STRUCTURE

The 5-year MSc/PhD track consists of a study phase and a research phase. Graduation from the study phase via an MSc qualifies students to enter the research phase.

 

STUDY PHASE (MSc)

During the first two years, students (who should have been awarded a Bachelor's degree by September of the desired starting year) follow the curriculum of one of the three Graduate Schools that are bundled under the roof of the Graduate Training Centre.

•    Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences (NB)
•    Graduate School of Neural Information Processing (NIP)
•    Graduate School of Graduate School of Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience (CM)

The curriculum of each Graduate School consists of a broad and research-oriented training in neuroscience. Through our interdisciplinary research network, the GTC provides students an extraordinary and stimulating research and study environment.

Semesters 1 + 2: theoretical part of the master´s training (lectures, tutorials, seminars, block practicals)
Semester 3 + 4: practical part (laboratory/essay rotations and master´s thesis)

All courses are held in English. Courses start annually in October in the winter semester.

 

RESEARCH PHASE (PhD)

After the qualification for the master´s degree, students will enter the PhD phase in one of the participating institutes, supervised by at least two IMPRS faculty member.  

Potential research topics cover a variety of fields in systems neuroscience, cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, computational neuroscience, translational and clinical neuroscience as well as cellular and molecular neuroscience.

The ‘Advisory Board’, consisting of your supervisor and two additional members,  supports the student in academic matters, guides through the research activities and tracks the student’s progress. IMPRS doctoral students are obliged to have annual meetings with their Advisory Board. Brief progress reports about the meetings become part of the student’s file; they form the basis of extending the student’s membership of the IMPRS.

The German doctoral degree "Doctor of Natural Sciences" (Dr. rer. nat.) that will be awarded is considered to be equivalent to the international academic degree "Doctor of Philosophy" (PhD).