During the first two years, students obtain an overview of physiology through the core curriculum and take courses necessary to fill in any gaps in their science backgrounds. Subsequently, in the laboratory, students complete their doctoral research and gain independence and expertise in areas such as cardiovascular biology, neurophysiology, membrane and cell biophysics or endocrinology and reproductive biology. The doctoral research is carried out in a laboratory chosen after three rotations completed during the first year, each lasting about 6-8 weeks. Once a laboratory and thesis advisor are selected, the student forms a thesis committee to provide guidance for the duration of graduate study. The core curriculum is designed to provide both depth and breadth in cellular and systems physiology and neuroscience, as well as training in critical reading and presentation of original literature.
Students take specialized elective courses chosen with the help of a first-year advisory committee.
The choice of courses is tailored to the interests and needs of each student and to meet the Graduate School requirement for a focused or distributed minor. The Graduate School requires students to take 32 course credits to qualify for the Ph.D. degree. Once course work is completed, students take a qualifying examination at the end of their second year of study. This is a written, take-home examination that tests the student's ability to assess experimental design, interpret published data, evaluate published conclusions, and synthesize new experimental directions. Part B of the qualifying examination is a thesis research proposal that is presented to the student's thesis advisory committee.