Admission Requirements

NOTE: The Master of Science in Neuroscience is for those currently holding an MD degree and completing a Psychiatry residency program at UIC. These master’s candidates will be supported from an NIMH Training Grant that is already in place at UIC that represents a specific initiative by the NIH to support the training of physician/scientists. No other candidates for the Master of Science degree will be considered.

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Degree Requirements Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from a nationally accredited program.
• Grade Point Average Successful completion of a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program from a nationally accredited program and admission to the Psychiatry Residency Program.
• Tests Required Successful completion of USMLE Steps 1 and 2.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Test); 60, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Writing 21 (revised Paper-Delivered Test), OR,
  • IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required, preferably from instructors and advisors who are familiar with the applicant’s recent work.
• Personal Statement A one-to three-page statement of the applicant’s professional goals, including the justification for pursuing a career in neurosciences, is required.
• Deadlines Application deadlines for this program are listed on the Graduate College website.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Three areas of concentration are available for study. These concentrations are:
  • Neural Signal Transduction and Molecular Biology
  • Systems and Integrative Neuroscience
  • Human/Therapeutic Neuroscience and Methods of Neural Imaging
• Minimum Semester Hours Required 32 beyond the baccalaureate.
• Course Work

• Comprehensive Examination None.
• Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options A master’s thesis is required.
• Other Requirements Each student must present at least one seminar prior to graduation.