The doctoral program "Systems Neuroscience" is a member of the Göttingen Graduate School for Neurosciences and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB). The graduate school offers a joint modular training program to which the twelve doctoral programs of GGNB contribute and that is open to all GGNB students. In addition to a lecture and seminar program, training consists of (1) individual counselling by thesis committees, (2) intensive methods courses of 1-3 weeks in special training labs, (3) 2-3-day methods courses in the laboratories of the participating faculty, (4) professional skills courses such as scientific writing, presentation skills, intercultural communication, project management, team-leadership skills, conflict resolution, ethics, and career development, and (5) student-organized scientific meetings, industry excursions, and intercultural events. Students are able to tailor their individual curriculum by choosing from a large number of courses and events.

The training program provides solid basic knowledge of the main topics in systems neuroscience. Students have the opportunity to present and discuss their work outside their laboratory, to interact with senior scientists and to design and organize small, thematically focussed symposia.

The program offers seminars and methods courses (e.g. Methods of Behavioral Neuroscience, Human Psychophysics, Functional brain imaging techniques) and lecture series (Current Topics in Systems Neuroscience, Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience and Systems Neuroscience: From Vision to Action). Several mini-symposia per year deal with central scientific topics and methodological approaches in systems neuroscience.

Experimental research constitutes the major component of the doctoral studies and is conducted in the laboratory of a faculty member of the doctoral program. Doctoral research projects are complemented by a school-wide training program, offered to all GGNB students, who are members of a vibrant international research community. The language of the doctoral program is English.