URSI PhD programme

Becoming an independent researcher entails more than undertaking a research project and publishing articles, resulting in your thesis. As a PhD candidate, you are also expected to broaden your academic development beyond the topic of your project. Therefore, the GS has an educational program for PhD candidates: the URSI PhD program. To a large extent, you can shape your own program, such that it fits your wishes and needs perfectly. However, there are some elements within the URSI PhD program that are compulsory. The program is divided in 3 elements: courses, research related activities and organizational activities.

Courses are rewarded by assigning ECTs to the course. ECTs are important for the URSI PhD program as every PhD candidate has to obtain a certain amount of ECTs. The curriculum is based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). 1 ECTS = 28 hours (contact time plus working hours). The exact amount of ECTs a PhD candidate has to gain is depending on the background of the PhD candidate and their contract. See the table below for an overview:

Courses offered by the RUG

The Groningen Graduate Schools (GGS) offer a large diversity of courses for PhD researchers.

Also, the Corporate Academy provides an overview of all courses available within the RUG for PhD researchers.

Courses offered by the Federation of Graduate Schools in Social Sciences and Humanities

The Federation of Graduate Schools in Social Sciences and Humanities consists of eight graduate schools. The GS of Spatial Sciences is one of them. More information on courses they offer.

Courses offered by our own Faculty (FSS) and Graduate School (in cooperation with other parties e.g. the UG Language Centre)

• Careful Scholarship
• Publishing in English
• Workshop PhD defence “Finishing your PhD”
• (ReMa) courses offered by FSS. Check the schedule and Ocasys for more information.
• Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) on analysing with ATLAS.ti

Courses offered by NETHUR

NETHUR (Netherlands Graduate School of Urban and Regional Research) offers an educational program for PhD researchers and a collaborative research program for PhD researchers and supervisors. NETHUR is a joint initiative of the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Radboud University Nijmegen (RU), the University of Groningen (UoG) and Utrecht University (UU). As GSSS, we share in their educational program. This means you can take up the courses they offer in your URSI PhD program. We strongly encourage you to follow NETHUR courses.

Overview URSI PhD programme