Physiology, Master of Science (M.S.)
Logothetis, Diomedes
Professor and Chair
delogothetis@vcu.edu
(804) 828-5878
Meliagros, Christina
Graduate Program Contact
cimeliagros@vcu.edu
(804) 628-5506
Web:
www.vcu.edu/physio/
Admission requirements summary
Physiology, Master of Science (M.S.)
| |||
| Degree: M.S. |
Semester(s) of entry: Fall preferred |
Deadline dates: None. Generally applications accepted through June for admission the following fall. |
Test requirements: GRE, MCAT or DAT |
| Special requirements: MCAT or DAT acceptable in lieu of GRE for combined professional/academic degree programs. Students admitted through the certificate program only. | |||
The department offers courses of study leading to two graduate degrees in physiology, the Master of Science (M.S.) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). A combined M.D./Ph.D. degree program also is available through this department and the School of Medicine. It is generally recommended that students intending to pursue careers as professional physiologists should attempt to earn the Ph.D. Work done in partial or complete fulfillment of the requirements for the master’s degree may be applied toward the Ph.D. provided that it is of adequate quality.
Graduate education in physiology is a highly individualized enterprise, of which the formal course requirements comprise only a portion. The degree program described here provides an opportunity for apprenticeship in research and, through this, the development of a capacity for scholarship. The essence of this type of education lies in the development of a close relationship between the student and the faculty adviser. The adviser and the student, jointly and with the approval of the department chair and the associate dean of medicine for graduate education, select the student's graduate advisory committee.
The Master of Science includes a year of course work and a second year largely devoted to completion of an independent research project, writing a thesis based on this work and a successful oral defense of this thesis and completed course work.
Curriculum
Typical course plan for the full-time student
| Credits | |
| Fall 1 | |
| BIOC/MICR 503 Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| PHIS 501 Mammalian Physiology (section 001) | 5 |
| PHIS 690 Physiology Research Seminar (section 901: departmental) | 1 |
| Elective – suggestions include: ANAT 611 Histology (5) BIOS/STAT 543 Statistical Methods I (3) MICR 505 Immunobiology (3) PHTX 548 Drug Dependence (3) |
variable |
| Spring 1 | |
| BIOC/MICR 504 Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| PHIS 690 Physiology Research Seminar (section 901: departmental) | 1 |
| Elective – suggestions include: ANAT 610 Systems Neuroscience (4) PHIS 512 ECG and Mechanism of Disease (3) PHIS 691 Special Topics (cardiac auscultation and hemodynamics) (2) PHIS 697 Directed Research in Physiology PHTX 535 Introduction to Toxicology (4) PHTX 536 Principles of Pharmacology and Toxicology (5) PHTX 691 Special Topics in Pharmacology (neuroimmunology) (3) PHTX 691 Special Topics in Pharmacology (psychobioneuroimmunology) (3) |
variable |
| Fall 2 | |
| OVPR 601 Scientific Integrity | 1 |
| PHIS 604 Cell Physiology: From Molecules to Organisms (section 001) | 4 |
| PHIS 690 Physiology Research Seminar (section 901: departmental) | 1 |
| PHIS 691 Special Topics in Physiology (section 501: seminar for PHIS 501) | 1 |
| PHIS 695 Research in Progress (section 001: data club) | 0.5 |
| PHIS 697 Directed Research in Physiology | variable |
| Spring 2 | |
| PHIS 604 Cell Physiology: From Molecules to Organisms (section 001) | 4 |
| PHIS 690 Physiology Research Seminar (section 901: departmental) | 1 |
| PHIS 692 Special Topics (section 606: seminar for PHIS 606) | 1 |
| PHIS 697 Directed Research in Physiology | variable |
Note: A graduate student enrolled for nine to 15 credits during any semester is classified as full-time. Tuition and fees are charged at a flat rate.
A graduate student enrolled for more than 15 credits during any semester will be charged an overload tuition fee. This fee is charged on a per-credit-hour basis above the full-time tuition rate. See Student Accounting’s website for additional information on graduate tuition.
For additional information see the departmental Web site at www.vcu.edu/physio.