StudyQA — PhD: Ecology — University of Zurich

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PhD studies of the Program in Ecology primarily involve research projects in one of the internationally acclaimed research groups at University of Zurich and ETH Zurich. To enhance student’s PhD experience, the program offers research training in the interdisciplinary field of ecology, general skills training for academic and non-academic excellence and opportunities to interact with other doctoral students. The program includes a curricular part of at least 12 ECTS credits, teaching experience, and is usually completed within three to four years (full-time). It offers yearly graduate schools, courses on subject specific matters and on methods that are of direct use to the work of doctoral students. Additional courses on transferable skills prepare students for professional life, whether this is in an academic institution or not. Research seminars foster international collaborations and the exchange of experiences among doctoral students and experts from different fields of ecology.

Core Elective Modules

BIO 604 R Lunch Group
BIO 605 Seminar for Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
BIO 606 BEEES Seminar (Behaviour, Ecology, Environment and Evolution Seminar)
BIO 633 Reproducible Research in Ecology, Evolution, Behaviour, and Environmental Studies
ECO 301 Journal Club: Ecological Theory
ECO 334 Mixed-Effects Modelling with R
ECO 369 Visualising Research - Making an Effective Science Movie
ECO 373 Developing your Personal Impact and Presence

Elective Modules

Courses about specific subject matters	LH*	CP**
Ecological Theory	28	2
Animal Movement Ecology	28	2
Conservation management	35	2.5
Ethics for life science	14	1
Journal club with a difference	14	1
Journal club: Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning and community history	14	1
Microbial Ecology: Biogeochemistry of alpine wetlands	28	2
Molecular microbial Ecology	28	2
Natur und Kultur	28	2
Post-genomic biology for "non"-biologists	-	-
Courses on methods	LH*	CP**
Applied ecophysiological techniques for plant studies	14	1
Estimation of abundance, occupancy and species richness in large-scale surveys in ecology and monitoring	35	2.5
Introduction to meta-analysis and research synthesis in ecology	14	1
Introduction to Bayesian statistics for biologists using WinBUGS	28	2
Bayesian population analysis using hierarchical models in BUGS and JAGS	28	2
Introduction in ArcGIS: work with geodata for environmental research	14	1
GIS-course 1: General usage of geodata for environmental research	14	1
GIS-course 2: Data-analysis with ArcGIS for environmental research	14	1
Introduction to using R for data analysis and graphics	21	1.5
Statistics for free I: Linear Models in R	35	2.5
Statistics for free III: Generalized Linear Models in R	28	2
Contemporary analysis of ecology: Generalized Linear Models in R	14	1
Statistics for free IV: Mixed Effects Models in R	28	2
Contemporary analysis of Ecology: Mixed Effects Models in R	14	1
Study design and data analysis using R	28	2
R4All. A recipe for success with R	21	1
R Lunch group	14	1
R Graphics course: GGPLOT	14	1
Hierarchical models in ecology	-	-
Gardening techniques	-	-
Skills training courses	LH*	CP**
Environmental life cycle assessment and ecobalance	21	1.5
Good graphics in R	14	1
Green fingers: an introduction into gardening	14	1
How to present experimental results	14	1
Online publication practice	14	1
Plant systematics and identification	21	1.5
Project management	14	1
Green Business	14	1
Environment, Social and Governance	14	1
Summer Graduate School 2010: Leadership and Management	21	1.5
Summer Graduate School 2011: Sino-Swiss Alpine Ecology	28	2
Summer Graduate School 2012: Effective Publishing	28	2
Winter Graduate School 2013: Ecological Theory	28	2
Summer Graduate School 2014: Understanding Ecology through the Humanities	28	2
Summer Graduate School 2015: Data Carpentry Boot Camp	28	2
Summer Graduate School 2015: Animal Movement Ecology	28	2
Summer Graduate School 2015: Urban Wildlife Ecology	28	2
Graduate Workshop 2016: Community Ecology	14	1
Summer Graduate School and Symposium 2016: Urban Ecology	28	2
Teamwork	14	1
Writing up scientific research	28	2
Scientific Writing	28	2
How to deal with media	7	0.5
Practical and teaching assistance skills	7	0.5
Introduction to Teaching Field Practica	14	1
Expert literature data basis	-	-
Ökobilanz	-	-
Scientific Drawing	14	1
Research Seminars	LH*	CP**
Postdoc Funding and Career Management	-	***
Zurich Interaction Seminar	-	1
Seminar for evolutionary biology and environmental studies (SEBES)	-	***
BEEES seminar (Behaviour, Ecology, Environment and Evolution)	-	***
Network seminar	-	***
Seminar in plant population biology and biodiversity research	-	***
Symposium of the Zurich-Basel Plant Science Centre	-	***
Ökodose (Research seminar for all PhD students	-	***
Brown Bag Lunch: Statistics in biology and environmental sciences	-	***
Organization of conference / seminar		1

*14 LH (lesson hours) = 1 ECTS credit point = 30 hours of work (including preparation, participation, homework)
**CP = credit points
***Presentation (talk) in one of the seminars = 1 CP

A Master's degree (MSc) or equivalent from a university before starting the PhD Program in Ecology
Sufficient knowledge in ecology / environmental sciences (equivalent 10 ECTS-points) and in mathematics (including statistics) and physics (equivalent 6 ECTS-points)
Excellent knowledge of English

Expenses

Living expenses depend very much on the individual student. These figures should therefore be regarded as a guideline only (in CHF):

Rent incl. heating	550
Additional expenses (telephone, internet)	200
Meals	400
Insurance	250
Travel	80
Clothing, laundry, personal items	70
Leisure, spending money	150
Teaching materials	50
Total	1,750