Overall Philosophy
The Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program strives to educate exceptional scientists whose integrative training will form the basis for significant scientific contributions. This is a research doctoral program designed on an apprenticeship model: students train to become professional scientists by doing independent research and participating in all aspects of the profession under the guidance of a mentor.
Graduate Program
Students receive their doctorates from NACS. Support is available from training grants, research and teaching assistantships, and university fellowships and includes full tuition and health benefits. Students have extensive opportunities for interaction through classes, seminars, special programs, and collaborative research across laboratories.
All students take a series of core courses designed to provide broad training in neuroscience, cognitive science, and computational neuroscience so that they learn to appreciate the breadth of the field. In addition, students take specialized courses that fit their interests.
Individuals interested in the program should apply to NACS by December 1st. It is strongly encouraged (but not required) that students contact NACS faculty members (see www.nacs.umd.edu/faculty) whose research interests them to discuss possible mentorships.
Program Faculty
The Program in Neural and Cognitive Sciences is made up of faculty from many departments. It is not itself a department and does not have some of the resources, e.g. laboratory space, that departments normally have.
Each NACS graduate student will have a "home department." This is the department in which the student’s advisor has his/her appointment. In the case of NACS faculty with appointments split between departments, the home department of each NACS student that the faculty member advises should be decided by mutual agreement among the advisor, the student and the departments involved.
For University bookkeeping purposes, both NACS and the home department are given "credit" for mentoring the student.
On-going student Advisement and Evaluation
At each stage of graduate training and evaluation, a student will work closely with an advisor and a committee who will help guide him/her to develop an individualized curriculum. Each student will work with four distinct committees as he/she progresses through the graduate program; however, the members of each committee may remain largely the same, if the student so chooses. The functions of the four committees are described in detail on the program requirements page.
