BCN PhD Training Programme

The Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences (BCN) is an interfacultary and multidisciplinary research school within the University of Groningen. Since 1987, BCN aims is to initiate and stimulate innovative interdisciplinary, translational neurosciences research.

BCN trains PhD candidates with a wide variety of talents and training. The multidisciplinary PhD Training Program of BCN stimulates PhD candidates to become experts in their own field and provides a solid basis of understanding and interacting with other disciplines within the field of behavioural and cognitive neurosciences.

BCN PhD Training Programme

BCN Standard Courses and Activities (A)

PhD candidates within the Research School BCN are to complete a PhD training program, which offers a specialization in Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences. Note: BCN PhD candidates who started their project before 1 September 2023 can choose to finish their education as appointed or conform this new program. 

BCN PhD candidates should collect BCN ECs according to the duration of their PhD trajectory from the BCN Standard Courses and Activities (A) as follows:

4-year trajectory: 12,5 BCN ECs of the total 30 EC;
3-year trajectory: 11 BCN ECs of the total 22,5 EC;
2-year trajectory: 10 BCN ECs of the total 15 EC.

All BCN PhD candidates should participate in the following compulsory courses of the BCN Standard Courses and Activities (A):

1.BCN Orientation Course (3 EC)
2.BCN Management Competences in your PhD project (2 EC)
3.BCN Poster Presentation (1 EC)

The compulsory courses add up to 6 BCN ECs in total. To obtain the remaining BCN ECs, the following Standard Courses and Activities (A) can be chosen:

3. BCN Poster Presentation (1 EC, repeatable)
4. BCN Retreat with a presentation (2 EC)
4. BCN Retreat only participation (1 EC)
5. BCN Statistics Course (2 EC) or another Statistics course
6. BCN Symposium/Conference (0.5 EC, repeatable)
7. BCN Master Classes (0.5 EC, repeatable)
8. BCN Lectures (0.2 EC, repeatable with a max of 10 lectures)

To complete the BCN Training Programme, courses and activities as listed in Other Courses (B) and Research Related Activities can be taken, as well as other courses at Master level or higher.

Registration

Registration with the Graduate School of your 'own' faculty provides access to courses and activities in their educational programme. If you are interested in neuroscience research and also would like to participate in courses and activities of Research School BCN, you are also required to register with BCN. PhD candidates from the UMCG register themselves by Hora Finita