Quick Program Facts
Degree Programs: PhD, MS
Application Deadlines: December 1
Recommended criteria for applying to the graduate program:
- baccalaureate degree from an accredited university with a GPA of 3.40 or higher on a 4.00 scale;
- completed coursework with a grade of B+ or better in general chemistry, general biology and two courses of physiology or combined anatomy and physiology; and
- international students who have not received a degree from a university in a country whose official language is English must have a TOEFL score of 575 (paper test) or 90 (Internet-based test) or an IELTS overall band score of 7.0.
Our department offers a graduate program in human physiology with an emphasis on research leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. The primary goal is to provide classroom and research experiences that will allow students to grow into professionals with the knowledge and experience to be great researchers. Providing students with an in-depth understanding of human physiology and advanced research skills is our hallmark. The program also provides students the opportunity to grow as university-level educators. This is an individualized program with a strong emphasis on research. Decisions on accepting applicants to the graduate program are made by the faculty based on space within laboratories and financial support available, both of which vary from year to year.
The following are required classes:
- Professional Skills I-III
- Effective Teaching, Responsible Research, and Career Development
- System Physiology I-III
- Students must complete at least one upper division human physiology class. Current options include:
- Signal Transduction,
- Advanced Respiratory Physiology,
- Human Cardiovascular Control,
- Kinematics of Human Movement, or
- Kinetics of Human Movement.
- Students must complete two courses in statistical analysis covering the following topics:
- descriptive statistics,
- hypothesis testing,
- elementary inferential statistics, or
- confidence intervals.
Once students have passed the comprehensive exam, they may take dissertation credits
University of Oregon Human Physiology Research Labs include:
- Action Control – Greenhouse,
- Aging and Vascular Physiology – Walker,
- Cardiopulmonary & Respiratory Physiology – Lovering,
- Developmental Behavioral Neuroscience – Sullivan,
- Exercise & Environmental Physiology – Halliwill,
- Human Cardiovascular Control – Minson,
- Molecular Metabolism and Endocrinology Lab – McCurdy,
- Motor Neuroscience of Health and Disease – Swann,
- Motor Skill Lab – Marneweck,
- Muscle Cellular Biology – Callahan,
- Muscle Physiology – Dreyer,
- Neuromechanics – Hahn,
- Orthopedic Biomechanics – Karduna,
- Respiratory Neurophysiology and Plasticity – Huxtable, and
- Regenerative Medicine – Guldberg (Knight Campus).
2020–21 Graduate Cost of Attendance
| Residents | Nonresidents | |
| Tuition and Fees* | $18,120 | $30,567 |
| On- or Off-Campus Housing | $12,696 | $12,696 |
| Monthly costs: housing and food | $1,411 | $1,411 |
| Books and supplies | $1,158 | $1,158 |
| Personal Expenses | $2,196 | $2,196 |
| Transportation | $372 | $1,308 |
| Estimated Total | $34,542 | $47,925 |
*Based on full-time enrollment (9-16 credits per term).
As part of the admission process, doctoral students are eligible for graduate employee contracts, which provides a tuition waiver, insurance, a monthly salary and a waiver of most fees. More details can be found at: https://gradschool.uoregon.edu/funding/ge.
The University of Oregon is affiliated with the following prestigious research centers:
Program Contact:
Andy Karduna , PhD, karduna@uoregon.edu