PhD students can tailor coursework to their needs within the flexible curriculum of the PhD program. The 18 ECTS required for program completion should be selected as follows:
| Module A: Core skills (compulsory) | ECTS | Format | Semester | required ECTS |
| 1) Research Integrity 2.01 | 0 | online | continuous | 6 |
| 2) Starter Kit for a Successful PhD1 | 1 | on-site | spring | |
| 3) Challenges in Environmental Sciences | 2 | on-site | spring | |
| 4) Data Analysis Clinic | 1 | on-site & online | fall | |
| 5) Advanced Scientific Writing in Natural Sciences | 1 | on-site | fall | |
| 6) Talk or poster at DUW-Symposium or PhD retreat | 1 | on-site |
1We strongly recommend to take these two courses during the first year of the PhD.
| Module B: Research skills (elective) | ECTS | Format | Semester | required ECTS |
| Cross-disciplinary method skills2 | min 4 | |||
| 1) First Steps with Python | 1 | on-site | spring | |
| 2) From Two to Many: Multivariate Statistics | 1 | on-site | spring | |
| 3) Data Visualization with R | 1 | on-site | spring | |
| 4) From Significance Testing to Estimation: Concepts and Practice of Modern Statistics | 1 | on-site | spring | |
| 5) Introduction to Machine Learning with Python for Biology and Environmental Sciences | 1 | on-site | fall | |
| 6) Spatial data: A GIS introduction to know just where you are | 1 | on-site | fall | |
| Discipline-specific courses2,3 | ||||
| 1) Recent and Classic Research in Environmental Sciences | 2 | on-site | spring | |
| 2) Planetary Surface Exploration | 4 | on-site | spring | |
| 3) Advanced-level Evolutionary Biology | 2 | on-site | fall | |
| 4) Speciation - the Making of Biodiversity | 1 | on-site | fall | |
| 5) Evolutionary Genetics | 3 | on-site | fall | |
| 6) Guarda Evolutionary Biology (Summer School) | 3 | on-site | spring | |
| 7) Agroecological Farming: The Example of Organic Agriculture | 3 | on-site | spring | |
| Talk or poster contribution at a scientific event, e.g. conference, symposium or similar | 1-2 | min 1 | ||
| Research seminars3 | ||||
| Total Module B | min 6 |
2Can also be from other organisations, and in the form of a summer/winter school
3For a list of discipline-specific courses and research seminars offered by the research groups at the Department of Environmental Sciences, check the official Unibas course catalogue for the desired PhD subject: Botany | Environmental Sciences | Geography | Geosciences | Prehistory and Archaeological Science | Zoology
| Module C: Other activities (elective) | ECTS | Format | Semester | required ECTS | |
| Transferable skills courses4 | min 2 | min 3 | |||
| 1) Project Management - A Toolbox for Scientists | 1 | on-site | spring | ||
| 2) Filmmaking for Scientists | 1 | on-site | spring (biennial) | ||
| 3) Scientific Writing with AI | 1 | on-site | fall | ||
| (Co-)organization of a conference, workshop or similar scientific event | ≤ 3 | ||||
| Teaching activities in the research field of the dissertation | ≤ 3 | ||||
| TOTAL PhD Program | 18 | ||||
4Offered by GRACE or other organisations
The PhD Program Curriculum is constantly adapting to the needs of our PhD students and the research groups.
Do you have wishes or ideas for new courses that you would like to see offered by the PhD program?
Please reach out via email or come to our office.
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