Introduction to Neuroscience Graduate Program
Degrees Offered: M.S. and Ph.D.
Washington State University's Program in Neuroscience is an
interdisciplinary biomedical program featuring world-renowned faculty whose
focus is in the cellular and molecular understanding of system biology
issues.
The Neuroscience Program is administered through the Department of
Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology (VCAPP) in
the College of Veterinary Medicine. Our faculty and students participate in
a variety of graduate degree programs within the University. These include
not only Neuroscience, but also Pharmacology and Toxicology, Biochemistry,
Genetics, BioEngineering, Biotechnology and
Veterinary Science. Consequently,
graduate degrees may be taken via several distinct programs with
concentrations in a number of specialty areas, such as the neural regulation
of physiology and behavior, muscle physiology, and molecular and cellular
neurobiology.
The research emphasis of our faculty include: neurobiology of sleep,
coordination of eating and energy balance, diabetes, cellular function
and biophysics of muscle and related heart disease, memory, behavior,
vision, reproduction, cardiovascular physiology, muscle physiology,
motor control, cancer, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, and drug
abuse.
The Master of Science (M.S.) degree program typically takes 2-3
years, whereas the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree program takes 4-5
years. Students have the opportunity to learn research techniques
in areas such as electrophysiology, microiontophoresis,
immunohistochemistry, cell culture, receptor autoradiography, behavioral
studies, molecular biology, biochemical analysis, in vivo
voltometry, microdialysis, fluorescence and electron microscopy, image
analysis, and computer-assisted molecular modeling.
After completion of the two laboratory rotations (Neuro
531), the student will choose a mentor in the specialty area of his or
her choice. The student will also have a Thesis or Advisory
Committee made up of 3-4 other faculty so that the student will be well
versed in the chosen specialty area.
Mission:
Maintenance of human and animal health, development of food and fiber resources,
and improvement of our environment are all central to the land-grant mission of
Washington State University. Neuroscience plays an important role to
advance medical science for both humans and animals. The mission of the
Graduate Program in Neuroscience is to formalize this study through research and
graduate education.
Graduates of the Neuroscience Program are prepared for careers in teaching,
research, and public service. Potential employers of Program graduates
include colleges and universities, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies,
and governmental agencies.
Graduates are capable of teaching neuroscience, physiology, and pharmacology
to professional and graduate students in the health sciences. Graduates
are trained to pursue research in neuroscience with a specialization in an area
of their choice. Upon graduation, they are credible experts in the areas
of their thesis research. Graduates can identify significant research
problems and formulate logical, comprehensive strategies for studying these
problems. They have extensive knowledge of the scientific method and an
appreciation for the demands that this method makes on the integrity of
scientists.
What is the purpose of Doctoral Education?
When considering the first principles of graduate, especially doctoral,
education, it is reasonable to ask, “What is the purpose of doctoral
education?” One answer is, “It is to prepare the next generation of
disciplinary leaders, or stewards.” The graduate faculty believes that
this idea of stewardship of a discipline lies at the core of scholarly
pursuits, and that a disciplinary steward has developed both the habits of
mind and the technical ability to tackle three related areas: the
generation, conservation, and transformation of knowledge.
Knowledge Generation. The doctoral degree is, at its heart,
a research degree. Demonstrating one’s ability to conduct research and
scholarship that makes unique and independent contributions, and that meets
standards of credibility and verifiability, is the culminating experience of
the Ph.D. One skilled at knowledge generation is able to ask and frame
important questions, and is able to assess, critique, and defend knowledge
claims.
Knowledge Conservation. Another facet of disciplinary
leadership and stewardship is an understanding of the history and
foundational ideas of the discipline. Disciplines evolve continuously,
and stewards have responsibility for maintaining continuity, stability, and
vitality of the discipline. A Ph.D. recipient should understand the
foundations of the field – which ideas to keep, which ideas to reject.
Moreover, a steward should understand how their discipline fits into a
broader intellectual landscape, have a respectful understanding of the
questions and paradigms of other fields, and understand how their discipline
can speak to important questions.
Knowledge Transformation. A third facet, transformation,
speaks of the importance of representing and communicating ideas effectively
and clearly. Transformation implies teaching in the broadest sense.
Whether working in a university research laboratory, classroom, non-profit
or governmental organization, industry, or policy arena, a disciplinary
steward must be able to convey the information and value of their knowledge
and skills to a multitude of audiences. Transformation also implies
application. Knowledge is used in a variety of settings, and a steward
must understand the range of uses to which knowledge can be applied.
Such communication calls upon skills that ought to be developed during the
apprenticeship period. This implies the ability to communicate in both
oral and written forms to technical and lay audiences. It also
suggests that stewards must understand how to appreciate and communicate
across traditional disciplinary boundaries.
The use of the term “steward” is deliberately intended to convey a role
that transcends a mere collection of accomplishments and skills. A
steward is a person entrusted with care of the discipline by those in the
discipline on behalf of those in and beyond the discipline. There
are conservative aspects to the term, implying the preservation of the past.
A steward thinks about the continuing health of the discipline, and how to
preserve the best of the past, the heart and essence of the field, for those
who will follow. But there are also important forward-looking
meanings; stewardship does not imply stasis. A steward is a caretaker
who trains a critical eye toward the future and must be willing to take
risks and move the discipline forward. Ultimately, stewards consider
how to prepare and initiate the next generation of leaders.
Finally, in all their work, disciplinary stewards act with responsibility
and according to the highest ethical standards.
(Adapted from the “Invitation for Participation” in the Carnegie
Initiative on the Doctorate)
Last Edited: Jun 25, 2007 2:10 PM
