Doctor of Philosophy

Required courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a 3.0 (B) or better. MSTP students will take NEPR 209, NEPR 211, NEPR 212, and NEPR 288. MSTP students will take one of NEPR 201, NEPR 203, NEPR 207, or NEPR 208. MSTP students will also take either NEPR 202 or NEPR 204.

Students must also complete the Stanford Immersive Neurosciences (SIN) Boot Camp.

Students must complete special sessions in neuroanatomy. (Not required for MSTP students.)

9 quarters of NEPR 280 (Journal Club) are required. MSTP students in the Neurosciences PhD program are required to take 3 quarters of Journal Club and at least 2 quarters must be taken for 2 units.

​​Our program embraces the highly interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience research by allowing students to create an individualized curriculum of advanced topic courses best suited to their research agenda and scientific development needs. This approach has empowered students to take advantage of the breadth of expertise across the university. A minimum of six credits of Advanced Topics coursework is required of each student. Students select the courses while meeting the following criteria: (1) at least one course must be taken with a minimum of three units, (2) the course must have a clear means of evaluation (i.e., problem sets, paper writing, class presentations), and (3) the student must detail how the course relates to the student’s project or domain of neuroscience. This information is submitted in writing along with the course syllabus and examples of problem sets to the co-directors/curriculum committee co-chairs for approval.Six units of advanced neuroscience coursework are required. To complete the six units, at least one course must be three units or more; the remaining units can be completed with a combination of smaller-unit courses (e.g., 3+2+1, 3+2+2, 4+2).

One course of 3 units of advanced neuroscience coursework are required for MSTP students.

Pre-approval for advanced courses is required. 

Required courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a 3.0 (B) or better.

Students must publish at least one first-author paper in a peer-reviewed major scientific journal on the defended work before completing the PhD degree.

Passing a comprehensive qualifying examination given by the student’s advisory committee is required for admission to PhD candidacy.

The qualifying exam assesses whether the student is ready to advance to candidacy by proposing a thesis project of acceptable scope and feasibility, that the student is prepared to take on the research, has justified the research in terms of background, significance and innovation and has a well-justified approach.

The qualifying exam includes a qualifying exam proposal in the style of an NIH NRSA proposal and a written rigor document which outlines how the proposed research has addressed NIH's four key areas of rigor as well as a plan for dissemination for research outcomes and products.

The qualifying exam must be taken by May 31 of the second year for students starting AY26-27, and by June 30 for those starting AY25-26 and earlier. 

Students must defend the dissertation in a University Oral Examination that includes a public seminar. 

Students are required to prepare a PhD dissertation that is the result of an independent investigation accomplished while enrolled in the program that contributes to knowledge in an area of neuroscience.