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PROGRAMS OF STUDY

The Department of Physiology offers programs of study leading to the Ph.D. degree. Admission for the M.S. degree may be permitted in exceptional cases. Entering students must have strong undergraduate qualifications in biology, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. A program of study and research is individually developed for each student, initially at the departmental level and subsequently in consultation with the student's adviser and the dissertation committee. The training program is designed to ensure the achievement of significant accomplishments in the student's principal research field, as well as broad training in physiology. The goals of the departmental program are to develop scientist/teachers with exceptional ability to conduct independent original research and to design and offer instruction in physiology appropriate to the needs of medical and graduate students.

The academic program in physiology conforms to the regulations of the Graduate School of Tulane University, although there may be certain additional departmental requirements. Minimum requirements of the Graduate School include 48 hours of formal course work. Foreign languages required, if any, are determined by the student's major professor and graduate committee and are based upon the student's research area. Graduate research, which is carried out under the direction of the faculty adviser and the committee, includes the areas of cellular, renal, endocrine, and gastrointestinal physiology and neurophysiology.

Graduate students are generally required to complete core courses in physiology and neuroscience, and in biochemistry, pharmacology, and biostatistics during the first two years of graduate training. Graduate courses in other areas are encouraged, depending on the student's research interests. In addition, a variety of advanced graduate courses are offered as electives. The student is introduced to research during the first year of graduate training by a program of rotations through faculty laboratories. At the end of the first year, it is anticipated that each student will select a research supervisor and will have initiated dissertation research.

All students are required to participate in departmental seminar programs. Additionally, students will be involved in certain teaching programs of the department, since most graduates enter academic positions at medical school, where teaching experience is important. Attendance and presentation of research findings at national scientific meetings are encouraged.

Students must pass a departmental written examination, which is directed by the student's major professor, as well as an oral defense of a short research proposal before being admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

The doctoral degree is awarded following the presentation and successful defense of the dissertation. The doctoral program usually requires a minimum of four academic years of full-time study.