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Graduate studies in the MCIN Program provide students with the knowledge about interdisciplinary neurosciences, as well as the communication skills and technical expertise to serve as the foundation for the doctoral students to become an independent investigator in academia, biotechnology or the pharmaceutical industries.

 

About the Program	Apply to the Program	Participating Departments	Graduate Student Guidelines
1st Year Curriculum	Stipends	Living & Housing	Student Outcomes

About the Program

This interdisciplinary graduate research and education program, established in 1986, has 32 faculty participants. The international reputation of the faculty members and their ability to attract strong extramural support has resulted in the program being designated as one of Colorado State University's Centers of Research and Scholarly Excellence. Faculty research interests are focused in cellular, molecular and integrative neurobiology, with emphasis in areas related to neuronal differentiation, degeneration and regeneration, ion channels and membrane physiology, synaptic mechanisms, neuronal circuitry and chronobiology, sensory biology, artificial neural networks, cognitive neuroscience and neurovirology. Students interested in the cellular and molecular aspects of nervous system function and systems neuroscience are encouraged to apply.

Apply to the Program

Apply online (the Graduate School), or contact:

Dr. James Bamburg, Director

c/o Nancy Graham

Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Neurosciences Program

Colorado State University

1617 Campus Delivery

Fort Collins, CO 80523-1617

(970) 491-0425

email: nancy.graham@colostate.edu

To supplement the Colorado State University Graduate School application forms, application to the Program in Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences requires the completion of two additional forms:

1. Addendum to Application for Graduate Study (Addendum.pdf), to be completed by the applicant and returned directly to the MCIN office

2. A two-part Letter of Recommendation specific to the Program (Letter of Recommendation, part 1, and Letter of Recommendation, part 2), to be completed by an individual familiar with the applicant's academic work and able to evaluate the applicant's academic potential. Three completed Letters of Recommendation should be returned directly to the MCIN office.

Participating Departments

Students can apply and be admitted directly to the program, or they can be admitted into one of the participating departments (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Computer Science, Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences, or Psychology) and participate in program activities. Students admitted directly into the Program participate in laboratory rotations and may select from the laboratories of all participating faculty, regardless of their departmental affiliation, provided that the degree-offering department approves of the research topic for the Ph.D. In some instances where the degree-granting department is not the home department of the research advisor, assignment of a co-advisor from the home department will be necessary. The co-advisor will serve as a member of the student advisory committee.

At the end of the first year in residence, each student must select an advisor and the department through which he or she will work toward the Ph.D. or M.S. degree. No formal degree is offered through the Program, but a transcript endorsement indicating the student has successfully completed the requirements of the interdisciplinary Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences Program will become part of the student's official record.
 

Graduate Student Guidelines
 

• Learn about the Graduate School and courses offered at Colorado State University (Graduate and Professional Bulletin and the General Catalog)
• Learn about the entrance requirements, general requirements, procedures and expectations for a doctoral student enrolling in MCIN and earning his or her degree at CSU (MCIN Graduate Guidelines).

1st Year "Core Curriculum"

An integrated first year core curriculum provides essential lecture and laboratory material in a format that allows time for electives and laboratory rotations. NB501, NB503 and NB505 provide a solid foundation for understanding the cellular and molecular basis of neuronal development and function. NB502 and NB504 provide a full year of research-oriented techniques from gene cloning and mutagenesis to cell culture to whole animal electrophysiology and behavior.

 

FIRST SEMESTER
Course	Title	Credits
NB500	Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology Readings	1
NB501	Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology	2
NB502	Techniques in Neurosciences I	2
NB793	Neuroscience Seminars Discussion	1
NB795V	Independent Study (Laboratory Rotation)	0-3
NB796BV    OR  NB796CV	Neuronal Growth & Regeneration (Journal Club)   OR Topics in Neuroscience (Journal Club)	1
Electives		6-9
Total Credits		15
SECOND SEMESTER
NB503	Developmental Neurobiology	3
NB586	Practicum - Techniques in Neurosciences II	1
NB505	Neuronal Circuits, Systems & Behavior	3
NB793	Neuroscience Seminars Discussion	1
NB795V	Independent Study (Laboratory Rotation)	0-3
NB796BV    OR  NB796CV	Neuronal Growth & Regeneration (Journal Club)   OR Topics in Neuroscience (Journal Club)	1
Electives: Elective courses can be from any area of approved study including advanced NB courses listed below. NB750 NB650 NB600	Physiology of Ion Channels Computer Analysis of  Neuronal Proteins Advanced Psychology - Sensation and Perception	2-5
Total Credits		15

Stipends

Students accepted into the Ph.D. program receive assistantships, usually for the duration of their graduate studies. The yearly stipend for 2007-08 is $22,500 for students accepted directly into the program. Departmental stipends may vary slightly from this amount. Tuition costs for domestic students are paid by the program or from faculty research grants that support the student. Students are responsible for fees totaling about $1050 per year (twelve months); these fees cover the student center, student health service, student recreation center, student activities, athletics, the stadium, the auditorium-gymnasium complex, and free Trans-Fort bus transportation.
 

Living and housing

On-campus housing for married students is available with rent starting at about $600 per month (including utilities) for modern two-bedroom units. Off-campus housing is also available near the University. Living costs in this moderately sized community are reasonable, averaging about 10 percent less than those in the Denver-Boulder area.

Student Outcomes

There have been 32 Ph.D. and 22 M.S. degrees conferred to students affiliated with the Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences Program, some of which include the 35 new doctoral students that have been recruited directly into the program since 1994. The great majority of the graduates have successfully pursued careers in science. Of the 32 students who earned a Ph.D., 23 continued their training as postdoctoral fellows and 8 entered a science-related field.