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Postgraduate studies

These pages provide doctoral students, supervisors and departmental representatives with information on PhD studies at the Department of Biology.

Information that is general to all PhD studies at the Faculty of Science, for example concerning the public defence of doctoral theses and degrees, is found on the faculty’s internal web pages about postgraduate studies.

Nameplates on a table.

The general framework for the PhD education is defined by the general syllabus in biology. An individual study plan is also drawn up and approved, specifying the content, planning and resources for the individual student’s study programme. In conjunction with the admission of a new doctoral student to the department, a supervisory committee is appointed. Once per semester, at a doctoral student progress meeting, the student and the supervisory committee meet to discuss the progress of the doctoral student’s education in relation to the plan, and what the next plans are for the project. The individual study plan is revised in connection with the meeting.

The Faculty of Science's web page about general syllabi and individual study plans

Doctoral thesis, courses and other credit-earning components

For a doctoral degree in biology, the doctoral student is to write an academic thesis based on their own research (180 credits) and in compliance with the general syllabus, complete courses and other credit-earning components corresponding to 60 credits. The programme includes a number of compulsory courses, which are specified in the general syllabus. There are many other courses available, both at the department and beyond.

The mid-term review, which consists of a mid-term report and a mid-term seminar, is also a compulsory credit-earning component of postgraduate studies.

Other credit-earning components include active participation in academic conferences or teacher-led literature courses.

Public defence of a doctoral thesis

Towards the end of their doctoral programme, doctoral students are to publicly defend their thesis in the presence of a faculty opponent and an examination committee. If the public defence of the thesis is approved by the examination committee and all other formal requirements are met, the doctoral student is awarded a doctoral degree and can take part in the degree conferment ceremony. The doctoral degree conferment ceremony is held every year at the end of May in Lund Cathedral.

About the doctoral degree conferment ceremony on Lund University's central website

Directors of Postgraduate Studies

Emma Kritzberg
Professor
Aquatic Ecology

Telephone: +46 46 222 40 79
E-mail: Emma [dot] Kritzberg [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se

Klas Flärdh
Professor
Molecular Cell Biology

Telephone: +46 46 222 85 84
E-mail: Klas [dot] Flardh [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se

Biology Doctoral Students Council

BDR – Biology Doctoral Students Council

Graduate School

Geneco graduate school on our external website.