200139 SE Vertiefungsseminar: Geist und Gehirn (2023W)

This course is for Master’s students that are curious about pursuing a career in academia (particularly in psychology/neuroscience). It aims to answer students’ questions about this type of career and arm them with the tools necessary for success. We will hear from different speakers about what it means to do a Ph.D., a postdoc, and become a professor. Ideally, we will also hear from a relevant speaker about the benefits of having a Ph.D. outside of academia.
Throughout this course, you will get to hear different perspectives about the pros and cons of academia in general. We will cover different soft skills including how to write an academic CV and letter of motivation. You will also get a quick overview of grant writing. Each class will begin with an interactive discussion of the required reading materials and a short overview of the topic of the day.
For many classes, a speaker will be invited to talk about a relevant topic (e.g., “how to find a Ph.D. position”). Each week, groups of students will take on the role of “discussion leaders”. They will solicit questions from all students in the class and then lead the discussion with the speaker. The questions should focus mainly on the topic of the week, but can also include more general questions (e.g., personal questions for the speaker).
Students will also be required to write up their academic CV and a letter of motivation that can be used to apply for a Ph.D. position. In one class, students will exchange these documents, and provide useful feedback on what can be improved.
Max. 14 students.
The course is tailored for Master’s students and will be taught in English. Some classes may be taught online, and/or via a hybrid format.