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PhD in Anatomy & Neurobiology

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For contact information, please visit the Anatomy & Neurobiology website.

This 64-unit doctoral program includes courses in anatomy and neuroscience that are offered within the department or by related departments on the Medical Campus. An integral part of the program is the requirement for students to participate as Teaching Fellows in graduate-level courses as part of our Vesalius Teaching Apprenticeship. The PhD program is designed to produce well-rounded biomedical scientists who expect to include both research and teaching in their career.

The PhD curriculum consists of required courses, seminars, and electives as well as dissertation research. Typically, this program is completed in five to six years. Only full-time enrollment opportunities are available. Matriculation is available only in the fall term for first-year students.

Learning Outcomes

The goals of the PhD program are to provide trainees with the knowledge base and skills to become proficient in biomedical research and to develop outstanding pedagogic skills. Successful completion of these goals enables our students to pursue further studies in the biomedical sciences including teaching, research, and healthcare. At the conclusion of the program, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of gross anatomy, neuroscience, statistics, and other graduate-level elective anatomical and neuroscience topics through successful completion of our core curriculum.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in pedagogical skills in the context of the Teaching in Biomedical Sciences course and through teaching fellowships in advanced biomedical courses (as listed above).
  • Demonstrate proficiency in scientific data acquisition and analysis through mentored research in one of the department’s research labs.
  • Describe and interpret scientific findings of their laboratory research study through the development of a written, publication-quality thesis.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the professional skills (including an ability to read and interpret scientific literature) required of biomedical scientists and educators.

Overview of the PhD Program (64 units)

  • Required courses: 28–30 units, plus required seminar and elective courses
  • Additional electives and/or research: up to 32 units
  • Students may exceed 64 total units

Required Courses (28–30 units)

  • GMS AN 704/MS 700 Experimental Design & Statistical Methods (2 units)
  • GMS AN 715 Professional Skills (2 units)
  • GMS AN 718 Methods in Neuroscience (4 units)
  • GMS AN 726 Histology (4 units) OR GMS AN 719 Human Gross Anatomy (6 units)
  • GMS AN 777 Fundamentals of Cell & Molecular Neurobiology (4 units)
  • GMS AN 801 OR 802 Research Colloquium in Anatomy & Neurobiology (Journal Club) (2 units)
  • GMS AN 806 Vesalius I: Foundations in Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 809 Vesalius II: Applied Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 810 Systems Neurobiology (4 units)
  • GMS AN 815 Scientific Writing (2 units)
  • At least one departmental seminar and one elective (see course lists below) (var units)

Department Seminar Courses

  • GMS AN 702 Learning and Memory (even years) (2 units)
  • GMS AN 707 Neurobiology of Aging (odd years) (2 units)
  • GMS AN 807 Neurobiology of the Visual System (on demand) (2 units)
  • GMS AN 820 Dynamic Modeling (2 units)

Department Electives

  • GMS AN 708 Advanced Clinical Anatomy (2 units)
  • GMS AN 716 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (on demand) (4 units)
  • GMS AN 722 Cells, Organs, and Tissues (4 units)
  • GMS AN 724 Advanced Neuroanatomy (even years) (2–4 units)
  • GMS AN 727 Human Embryology (2 units)
  • GMS AN 805 Vesalius III: Teaching Practicum in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 811 Cognitive Neuroscience (4 units)
  • GMS FA 712 Human Anatomy and Osteology (4 units)
  • GMS FA 806 Advanced Human Osteology (4 units)
  • GMS FS 702 Forensic Biology (3 units)
  • GMS FS 712 Forensic Pathology (3 units)
  • GMS FS 720 Molecular Biology of Forensic DNA (3 units)
  • GMS IM 600 Biomedical Imaging Foundations (4 units)
  • GMS IM 630 Methods of Functional Imaging of the Brain (2 units)
  • GMS MS 783 Molecular Basis of Neurologic Disease (2 units)

Students may also register for research units:

  • GMS AN 901 Anatomy Research (var units)
  • GMS AN 902 Anatomy Research (var units)

Requirements for the Optional PhD Vesalius Module

To pursue the Vesalius Module, students are required to have taken at least two of the following prerequisite courses:

  • GMS AN 719 Human Gross Anatomy (6 units)
  • GMS AN 726 Histology (4 units)
  • GMS AN 810 Systems Neurobiology (4 units)

The module consists of three courses/components, two of which (Vesalius I & II) are included in the list of required courses for all PhD students. The program begins with a course on the development of teaching skills in the biomedical sciences. This is followed by teaching apprenticeships (160 hours service as a Teaching Fellow in one or more of the graduate-level courses above), and concludes with a mentored teaching project that involves the development of a didactic lesson or exercise under the direct mentorship of experienced and award-winning faculty.

  • GMS AN 806 Vesalius I: Foundations in Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 809 Vesalius II: Applied Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 805 Vesalius III: Teaching Practicum in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)

Example of a Typical PhD Curriculum

(see required courses and options above)

Year 1: Fall

  • GMS AN 801 Research Colloquium in Anatomy & Neurobiology (Journal Club*) (2 units)
  • GMS AN 810 Systems Neurobiology (4 units)
  • GMS AN 719 Human Gross Anatomy (6 units) or elective

*Journal Club is taken once each year, but only one time for units.

Year 1: Spring

  • GMS AN 715 Professional Skills for Students in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 718 Methods in Neuroscience (4 units)
  • GMS AN 726 Histology (4 units) or elective
  • GMS AN 806 Vesalius I: Foundations in Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)

Year 2: Fall

  • GMS AN 704 Experimental Design & Statistical Methods OR MS 700 Elementary Biostatistics (2 units)
  • GMS AN 777 Fundamentals of Cell & Molecular Neurobiology (4 units)
  • GMS AN 815 Scientific Writing (2 units)

Year 2: Spring

Note: This is when most students take their PhD qualifying exam.

  • Advanced seminar (see list above) (2 units)
  • Elective(s) (see list above) (var units)

Year 3: Fall

  • GMS AN 809 Vesalius II: Applied Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 units)
  • GMS AN 901 Anatomy Research (var units)
  • Elective(s) (see list above) (var units)

Year 3: Spring

  • GMS AN 902 Anatomy Research (var units)
  • Advanced seminar (see list above) (var units)
  • Elective(s) (see list above) (var units)

Year 4: Fall–Spring

  • GMS AN 901 and 902 Anatomy Research (var units)

Year 5: Fall–Spring

  • GMS AN 901 and 902 Anatomy Research (var units)

Year 6: Fall–Spring

  • GMS AN 901 and 902 Anatomy Research (var units)

Related Bulletin Pages

Beyond the Bulletin