Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Human Physiology

Opportunity. On any criteria you can name, the educational experience you’ll find as a graduate student at BU College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College comes down to an outstanding—and rare—opportunity.

Consider our faculty, for example. In the Human Physiology program, you’ll have the chance to work with and be mentored by leading educators and researchers in their fields; many hold joint appointments with the BU School of Medicine and the Colleges of Arts & Sciences and Engineering. They approach their research questions from multiple perspectives, too: from molecules to cells to circuits to behavior.

Research opportunities? Because Boston University is a major research hub, you’ll be surrounded by an exceptional quantity, quality and variety of cutting-edge research—much of it interdisciplinary. Sargent College alone receives more than $10 million in outside funding and is among the most highly funded colleges at BU. You can collaborate on your choice of specialized research projects that range from regulating skeletal muscle gene expression to the organization of the frontal cortex.

You’ll also have access to research tools that make groundbreaking projects possible. To name just a few: transgenic mice, DNA microarrays, MRIs and sophisticated neuroanatomical injections to visualize individual neurons.

Beyond the University, there is Boston itself. Through the city’s many academic and research institutions, you’ll find even more intellectual and educational opportunities.

Finally, keep your career opportunities in mind. With this doctoral degree from Sargent College, you’ll be well prepared for a career in research, education or clinical work at a prestigious institution or innovative company. The list of program graduates on this page is filled with excellent examples of doors that open to our graduates.

To learn more about the requirements and policies of the program, download our Graduate Program Manual.