Typically, graduate students serve as GSIs for the core undergraduate course in Biological Psychology. Students that do not serve as a GSI for this course must demonstrate competency in Behavioral Neuroscience by either taking the undergraduate course or by passing an examination. Advancement to Candidacy Advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree occurs after completing a Master's Thesis and passing the qualifying examination. The Master's thesis is completed during the second year and is often based on work related to the research advisor's program. The emphasis is on successful completion of a project of limited scope that develops skills required for completing the Ph.D. Dissertation.
Students complete the qualifying examination during the third year of graduate training.
Thesis Research Students prepare and submit a formal thesis proposal by the beginning of the fourth year. The research for the Dissertation is conducted during the fourth year in residence and completed, at the latest, by the sixth year of residence.