Credit points / Learning agreement
Doctoral students have the right and the duty to continue their education. They must earn at least 12 credits where one credit corresponds to a workload of between 25-30 hours.
Credit Points
A tentative study plan must be included in the doctoral plan.
The following courses / activities are recognized. At least one course / activity in each area must be taken:
- Consolidation of knowledge:
- Courses on master or doctoral level from ETH or University of Zurich
- D-INFK institute / doctoral colloquia (with presentation) - Transferable skills:
- At least 1 credit by attending an event on the theme of ethics and good scientific practice (mandatory requirement)
- Courses/workshops on "social and personal competencies," offered by D-GESS. Upon request to the doctoral committee, other courses can be allowed (requests have to be submitted to the D-INFK doctoral administration).
- Didactic courses and range of courses for the teaching diploma / teaching certificate
- Language courses offered by the external page UZH/ETHZ Language Center
- Collaboration in ETH boards / committees / university bodies (minimum duration of one year) - Integration into the scientific community (Download how to register (PDF, 161 KB))
- Summer schools
- Conferences outside of ETH with talks/posters
See also the ETH course list.
Information regarding performance assessments for ETH courses you find on the student portal.
Study achievements during doctoral studies are documented in an academic record. This academic record is only issued after the doctoral procedure is concluded.
Learning Agreement
All doctoral students must agree with their supervisor which courses they wish to take during their doctoral studies.
This agreement is formalised as a ‘Learning Agreement’ in myStudies, which the student submits to the supervisor for approval. A valid learning agreement must be available at the latest when registering for the doctoral examination. The learning agreement can be changed at any time up to this point.
Doctoral students who were provisionally admitted before 1 January 2022, but not yet definitively admitted, can choose whether to complete the regular doctoral studies according to the regulations 2022, or according to the earlier regulations. Definitvely admitted doctoral students until end of 2021 must obtain the credits according to the earlier regulations.
Recognition of credits according to earlier regulations:
- At least one third of the required credits must be obtained outside the doctoral student's respective research field.
- Any doctoral seminar or master course of D-INFK.
- Courses on master or doctoral level from other ETH departments and the University of Zurich.
- Additional qualification courses for the certificate of teaching ability can be credited with max. 4 credits.
- Language courses offered by the UZH/ETHZ Language Center can be credited with up to 4 credits.
- A maximum of 4 credits from management and personal development courses offered by ETH Zurich, summer schools with scientific content, or conferences outside of ETH with talks/posters.
- Participation in one ore more commissions within ETH Zurich can be rewarded with 1 credit per semester. Being a member of VMI (Verein des Mittelbaus) in the department conference will be honered with 0.5 credits per semester. A maximum of 2 credits can be awarded for such activities.
Information regarding performance assessments for ETH courses you find on the student portal.
Doctoral students studying according to earlier regulations have no learning agreement.