Program Structure

Core Requirements and Program Curriculum

The Master’s Degree requires completion of 45 units and submission of a Master’s thesis;  36 of 45 units must be 200 level or above. The required core courses are listed below.

In order to fulfill the remaining unit requirement, students will enroll in additional COMPMED 399 Laboratory Research units each quarter to receive credit for lab work. If relevant to career goals, students may also enroll in elective courses that are deemed necessary or appropriate by their PI.

"The Stanford MLAS program was a great experience... it was very helpful to have practiced preparing a project proposal during my master's."
-- Nicole Yost, BS, MS

Faculty Advisors

Upon acceptance into the program, students will identify a PI/thesis advisor prior to arriving to Stanford. You will prepare your thesis proposal and final academic plan during the Autumn quarter. Students are encouraged to review the faculty list to identify potential research project advisors.

For more information please contact us at compmed-mlas-info@stanford.edu.

Featured Faculty Advisor

Accepting Students for Autumn 2024 - 2025

Karen J. Parker, PhD

Dr. Parker is Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences with a courtesy appointment in Comparative Medicine. She also leads Psychiatry’s Major Laboratories Steering Committee. Dr. Parker received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan. She completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University and joined the Stanford faculty thereafter.

The principal goal of the Parker Lab Social Neurosciences Research Program is to better understand the biological underpinnings of social functioning using an integrative, translational approach. The lab is particularly interested in investigating the roles of oxytocin and arginine vasopressin in animal and human social behavior and whether these neuropeptide signaling pathways are robust biomarkers of, and treatment targets for, social impairments in clinical populations, with a core focus on autism spectrum disorder.