Graduate: Masters – Program for Non-Tulane Undergraduates

Dr. Gary Dohanich,
Program Director
Phone: 504-862-3307
Email: dohanich@tulane.edu

Dr. Beth Wee,
Co-Director
Phone:504-314-7548
Email: bwee@tulane.edu

Neuroscience Office
Office: 3053 Stern Hall
Phone: 504-862-3305
Email: brain@tulane.edu

Tulane University offers a master of science degree in Neuroscience for students with baccalaureate degrees from other institutions. Students in the M.S. program take courses relevant to their interests in Neuroscience and related fields. Completion of an empirical masters thesis under the guidance of an advisor who is a member of the Neuroscience Graduate Faculty is optional. The mission of the M.S. program is to prepare students for admission to doctoral programs in the neurosciences and for admission to medical schools. Completion of the M.S. program does not guarantee acceptance to Tulane's Ph.D. programs or medical school.

Admission Criteria

Acceptance into the program is competitive and based on the decision of a Steering Committee comprised of faculty members of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Candidates should exhibit the potential for graduate study. Applicants will need a minimum of 1100 on their GRE and 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The deadline for receipt of the COMPLETED APPLICATION, INCLUDING ALL SUPPORTING MATERIALS is June 1 to start in the fall semester and October 15 to start in the spring semester.

Contact Dr. Wee regarding specific admission procedures.

Costs

The cost of the Masters Program for Non-Tulane Undergraduates for the 2008-2009 Academic Year is $18,000 for tuition and approximately $1650 for fees. In addition, all students are required to have health insurance while enrolled at Tulane. Students may elect to enroll in the Tulane sponsored health insurance plan which is $1893 this year. Estimated personal expenses are about $1400.

Curriculum

Consistent with the training model for our doctoral students, each M.S. student follows an individualized program of study. Most students concentrate on a specific area of Neuroscience, and their course work reflects that focus. The Thesis Track degree requires 24 credits at the graduate level and the Non-thesis Track degree requires 30 credits at the graduate level. Courses should be chosen in consultation with Dr. Wee. For further information and advising, view a list of faculty members and links.

Duration of Study

Students may enter the program during either the fall or spring semester of any academic year. Students who pursue the Non-thesis Track should complete degree requirements within two academic semesters. Students who pursue the Thesis Track require additional semesters and summers to complete an M.S. degree with a full masters thesis. The thesis is an empirical study conducted in the laboratory of a Tulane faculty member who is a member of the Tulane Graduate Neuroscience Faculty. Following its completion, the thesis document is defended before a committee of three faculty members.

Neuroscience Education at Tulane University

Tulane offers an undergraduate major in Neuroscience (B.S.) within the School of Science and Engineering that is the fastest growing major on campus. The 4+1 Program in Neuroscience provides Tulane graduates with training for one additional year beyond the baccalaureate degree. The Neuroscience Graduate Program (Ph.D.) is an interdepartmental graduate program at Tulane. The mission of the program is to provide Ph.D. students with a broad education in the theoretical and practical aspects of Neuroscience research and teaching.

Course List for the M.S. Degree in Neuroscience at Tulane University

NSCI 600/601 (F,S)	3,1	Methods in Neuroscience	Wee
NSCI 603 (F,S)	1	Neuroscience Seminar	Tasker
NSCI 604 (F,S)	1	Trends in Neuroscience	Tasker
NSCI 611 (S)	3	Brain and Language	Howard
NSCI 631 (F)	3	Cellular Neuroscience	Tasker
NSCI 632 (S)	3	Systems Neuroscience	Schrader
NSCI 634 (S)	3	Neurobiology of Disease	Cronin
NSCI 635 (S)	3	Developmental Neurobiology	Inglis
NSCI 637 (F)	3	Molecular Neurobiology	Inglis/Cronin
NSCI 651 or PSYC 709 (F)	3	Biological Psychology	Colombo
NSCI 653 or PSYC 710 (F)	3	Psychopharmacology	Dohanich
NSCI 655 (S)	3	Behavioral Neuroendocrinology	Dohanich/Wee
NSCI 657 or PSYC 703 (F, S)	3	Cognitive Neuroscience	Golob
NSCI 663 (F)	3	Cellular Neurophysiology	Staff
NSCI 710 (F, S)	0-4	Special Topics in Neuroscience	Staff
NSCI 711 (F)	3	Graduate Neuroscience	Tasker
NSCI 798	1-6	Research in Neuroscience	Staff
CELL 601 (F)	3	Cellular Biochemistry	Hopkins
CELL 608	3	Advanced Developmental and Cell Biology	Muneoka
CELL 611	3	Cells and Tissues	Staff
CELL 613	4	Embryology - Lecture and Lab	Muneoka
CELL 616 (F)	3	Developmental Biology	Cserjesi
CELL 621 (F)	3	Cellular Physiology	Cronin
CELL 701 (F, S)	3	Cell Biology	Dotson
CELL 711 (F, S)	3	Molecular Biology	Thien
PSYC 609 (F)	3	Univariate Statistics I	Corey
PSYC 611 (S)	3	Univariate Statistics II	Corey
PSYC 613 (F)	3	Multivariate Statistics	Corey
EBIO 708	3	Biostatistics and Experimental Design	Dyer
ANAT 719*	2	Advanced Neuroanatomy	Staff
GBCH 601*	4	Graduate Biochemistry	Wimbley
GBCH 724*(F)	2	Structural Immunology	Landry
GPHR 704*	2	Neuropharmacology	Taylor
GPHR 721*(F, S)	1	Advances in Pharmacology	Kadowitz
GPHR 723*	4	Principles of Pharmacology	Beckman
GPHR 725*	3	Medical Pharmacology	Clarkson
MCBP 607*	3	Advanced Cellular Biology	Morris
HMGN 702*	3	Human Genetics	Narumanchi

*Tulane Medical School. Additional relevant electives are offered by other departments and programs. However, only courses at the 600 and 700 levels receive graduate course credit.

Example Curriculum (Thesis)		Example Curriculum (Non-thesis)
Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring
NSCI 711 (3)	Elective (3)	NSCI 711 (3)	Elective (2-3)
NSCI 603 & 604 (2)	Elective (3)	NSCI 603 & 604 (2)	Elective (2-3)
Elective (3)	Elective (2-3)	Elective (3)	Elective (2-3)
Elective (3)	Elective (2-3)	Elective (3)	Elective(2-3)
NSCI 798 (4)	NSCI 798 (4)	Elective (2-3)	Elective (2-3)
		Elective (2-3)	Elective (2-3)

View a list of all graduate courses available to graduate students in neuroscience.