Current Students
PhD Financial Support
The Behavioral Neuroscience PhD program seeks to attract doctoral students who show exceptional promise in research and scholarship. The admission process is highly competitive. All successful applicants are guaranteed at least five years of support, which includes an annual stipend of at least $30,000/year as well as full coverage of tuition, lab fees, and health insurance.
![The statue of Vulcan overlooking the Birmingham skyline.](/cas/psychology/images/images/misc./Vulcan.jpg)
Students are supported through a variety of funding mechanisms, including:
- Research assistantships, typically funded by the research mentor’s grants.
- Training grants obtained by groups of researchers who obtain funds specifically to support student training.
- Individual training grants for which you can apply with the assistance of your mentor. These grants are available from federal agencies and private foundations.
- Fellowships designed to increase diversity in science, academia, and the professions.
- Teaching assistantships that can involve both assisting faculty in teaching classes and teaching undergraduate courses under faculty supervision.
Graduate Student Scholarship
The Department of Psychology encourages its PhD students to attend scientific conferences to present their research and learn about recent developments in their respective fields of study. It supports this activity through tuition and research scholarships of up to $750. Students who are the first author of a poster or presentation are eligible to apply for a $750 scholarship, and students who are co-authors can apply for up to $300. Scholarships are limited to one award for the academic year (Fall, Spring, and the subsequent Summer term). Scholarship requests for non-presenters or other training will be considered on a case-by-case basis but require justification from the program director.
Behavioral Neuroscience PhD
![Collage of students in Behavioral Neuroscience program](/cas/psychology/images/images/academics/graduate/Behavioral-Collage.jpg)
Behavioral Neuroscience emphasizes the neural underpinnings of behavior. The mission of the Behavioral Neuroscience PhD program is to produce outstanding scientists capable of pursuing successful behavioral and cognitive neuroscience research and teaching careers by emphasizing a firm academic program and interdisciplinary research, all under the guidance of UAB's expert faculty.
Entering graduate students will receive a competitive five-year package that includes a 12-month $30,000 stipend, tuition, and health insurance.
Interdisciplinary Research and Training
Our students conduct research and training under the supervision of any faculty member within any department at UAB who has research interests that fall within the area of behavioral, cognitive, affective, and clinical neuroscience. Training and mentorship are provided by faculty in many departments, such as:
- Anesthesiology
- Neurobiology
- Neurology
- Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology
- Ophthalmology
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Biology
- Psychology
This system gives students an advantage because it enables them not only to obtain faculty positions in psychology, but also in many other neuroscience-related departments within university settings, medical schools, research institutions, and private industry.
Learn more about research in the Department of Psychology.
Expert Faculty
Several of the faculty members in this program are recognized as experts in their areas of research. Grants to faculty from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation provide a fertile environment for developing our students’ research careers.
Questions?
Please explore our website to see what the Behavioral Neuroscience PhD program has to offer. If you have specific questions, contact the director or the graduate programs manager.
![Dr. David Knight.](/cas/psychology/images/images/people/faculty/David-Knight.jpg)
David Knight
Professor
Director, Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Program
Email:
![Terri Roberson](/cas/psychology/images/images/people/staff/Terri-Roberson.jpg)
Terri M. Roberson
Graduate Programs Manager
Phone: (205) 934-8723
Email: