MA in Anatomy & Neurobiology—Vesalius Program
The MA in Anatomy & Neurobiology—Vesalius Program leads to a two-year Master of Arts degree that includes the Vesalius Certificate. It comprises three main components:
- Graduate courses in biomedical sciences
- Advanced teaching courses coupled with a one-on-one mentored teaching experience
- Primary biomedical research
The first year is devoted to establishing an advanced understanding of the biomedical sciences and neurosciences. Students take Medical Gross Anatomy, Medical Neurosciences and/or Medical Histology alongside first-year medical and graduate students. In the second semester of the first year, students take Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences and Educational Neuroscience, special graduate courses designed to expose the student to the theory and practice of education and the neurobiology of education. In the second year, students will put theory into practice. The environment of the medical school classroom that the students experienced firsthand in their initial year will serve as the platform on which they will apply the techniques and principles to become effective educators. They will work closely with faculty to refine their teaching techniques in small groups and large lectures. The second year will also be spent conducting a research project. This work, mentored by a faculty member, will teach the student how to perform primary biomedical research and culminates in an independent research thesis.
Required Courses
- GMS AN 704, GMS MS 700 Experimental Design and Statistical Method/Elementary Biostatistics (2 cr)
- GMS AN 801/802 Journal Club (2 cr)
- GMS AN 715 Professional Skills for Students in the Biomedical Sciences (2 cr)
- GMS AN 720 Introduction to the Neurobiology of Education (2 cr)
- GMS AN 806 Teaching in the Biomedical Sciences (2 cr)
- GMS AN 804 Vesalius Structured Practicum (2 cr)
- GMS AN 805 Vesalius Mentored Practicum (var cr)
Elective Courses
The student may take courses offered by the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and/or courses offered by other departments on the Medical Campus to fulfill this requirement. If it is deemed that an equivalent and appropriate course has been successfully completed in the preceding three years, the student may petition the Graduate Education Committee to be exempt from the course. If the petition is approved, then the course may be substituted for another course. Requests to substitute a course must be submitted in writing to the Graduate Education Committee before the time of registration.
