The programs are designed to prepare participants to do original research and to teach. Graduates will gain expertise in specific research areas in addition to becoming well educated in the broader fields of brain or cognitive science. Students may specialize in molecular and cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, cognitive science, computation, or in a fifth track called cognitive neuroscience for students whose research interests encompass more than one discipline. Graduate students begin research apprenticeships within their first term, at which time advisor assignments are made based upon a match of interests, or after an optional lab rotation period during the first semester.
Assignments can change as students' goals become more focused.
Before the end of the second year, students form advisory committees composed of two to four faculty members. These committees monitor progress during subsequent years and, with membership changing as necessary, they evolve into thesis committees. Starting in the first year, graduate students are expected to spend at least half of their time in the laboratory conducting research. Course requirements are designed to permit flexibility. Students normally choose one of the four departmental research areas as a major field and a second one as a minor field, although the minor field is sometimes chosen from a different MIT department.