Doctor of Philosophy
Meet Mehrdad Kashefi, PhD candidate in Neuroscience
Describe your research.
I study motor neuroscience - how the brain controls movement of the body.
Do you serve on any university committees?
Yes, I serve as the chair for the Big Idea Committee within the Society of Neuroscience Graduate Students (SONGS). This committee functions much like a club, where we hold weekly meetings to discuss the philosophy of science and explore its connection to our research.
Have you worked as a teaching assistant?
Yes, I have TA-ed two courses. It helps you communicate better. Also, teaching something deepens your understanding of the topic.
What’s the best advice you could give to someone considering applying to your graduate program?
Find a question that genuinely sparks your curiosity and dedicate yourself to answering it with passion and diligence. Don't fear making mistakes—everyone does. Instead, embrace them and learn from them quickly. Prioritize both your physical and mental well-being, as they are essential to your success. Remember, the ultimate goal is to live a fulfilling, happy life, and earning a graduate degree is just one step along that journey.
Degree Requirements - PhD in Neuroscience
Course requirements
- Principles of Neuroscience (Neuroscience 9500): students will be required to enroll in this course at the beginning of their full-time enrolment
- Perspectives in Neuroscience Seminar Series: students will be required to complete this milestone in each academic year of their full-time enrollment
- Neuroscience 9601 - Grant Writing Course
- Additional courses as required by the student's Advisory Committee to prepare the student for the comprehensive examination and/or to provide background for the student's particular area of research.
- Our graduate program is highly interdisciplinary and students enter with a variety of academic backgrounds. Some students admitted to the program will be required to enroll in Neuroscience 9000: Fundamentals of Neuroscience. The course better prepares new graduate students in Neuroscience that may lack training in the biological sciences and hence lack a fundamental knowledge of the language of neuroscience. This course combines graduate level skills training with learning about fundamentals in Neuroscience, with an emphasis on sensory systems and cellular/molecular Neuroscience. Enrollment in this course will better prepare students for the required Neuroscience 9500 A/B course. It will not count towards the required credits for degree completion. In consultation with potential supervisors, applicants identified by the Program Committee to require this course are notified through their admission offer letter.
Comprehensive Assessment
The purpose of the comprehensive assessment is to emphasize and gauge the development of skills needed to succeed as a PhD student. Students will be assessed on their depth and breadth of knowledge within their domain of study, their ability to think critically and evaluate relevant literature, understand key concepts and methods in their domain of study, and express scientific thoughts in a written and verbal manner.
Complete details regarding the comprehensive assessment process can be found by clicking here
Preparation of Thesis
Submitting your ETD is a quick and simple process. After your thesis supervisor has approved your thesis, follow the instructions on the SGPS website for submitting your ETD documents to Scholarship@Western.
Once your examination is successful it is time for you to update your original work and resubmit the revised thesis to Scholarship@Western. Please note that revisions and final thesis submission are due 6 weeks after a successful thesis examination. Detailed instructions on submitting your final thesis are located on the SGPS website.
Residency Requirement
The median duration of the
Own Your Future is the first curriculum-based professional development program in Canada, and is designed to complement doctoral students academic studies by preparing them for their future careers. The program supports development of six core competencies, all of which are essential to current and emerging careers for doctoral graduates.
Through Own Your Future, doctoral students will develop insight into their current skill set, focus their ongoing development on personally relevant outcomes, and learn to articulate and apply their strengths and abilities to their career goals. The program empowers students to take charge of their future by providing opportunities to develop the skills most relevant to their personal career aspirations.
