Curriculum | Neuroscience Graduate Program

Our interdisciplinary training program will provide you with the foundations of neuroscience knowledge through an integrated and wide-ranging curriculum.

PhD Program Course Requirements by Year

Autumn Semester

NEUROSC 7001: Foundations of Neuroscience I (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30-9:50 am)
Course Director: Dr. Min Zhou
This course covers the basics of neuroscience knowledge that every grad student will need regardless of the field they choose. It covers 4 main topics: Electrophysiology, Cellular Biology, Neurons & Glia, and Neurodevelopment. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

NEUROSC 7100: Current Topics in Neuroscience (Tuesday 9:00-10:00 am)
This course is conducted in a journal club style and discusses primary research articles related to the concurrent NEUROSC 7001 lectures. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

NEUROGS 7887: Seminar Topics in Neuroscience (Wednesday 4:00-5:00 pm)
This course consists of a mixture of student research presentations and professional development workshops. Permission of program administrator is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Spring Semester

NEUROSC 7002 or DENT 7012.03: Foundations of Neuroscience II (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30-9:50 am)
Course Directors: Dr. Georgia Bishop and Dr. Susan Travers
This course builds on material learned in the first semester and focuses on nervous system function including sensory systems, motor control, sleep, neuroendocrine physiology, and more. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

NEUROSC 7200.01 or DENT 7012.01: Neuroscience Laboratory (Wednesday 10:00 am-12:00 pm)
Course Directors: Dr. Georgia Bishop and Dr. Susan Travers
This laboratory course runs in complement to the 7002 lectures and focuses on building an anatomical understanding of the nervous system. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

NEUROGS 7887: Seminar Topics in Neuroscience (Wednesday 4:00-5:00 pm)
This course consists of a mixture of student research presentations and professional development workshops. Permission of program administrator is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Summer Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Autumn Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Choose one of the following Statistics courses:

STAT 5301: Intermediate Data Analysis I
The first course in a two-semester non-calculus sequence in data analysis covering descriptive statistics, design of experiments, probability, statistical inference, one-sample t, goodness of fit, two sample problem, and one-way ANOVA.

PSYCH 6810: Statistical Methods in Psychology I
Topics include basic concepts of descriptive and inferential statistics, estimation, hypothesis testing, non-parametric techniques, and analysis of variance.

Spring Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Summer Semester

BIOPHRM 5510: Responsible Conduct in Biomedical Research (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 3:30-5:00 pm)
This course is offered every other summer and therefore will be taken in either the second or third year. The broad intent of this course is to highlight the importance of ethics in biomedical research and to explore how critical ethical thinking can be used to analyze personal decision-making, public regulation, and the law concerning advanced biomedical sciences/technologies and their clinical applications. This course will introduce students to professional and ethical issues confronting biomedical research and researchers and approaches to dealing with such issues.

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Autumn Semester

Candidacy should be completed by the end of Autumn semester of your third year. Depending on the status of candidacy at the start of the semester, students will enroll in one of the following:

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Spring Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Summer Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Autumn Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Spring Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Summer Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Autumn, Spring, and Summer Semesters

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Many courses are available at Ohio State to supplement your neuroscience training. Below are just a few courses we recommend:

MOLGEN 5701: DNA Transactions and Gene Regulation (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1:50-2:45 pm)
This course aims to understand the mechanisms of DNA replication, DNA repair and recombination, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression, and the experimental approaches to these topics.

NEUROSC 5790H: Developmental Neurobiology – Dr. Jamie Jontes (AU semester – 3 Credit Hours, T-Th, 11:10 AM– 12:30 PM) Investigates the molecular, cellular and genetic mechanisms responsible for building nervous systems. The brain is a complex structure, yet it develops from a single sheet of cells. We will discuss how this development tolerates tremendous genetic and environmental variability to assemble a functioning nervous system.

NEUROSC 7500: Neuroimmunology – Dr. Jonathan Godbout (SP Semester – Even years 2 Credit Hours, T,Th 9:30 – 10:30 AM) Discusses research and clinical applications of inflammatory processes within the central nervous system with special emphasis on neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune disease, and neurotrauma (e.g., spinal injury).

NEUROSC 7050 – Neurobiology of Disease – Dr. Glenn Lin (SP semester – 3 Credit Hours, T,Th , 1:00 – 3:00 PM) Neurobiology of Disease will explore the basis of major diseases affecting the nervous system. Combines basic scientists and clinicians to discuss various neurological disorders. Includes a grant workshop.

NEUROSC 7435 – Genetics of Neurological Disorders – Dr. Jacy Wagnon, Dr. Bin Gu (Autumn Semester, 7W1 – 3 Credit Hours T, Th – 8:30 – 10:00 AM) Genetic and epigenetic principles underlying the development and maintenance of the mammalian nervous system will be explored in the context of human neurological disorders, including epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism, movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Techniques used to identify genetic variation in human neurological disorders and model systems will be discussed

NEUROSC 7325 – Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders – Dr. Harry Fu, Dr. Jie Gao (Autumn Semester, 7W2 - 3 Credit Hours, T, Th 3:00 – 4:20 PM) The course discusses the central biological mechanisms that underlie ageing and neurodegenerative diseases and approaches to target these pathways for the treatment of diseases prevalent in aged populations including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal lobar dementia, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The course includes lectures, paper discussions, and a grant workshop

NEUROSC 7350 – Glial Biology – Dr. Min Zhou (Spring Semester, 7W1 – 2 Credit Hours, M, W – 8:30 – 10:00 AM) The course discusses the ontogeny, structural and functional characteristics, and the biological role of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, satellite cells, and Schwann cells in the nervous systems. This course discusses the role of glial cells in the induction/maintenance/regulation of the blood-brain barrier. The course also discusses the pathological role of glial cells in disease.

NEUROSC 7715 – Principles of Neural Circuit Design and Function – Dr. Jason Wester, Dr. Martin Haesemeyer (Spring Semester, 7W2 – T, F 8:30 – 10:00 AM) The course discusses the central biological mechanisms that underlie ageing and neurodegenerative diseases and approaches to target these pathways for the treatment of diseases prevalent in aged populations including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal lobar dementia, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. The course includes lectures, paper discussions, and a grant workshop

PSYBHLH 7890    Communications in Neuroimmunology Research
PSYCH 5089    Cognitive Aging, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroplasticity
PSYCH 5602    Behavioral Genetics
PSYCH 5603    Stem Cells in the Brain
PSYCH 5604    Sex Differences in the Brain and Behavior
PSYCH 5612    Introduction to Cognitive Science
PSYCH 5613H    Biological Psychiatry
PSYCH 5614    Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYCH 5628    Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
PSYCH 5870    Neuroeconomics and Decision Neuroscience
PSYCH 6210    Biological and Social Bases of Behavior
PSYCH 6650    Seminar in Advanced fMRI Analysis Techniques

MD/PhD Course Requirements by Year

Summer Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Summer Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Autumn Semester

NEUROSC 7001: Foundations of Neuroscience I (Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30-9:50 am)
Course Director: Dr. Candice Askwith
This course covers the basics of neuroscience knowledge that every grad student will need regardless of the field they choose. It covers 4 main topics: Electrophysiology, Cellular Biology, Neurons & Glia, and Neurodevelopment. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

Spring Semester

NEUROSC 7002 or DENT 7012.03: Foundations of Neuroscience II (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30-9:50 am)
NOTE: this course is waived if a grade of "B" or higher is achieved in the Med I Neuro Block
Course Directors: Dr. Georgia Bishop and Dr. Susan Travers
This course builds on material learned in the first semester and focuses on nervous system function including sensory systems, motor control, sleep, neuroendocrine physiology, and more. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

NEUROSC 7200.01 or DENT 7012.01: Neuroscience Laboratory (Wednesday 10:00 am-12:00 pm)
NOTE: this course is waived if a grade of "B" or higher is achieved in the Med I Neuro Block
Course Directors: Dr. Georgia Bishop and Dr. Susan Travers
This laboratory course runs in complement to the 7002 lectures and focuses on building an anatomical understanding of the nervous system. Permission of instructor is required for students that are not in the Neuroscience Graduate Program.

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Summer Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Autumn Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Choose one of the following Statistics courses:

Spring Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Summer Semester

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

Autumn Semester

Candidacy should be completed by the end of Autumn semester of your fourth year. Depending on the status of candidacy at the start of the semester, students will enroll in one of the following:

6193: Laboratory Rotation
Permission of laboratory rotation mentor is required. A signed laboratory rotation agreement form is required for course enrollment.

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Spring Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Summer Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Autumn Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Spring Semester

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.

Summer, Autumn, and Spring Semesters

8999: Dissertation Research
Only students that have successfully passed candidacy will enroll in this course.