The Program in Neurosciences at Case Western Reserve University offers graduate training in a wide range of disciplines in modern neuroscience. The program has a strong emphasis on cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate the function and development of the nervous system. Training in neurobiology is provided through a combination of course work, seminars, and research experience. The Department of Neurosciences, in which the Program is based, is currently undergoing a period of rapid expansion with new primary faculty joining the Department each year. Course Work, Laboratory Rotations and Examinations Students are admitted to the Biomedical Sciences Training Program of the Graduate School and begin their graduate training in Neurosciences by participating in a laboratory research rotation with one of the program faculty in the summer before the start of their first academic year.
Students take two additional laboratory rotations during the first year.
The three laboratory rotations are intended to give students a diverse introduction to techniques and approaches for studying neural function and to serve as a basis for choosing a laboratory to do their Ph.D. thesis. During the first academic year, all students take a one year core curriculum which consists of courses intended to provide a solid background in modern molecular and cellular biology. During the second semester of the first year, students also take a course in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology. During the fall term of the second year students take the Systems Neuroscience course. Several advanced graduate courses in neurosciences are available, including Developmental Neurobiology, Neural Circuits and Animal Behavior, Computational Neurosciences, Molecular Neurobiology, Cell Surfaces and Matrices, Laboratory Techniques in Cellular Neurobiology, and Neurobiology of Human Disease.