Courses

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.

Preapproval: 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 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)

Other courses

PhD courses can be sourced from various avenues, including:

• courses offered by the Faculty of Science and SDU
• courses from research education programs affiliated with the faculty, whether in Danish or foreign institutions, subject to approval by the PhD Study Committee
• 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
• participation in conference which may count as a course activity, with an opportunity for knowledge dissemination through presentations or posters. 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
• SDU's course in communication for PhD students
• individual study activities (ISA) under the guidance of a lecturer, with a maximum of 10 ECTS credits. These activities should include some form of evaluation or examination.
• active participation in relevant seminars at the university, with each seminar providing 1.5 ECTS credits. A presentation is typically required for each seminar.

The courses are tailored to each student's project and research interests.

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. 

 Approval:  Usually, the department PhD study board approves the recommended ECTS credits for each course. If the course description does not specify ECTS credits, the department PhD study board assesses and determines the appropriate ECTS credits. 

Course announcements: 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 preapproved 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 preapproved, they must seek approval in advance from the Faculty PhD Committee. The application for approval should include the following information about the course:

• Course title
• Extent (number of hours and ECTS credits)
• Aims
• Description
• Evaluation method
• Teaching method
• Responsible lecturer(s)
• Literature
• A statement from the Department’s PhD Study board should also be included regarding the course's suitability as a PhD course

It is 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. Final approval is contingent on succesfully completing the course activity. 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 the department PhD study board: The course application is submitted to the department 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

• 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.

• Conference participation requires 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
• Danish language course. Foreign students can receive 3 ECTS credits for a Danish language course, either inside or outside SDU
• Research education programs. For courses offered by research education programs in which the faculty participates, the ECTS credits set by the research program should be used
• Specific requirements: Some subject areas may have specific requirements for the composition of the course program, including mandatory courses.

It is 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.