Virginia Graduate Program in Neuroscience |
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Research Facilities
A total of 58 faculty members in both basic science and clinical departments participate in the Neuroscience Program, offering a complete spectrum of research facilities equipped with contemporary instrumentation in the fields of molecular, cellular, developmental, systems, behavioral, and clinical neuroscience. Facilities also include state-of-the-art core facilities in molecular biology; microscopy; flow cytometry, nucleic acid analysis, transgenic mouse generation, biostatistical analysis, structural biology, hybridoma generation and proteomics. Library resources are extensive including holdings maintained on the MCV Campus and made available via electronic access.
Financial Aid
Doctoral applicants are eligible for teaching/research assistantships or fellowships. For 2008–09, stipends range from $21,300 to $24,000 per year; a supplement to assist in covering the cost of health insurance as well as the cost of tuition and fees are normally included in an offer of financial support.
Cost of Study
Tuition and fees for 2008–09 are $23,447 per year for out-of-state students and $11,765 per year for Virginia residents. Tuition and fees are usually covered by assistantships or fellowships offered to doctoral students.
Living and Housing Costs
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is an urban institution with limited graduate housing on campus. The University is adjacent to residential areas of the city, with a broad spectrum of apartment housing available. Information about both on-campus and off-campus housing can be found on the VCU Web sites.
Student Group
Graduate students in the School of Medicine number ~ 550, including over 280 students enrolled in Ph.D. programs. <All students at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) campus of VCU are pursuing degrees in the health professions: medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, and allied health. There are graduate programs in nursing and allied health professions as well as in the basic health sciences, pharmacy, and biomedical engineering. The student population on the MCV Campus is ~2,800; total enrollment at VCU is ~ 31,500.
Location
The MCV Campus is located in downtown Richmond VA, immediately adjacent to the State Capitol grounds. Metropolitan Richmond has a population of ~1,000,000 with central access to Washington, D.C.; the Blue Ridge Mountains; the Chesapeake Bay; and Virginia Beach. Surrounding areas provide a diverse variety of outdoor activities including boating, fishing, and downhill skiing. Richmond and the neighboring areas are home to many historical treasures, including Williamsburg and the Jamestown settlement as well as battlefields and monuments of the Civil and Revolutionary Wars. Richmond also offers cultural opportunities through the art and science museums, a symphony orchestra, and several theaters. Sporting events include collegiate athletics and professional teams in baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and arena football. NASCAR events are held at Richmond Motor Speedway; horse racing events are held at Colonial Downs, 30 minutes from downtown Richmond.
The University
VCU is located in Richmond, Virginia, on two campuses. The MCV Campus is the home of a comprehensive health sciences educational center. VCU is designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with high research activity, with particular research strengths in the biomedical sciences. Research is supported by over $200 million in sponsored research funding. The University has an overall enrollment of over 31,500 students, with 2,800 graduate and professional students on the MCV Campus.
Applying
Applications should be filed by January 4 for admission in the following fall semester. Late application limits the possibility of consideration for financial support. All applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree with curriculum in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, or neuroscience. Applicants must take Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or MCAT. International students whose native language is not English must have a TOEFL score of 550 or higher. A completed application should be submitted to the VCU Graduate School (www.vcu.edu/graduate ) along with an official transcript of all graduate and undergraduate records mailed from the college or university registrar. Applicants must submit three letters of reference (on forms supplied with the application) from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s ability to carry out graduate study and a biographical statement describing their background and reasons for their interest in pursuing graduate studies in Neuroscience.
