Courses and individual undertakings
Courses and individual undertakings corresponding to 60 credits should complement the research project (180 credits) in educating and examinating towards the outcomes for a doctoral degree as stated in the higher education ordinance. Some courses and undertakings are compulsory for students enrolled in the Biology programme, while others are elective and decided by the supervisory committee and listed in the individual study plan.
Courses for doctoral students
Compulsory courses
- Graduate studies in biology: the science and its philosophy (1.5 credits, on our external website)
- Evolutionary processes (2 credits, on our external website)
- 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.
- Graduate studies in biology: the science and its philosophy (1.5 credits on our external website)
- Evolutionary processes (2 credits on our external website)
- Research ethics (3 credits, in the faculty’s internal webpage)
- Faculty-wide introductory course for doctoral students (0.5 credits, on the faculty’s internal website)
- 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), a shorter version of the same course (3 credits, or the course Teaching and learning in higher education run by the Division for higher education development (3 credits, online). Courses on teaching in higher education 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.
Autumn semester | Spring semester |
---|---|
Evolutionary processes oktober 2022 | Graduate studies in biology: the science and its philosophy 2022-03-14 – 2022-03-18 |
Research ethics occasions | Research ethics 2022-03-07 – 2022-03-18 2022-05-09 – 2022-05-20 |
Faculty introductory course 1 occasion | Faculty-wide introductory course 2022-04-07 |
Learning and teaching in higher education – theory and practice 4.5 credits, and the shorter version of 3 credits, are usually run once per semester by the Faculty Teaching and learning in higher education – online, 3 credits is usually run once per semester by Division for higher education development |
Learning and teaching in higher education – theory and practice 4.5 credits, and the shorter version of 3 credits, are usually run once per semester by the Faculty Teaching and learning in higher education – online, 3 credits is usually run once per semester by Division for higher education development |
Non-compulsory courses
Besides the compulsory courses the department also arranges these courses:
- Electron Microscopy for life scientists (4.5 credits)
- Microscopy – bioimaging (7.5 credits)
- Sensory ecology (6 credits)
- Statistics for biologists (7.5 credits)
- 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 presentations. 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.
To actively participate in international conferences, symposia and workshops is an essential part of the PhD education. Such participation in a weeklong conference gives 1.5/3 credits (see the general syllabus you are admitted to). Active participation in BLAM gives 1.5 credits. 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. The intention is that this should provide a flexible way to meet the needs for acquiring knowledge of doctoral students in different environments. 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, but initiatives from doctoral students and supervisors are also welcome.
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.
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.
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.
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 – biology.lu.se.