Admission requirements
A BSc in Biology or related subject (University or HLO), with a solid theoretical and practical training and sufficient knowledge of Mathematics and Statistics. The student should be in the final stage of his/her (last) MSc research project.
Contact
Coordinator: Education Office Biology Email: bioonderwijscoordinator@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Description
This course concerns a four-weeks MSc-training in all skills that are required for prospective PhD-students, but that will also come in handy in almost any academic-level job. We aim at the development of conceptual understanding and associative and interdisciplinary thinking. We also intend to provide a better perspective on the nature and speed of scientific developments within a discipline. The students will be educated at an advanced level in various scientific skills, such as writing scientific texts, presenting scientific papers, communicating facts and opinions, reviewing and criticizing work by peers, and writing novel research proposals. The course is open for students of all four IBL-MSc-specialisations and welcomes MSc-students from anywhere. Students are allowed to further develop their own individual expertise in the direction of their choice by selecting primary literature for the various assignments and by scientific sparring with: the course coordinators, MSc-specialisation specific supervisors and fellow students with similar and different interests.
Learning goals
After completion of the course, students are able to:
Develop skills in creativity, interdisciplinary thinking and scientific project design
Formulate and write a viable and well-defined research proposal based on current NWO guidelines.
Present written and oral research ideas in a clear and well-argued manner,
Review and evaluate peer research proposals, ideas and oral presentations
Reflect on diverse career trajectories within and outside of academics
Reflect on key elements of academic life: scientific ethics, implicit bias, the role of social media, effective scientific presentations, the structure of academic institutes and funding bodies
Timetable
Four full weeks from 29 May 2023 - 23 June 2023, during which students are required to be present at all group activities and otherwise work in groups or individually. Although there will be fixed contact hours typically in the morning throughout the course, there is reasonable flexibility and independence in how and when students allocate their effort and time.
Mode of instruction
This course is based on lectures, discussions, student presentations, essay assignments, and self study, using primary literature. The time schedule involves a limited number of fixed contact hours with teachers. The course will require presence for about 4 hours per day. The rest of the time will be spent on self study and student interactions independent of teachers. Do expect a heavy workload for a five-day work week and full day commitment at least during office hours.
Assessment method
Testing will be done by two short written assignments (once in a pair and once individually), two oral presentations and a longer written assignment (both individually, each student will present).
Inspection and feedback on the examination
Date: Feedback is provided continuously throughout the course.
Brightspace
Hand-outs of lectures, informative documents, references to primary literature and links to important websites will be provided via Brightspace.
Reading list
Students will read a variable number of documents and scientific papers. Several will be provided by the teachers and are the same for all students. Others will be selected by the students themselves guided by their own interests.
Registration
Via USIS
There is limited space for students in this course (maximum 14 students). You have to register in usis for this course. In spring 2023 will we contact the students who are registered whether they can follow the course.
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Prospective students website for more information on how to apply.
Remarks
Maximum number of participants: 14