually test the student's understanding of individual topics, and that as a set of five questions cover the breadth of one of the chosen areas of neuroscience. The questions must be written in a manner that requires the student to write a formal essay on the question topic and should be gauged such that a complete answer can reasonably be written in about one hour.
• Provide questions to committee chair approximately 3 months prior to examination, and work with committee chair, as necessary, to revise exam for overall breadth and depth
• Meet with student to guide student's preparation for examination
• Evaluate student's examination answers within 3 days after examination, and communicate results to committee chair
• Within one week after examination, if necessary, consider whether a repeat examination will be allowed

Oral Examination. The oral part of the comprehensive examination should be taken as soon as possible, and within 6 months, after successful completion of the written examination . The student will schedule the oral examination at a time convenient to the Advisory Committee. At least 15 working days prior to the proposed date, the form entitled "Application for Comprehensive Oral Examination" must be submitted to the Graduate College . As for all other deliberations of the Advisory Committee, the examination is chaired by a member other than the major advisor.

The exam must be conducted according to the Graduate College 's "Policies and Procedures for Comprehensive Oral Examinations", with particular attention to the following passage:
"Upon successful completion of the written examinations in the major and minor(s), the Oral Comprehensive Examination is conducted before the examining committee of the faculty. This is the occasion when faculty committee members have both the opportunity and obligation to require the student to display a broad knowledge of the chosen field of study and sufficient depth of understanding in areas of specialization. Discussion of proposed dissertation research may be included. The examining committee must attest that the student has demonstrated the professional level of knowledge expected of a junior academic colleague. "

The oral examination will cover the areas of the student's written examinations and courses, as well as topics presented at seminars and colloquia under the auspices of the Program. Thus the student is expected to demonstrate a strong fundamental knowledge in 3 of the 6 principal subdivisions of Neuroscience, as well as familiarity with recent major advances in the entire field and fundamentals of the minor field. At the beginning of the oral examination, the student will be asked to leave the room, and the Chair of the Advisory committee will review the examination guidelines with the Committee. Committee members are strongly encouraged to come to the examination prepared with several alternative questions to ask the student, and the Committee is encouraged to discuss briefly what each member will ask the student during the first round of questioning and what the order of questioning will be. As per the Graduate College policy, the duration of the oral examination will be not less than one hour and not more than three.

At the discretion of the Committee, the student may be asked to begin the examination with a brief discourse on the theoretical and empirical background to their planned dissertation topic, outlining the principal scientific questions under consideration for their dissertation research and why these questions are of scientific interest. The use of preliminary data in this discourse is permitted only to the extent that it is necessary to meet the objective just outlined. This overview must be delivered without the use of slides or supplementary material, but the blackboard may be used for illustration. A maximum of 15 minutes should be allowed for the dissertation topic overview and questions. The Committee chair should enforce this time limit.
Typically, the exam will proceed with one round of questioning from the Committee members, during which each member will, in turn, address a question to the student. Premeditated and well formulated questions will help ensure that the student is able to address the posed questions without major interruption. The Chair and the designated representative of the Graduate College should jointly ensure that 'hinting' or coaching by the Committee is avoided. Any member of the Committee may pose follow-up questions, with priority given to the member who posed the current question. Typically about 15 minutes should be allocated to each question so that the student has a chance to give in depth answers yet complete the exam within the 3 hour time limit; however, in the event that the student clearly does not understand the question posed, or is clearly unable to address it, the Committee chair or the member posing the question may ask the student to stop and the exam will proceed to the question from next Committee member. In addition, the student has the option to decline to answer a question he or she feels unable to address it in a satisfactory manner. The Committee member whose question was interrupted or declined may (at his/her discretion) ask a substitute question either immediately or at a later point in the examination (for example, after the committee has deliberated on the first round of questions).

After one round of questioning, the student will be asked to leave the room and the Committee will deliberate on the student's performance. At this time, the Committee may decide that the student has either passed or failed the exam, or it may decide that the examination should continue with additional questions from some or all of the Committee. The exam time is limited by the graduate college to three hours, by which time the Committee must decide on a pass or fail grade. Committee deliberation time is not included in the exam time.

If the student fails the Oral comprehensive examination, the Advisory Committee may recommend to the EC that the student be re-examined at a later date, not earlier than four months (as required by the Graduate College) and not later than six months from the date of the failed oral examination, or that the student be required to withdraw from the Program. Failure to pass the oral comprehensive exam within six months of the original date will be grounds for dismissal from the program. After successful completion of the written and oral comprehensive exams, the student will be promoted from Graduate Assistant to Graduate Associate (effective the next January 1 or July 1). The student must then apply for Advancement to Candidacy. This application must be submitted before the student may enroll in NRSC 920, Dissertation Research. At least 18 units are required, with no more than 9 being taken in any one semester.

Advancement to Candidacy
After successful completion of both parts of the comprehensive examination, but no later than six months before the Oral Defense Examination, the student must submit the form entitled "Doctoral Advancement to Candidacy," along with filing and microfilming fees (currently $115, total), to the Graduate College.

Dissertation and Defense

Dissertation Proposal. Having passed the comprehensive examination, the student is required to submit a dissertation-research proposal using the forms and format of NIH grant applications, exclusive of the budget section. The proposal will be based upon, and must present a summary of, comprehensive work carried out by the student in the laboratory and under the advice of her/his Advisor, and this document should present a carefully prepared, thoughtful, critical, and realistic plan of research actually intended to lead to the completion of the dissertation. This proposal should ordinarily be submitted to the student's Dissertation Committee (with a copy to the Graduate Advisor) in the student's third year in the Program. After all members of the Dissertation Committee have found the proposal to be satisfactory with respect to its content and quality of presentation, the student must arrange a meeting of the Committee for an oral defense of, as well as critical advisory input about, the research plan. The chairperson of the Dissertation Committee will submit to the EC a written report of the Committee's evaluation of the proposal and its defense.

Dissertation. Preparation of the written dissertation shall follow the regulations of the Graduate College (as set forth in the Student's Manual for the Preparation and Presentation of Theses for Advanced Degrees). After writing and correcting a draft of the complete dissertation, the candidate must submit the draft to each member of the Dissertation Committee. The exact timing of the submission is at the discretion of the Dissertation Committee, but candidates must file the "Announcement of Oral Defense Examination" form with the Graduate College no later than 15 working days before the date of the Oral Defense Examination. This form requires the signatures of all members of the dissertation committee, signifying their assessment that the dissertation is ready to defend - although revisions may still be required. Thus, it is suggested that the final draft of the dissertation be submitted to committee members at least 6 weeks before the exam date. This allows 3 weeks for them to make a general assessment. Committee members will then provide the candidate with detailed suggestions or requirements for revision before, or on the day of, the final exam.

Final Examination. Formal defense of the dissertation constitutes the final examination. The defense comprises two parts:

• a one-hour public colloquium in which the candidate presents her/his research and explains how it contributes to the advancement of understanding of the nervous system, and
• an oral examination by the candidate's Dissertation Committee and other qualified persons acceptable to the committee. There is no minimum time limit for the final examination, but the examination may not exceed three hours.

The Final Examination will be chaired by a member of the Dissertation Committee other than the Major Advisor and must be conducted according to the Graduate College's "Policies and Procedures for Final Oral Examinations for Doctoral Candidates". After successful completion of the final examination, the candidate must submit a final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate Program Coordinator for a format review. The candidate makes any corrections required and provides two signed copies of the final dissertation to the Graduate Degree Certification office. Approval pages, which must accompany these copies, are available in the Graduate Degree Certification office and it is recommended that the student take these approval pages to the final examination for signatures. The candidate also provides a final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate Program Coordinator to be bound for the Program's library.

Minor in Neuroscience

The Neuroscience Program encourages students from other disciplines to minor in Neuroscience. Nine credits in Neuroscience are required. This is to include either NRSC 588, NRSC 589, NRSC 506, or NRSC 564. The remainder of the units may be selected from Table 2 in the Neuroscience coursework guidelines. Students planning to minor in Neuroscience must have at least one member of the CN on their Dissertation Committee, and must submit the appropriate form to the EC (through the Graduate Program Coordinator) for approval and signature. Successful completion of 9 units of approved coursework in Neuroscience constitutes passage of the written comprehensive examination in the minor area.