University of Calgary : Medicine, Neuroscience MDNS

Medicine, Neuroscience MDNS

Contact Information Location: Health Sciences Centre, Room G329
Faculty number: 403.220.2558
Fax: 403.210.8109
E-mail address: neurosci@ucalgary.ca
Web page URL:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/neuroscience

1. Degrees and Specializations Offered Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Master of Science (MSc), thesis-based

2. Admission Requirements

In addition to Faculties of Graduate Studies and Medicine requirements, the Department requires:

a) For applicants required to provide proof of proficiency in English, a minimum TOEFL score of 580 (written test), or 92 (internet-based test), or an IELTS score of 7.0, or MELAB score of 82, or a PTE score of 64;

b) Two reference letters.

3. Application Deadline

Deadlines for submission of complete applications for students with Canadian and U.S. transcripts:

May 15 for September admission
September 15 for January admission
February 15 for May admission
April 15 for July admission

Students with international transcripts should contact department for application deadlines.

4. Advanced Credit Not given.

5. Program/Course Requirements

In addition to the Faculties of Graduate Studies and Medicine requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Science
a) Satisfactory completion of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience (Medical Science 619.01), and Systems Neuroscience and Neuropathology (Medical Science 619.02);

b) Participation in a seminar program and journal club, and presentation of research seminar.

Doctor of Philosophy
a) Satisfactory completion of Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Neuroscience (Medical Science 619.01) and Systems Neuroscience and Neuropathology (Medical Science 619.02);

b) Satisfactory completion of another graduate level course in an area that is pertinent to the student's thesis project;

c) Participation in a seminar program and journal club, and presentation of research seminars.

6. Additional Requirements As determined by agreement with Supervisor and Supervisory Committee

7. Credit for Undergraduate Courses Not given.

8. Time Limit Expected completion time for students in a Master’s program is two years, four years for a doctoral program. See “Medicine Programs” for maximum completion times.

9. Supervisory Assignments Supervisors must be identified and committed to support the student for the first two years, before admission is recommended. The decision should be by mutual agreement between the prospective student and the faculty member, and approved by the Graduate Coordinator. For relevant criteria and responsibilities of supervisors, see the Policies and Procedures of the Department of Neuroscience and the Handbook of Supervision and Examinations in this calendar. A Supervisory Committee must be struck within three months of initial registration. The method of striking, composition and functions of the Supervisory Committee are detailed in the Policies and Procedures.

10. Required Examinations See “Medicine Programs” entry in this Calendar.

11. Research Proposal Requirements See “Medicine Programs” entry in this Calendar.

12. Special Registration Information None.

13. Financial Assistance Financial assistance is available to qualified students through supervisor operating grants or competitive awards (a minimum stipend of $20,000 is recommended). For information on awards, see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this Calendar, the Department of Neuroscience, the Faculty of Medicine Research Office and the education section of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at http://www.hbi.ucalgary.ca/education.

14. Other Information

Rather than study in “classical” disciplines such as anatomy or physiology, students are placed with a supervisor who is a member of a multidisciplinary research group. This multidisciplinary scheme greatly facilitates the development of individual research programs, especially with respect to collaborations involving different techniques and model systems. Students are encouraged to take advantage of such collaborations to enhance the scope and quality of their thesis research.

The purpose of the graduate program is to educate independent, reliable, and competent research neuroscientists. Although many holders of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees find employment that does not directly involve research, having such degrees implies that an individual is able to pursue a research problem to a meaningful conclusion. The main role of the program is to provide a favourable environment both for creative research and for the acquisition of a basic body of knowledge in the neurosciences. The Master of Science and doctoral degrees are distinguished both in the degree of originality expected in the candidate’s research, and in the normal course load undertaken. Members of the Department of Neuroscience, other than the supervisor, have an important role to play in each student’s training.

Further information on applications and admission, and brochures describing the research interests of individual Department members may be obtained from the Graduate Program Administrator, Neuroscience Graduate Program, Graduate Science Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Room G329, Health Sciences Centre, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1. Faculty research interests can also be accessed on the Department of Neuroscience website at http://www.ucalgary.ca/neuroscience or the Hotchkiss Brain Institute website at http://www.hbi.ucalgary.ca/index.php.

Courses in Neuroscience are offered under the auspices of the Department of Medical Science and are listed in this Calendar following the Medical Science heading.

15. Faculty Members/Research Interests The research interests of the department can be found at either the Department of Neuroscience website at http://www.ucalgary.ca/neuroscience or the HBI website http://www.hbi.ucalgary.ca/Members.

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