Individual Special Curriculum
The Individual Special Curriculum course represents a unique opportunity to design readings at an individual basis. The main supervisor and student together decide on a reading curriculum of adequate academic depth and content relevant for the PhD project.
The selected curriculum should represent recent frontline literature on a given topic. Usually this is achieved by equal parts of relevant book chapters, review papers, and research papers, all together corresponding to approximately 150 - 200 printed pages. The student should prepare a written assignment based on the literature topic. It is expected that the student dedicates at least 150 hours for the successful completion of the course. Students need to apply for the course using a designated form. The course is offered both in the spring and fall semester.
Knowledge
The candidate should:
- Be at the forefront of knowledge within the academic field of the selected topic
- Be able to understand and communicate the selected topic
- Be able of judging the implications of research methods and processes
Skills
The candidate should:
- Read and understand up-front reviews and research literature on the given topic
- Develop new research questions in the given research field
- Discuss complex academic questions and challenge the established knowledge
- Document and communicate new scientific results in the given research field
General competence
The candidate should:
- Be able to disseminate and communicate topics of the given research field
- Share knowledge and protect it where necessary following internationally accepted guidelines and regulations
Written assignment and oral examination
Written assignment on a topic covered by the curriculum literature. The written assignment must be approved prior to the oral exam. The oral exam will cover the written assignment and curriculum readings.
External evaluator. Grading scale: Pass/Fail.
The main supervisor ensures that the student has the necessary background to undertake the selfstudy of the proposed readings.