Curriculum

As yDiv doctoral researcher, you need to complete 12 credit points (CP) following the yDiv curriculum (see below), thereof:

The yDiv credit point system follows the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), where each credit point (CP) is equivalent to approximately 25 to 30 hours of work, including contact hours and personal study.

Doctoral researchers can tailor their course programme in the way that most benefits their scientific progress, interests and future career goals.

There are two mandatory courses:

yDiv Welcome Week
Good scientific practice
Research Data Management

At the end of your PhD you will receive the yDiv certificate that lists all courses and activities that you have been involved in.

yDiv curriculum requirements

Courses (minimum 10 CP)

Mandatory courses

Curricular element	Credit Points 1 CP = 25–30h
yDiv Welcome Week including the course Introduction to integrative biodiversity science at iDiv	2.0
Good Scientific Practice	0.5
Research Data Management (valid for yDiv doctoral researchers who started as of Jan 2023)	1.5

Elective courses

Curricular element	Credit Points 1 CP = 25–30h
Biodiversity courses	0.5-2 per course
Methodological courses	0.5-2 per course
Transferrable skills courses	0.5-1 per course
Participation in sDiv Working group meetings	2

Activities (minimum 2 CP)

(For each category, you can earn a maximum of 1 CP.)

Curricular element	Credit Points 1 CP = 25–30h
Acting as elected PhD representative at the yDiv board or the iDiv council	1
Presenting a poster or talk at an international conference	1
Supervision of pupil's internship	1
Acting as teaching assistant/assisting the supervision of B.Sc. or M.Sc. research projects	1
Organising events at yDiv/iDiv	depending on hours
Participation in the iDiv scientific events (excluding meetings of own lab group): for example scientific retreat, joint journal clubs, scientific visits etc.	depending on hours
Scientific outreach activities	1
Participation in the yDiv retreat	1 (for 1 retreat)
Participation in 10 seminar series talks & writing a brief summary	1

Please submit your activities using this form.
Do not forget your regular PAC meetings!

Activity Points

You need at least two activity points for your yDiv curriculum. You get these points for activities like presenting a talk or a poster at an international conference or for supervising a pupil internship or a master thesis - see list "yDiv curriculum requirements". For each category, you can earn a maximum of 1 CP.

Send us proof of the activity or use our yDiv form for registering activity points.

Participation in sDiv working groups

yDiv doctoral researchers are strongly encouraged to participate in working groups organized by sDiv, the Synthesis Centre of iDiv - either as active participants or as a “sit-in” (join as a guest to learn how a group works - you can still join as active participant at a later point) .

yDiv grants two credit points for active participation.

How to join a sDiv working group:

Check the sDiv website for upcoming working groups (there is also a regular call)
Send basic information about yourself as a scientist (PhD project, working group, current publications) as well as your expertise and motivation why you want to be part of the working group to Dr Marten Winter, head of sDiv

In case of questions, you can contact Marten Winter or Nicole Sachmerda-Schulz.

Dr Nicole Sachmerda-Schulz
Graduate School Coordinator

Room: A.00.19
Phone: +49 341 9733125
Email: nicole.sachmerda-schulz@idiv.de

Beate Horn
Administrative Assistant

Room: A.00.19
Phone: +49 341 9733126
Email: beate.horn@idiv.de