Only those individuals willing to work full-time toward the doctorate degree are encouraged to apply.  For full consideration, applications should be received no later than December 15.   Applications submitted after that time may be considered.  Students are selected on the basis of the following criteria:

1. Potential for becoming excellent researchers and scholars.

2. Fit of interest between applicant and available faculty advisors.

To apply please see the How to Apply section of the Graduate Program Overview or go directly to Graduate and Professional Admissions.

Average over last 5 years

Number of Applicants: 58

Number Accepted: 7

Incoming Class Size: 4

Average GRE (Verbal + Quant): 1240

Average GPA: 3.55

Please note that these are averages. Individuals are often admitted with stronger or weaker GPAs and GREs. A strong record and background in research may compensate, to some degree, for lower GREs or a lower GPA. All newly admitted students have received funding in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships.

We encourage women and minorities to apply.

For additional information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Ph.D., Behavioral Neuroscience Area Coordinator.

Requirements for the Ph.D.

 To obtain the Doctor of Philosophy degree, a Behavioral Neuroscience student must have completed the Master’s Degree, Qualifying Exam and a total of at least 24 research credits (830: 701; 702) and 48 course credits. Each of these are described in detail below.

 

Program Deadlines

 * Master’s Committee formed and proposal defended: End of 3rd semester

* Master’s Thesis successfully defended: End of 5th semester

* Qualifying Exam completed: End of 7th semester.

 

If a student enters the program with an acceptable Masters from another institution, then the deadline for completion of the Qualifying Examination is the end of the 5th semester.

 

The Master's Thesis

 1. Master’s Proposal

 A Master’s Thesis Committee must be formed, whose membership must be approved by the Area Coordinator, Vice Chair for Graduate Studies and Department Chair. The format for the Master’s proposal is flexible, to be determined by the student and his or her advisor. A written proposal is approved in advance by the committee. Discussion and approval of the proposal takes the form of the student’s meeting with the committee as a whole; and if needed, with members individually.

 

2. Written Master’s Thesis

 Since an important goal of the Master’s process is a research publication, a publication-quality paper will fulfill the written requirement. (Granting of the Master’s Degree will be independent of whether the paper is accepted for publication.) This will be a full-length research paper written in the appropriate style of a high-quality peer-reviewed journal. The style will be that of the journal to which the paper is submitted, and need not adhere to the APA style, since our area publishes in a variety of journals. Two restrictions apply: 1) if the paper is submitted in a reduced format, such as a brief communication or a Nature report, then a separate, full-length paper would still be required for the Master’s Thesis; and 2) the format must be consistent with the requirements of the Graduate School (see “Style Guide for Thesis and Dissertation Preparation, April, 2004). The latter concerns certain clerical details, rather than content or length, and states that style is to be determined by the student and advisor. In case of a discrepancy between Graduate School and journal requirements, two versions of the same document can be generated.

 

3. Oral Defense of the Master’s Thesis

 The format resembles that which the student will encounter later, in defending the Doctoral Dissertation. The student will make a 30- to 45-minute presentation, open to anyone interested, followed by a closed session with the Master’s Thesis Committee.

 

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The Qualifying Examination

 

1. The Qualifying Examination Committee

 The committee will be composed by the advisor and the student, and is normally chaired by the advisor. One member may come from outside the membership of the Psychology Graduate Faculty, where this reflects the interdisciplinary character of the student’s program. Committee membership must be approved by the Area Coordinator, Vice Chair for Graduate Studies, and the Department Chair.

 

2. The Qualifying Examination

 The qualifying examination evaluates the student’s ability to integrate his or her specialty with broader interests in psychology. Each of the 3 committee members other than the advisor will submit 1 or 2 topics (and a reading list), i.e., a total of 3 to 6 topics. These will be presented to the student within 2 weeks of the committee’s formation or of its initial meeting. Before receiving the topic/s, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss with each committee member potential topics that integrate the student’s specialty with concepts from some selected core of behavioral neuroscience, in order to identify the topic/s and reading list.

 At the end of 3 months’ (maximum) preparation for all topics, the student will take a closed book, sit-down exam consisting of three questions (each committee member submits to the advisor one question related to the reading list). The advisor will administer the exam by presenting the student with one question per day for 3 consecutive days. A maximum of 4 hours will be allowed to answer each question. The Area Coordinator will monitor the student’s progress to ensure completion of the exam on schedule.

 

3. Grading the Qualifying Examination

 Each committee member will grade the student’s responses to all questions on the examination. One week will be provided for grading. If the student fails the exam, the retake (a different exam) will be taken within one month after notification of the failing grade.

 

4. Schedule for Initiating the Qualifying Examination Process

 The Qualifying process, including the approval of a committee, should be initiated as soon as possible after defending the Master’s thesis, and should be completed by the end of the 7th semester. Students admitted with a Master’s degree will complete the process no later than the end of the 5th semester.

 

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The Doctoral Dissertation

1. The Doctoral Dissertation is expected to be an original empirical study, representing an independent research effort on the part of the student.

2. All research that involves experimental animals must be submitted to and approved by the Rutgers Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to the collection of any data.

3. A formal proposal for the dissertation research must be presented to and approved by the student’s committee. A formal meeting of the dissertation committee is required for approval of the proposal, and all members of the committee must approve a written proposal.

4. Procedures and Regulations governing the Doctoral Dissertation:

1. Ph.D. Dissertation Committee
   1. Complete the Dissertation Committee Form. This form may be obtained from the Graduate Administrator of the Psychology Department. The completion of the form includes the concurrence and signature (to indicate that concurrence) of the Area Coordinator. You will be notified of the approval of your Committee by the Graduate Director. The form is then filed in the Office of the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.
   2. The Committee consists of four members: A chairperson who must be a member of the Graduate Faculty and two persons who may be either members or associate members of the Graduate Faculty. If less than two members of the committee are Psychology Department faculty, the chair must write a memo explaining why departmental faculty are not appropriate, and why selected committee members are appropriate. The fourth member of the Committee must be an "outside" member, defined as: a member or associate member of the Graduate Faculty in a program other than Psychology, or a qualified person from outside Rutgers University. In this case, approval must be obtained from the Graduate Director. Your Committee Chairperson must furnish a paragraph describing the qualification of the outside member, along with a vita and mailing address of the individual.
2. Final Examination
   1. It is your responsibility to make sure you have completed the Area course requirements and that you have 48 course credits and 24 research credits for the Ph.D. degree.
   2. The date for the final defense must be cleared with the Behavioral Neuroscience Area Coordinator. Since dissertation orals are public, the Graduate Psychology Office must be notified at least 2 weeks before the scheduled orals (date, time, place, and title of dissertation) so that notices can be sent to faculty and students.
   3. Normally, the final draft of the Doctoral Dissertation is prepared by the student with the guidance of his/her advisor and then submitted to the remaining doctoral committee members at least three weeks prior to the date of the final defense. Students are allowed one retake of the doctoral defense. The Graduate School allows one dissenting vote on the doctoral defense.
   4. A booklet entitled "Thesis Form: Style Guide for Thesis Preparation" is available from the Graduate Administrator of the Psychology Department. You are also required to submit an abstract not exceeding 350 words.
   5. Obtain candidacy application from the Graduate School office (on which results of the Qualifying Examination were recorded). Submit to the Chairperson of your Committee. The Chairperson will record the results by signing Part II, A or B. It is then your responsibility to have it signed properly by your Committee.
   6. Return to the Graduate Administrator for processing prior to obtaining the Graduate Director's signature. Completed forms must be filed with the Graduate School office no later than three weeks before commencement (no later than announced deadlines for October and January).
   7. Two copies of the dissertation are required--one copy (original on 100% cotton paper) to the Graduate School, and one copy to the Psychology Department. Five copies of the title page are requested, plus three copies of the Abstract. It is necessary to bring the dissertation (along with the candidacy form) to the Graduate Psychology Office for approval before submitting it to the Graduate School.

 

Last updated 8/30/2018

                          

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN BEHAVIORAL & SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE  (BSN)

 

BSN PhD students need 24 research credits and 48 course credits to graduate. 30 of the course credits (10 one-semester graduate-level courses) are typically derived from formal coursework, while 18 course credits are typically derived from various individualized “research course” credits as described below.

 

TEN COURSES TOWARDS THE PH.D. DEGREE

(Three credits each = 30 of the required 48 total course credits)

1.   Five CORE Courses are Mandatory (no choices)

830:521       Research Design & Analysis I

830:543       Conditioning & Learning

830:567       Nervous System & Behavior I

830:568     Nervous System & Behavior II

 830:647     Methods in Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience

 

2.   One additional statistics course (your choice)

830:522        Research Design & Analysis II

830:540        Mathematical Models of Learning & Cognition: Model Testing and Probabilistic Inference

960:555        Methods in Non-Parametric Statistics

960:567        Applied Multivariate Analysis

 960:667        Multivariate Statistics

 

3.  Four additional elective courses chosen from the pool of recurring BSN courses and rotating seminars. At least one of these courses should emphasize neuroplasticity. (Note that BSN-relevant courses outside the department may be elected as well with prior approval of the BSN Area Coordinator.)

 

BSN-related recurring courses: 

830:556        Human and Animal Aggression

830:558        Psychopharmacology: Theory & Practice

830:591        Functional Neuroanatomy

830:585        Psychoneuroimmunology

830:591        Behavioral Endocrinology

830:514        Sensation & Perception

830:546        Memory and Attention

830:580       History & Systems of Psychology

Recent examples of BSN-relevant SEMINARS (typically offered under the generic course numbers 503, 504, 646 and 647):

Autism

Behavioral Endocrinology

Behavioral Pharmacology

Neurobiological Implications of Animal Cognition

Structure & Interpretation of Scientific Inquiry

Introduction to Neuropsychological Assessment

Neural Plasticity & Behavior

Emotion & Motivation

Neuroendocrine Responses to Stress

Federal Grant Writing Seminar

Neurobiology of Mental Illness Computational Neuroscience

Neural Circuitry of Mood Disorders

Dopamine

 

18 ADDITIONAL COURSE CREDITS TOWARDS THE PH.D. DEGREE

(18 of the required 48 total course credits)

The remaining 18 course credits comprise ANY combination of a) Advanced Studies in Psychology, b) Non-thesis Research in Psychology, or c) additional Electives or Seminars (besides the 10 courses above).

 

ADVANCED STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY (830: 503; 504; 3 credits each)   

Reading and individual study, involving written and oral reports.  By arrangement on an individual basis with a faculty member.

NON-THESIS RESEARCH (830: 501; 502; variable credit) 

Course credit for research not directly related to master's or doctoral theses.

 

24 ADDITIONAL RESEARCH CREDITS TOWARDS THE PH.D. DEGREE

 

RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY (830: 701; 702; variable credit) 

Research credit (usually after the first year) for research directly related to Master's or Doctoral Theses.

 

Formal Summary of Curriculum Requirements:

 

CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE   

To obtain the Doctor of Philosophy degree, a BSN student must have completed the Master’s Degree, Qualifying exam and a total of at least 24 Research credits (830: 701; 702) and 48 course credits.  (Thus, BN requirements comply with the Rutgers Graduate School minimum requirement of 72 credits, of which at least 24 must be research credits, and with the Psychology Graduate Program requirement of a minimum 24 research credits and 48 course credits.)

(CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE EN ROUTE MASTER'S DEGREE)    

To obtain the Master of Science degree, a BSN student must have completed at least 6 research (830: 701; 702) credits and 24 course credits (including at least 15 course credits from CORE courses; no more than 6 Non-thesis Research credits may be counted toward the Master’s degree).

 

Sample BSN Curriculum

Year 1

Fall: Nervous System and Behavior I, Research Methods & Analysis I, Non-Thesis Research (3 course credits)

Spring: NSB II, Research Methods & Analysis II, Non-Thesis Research (3 course credits)

Year 1 credits: 4 courses, 18 course credits, 0 research credits

Running total: 4 courses, 18 course credits, 0 research credits

Year 2

Fall: Conditioning & Learning, Psychoneuroimmunology, Research in Psychology (3 research credits), Master’s Proposal

Spring: Methods in Neuroscience, Grant Writing Seminar, Research in Psych (3 research credits)

Year 2 credits: 4 courses, 12 course credits, 6 research credits

Running total: 8 courses, 30 course credits, 6 research credits

Year 3

Fall: Neural Circuitry of Mood Disorders, Non-thesis Research (3 course credits), Research in Psych (3 research credits), Master’s Thesis

Spring: Neural Plasticity, Non-thesis Research (3 course credits), Research in Psych (3 research credits), Qualifying Exam

Year 3 credits: 2 courses, 12 course credits, 6 research credits

Running total: 10 courses, 42 course credits, 12 research credits

Year 4

Fall: Non-thesis research (3 course credits), Research in Psych (6 research credits), Dissertation Proposal

Spring: Non-thesis research (3 course credits), Research in Psych (6 research credits)

Year 4 credits: 0 courses, 6 course credits, 12 research credits

Running total: 10 courses, 48 course credits, 24 research credits (coursework and credit requirements complete!)

Year 5

Fall: Research in Psych (9 credits)

Spring: Research in Psych (9 credits), Dissertation defense

Final total: 10 courses, 48 course credits, 40 research credits

 

BSN Requirements: Master’s Thesis

The master’s thesis has four steps: formation of an advisory committee, submission of a formal proposal, submission of the final thesis, and public defense of the master’s thesis.

• Formation of the advisory committee. The student should establish a committee of at least three faculty members to serve on the master’s advisory committee by the beginning of the third semester. The committee normally consists of three Psychology faculty, including the primary advisor acting as a committee Chair. A fourth member from outside the Department may be included if scientifically appropriate. The membership of the committee requires the approval of the Area Coordinator, Vice Chair for Graduate Studies, and Department Chair.
• The Master’s Proposal. The student prepares a written proposal for the scientific content of the master’s thesis. This document typically includes an introduction, methods, preliminary results (including figures), discussion, and references. The format and length of the proposal is flexible and at the discretion of the individual committee, but a typical length is 5 single-spaced pages plus references and figures. The proposal must be presented formally to the committee (either in a private meeting or as part of the master’s day presentations), who discuss it with the student as a group and/or individually. Revisions may be required. DEADLINE: Final approval is by vote of the committee members and should be obtained by the end of the 3^rd
• The written Master’s Thesis. The student submits a written master’s thesis consisting of the results of their research (either as originally proposed or amended as necessary with the informal consent of the master’s committee). This document is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to perform effective neuroscientific research and prepare the results for publication in a high-quality scientific journal. The format is thus a full publication-quality scientific manuscript presenting the student’s results. This document need not be in APA format but should be appropriate for submission to a specific, mainstream neuroscience journal of the student’s choice (e.g. Journal of Neuroscience). In the event that the proposed work has already been published with the student as primary author, the published manuscript may be submitted in lieu of a conventional master’s thesis, though if the publication was a short form manuscript like a Science paper or brief communication, the committee may request an extended version (e.g. to better demonstrate the student’s knowledge of the literature). All submitted master’s theses (including published journal articles) must comply with the Graduate School’s Style Guide for final submission to Rutgers. A separate document may be generated (e.g. by adding a table of contents) for this purpose.
• The oral defense of the Master’s Thesis. The master’s thesis must be defended in a public presentation before the department as a scientific talk. This may be done individually or as part of the departmental Master’s Day talk series. Answering questions from the committee and the audience are a normal part of this process.
• Final approval. The members of the committee will meet privately (usually immediately after the oral defense) to discuss the written thesis and the oral presentation. Feedback from the committee will be communicated directly by the full committee (e.g. by calling the student back into the room after deliberations), through the committee Chair (the student’s advisor), and/or through individual meetings as appropriate. The committee may approve the thesis as-is or require revisions to the thesis prior to approval. DEADLINE: Final approval is by vote of the committee members and should be obtained by the end of the 5^th Please note that this requires filing of paperwork with committee members’ signatures with Miranta Louka in the graduate office.

Deadlines at a Glance

Master’s Proposal Approved: End of 3rd semester

Master’s Thesis Approved: End of 5^th semester

Qualifying Exam Passed: End of 7^th semester

Dissertation Defended: End of 10^th semester