Introduction to PhD studies at TVM, TVM0023

COURSE SYLLABUS, third-cycle courses

ECTS: 4.0

Course Code: TVM0023

Educational level: Third-cycle course

Entry requirements: Admitted to PhD studies at TVM

About the course

The Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics at LTU offers all postgraduate students at the department an introductory course covering many important parts of value at the beginning of their education. The course is given in collaboration with the Human Resources Department at the university and in combination with the biannual introduction to employees they are responsible for. Postgraduate students may be enrolled at the department or hold one doctoral position in four to five years in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance (HF), which also governs the national learning objectives for postgraduate studies. The university additionally has their own governing documents for postgraduate education, such as a handbook for education at doctoral level, designed by the faculty boards'. Each doctoral also has an individual study plan where learning objectives are set and followed-up twice a year.

The introductory course at TVM is a requirement for postgraduate students, especially for doctoral student with a doctoral position at the department. The course is designed and given jointly by representatives of various research topics at the department, and is coordinated by the Director for PhD Studies (UL-F). The course comprises 4 higher education credits (ECTS), which corresponds to approximately 4 weeks of work.

At the university, respective department, and research subject, there are in-depth postgraduate courses the doctoral students can follow, such as academic publishing, scientific writing and research methodology.

Learning outcomes

The goal is to inform all research students at the department about the rules and guidelines that apply and prepare them for doctoral studies in order to increase the quality of the education and thereby also increase the success rate.

• To know the regulations and rights for postgraduate education
• To be able to design research questions
• To be able to design the Individual Study Plan (ISP) including research plan
• To be able to identify research-related risks and minimize them
• To understand publication strategies and be able to build a publication list
• To understand how research results can be communicated to the public, and how industry and society can use research results
• To understand and be able to apply different research methodologies
• Understanding ethical approaches to research and publication
• Understand how to plan for the career after completed PhD studies
• To understand a gender and equality perspective in research
• To establish your own network at the department

Course content

The introductory course is designed as a number of independent course elements that can be given independent of each other. Each part of the course has a responsible teacher from a research subject and is examined individually by her or him. The course study guide contains specific learning objectives for each course component designed by the responsible teacher in collaboration with the Director for PhD studies (UL-F).

• Introduction
  • Human Resources
  • About the academic environment
• About the ISP: importance and usage
• Gender and equality: Part of the present course TVM0020 is to take FOR050F – Gender and Equality 2.0 credits (ECTS)
• Research Ethics
• Life as a PhD student
• Rights and obligations as a PhD student
• Publication Process and Strategy
• Funding – an important part of the academic career
• Presentation techniques
• Career Planning
• Final seminar

Examination

Each course part is examined by the teacher who is responsible for the part. Alternatively by UL-F. The last part of the course, the final seminar, is examining for the entire course and requires that all other course elements in the course are completed before. The final seminar is examined by UL-F, but some research topics have their own seminar approximately after one year, which can replace the course's final seminar. Higher education credits for postgraduate students (4 credits) are reported at the completion of the course by the main supervisor for each student. Alternatively by the examiner of the course.

Grading scale: Pass/Fail.

Course literature: Material and handouts available in the course canvas room.

Education cycle: Study period 3, V23 – Study period 2, H23 (January 10 – December 15 2023)

Course is given periodically: Yes (every year).

Send application to: Prof. Lars-Göran Westerberg (Director for PhD studies), lgwe@ltu.se. Doctoral student enter name, civic registration number, e-mail, Division and Department in the application.

Deadline for application

2023-01-01

Course open for application by doctoral students admitted to other universities than LTU: No

Limited number of students: 30

Tuition

No tuition fee.

Other

To pass TVM0023 the course FOR050F Gender and equality 2.0 ECTS must have been completed and reported in Ladok.

Contact person: Lars-Göran Westerberg, Director for PhD studies, e-mail: lgwe@ltu.se, phone: +46 920 491268

Examiner: Professor Lars-Göran Westerberg

Course syllabus decided by: Margareta Ring Groth, Head of Department

Date of decision: 2023-01-18