Cognitive, Computational and Systems Neuroscience Curriculum Pathway
Recent years have seen a blurring of the traditional lines between brain-related research in psychology, biology and engineering. To train the next generation of top-flight brain scientists, Washington University has developed an integrated curriculum that provides graduate students with the training and resources to become leaders in this new interdisciplinary science.
The Cognitive, Computational and Systems Neuroscience Pathway (CCSN) is a specialized curriculum available to students pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience, Psychology or Biomedical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis (including students in the Medical Scientist Training Program). The CCSN Pathway is not a separate degree-granting program, and CCSN students must fulfill all of the degree requirements of their home departments.
The CCSN Pathway provides an integrated curriculum that is compatible with course scheduling constraints in the three degree-granting programs. The curriculum will be challenging and is designed to help students tackle problems using an interdisciplinary approach.
The CCSN Pathway curriculum consists of three core and two advanced courses.
Year One:
In the first year, each student takes three core courses: Neural Systems, Cognitive Psychology and Biological Neural Computation. This is a challenging load (in addition to program-specific requirements), but it is highly desirable to expose students to all three areas in the first year, as this will provide the foundation for the second year of tailored, integrative coursework. Options are available to spread out the coursework. In consultation with the CCSN Pathway Advising Committee, each student will develop a plan of coursework that best suits his or her individual needs.
Year Two:
The second year of the CCSN curriculum consists of two semester-long courses: Advanced CCSN, which focuses on faculty-led case studies that involve tackling fundamental issues in neuroscience using an interdisciplinary approach, and CCSN Project Building, in which each student, in consultation with faculty, develops a research plan in his or her chosen area of interest. The culmination of this course is an NIH-style grant proposal that, for many students, will serve as a solid precursor to a thesis proposal.
CCSN also provides a number of training opportunities beyond the core curriculum, including:
intensive summer research opportunities bridging human and animal neuroscience;
rigorous training in theoretical neuroscience and the mathematics and statistics of experimental neuroscience;
public science outreach with the Saint Louis Science Center.
Washington University has received an Integrated Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support students in CCSN. Six two-year fellowships are available each year for U.S. citizens and residents. In addition, the McDonnell Center for Systems Neuroscience is funding a limited number of additional two-year fellowships for students who are not U.S. citizens or residents. Students apply for the IGERT/McDonnell fellowships during their first year of graduate school. Successful applicants commit to completing the CCSN program.
CCSN Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (C-SURE):
CCSN has established a summer undergraduate research program for students at Washington University. The program is described in this announcement and this application.
Graduate students interested in the CCSN pathway can learn more about it by clicking below for course information and lists of the people involved with CCSN teaching and administration.
Undergraduates seeking to do research in CCSN-affiliated laboratories may also find the course instructor lists helpful.
Information about other faculty with interests related to CCSN can be found at the web sites for the Neuroscience Program, Department of Biology, and Department of Biomedical Engineering.