The Master’s degree in Neuroscience is a full-time in-person program consisting of nine months of intensive coursework followed by 12 months of laboratory research in one of the world-class neuroscience laboratories at Johns Hopkins University. Both the coursework and the research opportunities will encompass the gamut of contemporary neuroscience including molecular/cellular approaches, development, circuit function and neurobiology of disease, as well as systems, cognitive and computational neuroscience.

Graduates of our program will be well-prepared for research-oriented jobs in pharma, biotechnology, academia, or government or for application to programs conferring advanced degrees such as M.D., Ph.D., D.V.M., or Pharm.D. Graduates of the master’s program can apply to continue in the doctoral program in neuroscience at Johns Hopkins with credit given for courses taken.

The inaugural class will matriculate in late August 2026.

Curriculum

The master’s program consists of 9 months (2 semesters) of intensive coursework followed by a 12-month research period in a single neuroscience laboratory. Your research period will conclude with a master’s thesis based upon your laboratory experience. There is no final oral exam for the master’s degree.

Eligibility

A bachelor’s degree from a qualified college or university is required. Recommended courses include biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and calculus. Cell biology and biochemistry are recommended. We do not require GRE scores but will consider them if submitted.

The application portal for the master’s program opens on December 15, 2025. For full consideration, the deadline for completed applications, including letters of recommendation and official transcripts, is March 15, with an extended deadline of May 15.

For full information on curriculum, application, tuition, and other updates, please visit the Department of Neuroscience website.

Please direct all requests to the Department of Neuroscience, not the Undergraduate Program.