Doctor of Philosophy - Neuroscience

Plan Description

The UNLV Neuroscience Ph.D. program trains graduate students to become independent neuroscientists who possess a broad, interdisciplinary foundation of knowledge in one or more specific areas of neuroscience. This research-intensive program will prepare students to pursue post-doctoral research and independent research careers in neuroscience. Coursework and mentored research teach students to understand the existing neuroscience literature, generate new knowledge, and attract funding to support their research in preparation for careers in academic, medical, government, or private industry settings. Students are welcome to engage in collaborations with multiple laboratories at UNLV and other institutions. The program welcomes students from diverse backgrounds and those with diversity-related research interests.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

The program will only admit students who are seeking a doctoral degree. The program will admit students for matriculation in the fall semester. Review of completed applications will continue until all positions are filled. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials as early as possible.

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.00 (A = 4.00) or a master’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.50. Applicants must have completed at least 18 hours in biological or health sciences, cognitive science, neuroscience, or psychology courses including Statistics and Research Methods or their equivalents, at the undergraduate or the graduate level.
2. Satisfactory scores on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the last 5 years.
3. Three letters of recommendation.
4. A statement of purpose written by the applicant.
5. Admission to the program will be based on a mentoring model. 
6. Students under serious consideration for admission to the Neuroscience Ph.D. are required to have an in-person interview with the sponsoring faculty member and at least two other program faculty members. If an in-person is not financially or pragmatically feasible, a telephone or web interview may be substituted.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements. 

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

See Subplan Requirements below.

Subplan 1: Post-Bachelor’s Track
Subplan 2: Post-Master’s Track

Plan Graduation Requirements

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements for the program.
2. Doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation credits: NEUR 781 – Dissertation, write an original dissertation of substantial quality and length on a neuroscience topic, and successfully defend this work in front of the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee.
   1. Students must work with their Graduate Advisory Committee to ensure quality research, analysis and writing of the comprehensive exams and dissertation.
   2. Satisfactory performance on an oral defense of the dissertation prospectus to be held after the successful completion of all course work and the four comprehensive examinations is required. The oral defense will cover the student’s dissertation proposal and any deficiencies on the comprehensive exams or in the student’s program of study. Upon successful completion of the oral defense of the dissertation prospectus, the student may advance to candidacy and enroll in dissertation credits.
   3. Upon completion of the dissertation, a final oral defense will be held in front of the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee.
   4. Committee members must unanimously pass the student on her or his oral defense for the Ph.D. to be conferred.
3. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
4. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.