PhD studies in BeCog
Research in BeCog spans a wide range of topics, from the social behavior of nonhuman primates to neurocognitive studies involving human subjects. Research areas are mainly defined by the interests of our PIs who are listed alongside their research foci here.
Embedding in research groups
BeCog Dr. rer. nat. students are members of the Faculty of Biology and Psychology and BeCog Dr. phil. students are members of the Graduate School of Humanities (GSGG). BeCog doctoral students join the research group of their primary supervisor.
The Thesis Committee
Students are supervised by a three-member thesis committee (TC), appointed by the BeCog Program Committee. The TC meets regularly, with the first meeting occurring within six months of the PhD start date and subsequent meetings held at least once a year. Students are encouraged to schedule meetings at key points in their project timeline, such as before fieldwork or after completing an experiment, to maximize the effectiveness of supervision and ensure meetings are held at critical stages of the research process.
A minimum of 1.5 hours should be reserved for each TC meeting. Meetings are arranged by the student approximately three months in advance with their TC members. Students must send a brief progress report (1-2 pages in length) to the TC members about one week prior to the meeting. Each meeting begins with a short (approximately 30 minutes) presentation, during which the student provides an overview of their project, including methods, results (if applicable), and the latest developments. The subsequent discussion primarily focuses on scientific content, but time is also allocated to discuss the student's progress toward fulfilling credit requirements, alignment with the overarching timeline, and any career-related matters. It is recommended that students discuss the details of the report, the presentation format, and other specifics with other students in their research group (as structure and content may vary), and consult with their supervisor before organizing their first meeting. Additionally, it is highly recommended that the student and advisor meet individually with the other TC members after the meeting, to discuss their perspectives on the project's status and address any concerns.
The student is responsible for taking meeting minutes, which must be signed by all TC members. These signed minutes, along with the progress report, must then be sent to the BeCog Coordination Office. Additionally, students must ensure that they obtain a signature from all TC members on their "Checklist for PhD Students" after each meeting.
Modules
In addition to their research, students must earn 20 ECTS credits across five different modules, with a minimum of 4 ECTS credits required per module. These modules are designed to prepare students for a wide range of future careers and a diverse job market. The details of each module are outlined below.
Module 1: Acquiring knowledge of and reflecting on research
Participants learn to critically evaluate their projects and their field of research, as well as to present their discipline in brief presentations. Credits are earned through active participation in colloquia, seminars, and journal clubs. In addition to the BeCog seminar series, students may attend other relevant seminar series. Department-specific journal clubs and seminars are also accepted.
Module 2: Technical and methodological bascis
Participants are introduced to methodological approaches and techniques relevant to their own research. Again, students are not restricted to courses offered at the University of Göttingen - courses organised by other universities may also be accepted.
Module 3: Scientific teaching
Participants contribute to teaching during their PhD. All candidates either assist with lectures and seminars or supervise Bachelor and Master’s students. The workload and specific responsibilities should be discussed with the supervisor and thesis committee.
Module 4: Scientific communication
In this module, participants learn how to present their work to an international audience. PhD students are required to participate in at least two scientific conferences, presenting their research either as a talk or a poster.
Module 5: Key competencies
This module provides students with the opportunity to acquire key skills that will be valuable for their future professional careers, both within and outside of academia. Given the wide variety of available courses, students should consult with their supervisors to ensure course suitability. At the University of Göttingen, key qualification courses are offered by ZESS (Zentrale Einrichtung für Sprachen und Schlüsselqualifikationen), the Teaching in Higher Education Unit, and the Dorothea-Schlözer-mentoring program. Note however, students are not confined to these course offerings.
Students are free to choose courses based on their interests, but they should consult with their supervisors before finalizing their selections. While courses from the Göttingen Campus are available, students may also earn credits for courses from other universities. It is mandatory for students to complete a course on good scientific practice within their first year and provide proof of attendance. Participation and credit acquisition can be confirmed by supervisors and lecturers through signature on the checklist, and other forms of credit confirmation are also accepted (templates are available in the right-hand column).
PhD
The program is designed to allow students to complete their PhD within three years. If needed, students may apply for an extension of up to two additional years. Extension requests must be approved by the Thesis Committee and submitted to the Program Committee via the BeCog Coordination Office every six months (the extension form can be found in the right-hand column). Students must remain continuously enrolled at the University of Göttingen for the entire duration of their PhD.
Dissertation
A publication-based dissertation is the preferred choice of our students. Students must be first-authors on the manuscripts. In addition to the manuscripts, the thesis consists of an elaborate introduction and discussion. Alternatively, it is possible to submit a monograph dissertation.
Thesis submission and the doctoral examination
The application for admission to the doctoral examination is to be submitted to the Program Committee. The application package includes the thesis, the checklist, credit confirmations and proposals for the members of the examination board. Detailed information can be found in the GAUSS regulations (§9). The required form and detailed guidelines can be found in the right-hand column.
Defense
In addition to submitting a written dissertation, students are required to defend their project in a public presentation. The defense consists of a 30-minute research talk by the PhD candidate, followed by a 30–60 minute Q&A session with a six-member evaluation committee and the broader audience. The defense is conducted in English.
Regulations
The regulations are outlined in the General rules for a PhD in GAUSS (RerNatO). Additional rules can be found in Appendix 10 of the RerNatO. A detailed description of the modules can be found in the Module handbook. Further rules include the Rules of good practice for doctoral supervision and the Rules of good scientific practice.
Conflicts
In cases of conflict, students can contact their primary supervisor, their Thesis Committee, the BeCog Coordination Office or the BeCog Program Committee. In addition GAUSS has appointed Prof. Dr. Ina Kersten as ombudsperson. All cases are treated with the utmost confidentiality.
Further information
Additional information and guidelines can be found in the column to the right.