Contact:
Dr. Jerrold S. Meyer
Director, Neuroscience and Behavior Program
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Morrill Science Center III - South Wing
Neuroscience & Behavior
611 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003-5810
Telephone: (413) 545-2046
FAX: (413) 545-3243
E-Mail: jmeyer@psych.umass.edu
WWW: http://www.umass.edu/neuro
Year Established: 1986
Total Number of Faculty: 35
Total Number of Full-Time Enrolled Students: 30
US Citizens: 86%
Female: 60%
Native Americans (Indian, Hawaiian, Alaskan or Pacific
Islander): 13.33%
African American/Black (not of Hispanic Origin): 13.33%
Hispanic Origin: 7%
Total Number of Graduates:
46 Ph.D. graduates since May 1990
For a detailed list of all graduates see the NSB doctoral degree
recipients website: http://www.umass.edu/neuro/doctoralrecipients.htm
Most students are interested in careers in research, teaching, or industry, and
most go on to postdoctoral appointments at leading institutions in the United
States and abroad.
Average Number of Years to Complete the Program: 5.9
Program Description: This interdisciplinary graduate program offers coordinated and comprehensive training leading to a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Behavior. The faculty consists of members from the Departments of Biology, Computer Science, Entomology, Exercise Science, Microbiology, Psychology, and Veterinary and Animal Sciences. Four subspecialities are emphasized: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience; Neuroendocrinology; Neural and Behavioral Correlates of Development; and Animal Behavior, Learning, and Computational Neuroscience. Training in molecular and cellular neuroscience is focused on molecular mechanisms of brain development and plasticity, hormone action, and the molecular effects of environmental pollutants and other chemicals and drugs. The neuroendocrine group comprises an internationally recognized Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, which emphasizes interdisciplinary and collaborative studies on the interactions between hormones, brain function, and behavior. Faculty members interested in development span a broad range including molecular genetic analyses of model systems, developmental psychobiology, and cognitive development in human infants. The group in animal behavior, learning, and computational neuroscience emphasizes animal learning, animal behavior in laboratory and field settings, and neural networks and modeling. A strength of the program is that upon admission, a student may choose either to enter a specific laboratory or to rotate between two different labs during the first year of study. In both cases, the student begins research immediately under the close supervision of a mentor. Although the program emphasizes basic studies in neuroscience and behavior, much of the research also has clinical relevance. Furthermore, there are additional opportunities for clinically oriented work as part of a collaborative program with the Baystate Medical Center in nearby Springfield, Massachusetts.
Students in the program have access to state-of-the-art laboratories. In addition to the standard tools of molecular and behavioral neuroscience, a variety of specialized facilities is available. These include a core facility for rapid DNA sequencing, extensive equipment for light microscopy (including two laser-scanning confocal microscopes), electron microscopy, phosphorimaging, and computerized image processing, and a primate laboratory dedicated to behavioral and cognitive research on monkeys.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a land grant Research I university with an enrollment of approximately 24,000 students. The Neuroscience and Behavior Program, inaugurated in 1986, represents an integration of academic and research activities from seven academic departments.
Situated in one of the most picturesque areas of New England, the University joins with its academic neighbors - Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire colleges - in maintaining the rich tradition of education and cultural activity associated with the Pioneer Valley. Together, these five institutions provide free bus service between the schools, a wide variety of courses open to every student enrolled at one of these institutions, and a large selection of cultural events. A variety of outdoor activities, including skiing, hiking, white-water canoeing in the Green Mountains of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and boating in a variety of lakes and rivers in the immediate area, are within 1 to 2 hours of the campus.
Admission Requirements: The NSB Program seeks applicants with a record of academic excellence, who can present evidence of strong scientific background and training at the undergraduate level in biological and physical sciences. Applications are due at the Graduate School by January 2 for admission the following September. Admission criteria include at least a B average or better in course work and a minimum of two letters of recommendation. The Graduate Record Examinations General Test is required, and a GRE Advanced Subject Test is strongly recommended. Only highly qualified applicants are admitted to the Neuroscience and Behavior Program.
How, or Where to Apply:
To obtain Graduate School application and bulletin contact:
Graduate Admissions Office
530 Goodell Building
140 Hicks Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-3291
Telephone: (413) 545-0721 (24 hours) / (413) 545-0722 (8:30
- 5:00 pm M-F)
FAX: (413) 577-0010
E-Mail: gradinfo@resgs.umass.edu
WWW: http://www.umass.edu/gradschool
Information concerning the Neuroscience and Behavior Program is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.umass.edu/neuro.
Annual Tuition and Fees Costs: For Fall 2001, tuition for Massachusetts residents is $110 per credit up to a maximum of $1,320 per semester. For non-Massachusetts residents, tuition is $414.25 per credit up to a maximum of $4,968.50 per semester. Massachusetts residence requirements can usually be met by one year's residence and employment. Tuition and curriculum fees are waived for students supported by any of the mechanisms listed above.
Housing Availability and Costs Per Year: Graduate stipends allow for a comfortable standard of living. Off-campus one-bedroom and efficiency apartments in Amherst cost approximately $575 per month; a two-bedroom apartment costs approximately $825 per month. Graduate student housing is also available in Prince/Crampton House, a graduate complex, at $1,418 per semester for double-occupancy. For housing information, students should consult the Commuter Services and Housing Resource Center Web page: http://cshrc.org
Stipend/Assistantships and Financial Assistance: All Ph.D. students are normally admitted with financial support. Support may be in the form of a research assistantship, teaching assistantship, University fellowship, or traineeship. The Neuroscience and Behavior Program is the recipient of a training grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Neuroscience and Behavior graduate students are also eligible for training under a separate training grant held by the Center for Neuroendocrine Studies. All forms of support include a tuition waiver, health and dental insurance, and a competitive 12-month stipend.
last revised September 2006
http://www.andp.org/programs/graduate/unitedstates/massachusetts/massamherst.htm
Directory of Neuroscience Training Programs
© 2007 Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs
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