Academic Resources
Neuroscience Graduate Student Handbook
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Welcome to the 2026 Neuroscience Graduate Student Handbook for students entering the program as part of the 2026 cohort. This handbook serves as a guide to program requirements, policies, milestones, resources, and expectations throughout your graduate training in Neuroscience. Please note that this handbook applies specifically to students who began the program in 2026. Previous editions of the Neuroscience Student Handbook are available upon request through the Graduate Education Office for students who entered under earlier curriculum years or policy versions.
Share Your Feedback
If you're a neuroscience student and have suggestions for improvements or comments about the neuroscience graduate program, courses, resources, advising, facilities or your overall experience in Hershey, please let us know. Input can be given in a number of formats:
In person to any member of the faculty
In person or by email to the Office of Graduate Education (rmr16@psu.edu)
Online (anonymously if preferred) using the feedback form
Program Standards and Expectations
Professionalism is a fundamental expectation for graduate students at Penn State. It is a vital component of academic and, eventually, career success. The College of Medicine identifies the following elements as foundational values of professionalism: academic integrity, respectful conduct and ethical behavior. View Key Elements of Professionalism.
Students must present their own work, cite sources appropriately, and acknowledge guidance and ideas that others have provided them, in all submitted assignments and assessments.
Acts of plagiarism, cheating or misrepresentation are strictly prohibited, as are unauthorized collaborations, use of prohibited technologies or tools, resubmitting academic work for credit and fabricating results.
At Penn State, our community is built on respect, accountability, and shared responsibility. The Student Code of Conduct helps define what that looks like in action—laying out your rights, responsibilities, and the University’s expectations for student behavior both on and off campus.
The Pennsylvania State University educates students from around the world and supports individuals and communities through integrated programs of teaching, research, and service. As a community of scholars, we aspire to:
Act with integrity and honesty in accordance with the highest academic, professional, and ethical standards
Respect and honor the dignity of each person, embrace civil discourse, and foster a diverse and inclusive community
Act responsibly and are accountable for our decisions, actions, and their consequences
Seek and create new knowledge and understanding, and foster creativity and innovation, for the benefit of our communities, society, and the environment
Strive for excellence in all our endeavors as individuals, an institution, and a leader in higher education
Work together for the betterment of our university, the communities we serve, and the world
The Student Code of Conduct (“Code”) sets forth the community standards and procedures that maintain and protect an environment that is conducive to learning and supports Penn State’s educational objectives.
In line with the Penn State mission and values, the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response works to uphold these community and university standards through compassionate interventions in which students are heard, respected, and treated with dignity. These students, including leaders of student organizations, have the developmental opportunity to participate in fair and impartial resolution processes that encourage personal accountability and responsible decision-making; promote reflection and restoration; and reduce and prevent behavior that undermines student success and community safety.
At Penn State, we strive to provide exceptional learning and work experience for students, faculty, and staff. Providing mentoring opportunities for our faculty and staff is an investment in their growth and development which, in turn, contributes to a stronger student experience. A central tenet of mentorship at Penn State is that all mentoring relationships and programs recognize and value the unique experience and needs of the mentee.
Effective mentoring contributes to the mentor and mentee’s professional development, sense of belonging, productivity, and overall workplace experience.
Some of the benefits of mentoring include:
For Mentors
Leadership Skills: Mentoring develops the ability to motivate and encourage others. This can help the mentor become a better manager, employee, and team member.
Communication Skills: Effective mentor relationships require the mentor to be a strong communicator and an active listener.
New Perspectives: By working with someone less experienced and from a different background, mentors can gain a fresh perspective on things and learn a new way of thinking.
Personal Satisfaction: Knowing that you have directly contributed to someone’s growth and development is fulfilling and seeing your mentee succeed as a result of your input is rewarding.
For Mentees
Gain Advice: Mentors can offer valuable insight into achieving your future goals. They can be a guide and “sounding board” for ideas and help the mentee navigate the organization, create connections, and work more effectively.
Knowledge and Skills: Mentors can help the mentee identify the skills and expertise needed to succeed, sharing their ideas and experience and serving as a resource for work related information.
Communication Skills: Mentorship is an opportunity for the mentee to develop their communication skills and strategies, which can in turn positively impact their work.
Build Your Network: A mentor can offer an opportunity to expand your existing network of personal and professional contacts.
For further information: Mentoring at Penn State
The Dissertation Advisor confirms that they are willing and have the financial resources to serve as the dissertation advisor for a student. There is a program requirement for at least one first-author publication to be accepted or published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal based on his/her dissertation research prior to the final oral examination. The dissertation advisor agrees that they have a project that is suitable to meet this requirement in about four to five years. Note that any faculty member who has not previously been chair of the doctoral committee for a graduate student at the Penn State College of Medicine will need to have a co-chair on the committee for their first student.
The department chair confirms they understand that if the dissertation advisor is unable to support the student at some point during their doctoral studies, departmental resources will need to be used for this support. After five years of support (the initial 1.5 years by the Neuroscience Graduate Program), the student, in consultation with their advisor and doctoral committee, will create a detailed plan for completing their dissertation, including the expected timeframe. If departmental funds are being used to support the student at that point, this plan must also be discussed with the department chair. Extensions may be requested with appropriate justification.
Respectful and Courteous Conduct
Students are expected to support the COM’s culture of inclusion, diversity and mutual respect.
Civility is required in all interactions – both within and beyond the classroom.
Ethical Conduct
Students are expected to act with honesty and integrity in both personal and professional settings.
Examples of conduct and ethical standards
Participate actively and respectfully in discussions.
Submit high-quality work on time.
Respond in a timely manner to requests and honor commitments.
Communicate clearly and courteously with peers, faculty and staff.
Accept responsibility for actions and learn from mistakes.
Use academic, research and clinical platforms appropriately, refraining from using these spaces to advance any personal or political opinions.
Follow the institutional social media policy
By committing to these behaviors, students contribute to a productive academic environment and position themselves for long-term success. Violations may result in sanctions, including potential dismissal from the program. Additional resources are available in The Student Code of Conduct, and GCAC-803 - Procedures for Discontinuation or Termination of the Degree Program of a Graduate Student for Unsatisfactory Scholarship, as appropriate.
This policy is consistent with the Penn State policy statement on freedom of expression.
Graduate students are expected to actively engage in the academic and professional community throughout their training. This includes participating in seminars, journal clubs, and other scholarly activities that support their development as researchers and educators, as well as fulfilling teaching responsibilities associated with their graduate assistantships. Consistent engagement in these activities helps students broaden their scientific knowledge, develop communication and teaching skills, and contribute to the educational mission of the program.
A student who at any time becomes concerned that their choice of advisor is not appropriate, needs to discuss the situation with the Chair of the Neuroscience Graduate Program and their advisor as soon as possible. If the student decides they would like to identify a new advisor, the student will provide at least four-weeks written notice to the Program Chair and current advisor. During this time, the student must identify a new advisor willing to accept them into the laboratory and assume financial responsibility for the student (see above) at the end of their time in the current laboratory. The current advisor retains all laboratory notebooks, reagents, experimental protocols, and other research materials.
General
Transition within the neuroscience program from the master’s to the PhD track is only possible under unusual circumstances and is at the discretion of the program director. For this to occur the students must:
Have a grade-point average higher than 3.00;
Have a commitment from a lab for full-time research, including written confirmation of financial support from their PI and department chair; and
Submit a “change of degree” request to the Office of Graduate Affairs and complete all administrative requirements to register as a PhD student.
The student should not submit the master’s thesis or register for graduation in the master’s track. Upon transition to the PhD track, the student must:
Pass the qualifying exam
Complete all outstanding credits required for the PhD (such as the BMS Core class)
Post-comp students (typically beyond their second year in the program) are required to give one presentation (~30 minutes long) of their research each year in the NSS series. This informal PowerPoint presentation includes the opportunity for questions from the audience. The NSS has two main goals: (1) provide an opportunity for every student to practice delivering a professional research seminar and answer questions about their research; and (2) provide students and faculty with the opportunity to learn about research being conducted by others in the neuroscience program. Students can request two faculty members to give written feedback on their performance (not graded). Students are advised to inform their doctoral committee members about the date and location of their seminar since committees often use this opportunity to meet with the student after the seminar.
All students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in the NSS. A QR code attendance link will be provided. Excuses should be emailed to either Jaci Wildner or the program director. As a general rule, the presenting student is responsible for the setup of the room before giving their seminar. If the seminar is delivered by Zoom, then the student should coordinate with Jaci Wildner to establish the Zoom link in advance.
To encourage good practice in collegiality and self-directed education it is a program requirement that all pre-comprehensive exam students attend the NET Department seminars, which are often given by excellent invited external speakers as well as internal Penn State Faculty. For the same reason, it is recommended that all post-comprehensive students also attend NET seminars regularly. Furthermore, students are encouraged to be aware of other seminars and research meetings occurring on campus (e.g., BMS program seminars and guest speakers). NEURO students are also highly encouraged to attend the Annual Graduate Student Forum and present their research each year.
Graduate students are encouraged to use the services and study spaces of the Harrell Health Sciences Library.
Group and individual spaces are available throughout the library (open 24 hours with ID badge needed for general access). During staffed hours, students may borrow books and materials on reserve, including whiteboard markers. Most of the group study rooms have digital screens for collaborative work and are available by reservation.
The library provides 3D printing services and an audio video recording studio (called the One-Button Studio) available to all College of Medicine faculty, staff and students.
Additionally, students are welcome to schedule appointments with faculty librarians and staff for training on literature searching, bibliographic software management, technology training or other related topics.
Career services are available to all graduate students through a full-time career services coordinator, Jessica Kirkwood. Services include frequent training events, workshops, industry job fairs, outside speakers, and in-person guidance on CV and resume construction.
Within the first semester of residence, all students are required to complete all necessary safety training courses. These are generally offered during orientation, at the start of the first semester.
Credit hours are earned only for the grades A, B and C. However, all D and F grades are included in the computation of the grade-point average (GPA).
Grade points are assigned as follows:
A = 4 (above average graduate work)
B = 3 (average graduate work)
C = 2 (below average graduate work)
D = 1 (failing graduate work)
F = 0 (failing graduate work)
Grades D and F are not acceptable for graduate credit. If a course is repeated, then both grades are used in computing the cumulative GPA.
Students are required to maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 to be eligible for the doctoral qualifying examination, admission to the comprehensive examination, thesis defense and graduation. One or more failing grades, a cumulative GPA below 3.00, or failing any of the examinations may be considered evidence of unsatisfactory scholarship and grounds for dismissal from the program.
It is the policy of the Neuroscience Graduate Program that the students may use “generative” AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini) to gain basic knowledge, brainstorm ideas and for editing purposes (e.g., checking grammar). If students use AI tools in any exam, it should be clearly disclosed how the AI tools are used in each essay or presentation. However, solely relying on AI tools to generate written work or oral presentations or failure to disclose AI tools is not acceptable and considered a breach of academic integrity.
As members of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, all graduate students may participate in a three-month internship in academia, industry or government and receive credit on their transcript by enrolling in IBIOS 595 (1). Non-traditional settings are also available. Students interested in this opportunity should initiate discussion early on with their adviser and graduate program director to help determine the best timing for this experience (typically the first or second summer).
Teaching experience is available but is not required by the neuroscience program. Students who have successfully taken NEURO 511 have the opportunity to develop teaching skills in a classroom or laboratory by taking teaching assistant positions in the neuroanatomy laboratory sessions of the medical school course NBS 725. Students interested in this opportunity should initiate discussion early on with their adviser and the graduate program.
Full-time neuroscience students who receive stipends are permitted two weeks of vacation per academic year. Leave should be arranged at least two weeks in advance with consent from the program director (first-year students) or dissertation/thesis adviser (second-year and post-comps students). Students will not be routinely granted vacation leave while enrolled in class work. Vacation days do not accrue from year to year. Holidays designated by Penn State are separate and in addition to personal vacation days (see University Calendar).
For extenuating circumstances, special arrangements may be made in accordance with Graduate School policy. Such arrangements must be approved by the program director (first-year students) or the dissertation/thesis adviser (advanced students). No sick leave is formally assigned or earned but may be used as necessary with the approval of the program director (first-year students) or the dissertation/thesis adviser (advanced students). Under normal circumstances, up to five days of sick leave per calendar year will be granted, when necessary. Sick leave in excess of five days will be recorded as vacation time. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the program director or dissertation/thesis adviser if they are absent from the classroom or laboratory due to illness.
The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School parental leave policy allows for a parental leave of absence for up to six consecutive weeks within 120 calendar days immediately following the childbirth (for the birthparent and non-birthing parent) or the legal adoption or placement of one or more minor children in the process of adoption or guardianship. The timing of the leave within the 120-day window is at the discretion of the student. Students must notify their program head at least 30 days in advance if the need is foreseeable.
Importantly, the policy ensures that students are able to return from leave in the same academic status they had before, and they may not be penalized for submitting work after a deadline due to pregnancy or childbirth.
Please refer to the full policy, GSAD-908: Graduate Student Parental Leave, for additional details, as well as the processes and procedures that must be followed.
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The neuroscience program is accredited and regulated by the Penn State School of Graduate Education. Governance and oversight are provided by the Neuroscience Program Advisory Committee, which typically meets once per month.
Other Useful Contact Information
Links to Other Resources
Academics
Welcome to the Neuroscience Graduate Degree Program at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine! This campus-wide inter-departmental graduate program confers PhD, Masters, and MD/PhD degrees in Neuroscience. The primary goal of the program is to educate independent scientists who are analytical thinkers with the ability to conduct scientific research in neuroscience and to continue to self-educate beyond their primary (thesis) field of study. This handbook will introduce the regulations and guidelines governing the program. More information can also be found online: Neuroscience PhD - Penn State College of Medicine.
What’s New This Year?
Qualifying exam format has been updated with two independent components.
The program learning objectives reflect the Graduate Council Scholarly and Professional Goals for All Graduate Students. Our learning objectives are:
Develop into independent thinkers who can identify knowledge gaps and make significant advances in neuroscience research.
Understand the structural and functional organization of the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Understand current experimental approaches used to study the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Effectively communicate scientific results in both oral and written formats.
Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all times, showing respect to faculty members and their fellow students. It is expected that students will be active learners who take responsibility for furthering their education. Equally, the faculty members are expected to conduct themselves professionally at all times, showing respect to the students and their (see Appendix: Recommended Practices in Graduate Education).
First-Year Faculty Adviser
Each new student entering the program will be assigned an individual faculty adviser who can help guide and offer advice during the first year. The program director is also available to answer specific questions and for more general discussions of the student's progress. The program director also signs course registration forms during the first year. After a student has selected a thesis adviser, that faculty member will assume these responsibilities.
Thesis Adviser
It is the student’s responsibility to identify a thesis adviser and permanent laboratory home by the end of the first academic year (May). Students should consult their first-year faculty adviser with any questions about this process. A student may choose any member of the neuroscience graduate faculty, provided that the faculty member is willing to accept the student and there are both space and resources available to the student. Usually, the student will have rotated with this faculty member and will be familiar with their laboratory and research.
Courses
The curriculum of the neuroscience graduate program consists of required courses and electives. The following sections list all the required courses that the student must take, including a minimum of nine credits per semester. In addition to the required courses, students must also take a minimum of two elective courses during the second year. PhD students may take no more than 12 graded credits (A-F) of NEURO 600 Thesis Research, and master's-level students may take no more than six of such graded credits.
Full-Time Student Status
Students must be registered as full-time students to maintain stipend eligibility. Full-time status is considered either a minimum of nine credits each fall and spring semester (pre-comprehensive exam) or NEURO 601 for zero credits (post-comprehensive exam).
Competence in Written and Spoken English
The Graduate School requires that all graduate degree candidates demonstrate high-level competence in the English language, including reading, writing and speaking. Passing these courses satisfies this requirement because they include assessment of both written and oral English. In addition, students should demonstrate competence in citing primary scientific literature (peer-reviewed publications) in their written work. As part of this requirement, it is highly recommended that students become familiar with a good citation manager (e.g., Zotero or equivalent).
Minimum Grade-Point Average, Unsatisfactory Scholarship and Grounds for Dismissal
Students are required to maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 to be eligible for doctoral candidature (qualifying exam), admission to the comprehensive examination, thesis defense and graduation. One or more failing grades or a cumulative GPA below 3.00 may be considered evidence of unsatisfactory scholarship and grounds for dismissal. See Penn State Graduate Education Policies.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training Requirement
All new students in the neuroscience graduate program must complete an online Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training course during their first year. The online course is offered through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program and supplements the in-class, discussion-based RCR training provided in BMS 591 Biomedical Research Ethics, which is typically taken during the second year. Together, these two courses satisfy RCR training requirements mandated by Penn State's Scholarship and Research Integrity (SARI) Program, an RCR initiative organized through the Office for Research Protections.
First-year students should register for the online CITI RCR course as soon as possible in the fall semester. For instructions, go to the and follow the instructions. Select “Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine” as the participating institution and register for “Responsible Conduct of Research.” All modules must be completed by the end of the first fall semester, and a copy of the student's Completion Report must be submitted to the program administrative office before Jan. 15.
This dual-title program option is designed to complement and expand the student’s major area of study by instilling the knowledge and skills needed to transform findings from the laboratory into clinical settings and community practices to improve human health.
If a student wishes to enter the CTS option, they must have a grade-point average greater than 3.50 and apply before completing the qualifying exam at the end of their first year.
Doctoral Students
The curriculum of the neuroscience graduate program consists of required courses and electives. The following lists all the required courses that the student must take, including a minimum of nine credits per semester. In addition to the required courses, students must also take a minimum of two elective courses during the second year. PhD students may take no more than 12 graded credits (A-F) of NEURO 600 Thesis Research and master's-level students may take no more than six of such graded credits.
Required Courses for PhD Students
Year 1, Fall
BMS 502 Cell and Systems Biology - 3 credits
NEURO 520 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience - 3 credits
NEURO 524 Neuroscience Bootcamp - 2 credits
NEURO 596 Laboratory Rotations - 1 credit per 8-week rotation
Complete the online Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course by the end of the semester. Visit the Scholarship and Research Integrity webpage for more information. Submit the CITI RCR Course Completion Report to the Office of Graduate Education in Room C1712 before Jan. 15.
Year 1, Spring
NEURO 511 Neuroanatomy Lab - 3 credits
NEURO 521 Systems Neuroscience - 3 credits
NEURO 522 Advanced Techniques in Neuroscience Research - 2 credits
Neuro 596 Laboratory Rotations - 1-2 credits
1 credit each, 8 weeks per rotation. Recommended one between January and February, and another between March and April.
Qualifying Examination: End of the Spring Semester
Year 2, Fall
NEURO 590 Colloquium - 3 credits
BMS 591 Ethics in the Life Sciences - 1 credit
Or PHS 500 Ethics
PHS 520 Introduction to Biostatistics - 3 credits
Or equivalent statistics course
Elective course - 1-3 credits
NEURO 600 Thesis Research - 1-7 credits
Year 2, Spring
Elective course - 1-3 credits
NEURO 600 Thesis Research - 1-7 credits
Comprehensive Exam: Before the beginning of the fall semester of the third year.
Years 3-5
NEURO 601 Thesis Preparation
Required Courses for MD/PhD Students
Year 1, Fall
NEURO 520 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience - 3 credits
NEURO 590 Colloquium - 3 credits
PHS 520 Introduction to Biostatistics - 3 credits
Or equivalent statistics course
BMS 591 Ethics in the Life Sciences - 1 credit
NEURO 600 Thesis Research - 1-5 credits
CITI Responsible Conduct of Research: Complete the online Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course by the end of the semester. Visit the Scholarship and Research Integrity webpage for more information. Submit your CITI RCR Course Completion Report to the Office of Graduate Education in Room C1712 before Jan. 15.
Year 1, Spring
NEURO 521 Systems Neuroscience - 3 credits
NEURO 522 Advanced Techniques in Neuroscience Research - 2 credits
NEURO 600 Thesis Research - 1-6 credits
Comprehensive Exam: Before the beginning of the fall semester
Year 2, Fall
NEURO 600 Thesis Research - 1-7 credits
Year 2, Spring
NEURO 601 Thesis Research - 1-7 credits
Years 3-5
NEURO 601 Thesis Preparation
NEURO 595 Internship (optional) - 1 credit
All other requirements for the PhD component of the MD/PhD track, including comprehensive exam and thesis dissertation, are the same as the regular PhD track.
Electives
A total of two elective courses must be completed by the end of Year 2. Electives are not limited only to this list; students can choose other courses relevant to their project. See the Graduate Bulletin listing of Penn State graduate courses for the Bulletin listing of PSU graduate courses.
Recommended Electives
NEURO 602: Supervised Experience in College Teaching - Fall or spring - 1-2 credits
NEURO 595: Internship - Fall or spring - 1 credit
PHARM 597: Endocrine and Neuropharmacology - Spring - 2 credits
NEURO 597: Critical Reading in Neuroscience (One-on-one journal club) - Fall or Spring - 1 credit
NEURO 597: From Development to Degeneration - Spring - 2 credits
NEURO 523: Seminars in Neuroscience II (Psychopathology) Spring - 2 Credits
NEURO 602: Supervised Experience in College Teaching - Fall or Spring - 1-2 Credits
NEURO 595: Internship - Fall or Spring - 1-2 Credits
BMS 503: Advanced Molecular Genetics (Flow of Cellular Information) - Fall - 2 credits
BMS 507 (BCHEM 505): Form and Function of Macromolecules - Spring - 1 credit
BMS 581: Molecular & Translation Approaches to Human Disease - Spring - 3 credits
BMS 571: Graduate Clinical Rotation - Spring - 3 credits
BMS 506B: Biological Basis of Human Health & Disease - Spring - 2 credits
BMS 504: Art of Scientific Communication I - Fall - 1 credit
BMS 505: Art of Scientific Communication II - Spring - 1 credit
PHARM 535: Therapeutic Use of Cannabis- Fall - 3 credits
PHARM 551: Anti-infective Therapeutics - Fall- 1 credit
NEURO 554: Anticancer Therapeutics -Fall - 1 credit
First-year students undertake three 8 week laboratory rotations. The timing of the rotations is flexible and can begin in the fall semester. The purpose of lab rotations is to provide students with the opportunity to become acquainted with different projects, laboratory environments, and techniques to allow an informed choice of a thesis project and advisor. The rotation advisor will provide the student with a defined project and clear expectations as to the amount of work involved and the work schedule. The student should also meet regularly with the advisor to discuss the progress of the rotation. More than one rotation can be carried out in the same lab (at the discretion of the Program Director) if the student has committed early to that lab for their thesis project. Rotations can continue through the summer if students cannot identify their thesis lab. If research in a particular faculty member's lab interests you, make an appointment with them to discuss the possibility of rotation in their lab.
As prescribed by the Graduate School, students must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 to be eligible to take the qualifying examination (QE). The purpose of the QE is to establish that a student is adequately proficient in the critical thinking skills needed to qualify for admission to the PhD in neuroscience (note: Master’s and MD/PhD students do not take the QE).
The qualifying exam is composed of two parts: Part 1 for testing ability to understand existing body of literature and part 2 for testing ability to create forward looking proposal. The QE is taken at the end of the 1st year (usually completed by June). Qualifying Exam Committee (typically core course directors and the program director) will oversee the process and provide an evaluation.
Part I: Testing ability to understand existing body of literature
The first part tests the student's capacity for real-time critical reading, information extraction, and methodological literacy from a chosen primary research paper.
Logistics & Format
Duration: Up to 3 hours.
Environment: In-person exam, a computer with lockdown screen.
Document format: narrow margin (0.5 inch margin in all sides), arial fonts, font size 11
Source Material: The exam pool consists of peer-reviewed primary research papers selected directly from the first-year neuroscience core curriculum.
The Mechanism: At the exact start of the examination, each student will randomly draw one paper from this pool. The text provided to the student will be modified to completely redact the original title and the abstract.
Examination Prompts
Students must provide clear, concise responses to the following five core prompts based on their selected manuscript:
Title and Abstract Generation: Compose a title (less than 50 words) that highlights the core concept of the manuscript and an abstract (less than 250 words) that accurately summarizes the paper's context, gap in knowledge, approach, results, and broader impact.
Key Findings (up to one page): Detail main experimental discoveries and explain how they support or refute the central hypothesis (if it is a hypothesis driven manuscript). Clearly highlighting the most important experiment or figure will be plus.
Methodological Literacy & Rationale (up to one page): Summarize the core techniques utilized in the study. Provide the explicit rationale for why these specific methods were chosen to address the experimental questions.
Critical Limitation (up to a half page): Describe at least one major limitation or weakness of the current experimental design, approach, or interpretation
Part II: Testing ability to create forward looking proposal
This 2nd part evaluates the student’s capacity for independent hypothesis generation, experimental design, and real-time scientific defense, building directly on the written exam.
Pre-Examination Requirement: The Specific Aims Page
Prior to the oral defense, the student must develop a forward-looking research plan that addresses the logical "next step" or solves a critical limitation identified in their written exam paper.
Format: Limited to a single page.
Structure: Must articulate a new central hypothesis and outline two distinct Specific Aims featuring follow-up experiments.
Deadline: Must be submitted to the examining committee exactly 2 days (48 hours) prior to the scheduled oral exam.
Presentation & Defense Format
During the oral examination, the student will deliver a targeted presentation focusing on their proposed Specific Aims. The session will test the student's ability to defend:
The scientific merit and rationale of the new hypothesis.
The specific choices of experimental design, controls, and technical approaches used to support the aims.
Alternate pathways if the proposed experiments yield unexpected results.
The 1st part exam will be administered in late May.
The 2nd part exam will be administered about 2 weeks after the first part.
Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Dual-Title Program Qualifying Exam
The written and oral components of the QE will use the same format as above, but the content will be expanded to include at least one clinical or translational element relevant to the proposition statement. For example, this may take the form of a critical evaluation of a pertinent clinical trial or translational study in the published literature, development of a new clinical or translational hypothesis accompanied by a brief description of a study design to test the hypothesis or identification of a potential barrier to translation of a novel discovery and a proposed solution to overcome the barrier.
Evaluation
Students are judged on their performance in the written and oral components of the exam separately by the Qualifying Exam Committee. Each component is assigned a percentage grade. An average score of 70% or above is considered a passing grade. Students need to pass both the written and oral exam to pass the qualifying exam. In the event of failure on either or both parts, the student may retake the failed part, but it must be administered within 12 weeks. If the student fails a second examination, they shall be terminated from the program.
According to the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin published by the Graduate School regarding doctoral committees, the Doctoral Thesis Committee should have:
A minimum of four members of the PSU graduate faculty
Two members must be faculty members in the neuroscience graduate program, including the student's thesis adviser
One member must be from a disciplinary field outside neuroscience (Outside Field Member)
One member must be outside the home department of the thesis adviser or committee chair (Outside Unit Member)
The Outside Field Member represents a field outside the candidate's major field of study and is expected to provide a broader range of disciplinary perspective and expertise.
The same faculty can play a role as both outside field and outside unit member.
A person not affiliated with Penn State may be added as a special member (beyond the four members of the approved PSU graduate faculty) upon recommendation of the head of the program and approval of the graduate dean.
In addition to the above requirements:
The doctoral candidate and three committee members must be present physically or virtually for the comprehensive exam and defense. If there are two or more committee members attending virtually, the program coordinator (Jaci Wildner) needs to be notified to facilitate scheduling the defense with the graduate school.
Approval of two-thirds of the committee members is required to pass the comprehensive exam and dissertation defense.
The student must submit paperwork three to four weeks before the scheduled comprehensive exam and defense to Jaci Wildner, Room C1712, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center; 717-531-6608; juw542@psu.edu.
Timeline: PhD students are encouraged to form their thesis committee by the end of fall semester in the second year. The first thesis meeting should occur in the spring semester in the second year to meet and greet and establish the date for the comprehensive exam (preferably May through June). Second-year PhD students are expected to complete their comprehensive exam by August before the third year begins.
See policy GCAC-602 for more information on committee composition. *Note: These regulations may be temporarily suspended during epidemic quarantine, when remote video conferencing may be used by all committee members, subject to Penn State Graduate School rules.
The comprehensive examination is designed to test the student's maturation "from a consumer of knowledge to a generator of knowledge" on their chosen research topic and is the final formal evaluation before the student advances to focus entirely on thesis research. It is a test of their ability to present a logical experimental plan to adequately test a hypothesis. This exam is usually taken before the end of the second year and consists of a written research proposal followed by an oral examination. The student's doctoral committee administers the comprehensive examination. The student must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 to be eligible to take the comprehensive examination. The student must also have satisfied the English competence requirement and should have completed all required coursework. The oral examination must be formally scheduled by the Graduate School and requires three weeks' notice.
Written Proposal
The purpose of the exam is to test the student's ability to develop a coherent research proposal that is supported by logical arguments and literature. The proposal may be within the scope of the student's prospective thesis research. The thesis committee must agree on the topic of the proposal and the Specific Aims page submitted by the student. After agreeing on the topic and wording of the Specific Aims, a student should prepare the exam with minimal input from the student’s adviser. The student should not copy grant proposals previously written by the adviser. The logic, experimental design and writing must be generated largely by the student.
There is a six-page limit for the Research Strategy (with 0.5-inch margins, including top and bottom, single-spaced, Arial 11-point font) and a one-page limit for the Specific Aims. You may use extra pages for the bibliography without limit. Please adhere strictly to this format. Your committee will be instructed to ignore information that exceeds the strict page limit (just like a real grant application). The inclusion of preliminary data, however, is optional and data from published sources may be used instead, if cited correctly.
The written proposal must be completed and delivered to the members of the doctoral committee at least one week before the oral examination. It should be emphasized that this proposal is not a thesis plan and need not correspond to the student's intended dissertation research, although it often does.
Oral Examination
In the oral examination, students are expected to present the hypothesis, rationale and approach of their proposal through a PowerPoint presentation (approx. 30 minutes). Students should be prepared to address extensive questions from the thesis committee during this presentation. The student is responsible for organizing the date and venue of the comprehensive exam and should schedule a two-hour meeting. This includes scheduling the time and date with all committee members.
Evaluation
Students are judged on their combined performance in the written and oral portions of the exam. A favorable vote of at least two-thirds of the committee is required to pass. In the event of failure, the examining committee will determine whether the student may re-take the examination. A second failure will result in termination from the program.
Fellowship Applications
Students are encouraged to convert their comprehensive exam to an actual fellowship application, with guidance from their committee, but this is not a program requirement. The comprehensive exam is an important educational milestone and an essential component of the curriculum. If a student already submits an external fellowship application, the student is allowed to use the application for the comprehensive exam. However, the student needs to add or significantly modify at least one aim for the exam.
Suggested timeline for second-year PhD students:
December: Form a thesis committee, schedule the first meeting
March: First committee meeting, submit a draft aim page at least one week prior to the meeting, schedule the comprehensive exam
May-June: Comprehensive exam, submit a full proposal at least one week prior to the meeting
Progress on the doctoral research project should be periodically monitored by the thesis committee, which is required to meet with the student at least once a year but more frequently is recommended, at the discretion of the committee.
The format of these meetings is also at the discretion of the committee but usually involves a private discussion between the committee members (while the student waits outside the meeting room) followed by a student presentation of data, questions, discussion, and agreement on future directions. It is required that the student fills out the neuro program IDP document in discussion with his/her thesis advisor and share the IDP with the committee member before the meeting. It is also recommended that the student use the IDP to facilitate a structured discussion during the meeting, update the IDP after the meeting by incorporating committee’s comments, and submit to the neuro program coordinator (Jaci Wildner) and the program director. The IDP needs to be submitted to the program at least once a year right after the committee meeting.
Completion of the requirements for a PhD degree requires the preparation of a dissertation (written thesis), a final oral examination (thesis defense) and formal acceptance of the thesis by the student's doctoral committee. At the beginning of the semester in which the student intends to defend their thesis, they must file their Intent to Graduate via LionPATH.
The student will organize a “penultimate” committee meeting to obtain permission to write up a thesis and to agree on a time frame to complete the thesis. It is typical for the committee to recommend a four- to six-week period for the student to complete the thesis. The final draft must be submitted to the committee at least two weeks before the defense, but longer is recommended since they will need time to read it and make corrections.
Thesis Preparation
The Graduate School has strict guidelines for the format of the thesis; see the Graduate Programs Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines for details. Extensive consultation with the thesis committee is strongly encouraged. The draft dissertation should be complete and properly formatted before the thesis defense.
What is a Thesis?
The research project that a student performs in partial completion of a PhD should be original scholarship that was performed primarily by the student. Chapters taken directly from manuscripts published by the student as first author should be adapted to conform to the thesis format. Repetition of “Methods” sections is discouraged. The thesis may contain unpublished as well as published data and may even contain data from failed experiments and pilot studies in the main text or as appendices if considered appropriate by the student and thesis committee. Students are encouraged to end their thesis with a “Future Directions” section, in recognition of the scientific process. The “thesis by publication” is acceptable, in which the student uses several published papers as individual chapters and a general introduction and discussion are added to complete the thesis. However, the candidate must clearly acknowledge data in the thesis that others generated.
Publication Requirement
The candidate should have at least one first-author original research paper, accepted for publication, in a peer-reviewed journal before the thesis defense. However, publications do not guarantee the PhD completion. In rare cases, an exception can be applied in consultation with the program director.
Thesis Defense
The thesis defense consists of a one-hour public seminar presentation of the thesis research, followed by a closed meeting with the doctoral committee. The examination should be scheduled after the student has fulfilled all of the Graduate School requirements for the degree. Three weeks’ notice is required by the Graduate School for scheduling this examination. The dissertation should be delivered to the members of the doctoral committee at least two weeks before the defense. A favorable vote of at least two-thirds of the thesis committee is required to pass the thesis defense examination.
Thesis Acceptance
Thesis acceptance is the final step of the process. The thesis must be accepted, as indicated by the signatures of the doctoral committee and the program director.
Master's Students
Master's students must have a minimum of 30 credits and a 3.00 overall grade-point average, according to the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin published by the Graduate School. If pursuing a master’s thesis option, up to six 600-level credits from relevant departments may be A-F graded and 12 credits must be in the major at the 400-600 level. The students select a thesis committee (upon consultation with the faculty adviser), write a thesis and defend their work in a closed-door meeting scheduled with the thesis committee.
Master's Degree Required Courses
The curriculum of the neuroscience graduate program consists of required courses and electives. The following lists all the required courses that the student must take, including a minimum of nine credits per semester.
Year 1, Fall
NEURO 520 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience - 3 credits
NEURO 524 Neuroscience Bootcamp - 2 credits
NEURO 596 Laboratory Rotations - 1 credit
Complete online Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course by the end of the semester. Submit CITI RCR Course Completion Report to program coordinator, Jaci Wildner in C1712.
Year 1, Spring
NEURO 511 Neuroanatomy Lab - 3 credits
NEURO 521 Systems Neuroscience - 3 credits
NEURO 522 Advanced Techniques in Neuroscience Research - 2 credits
Neuro 596 Laboratory Rotations - 1 credit
Year 2, Fall
NEURO 590 Colloquium - 3 credits
PHS 520 Introduction to Biostatistics - 3 credits
Or equivalent statistics course
NEURO 600 Thesis Research - 1-7 credits
Year 2, Spring
NEURO 600 Thesis research - 1-7 credits
First-year students undertake three 8 week laboratory rotations. The timing of the rotations is flexible and can begin in the fall semester. The purpose of lab rotations is to provide students with the opportunity to become acquainted with different projects, laboratory environments, and techniques to allow an informed choice of a thesis project and advisor. The rotation advisor will provide the student with a defined project and clear expectations as to the amount of work involved and the work schedule. The student should also meet regularly with the advisor to discuss the progress of the rotation. More than one rotation can be carried out in the same lab (at the discretion of the Program Director) if the student has committed early to that lab for their thesis project. Rotations can continue through the summer if students cannot identify their thesis lab. If research in a particular faculty member's lab interests you, make an appointment with them to discuss the possibility of rotation in their lab.
Electives
A total of two elective courses must be completed by the end of Year 2. Electives are not limited only to this list; students can choose other courses relevant to their project. See the Graduate Bulletin listing of Penn State graduate courses. Master's-level students may take no more than six graded credits (A-F) of NEURO 600 Thesis Research.
Recommended Electives
NEURO 602: Supervised Experience in College Teaching - Fall or spring - 1-2 credits
NEURO 595: Internship - Fall or spring - 1 credit
PHARM 561: Neuropharmacology - Spring - 2 credits
PHARM 562: Endocrine Pharmacology - Spring - 2 credits
PHARM 597: Special Topics in Pharmacology: Cannabis-based medicine - Fall - 1 credit
BMS 503: Advanced Molecular Genetics (Flow of Cellular Information) - Fall - 2 credits
BMS 507 (BCHEM 505): Form and Function of Macromolecules - Spring - 1 credit
BMS 581: Molecular & Translation Approaches to Human Disease - Spring - 3 credits
BMS 571: Graduate Clinical Rotation - Spring - 3 credits
BMS 801: Writing Grant Proposals for Biomedical Research - Fall - 1 credit
BMS 506B: Biological Basis of Human Health & Disease - Spring - 2 credits
BMS 504: Art of Scientific Communication I - Fall - 1 credit
BMS 505: Art of Scientific Communication II - Spring - 1 credit
NEURO 597: Critical Reading in Neuroscience - Fall or spring - 1 credit
BMS 508: Cellular Metabolism - Spring - 1 credit
NEURO 523 Seminars in Neuroscience II (Psychopathology) Spring - 2 credits
The student must apply for graduation via LionPATH at the beginning of the semester in which the student intends to defend their thesis.
Students must present their thesis following the Penn State University guidelines as described in the Thesis Guide "Requirements and Guidelines for the Preparation of Master's and Doctoral Dissertations."
Each semester has deadlines for thesis format review and thesis submission. Planning well in advance when setting dates for your thesis defense is imperative.
Please check the PSU academic calendar for these deadlines: Thesis, Dissertation, Performance and Oral Presentation Deadlines Calendar.
More information can be obtained from the Thesis Office:
115 Kern Building
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-5448
Links to Resources
Penn State College of Medicine provides an inviting and collaborative culture, creating an environment where students feel supported and encouraged. With numerous student club opportunities, campus events and community outreach programs, students can dive into their medical interests while building lasting friendships with peers and mentors.
There are various groups in Hershey and University Park that students can join through the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and Health Professions Student Assembly (HPSA). From specialty areas to interest groups, students have many opportunities to engage with classmates outside the classroom.
Financial Aid
Graduate assistantships are funding packages awarded to degree-seeking students that involve teaching, research, or administrative activities. Teaching and research assistantships include a stipend, tuition remission, and a subsidy for medical insurance
Fellowships are highly prestigious financial support packages that typically include a stipend, tuition remission, and a subsidy for medical insurance. They derive from university or outside awards. Unlike assistantships, there are not required activities for a certain number of weekly hours or weeks per semester. Fellowship stipends may have different tax implications for recipients; these differences are outlined by the US Internal Revenue Service Tax Topic 421 and in Publication 970 available at http://www.irs.gov. Recipients must be enrolled in degree programs and be registered full-time.
Training grants are derived from agencies outside the University and are intended to support specific student learning experiences in core curricular areas and research methods. Institutional awards, typically under the direction of a faculty principal investigator, afford funding to support selected students with stipends, tuition grants-in-aid, and often include a subsidy for medical insurance. For more information on assistantships, fellowships and traineeships, please visit the graduate school website.
General
Academic Resources
Career and Professional Development
Funding
Research and Conference Travel Funding Opportunities
Health and Well-being
Special Populations
International Students
English for Professional Purposes Intercultural Center (EPPIC) - support for language skills
Clubs and Organizations
Discover – for finding graduate student organizations
Career Development Opportunities
Graduate Career Services assists doctoral and master's graduate students and postdoctoral scholars and fellows in preparing for and pursuing meaningful and rewarding careers through a comprehensive array of programs and services.
Services Offered
Career Counseling and Planning
Individual appointments and quick question/drop-in availability
Career exploration and coaching
Career assessments and counseling
Career information and resources
Resume/CV/cover letter assistance and review
Programming and Information
Workshops, events, and presentations (in-person and virtual)
Internship, job, and postdoc search strategies
Interviewing skills and mock (practice) interviews
Networking skills, LinkedIn, and LionLink (Penn State networking system)
Job offer and salary negotiation strategies
Professionalism and soft skills development
Recruiting and Employer Engagement
Alumni and professional career panels
Employer information sessions and visits
Nittany Lion Careers:
Penn State's primary online resource for connecting students, postdocs, and alumni with employers
Career fairs:
Fall Career Days; Spring Career Days (Penn State University Park)
GCC PhD & Master's Virtual Career Expo (Graduate Career Consortium)
Big10 Hiring & Recruitment Fairs: Academia Postdoc; Academia Faculty; and Graduate Student & Postdoc Industry Recruitment Event (GSPIRE)
For a complete list of Career Services resources, information about internship/teaching opportunities, and information about career assessment services, please visit the .
Career Counseling and Planning
Individual appointments and quick question/drop-in availability
Career exploration and coaching
Career assessments and counseling
Career information and resources
Resume/CV/cover letter assistance and review
Programming and Information
Workshops, events, and presentations (in-person and virtual)
Internship, job, and postdoc search strategies
Interviewing skills and mock (practice) interviews
Networking skills, LinkedIn, and Lion Link (Penn State networking system)
Job offer and salary negotiation strategies
Professionalism and soft skills development
Recruiting and Employer Engagement
Alumni and professional career panels
Employer information sessions and visits
Nittany Lion Careers:
Penn State's primary online resource for connecting students, postdocs, and alumni with employers
Career fairs:
Fall Career Days; Spring Career Days (Penn State University Park)
GCC PhD & Master's Virtual Career Expo (Graduate Career Consortium)
Big10 Hiring & Recruitment Fairs: Academia Postdoc; Academia Faculty; and Graduate Student & Postdoc Industry Recruitment Event (GSPIRE)
Student Organizations
Penn State College of Medicine provides an inviting and collaborative culture, creating an environment where students feel supported and encouraged. With numerous student club opportunities, campus events and community outreach programs, students can dive into their medical interests while building lasting friendships with peers and mentors.
There are various groups in Hershey and University Park that students can join through the Graduate Student Association (GSA) and Health Professions Student Assembly (HPSA). From specialty areas to interest groups, students have many opportunities to engage with classmates outside the classroom.
Student clubs and organizations are a great way to get involved, utilize and enhance transferrable skills, and gain demonstratable leadership experience to be included on a CV or resume. The following student groups are currently active. Contact a member of the student group leadership to learn more and get involved.
Graduate Researchers for Inclusion, Scholarship, and Equity (G-RISE)
Fellowship for Outreach and Study of Structural Anatomy (FOSSA)
Lions Talk Science (LTS)
Pharmaceutical Industry Lion Leaders (PILL)
Public Health Association for Service and Excellence (PHASE)
Physician Scientist Student Association (PSSA)
Science Policy, Advocacy, Research, and Knowledge (SPARK)
Collaboration with the Office of Graduate Education
Graduate student groups are required to collaborate with the Office of Graduate Education for:
All on‑campus events
Off‑campus events- events not taking place on COM campus but that use Penn State resources (funding, branding, etc.)
Events where a Penn State affiliation will be advertised or implied
Expectations for Event Planning:
Early Engagement- Notify the Office of Graduate Education as soon as planning begins for major events, especially those involving invited guests or institutional resources.
Leverage Support- Utilize the office’s expertise in event promotion, logistics, and compliance with academic and institutional standards.
Regular Communication- Schedule periodic check‑ins to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and to avoid duplication of efforts across student groups.
Adherence to Com and PSH Policy- Graduate Education will update groups with the applicable policies related to their events and activities.
Collaboration with Graduate Career Services
Graduate student groups are required to collaborate with Graduate Career Services for:
All on‑campus career‑related events
Off‑campus career‑related eventsnot taking place on COM campus but that use Penn State resources (funding, branding, etc.)
Events where a Penn State affiliation will be advertised or implied
Events involving Penn State alumni
Events involving external companies/organizations for recruiting purposes (internship, job and postdoc opportunities, job shadowing, company information/overview, HR connections, etc.)
Expectations for Career‑Related Event Planning:
Coordinate Invitations-Inform Graduate Career Services when alumni and external company/organization participation is anticipated to ensure appropriate outreach and engagement.
Enhance Networking-Partner with Graduate Career Services to design activities that strengthen career development and networking opportunities for students.
Respect Privacy-Follow established guidelines for the use of alumni and other professionals’ contact information to maintain confidentiality and professionalism.
Promote Inclusivity-Ensure events are accessible, welcoming, and relevant to students across all academic disciplines.
Collaboration with Financial Manager in Office of Graduate Education
Graduate student groups are required to collaborate with the Office of Graduate Education when submitting budget requests to support financial needs for the academic year.
Expectations for Budget Requests:
Plan Ahead-Budget requests are reviewed according to the fiscal year (July 1–June 30) for the upcoming academic year (August–May). The Office of Graduate Education will initiate the request to GSA to obtain each student group’s budget requests.
Provide Details-Include a clear and itemized breakdown of anticipated expenses (e.g., venue, catering, speaker fees, materials).
Align with Goals-Ensure the proposed budget supports the group’s mission and provides broad benefit to graduate students.
Follow Institutional Guidelines
Policy A‑75: Guidelines for Use of Penn State Milton S. Hershey Campus Facilities
Adhere to all applicable PSU College of Medicine (COM) and Penn State Health (PSH) policies. Consult the Office of Graduate Education for guidance on relevant policies, including but not limited to:
Policy PR-10 HAM: Use of Public Bulletin Boards
Appendix
Fostering successful interactions among faculty, administrators and graduate students
This document suggests examples of recommended practices in each of three core areas for all of the key participants in graduate student education. Programs are encouraged to use these suggestions as a starting point to develop a set of recommended practices that meets the needs of their students.
The six core Penn State values form the fundamental principles underlying our institutional mission of teaching, research and service. These values are: Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Discovery, Excellence and Community. All of our students, faculty and staff are expected to embody these values throughout their time at Penn State.
The Graduate Council believes these core values are central components of effective advising and mentoring of graduate students across the University and that they contribute to ensuring the climate within all of our graduate programs is one of inclusion and respect. Successful and productive advising relationships with students require that both students and faculty promote and demonstrate the highest ethical and professional standards, while maintaining open communication and a shared sense of community and accountability.
The following statements are recommended practices for creating and sustaining important developmental relationships between faculty and students within our graduate programs. The Graduate Council strongly recommends every graduate degree program develop a set of similar statements outlining recommended practices that fit the needs of the program. The statement should be disseminated to all graduate students and faculty members at the start of each academic year to outline expectations for all student-faculty-administrator interactions, which include but are not limited to advising, mentoring, teaching, research and training.
In each of the following areas, faculty members are expected to act in accordance with the practices described below.
Climate: Practices that contribute to a respectful, stimulating, supportive climate include the following:
Serve as a role model by demonstrating ethical, professional and courteous behavior toward all students, staff and faculty.
Be supportive, equitable, accessible and respectful.
Promote an environment that is intellectually stimulating, collaborative, respectful and collegial.
Recognize and respect the diversity within our community consistent with Penn State's overall commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Show sensitivity to the power imbalance in the faculty-student relationship.
Take into consideration a student’s need to manage competing demands while maintaining timely progress toward their degree.
Meet with students to discuss topics such as climate, collegial relations, etc. should the need arise.
Refer students proactively to appropriate university resources to provide support (e.g. financial, physical/emotional health, career development).
Academic Issues: Practices that promote students’ academic success include the following:
Advise students on the selection of appropriate course work, thesis/dissertation committee and topic or capstone project, and completion of other benchmarks.
Set clear expectations and goals for students regarding their academic performance and progress toward degree completion.
Discuss policies and expectations for assistantship hours, responsibilities and absences related to university closure, holidays, illness, etc.
Develop an appropriate schedule to meet with students to provide feedback on scholarly activities and progress.
Provide students with oversight, as appropriate, to the discipline in all relevant aspects of research, training and scholarship.
Guide and recommend training, study and other resources to develop or enhance students’ skills and competencies.
Devise effective ways of providing students with guidance and supervision during a prolonged absence should the need arise.
Provide and discuss clear criteria for authorship and acknowledgement of contributions at the beginning of all collaborative projects.
Career Development Issues: Practices that promote the career development of students include the following:
Encourage participation in professional meetings, associations, collaborations and opportunities within and beyond the university. Assist students with identifying resources to fund such activities.
Provide career advice, offer help with interview and application preparation, and write letters of recommendation in a timely manner.
Ensure that students receive assistance with developing the skills needed for a successful career in their field/discipline, including oral and written communication, and grant preparation as appropriate.
Recognize that students will pursue a variety of careers, including those outside of academia and/or their discipline, and assist them in achieving their chosen career goals.
Schedule meetings to discuss topics such as professional development, career objectives, opportunities, etc.
Align assigned responsibilities and activities with students’ academic/professional career development as appropriate.
In each of the following areas, graduate students are expected to act in accordance with the practices below.
Climate Issues: Practices that contribute to a respectful, stimulating, supportive climate include the following:
Demonstrate ethical, professional and courteous behavior toward other students, staff and faculty.
Recognize and respect the diversity within our community consistent with Penn State's overall commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Be proactive about communicating needs, concerns, etc. with faculty and staff, understanding that communication is a two-way endeavor.
Take into consideration, in interactions with faculty and staff, competing constraints on their time.
Inform relevant faculty of potential and/or existing conflicts and work toward their resolution. In the event that a solution cannot be reached, students should seek assistance from graduate program chairs, department heads, college administrators of graduate education or the Graduate School.
Academic Issues: Practices that promote students’ academic success include the following:
Recognize that while faculty and staff are there to assist and guide students, the student bears the primary responsibility for the successful completion of their degree.
Discuss expectations and goals regarding academic performance and progress toward degree completion with advisors, committees and other relevant faculty members.
Maintain the highest ethical standards and academic integrity in all aspects of scholarship, teaching, research and other responsibilities.
Be familiar with program and Graduate School policies governing graduate education and adhere to all program and Graduate School policies and deadlines.
Act proactively to improve research and scholarship skills (e.g. writing, presenting, teaching, etc.).
Career Development Issues: Practices that promote the career development of students include the following:
Take an active role in identifying and pursuing professional development opportunities.
Communicate with faculty members regarding career goals.
Seek mentoring and support/resources beyond faculty adviser (e.g. other faculty members, peers and organizations).
In each of the following areas, representatives of academic departments and graduate programs are expected to act in accordance with the practices below.
Climate Issues: Practices that contribute to a respectful, stimulating, supportive climate include the following:
Maintain an open, inclusive and respectful environment that is free from harassment and discrimination, in accordance with university policies and initiatives.
Recognize and respect the diversity within our community consistent with Penn State's overall commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Refer students proactively to appropriate university resources to address potential issues (e.g. financial, physical/emotional health, career development).
Provide students with contacts and resources for potential conflict resolution (e.g. graduate program chairs, department heads, college administrators of graduate education, the Graduate School, Office of Sexual Misconduct, Prevention and Response, Affirmative Action Office, Office of Ethics and Compliance, Diversity and Inclusion/Multicultural Affairs Office, etc.).
Academic Issues: Practices that promote students’ academic success include the following:
Provide students with up-to-date information that includes policies, practices, degree requirements and resources.
Assist students with selection of their adviser as needed. Monitor and document graduate student progress toward their degrees and professional development, including committee meetings, exam completion and other benchmarks appropriate to their discipline.
Provide and monitor training in academic integrity and the ethical conduct of research.
Provide infrastructure, as appropriate, to allow students to complete their education and research/scholarship in a timely and productive manner.
Establish, communicate and adhere to policies for absences, emergencies and unplanned situations that may disrupt the work of students and/or faculty.
Ensure that university policies related to graduate assistantships (e.g. assistantship hours, responsibilities and absences related to university closure, holidays, illness, etc.) are followed.
Incorporate these guidelines and recommendations in readily accessible departmental policies or handbooks and actively promote their observance.
Career Development Issues: Practices that promote the career development of students include the following:
Encourage participation in professional meetings, associations, collaborations and opportunities within and beyond the university. Assist students with identifying resources to fund such activities.
Ensure that students receive assistance with developing the skills needed for a successful career in their field/discipline, including oral and written communication and grant preparation as appropriate.
Recognize that students will pursue a variety of careers; including those outside of academia and/or their discipline, and assist them in achieving their chosen career goals (e.g. provide and/or refer students to appropriate professional development activities/resources).
Provide students with access to pedagogical training and regular assessment of their teaching and other assistantship activities.
Partner with students and their advisers to align assigned responsibilities and activities with students’ academic/professional career development goals as appropriate.
In each of the following areas, representatives of the Graduate School are expected to act in accordance with the practices below.
Climate Issues: Practices that contribute to a respectful, stimulating, supportive climate include the following:
Maintain an open, inclusive and respectful environment that is free from harassment and discrimination, in accordance with university policies and initiatives.
Recognize and respect the diversity within our community consistent with Penn State's overall commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Collaborate with academic programs, university offices/committees and student organizations to address issues and concerns related to the well-being of graduate students.
Refer students proactively to appropriate university resources to address potential issues (e.g. financial, physical/emotional health, career development).
Provide students with contacts and resources for potential conflict resolution (e.g. graduate program chairs, department heads, college administrators of graduate education, the Graduate School, Office of Sexual Misconduct, Prevention and Response, Affirmative Action Office, Office of Ethics and Compliance, Diversity and Inclusion/Multicultural Affairs Office, etc.).
Academic Issues: Practices that promote students’ academic success include the following:
Provide students, faculty and staff with up-to-date information regarding graduate education that includes policies, practices, degree requirements and resources.
Monitor and document graduate student progress towards their degrees and professional development, including exam completions and other formal benchmarks.
Provide resources to support the development or enhancement of students’ skills and competencies.
Career Development Issues: Practices that promote the career development of students include the following:
Provide and/or refer students to a broad range of professional development activities/resources to prepare them for careers upon degree completion.
Connect students with the Graduate School alumni network to facilitate the establishment of mentoring relationships and career development opportunities.
Approved by Graduate Council, Feb. 14, 2018