(as of December 21, 1999)

By participating in the Ph. D. Programme at the Institute for Genetics students and Thesis Advisors accept the following guidelines:

(1) Thesis Committee: Each Ph. D. student will be guided by two experienced scientists (tutors) in addition to the Thesis Advisor. The tutors assist the student at any point of his graduate career, offer critical evaluation and review scientific progress. The tutors will also be generally accessible to the student for help and advice and to mediate in conflicts, should they arise.

The members of the Thesis Committee are chosen by the Ph.D. student after consulting the Thesis Advisor. Professors and group leaders may serve as tutors. The tutors should come from different groups and be independent of the Thesis Advisor.

(2) An official application for registration as a Ph. D. student at the Dean’s office should be made no later than six months after the beginning of the Ph. D. work (in accordance with §2 (4) of the Ph. D. regulations, Promotionsordnung der Math.-Naturwiss. Fakultät). Student and Thesis Advisor should strive for a completion of the Ph. D. work within three, at most four, years.

(3) The Ph. D. student is responsible for organizing meetings of the Thesis Committee every 12 months. The student presents a written project proposal or a progress report which helps the Ph. D. Advisor and the tutors to prepare a productive meeting. At the beginning of the meeting the student gives a short oral presentation.

(4) The Institute has two Thesis Coordinators and a secretary who make sure that the official application for registration as a Ph. D. student at the Dean’s office have been made in time and that the Thesis Committee meetings take place once a year.

1. Obtain the official Ph. D. regulations "Promotionsordung der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität zu Köln"
(http://www.uni-koeln.de/math-nat-fak/dekanat/promotion/ordnung/zuge_prom_ord.pdf).

2. Consult your Thesis Advisor about the composition of the Thesis Committee and ask the other scientists whether they are willing to serve as tutors.

3. No later than six month after the beginning of the Ph. D. work (i. e. starting work in the group in which the Ph. D. is carried out) apply for registration as a Ph. D. at the Dean’s office in accordance with §2 (4) of the Ph. D. regulations (see above).

4. Inform the Thesis Coordinators that the application at the Dean’s office has been made.

5. About 11 month after the beginning of the Ph. D. work organize the first meeting of the Thesis Committee and reserve a suitable room. Write a project proposal including first results and give it to your Ph.D. Advisor and the two tutors at least a week before the meeting. Prepare an oral presentation of about 15 - 20 minutes.

[Project proposals and progress reports should be clear, concise and to the point, and have minimally 3 pages but not exceed 8 to 10 pages (line spacing 1 1/2) including references and figures. They should contain the following sections: 1. Background (state of the field), 2. Aims, 3. Results and Discussion (including unforeseen problems), 4. Literature. (In project proposals special emphasis should be put on the formulation of the hypothesis and the specific aims of the project.)]

6. Every 12 month organize another Thesis Committee meeting, write a progress report, give it to the Thesis Advisor and the tutors at least one week before the meeting and prepare an oral presentation.