Faculty Mentor and Advisory Committee

Mentor

At the end of the first year of the IGPBS program or second year of the ACE curriculum, students will mutually choose a mentor to oversee and direct their dissertation research. Students with a mentor who is associated with the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP) will have the option to petition for admittance into the program. Students will automatically become a member of their mentor’s primary department.

Neuroscience Graduate Studies Advisory Committee

The Neuroscience Graduate Studies Advisory Committee (N-GSAC) is made up of faculty members associated with the NGP across different departmental homes and areas of expertise. Current members are:

• Julie Christianson, Ph.D. (Director, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology)
• Kyle Baumbauer, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology)
• Jill Morris, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Neurology)
• Katie Waugh, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology)
• Heather Wilkins, Ph.D. (Associate Professor of Neurology)

The N-GSAC oversees all operations of the NGP, including curriculum changes and development, programmatic operation, appointment of students and faculty, and communication with the KU-Lawrence campus. The Director of the N-GSAC meets with all NGP students upon admittance to the program, and bi-annually thereafter.

Student Advisory Committee

A Student Advisory Committee (SAC) will be formed for each student during their first Fall semester in the program. Members will be chosen in collaboration with the student’s mentor and the Director of the N-GSAC. The objectives of the SAC are to:

• Meet bi-annually with the student to discuss research and classroom progress.
• Provide advice and guidance to the student in respect to their research project, laboratory activities, career development, and future directions.
• Help prepare for and administer the Comprehensive Examination and the Dissertation Defense Examination. 

Composition of the Student Advisory Committee

The composition of the SAC must be approved by the Director of N-GSAC and include at least five faculty members that meet the following criteria:

• 1 member of the N-GSAC;
• The student’s mentor(s);
• 1 faculty member with Graduate Appointment Privilege to serve as an Outside Member for PhD committees from a department/program outside of student’s mentor.

The composition of this Committee may change as necessary or advisable, with approval by the Director of the N-GSAC.

Students must have an initial meeting with their SAC during their first Fall in the NGP and every 6-9 months thereafter. The student and N-GSAC member are responsible for completing the NGP Committee Meeting Report and submitting it to the NGP Director.

Interpersonal Conflict

Should conflict arise within a laboratory or classroom setting, (student-student conflict, student-mentor conflict, student-professor conflict, etc.) we have established an Interpersonal Conflict Procedure to help resolve these situations.

Grades and Enrollment

Grades
University and Office of Graduate Studies rules apply. Students must maintain a B (3.00) or better grade point average in their course work. See the University and Graduate Studies policy on grades for more information.

Enrollment
Students must take a minimum number of credit hours to remain in full-time active status. Typical enrollment is as follows:

• Full-time enrollment prior to the comprehensive examination, and up to 18 hours post-comprehensive examination:
  • Fall – 6 hours
  • Spring – 6 hours
  • Summer – 3 hours
• After a student has completed 18 credit hours post-comprehensive exam (usually 4 semesters), they may apply to enroll in reduced hours. After approval to enroll in reduced hours, students must enroll in at least 1 credit hour per semester to remain in full-time active status.
• Details on enrollment in courses specific to each semester can be found in the Timeline below.
• View the full description of the University enrollment policy.

Required Courses:

• IGPBS courses or ACE curriculum (or their equivalent).
• Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship Requirement: All students in doctoral programs must meet the research skills and responsible scholarship requirement of the university. Neuroscience PhD students meet these requirements during their IGPBS year of study by taking GSMC 857 (Biographics), GSMC 852/GSMC 855 (Introduction to Biomedical Research I/II), and GSMC 856 (Introduction to Research Ethics). MD-PhD students will enroll in GSMC 856 (or equivalent) during their first year in the NGP.
• NEUS 799 Seminar (1 hour):  Every Fall and Spring semester unless a specific waiver is granted. Students may waive one semester after completing all graduation requirements outside of their dissertation defense.
• NEUS 900 Scientific Papers in Neuroscience (1 hour): Every Fall and Spring semester unless a specific waiver is granted. Students may waive one semester after completing all graduation requirements outside of their dissertation defense.
• NEUS 846 Advanced Neuroscience (4 hours): Taught every Fall semester, PhD students only. ACED 830 Brain, Mind, and Behavior (8 hours) is equivalent for MD-PhD students.
• NEUS 800 Neuroscience Teaching Principles (2 hours): Offered every semester.
• NEUS 990 Research in Neuroscience (1+ hours): Offered every semester.
• NEUS 999 Neuroscience Doctoral Dissertation (1+ hours): Enrolled after 18 hours post-comprehensive exam and/or the semester of the Dissertation Defense.
• 2 additional hours of advanced coursework/electives: These can be from NEUS or any other department/program. Generally completed prior to comprehensive exams. Discuss with the Director of the N-GSAC and your mentor on which courses will complement your specific research program.

Comprehensive Exam

Successful completion of the Comprehensive Examination leads to candidacy for the PhD degree.  The Comprehensive Examination is an Office of Graduate Studies requirement designed to assure that the student has attained the knowledge base and ability to plan and execute a dissertation research project. Upon passing the Comprehensive Exam, the student progresses to the position of Candidate for the PhD Degree.

The completion of the Comprehensive Exam:

• Provides the opportunity to observe the student’s ability and potential, and to teach the thinking and writing skills needed to accomplish research goals.
• Provides the student with the opportunity and obligation to apply concepts learned during the first years of graduate school to research-oriented problem-solving.

View the full details on administration of the Comprehensive Exam.

Written Component
The Written component of the Exam consists of an NIH-style grant proposal that is based on the student’s proposed dissertation research. The Written Exam is prepared with the guidance of the mentor and must be submitted to the Director of the N-GSAC for approval by the SAC before the Oral Exam can be scheduled. 

Oral Component
The Oral Exam consists of a defense of the Written Exam. The Oral Exam will also test the breadth and depth of knowledge on subjects related to completed coursework and the area of research interest. The Oral Exam Committee will be chaired by a member of the N-GSAC who is not part of the student’s advisory committee. The mentor is not allowed to attend the Oral Exam.

Timing
The Comprehensive Exam must be completed by December 31 in Year 3 of graduate study (Year 2 of the Graduate Phase for MD-PhD students). Failure to complete the Exam by this time could result in the student being placed on Probationary Status, which could lead to dismissal from the program.

Dissertation Research and the Doctoral Dissertation

The final years of the graduate career will be devoted primarily to research conducted under the guidance of the mentor and SAC. It is expected that this portion of training will take 2-3 years, such that the total time in the program will be approximately 5 years. If the total time since admission to the program exceeds five years, the student may lose financial support. Total time in the program may not exceed 7 years unless there are extenuating circumstances.

University and Medical center regulations for the Dissertation and the Final Oral Examination will apply. A detailed outline of the department guidelines for the Doctoral Defense examination is given in the Guidelines for the Dissertation and Defense.

General Timeline

*NEUS 990 only if necessary to meet minimum enrollment requirements.

Rules and Regulations

Information can be found in the following sources:

• University Academic Catalog contains general information, admission rules and procedures, description of degrees, University requirements for degrees, comprehensive oral exams, candidacy, dissertations, and final oral exams here. The major portion is a list of courses for every school and department.
• The description of Degree Program in Neuroscience can be found in the University Academic Catalog.

Download the NGP Committee Meeting Report (Word)