Courses and individual undertakings

Courses

Description of all PhD courses given by the department on our external website

Courses compulsory for students admitted before 2021 

• Graduate studies in biology: the science and its philosophy (1.5 credits)
• Evolutionary processes (2 credits)
• Faculty-wide introductory course for doctoral students (0.5 credits, on the faculty’s internal website)
• Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - Theory and Practice (4.5 credits, on the faculty’s internal website)

If the doctoral student works with laboratory animals, Training in Laboratory Animal Science (on Lund University's Staff Pages) is compulsory.

Courses compulsory for students admitted from 2021

• Graduate studies in biology: the science and its philosophy (1.5 credits)
• Evolutionary processes (2 credits)
• Research ethics (3 credits, in the faculty’s internal webpage)
• Course on teaching in higher education, or corresponding course that meets the general outcome of supporting the learning of others (3 credits), for instance, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - Theory and Practice (4.5 credits, on the faculty’s internal webpage)

If the doctoral student works with laboratory animals, the course Animal Ethics is compulsory.

Other PhD courses at the department

Besides the compulsory courses the department also arrange these courses:

• Statistics for biologists (7.5 credits)
• Microscopy – bioimaging (7.5 credits)
• Electron Microscopy for life scientists (4.5 credits) 
• Sensory ecology (6 credits)

Other PhD courses at Lund University

• Courses offered by the Faculty of Science (external website)
• Courses offered by the graduate research school Geneco (external website)
• Courses offered by the graduate research school ClimBEco (on Centre for Environmental and Climate Science's website)
• Courses offered by the Life Science Courses Platform (on Department of Chemistry's website)
• Courses offered by the Faculty of Medicine (external website)
• Courses offered by the Faculty of Engineering (external website)

Individual undertakings

Components referred to as individual undertakings within the PhD studies complement the mandatory and other courses. Undertakings with a defined scope are the compulsory mid-term review and active participation in conferences, with oral or poster presentation. Individual undertakings can also be literature courses or other examined activities. The scope and content of the individual undertakings are determined, and in most cases examined, by the departmental representative. As a guideline, one week’s full-time study corresponds to 1.5 credits.

Active participation in conferences

To actively participate in international conferences, symposia and workshops is an essential part of the PhD education. Such participation gives 1.5/3 credits (see the general syllabus you are admitted to). For PhD students admitted from 2021, active participation in at least one international conference is compulsory. 

For conference participation to be examined and giving credits, the PhD student should:

• have presented his/her own research in an oral presentation or a poster presentation
• have participated in all relevant components of the conference (oral sessions, poster sessions and other activities)
• make a written or oral reflection around the most important new learning and insights, for instance, if the view of the research area and the student's research has changed
• make a written or oral reflection of the presentation the student gave, any response received, and the research communication in a wider sense during the conference
• give a written or oral account of new relevant research environments identified, acquaintances made or contacts established
• to present the same poster or to give the same oral presentation at another conference does not generate additional credits

Studies for broadening within the research area

As part of the PhD studies, different activities are organised for groups of PhD students with the purpose to broaden and give depth to the research area. These activities can vary, but they have in common the overarching goal and requirements of organisation and examination, as described below. For PhD students admitted from 2021, 5 credits within this category are compulsory. The departmental representative can give information about which relevant activities exist for a given PhD student.

Outcome of the studies

The studies should promote a broader and deeper understanding of the research area to which the thesis work belongs. The PhD student should be able to put the thesis work into a bigger context and should have a more thorough understanding of the theories and methodology which characterize the research area. For each activity, more specific outcomes should be defined.

Organisation and form of the studies

The studies should be teacher lead. The studies can be organised through seminars around books and other literature, lectures, excursions, exercises, or a combination of these. The studies should be activating and if it takes place in a group of students, which is preferable, the individual efforts should be possible to separate. Written tasks or oral student presentations may be included.

Examination of the activities

Active participation, and that any oral or written assignments are approved, is required for credits to be awarded. A closing reflection in relation to the defined outcomes, with an oral or written presentation, should be part of the examination.