Seminar and Discussion

Overview

All Seminar and Discussion courses are required for all Masters students.
There is one S&D course per semester for the first three semesters of the program.
The two main goals of the Seminar & Discussion courses are:
- to foster an integrative picture of evolutionary biology
- to train the students’ communication skills in oral presentations and scientific discussions.
For each seminar, students read scientific research articles and prepare and lead discussions based on these articles.
To get an idea of how a Seminar and Discussion course works, read about the Seminar & Discussion 2 course that took place during Summer Semester 2008.

Below is a breakdown of the credits assigned for each S&D course:

ECTS	Class
4	Seminar and Discussion 1: Species Concepts, Adaptation and Speciation
3	Seminar and Discussion 2: Global Change
3	Seminar and Discussion 3: Hot Topics in Evolution, Ecology and Systematics

10	Total

Instructors: Susanne Renner & Volker Witte
Semester: 1st semester
Course No.: P2.1
Description: Students read scientific publications, which treat the topics "adaptation", "species concept" and speciation" from different angles. Students prepare different kinds of presentations on these papers. They lead discussions and take part in discussions about the scientific issues raised in these studies.
Goals: After this course students will know why and how adaptation and speciation play a central role in evolution, ecology, and systematics. They will have read important publications on these central topics. They will have gathered experience giving presentations in different formats, asking critical questions about scientific studies, participating in and leading of discussions.
Type of Instruction: Seminar
ECTS points: 4

Instructors: Justyna Wolinska & Jonathan Jeschke
Semester: 2nd semester
Course No.: P6.3
Description: Students read scientific publications on global change. They prepare presentations in different formats on selected scientific studies. They are trained to lead discussions and to contribute to discussions on topics of the publications.
Goals: Students will gather experience with presentations of different formats. They will improve their ability to ask critical questions on scientific studies and will learn to participate in and lead discussions.
Type of Instruction: Seminar
ECTS points: 3

Instructors: Susanne Foitzik & Dirk Metzler
Semester: 3rd semester
Course No.: P9.3
Description: Students read scientific publications on hotly debated issues in the fields of evolution, ecology, and systematics. They prepare presentations of different formats and lead and contribute to scholarly discussions on the topics of the studies.
Goals: Students will have read and critiqued a series of scientific studies on hotly debated topics in ecology, evolution and systematics. They will further improve their experience with presentations in different formats, asking critical questions about papers and participating in and leading discussions.
Type of Instruction: Seminar
ECTS points: 3