Program
The Department of Physiology and Biophysics offers a graduate program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The program consists of a curriculum of required and elective courses, seminars, and research on the functions, regulation, and interrelationships of physiological systems. Courses are designed to develop abroad and profound knowledge of all major areas of physiology, stimulate independent research, and to enable the student to interpret and evaluate issues and problems at the frontiers of knowledge. The major areas of research are cardiovascular physiology, pulmonary physiology, renal physiology, neurophysiology, endocrinology and cell metabolism, and membrane biophysics. The program requires a minimum of three years for completion of the degree.
General Admission
Students applying to the Department of Physiology must obtain an application for admission from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The application should include a nonrefundable application fee of $25 payable to Howard University only by a certified check or money order. Deadlines are February 1 for the fall semester, November 1 for the spring semester. Students are required to submit recent Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test Scores as a part of their application.
Special Admission Requirements
New students are admitted to the program only in the fall semester. The minimum requirements for admission are a baccalaureate degree with 2 semesters of mathematics, 2 semesters of organic chemistry, 3 semesters of biology, and 2 semesters of physics. Applicants are required to have at least a B average in these sciences.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree, and develop an acceptable dissertation. There is no foreign language requirement. Before graduation, the student is required to have published one research paper in a scientific journal.
Other Requirements
Students are required to pass the Proficiency Examination in Expository Writing. Consult the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for examination dates.
Career Opportunities
Graduates pursue careers in higher education as researchers and teachers. Others are employed in industry or in medical settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and other health services related environments.
The Department of Physiology and Biophysics and the College of Medicine are committed to academic excellence and quality of opportunity for students regardless of their background. The department intends that its graduates be fully competitive in their field. Research opportunities in the College of Medicine are rapidly expanding, and this situation creates a stimulating environment for potential investigators.
Financial Aid
Howard University's financial aid program for graduate students provides assistance in the form of scholarships, fellowships, research and teaching assistantships, loans, grants and work-study assignments. Students who need financial assistance may apply for aid from the University and federally supported programs administered by the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment. They also are encouraged to seek financial assistance from outside public and private sources.
The Graduate School offers many types of financial aid in the form of tuition scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, and loans.
General information about Howard University's Graduate Program (admission process, dead lines, rules and regulations, etc.) can be found at http://www.gs.howard.edu
For more information, contact:
The Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Physiology and Biophysics
College of Medicine
Howard University
520 W Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059
(202) 806-6330
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