Transfer of course credits
PhD courses taken before the student's enrollment in the program can potentially be transferred to their PhD studies, provided they meet certain conditions:
Relevance to the PhD: The courses must be relevant to the specific PhD program of the student and must be accepted as such.
Not Part of Another Degree: The courses should not have been used as part of another degree the student has completed.
There are specific credit transfer limits for different program types:
- For the 5+3 program, the maximum credit transfer is for courses that exceed 300 ECTS credits
- For the 4+4 program, the maximum credit transfer is for courses that exceed 240 ECTS credits
In the case of courses taken from foreign programs, the student must demonstrate that the requested course credits are beyond the requirement for the degree they obtained. This can be done, for example, by providing a certificate from the foreign university showing that the degree could have been achieved without taking these specific courses.
These conditions ensure that any credit transfer of courses aligns with the student's PhD program and does not overlap with previous degrees.
Evaluation of PhD courses
In a PhD program, all PhD courses must go through an evaluation process and have documented evidence of successful completion. Here are some key points related to PhD courses:
Completion of PhD courses: PhD students are typically required to complete a set of PhD courses totaling approximately 30 ECTS credits.
Pre-approval: PhD courses must be pre-approved by the department PhD study board. However, if a course is already pre-approved, it does not need to go through this approval process. The PhD School's website typically contains a list of preapproved courses for reference.
Assessment process: When PhD students participate in courses, they cannot be assessed solely by their supervisor. In such cases, the assessment process should involve the assistance of an internal or external examiner. This ensures a fair and impartial evaluation of the student's performance in the course.
These procedures help ensure the quality and integrity of the PhD program and the courses within it. Successful completion of PhD courses is a crucial part of the student's academic journey.
Specifically with regard to the 5+3 programme
In the year leading up to the submission of the PhD thesis, it is typically expected that the PhD student will have completed approximately 30 ECTS credits of PhD courses. However, there is a specific requirement for students in the 5+3 program: they should have passed at least 15 ECTS credits after the first year of their program. This helps ensure that the student has acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully complete their PhD and contribute to their field of research.
Specifically with regard to the 4+4 programme
For students in the 4+4 program, the course requirements are as follows:
- At least 10 ECTS credits of PhD courses should be passed within the first year
- By the time of the qualifying exam, at least 22.5 ECTS credits must be passed
In the year leading up to the submission of the PhD thesis, it is expected that the PhD student will have completed approximately 30 ECTS credits of PhD courses.
These requirements ensure that students in the 4+4 program make steady progress in their course work and are well-prepared for the research and thesis-writing phases of their PhD program.
Composition of the course programme
PhD courses are an essential part of a PhD program, designed to provide students with academic breadth and enhance their job prospects after earning their PhD. Here are some important details related to PhD courses:
Academic level: Research courses in a PhD program should generally be at a higher academic level than a qualifying Master's degree. However, Master's level courses can be included in a PhD student's plan if they align with the overall research objectives.
PhD students are required to complete a mandatory course package in their first year, which consists of the following:
- An introductory course with the PhD School (0.5 ECTS)
- A course on good scientific practice – Responsible Conduct of Research (2 ECTS)
Upon successful completion of both elements, the student receives 2.5 ECTS credits.
Other courses
PhD courses can be sourced from various avenues, including:
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Courses offered by the Faculty of Science and SDU
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Courses from research education programs affiliated with the faculty, whether in Danish or foreign institutions, subject to approval by the PhD Study board
- The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation's Business Course for Industrial PhD students
- Other relevant courses, such as IT or statistical methods
- "Summer / Winter Schools" that involve active participation by the student or an evaluation (either by the course providers or subsequently by the supervisor and an internal external examiner) in order to be approved
- Participation in conferences, which may count as a course activity twice during a PhD programme with 3 ECTS for each conference if the PhD student afterwards holds a lecture about the congress with an internal censor present. If the PhD student holds a poster presentation at the conference knowledge dissemination may be given
- SDU's course in communication for PhD students
- Individual study activities (ISA) under the guidance of a lecture (max. 10 ECTS). It is required that some form of evaluation or examination with internal censor must be included in connection with such a programme
- Active participation in relevant seminars at the university, with each seminar providing 1,5 ECTS. A presentation is typically required for each seminar
The programme of courses is tailored to each student's project and research interests. The main supervisor must ensure that there is sufficient academic diversity in the composition of the courses, and that the planned courses are relevant and of a high academic level.
ECTS credits: ECTS credits are awarded based on the specific course's contact hours. One ECTS credit is typically awarded for every 10 contact hours, with courses rounded to 0.5 ECTS credits. Courses cannot exceed 15 ECTS credits to maintain academic diversity.
Supplementary courses: Up to approximately 15 ECTS credits of supplementary courses can be approved as research courses. These are typically courses outside the student's discipline and may include up to 5 ECTS credits of relevant Bachelor level courses, provided there are strong academic reasons for choosing them. If the course description does not include a recommendation for ECTS points then the Faculty PhD Committee determines the course's ECTS points through an individual assessment.
When the PhD study board approves an individual PhD course board makes a preliminary decision regarding ECTS-points. Should the course description change after the application was submitted and until the course was completed then the PhD Study board may decide to change the number of ECTS points awarded for the course.
PhD courses offered by the faculty are announced on the University's website. The goal is to offer a comprehensive range of courses that support the PhD student's research and academic development, ensuring a well-rounded and enriching educational experience.
Approval of the academic programme and courses
The individual PhD student's course program is an integral part of the PhD plan. While pre-approved courses are available, the specific course program for each PhD student may not be fully detailed in advance. This is because research courses are often offered on relatively short notice. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the principal supervisor and the PhD student to regularly identify and select relevant courses to fulfill the requirements of the PhD plan.
Departments provide a range of pre-approved courses for all PhD students at the Faculty of Science of SDU. These courses have been pre-approved by the Faculty PhD Committee and can be found on the PhD School's website.
If a department wishes to offer new courses that have not been pre-approved, they must seek approval in advance from the Faculty PhD Committee. The application for approval should include the following information about the course:
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Course title
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Extent (number of hours and ECTS credits)
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Aims
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Description
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Evaluation method
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Teaching method
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Responsible lecturer(s)
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Literature
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A statement from the Department’s PhD Study board should also be included regarding the course's suitability as a PhD course
It's important to note that seeking approval is not necessary for pre-approved research courses offered by one's own department. However, the PhD School must be notified when the course is successfully completed to ensure proper documentation of the student's progress. This flexibility allows for a dynamic and tailored approach to course selection within the PhD program.
Approval of individual courses
PhD students are required to seek approval for various activities such as summer schools, external courses, and self-study initiatives before enrolling in and completing these activities. Self-study activities supervised by the students' main supervisor must be clearly distinguishable from the background reading that is expected as part of any research project. If a formal course exsits at any Danish university with content comparable to that of the proposed activity, the student should follow that formal course in preference to the self-study activity.
Final approval is contingent on successfully completing the course or activity. Here is the process for seeking and obtaining approval:
Course application: Prior to enrolling in a course or activity, the student and the principal supervisor must complete a course application form. This form should specify the provider of the activity and propose the number of ECTS credits to be awarded.
Documentation: The application should include a course description or relevant documentation demonstrating that the activity has been completed or passed. It should also indicate the duration of the activity.
Approval by PhD Study board: The course application is submitted to the PhD study board for approval. The board will decide on the number of ECTS credits to be awarded for the activity based on established principles and guidelines.
The Faculty PhD Committee has predefined rates for different types of activities:
- 1 week is awarded 4.5 ECTS credits
- 2 weeks are awarded 7.5 ECTS credits
- 3 weeks are awarded 10.5 ECTS credits
- 4 weeks are awarded 13.5 ECTS credits
- 5 weeks are awarded 15 ECTS credits
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Summer schools are typically awarded 4.5 ECTS credits for the first week and 3 ECTS credits for each subsequent week, up to a maximum of 15 ECTS credits. If the duration is less than 40 contact hours, the credits are adjusted proportionately.
- For conference participation the conference must have a minimum duration of 1 full day and maximum 5 days and be followed by an oral presentation, where the PhD student gives an account to the Department (the group) of the most important presentations (5-10) at the conference he or she participated in. The presentation must be witnessed (at least) by the student's supervisor and an internal examiner, both of whom must formally approve the course. Conference participation with subsequent evaluation may be approved with 5 ECTS credits. 1 ECTS per day and up to twice participation and in total 7 ECTS
- The report on journal literature as background for the PhD project can be approved with a maximum of 6 ECTS credits. The literature review task should not be part of the PhD thesis, and because of the nature of the task it cannot be approved in advance. The assignment is evaluated by an internal examination, but not by the supervisor alone. The Department for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has set the size of the literature review at around written 20 pages and a theoretical requirement of 30-50 articles
- Foreigners can receive 3 approved ECTS credits for a Danish language course in or outside SDU
- For courses offered by the research education programmes which the Faculty takes part in, the ECTS credits set by the research programme should be used.
It's important for PhD students to follow these procedures and guidelines when participating in activities and courses, ensuring that they are properly documented and approved as part of their PhD program.