Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade - NTD Consulting International

WHO WE ARE?

Faculty of Biology
University of Belgrade

Faculty of Biology – University of Belgrade offes doctoral degrees in three scientific areas: Biology (general), Molecular biology and Ecology
Study programmes provide highly personalized in-depth courses taught by experts in different scientific areas , providing excellent teaching through lectures, practical work (lab or field or both), seminars and discussions.
Enrollment is based on an open competition announced by the University of Belgrade and conducted by the Faculty of Biology. Applications are received during September and admissiuon takes place in mid-October.

Study Program Biology

Doctoral Studies

Study Program Molecular Biology

Doctoral Studies

Study Program Ecology

Doctoral Studies

Study Program: Biology

DOCTORAL STUDIES IN BIOLOGY – 3 years

The PhD study program Biology is organized by the Faculty of Biology, in cooperation with teachers and scientists from 9 scientific institutes and 4 faculties from Serbia.

The study program carries a total of 180 ECTS, lasts 3 years and includes fifteen modules. (modules descriptions are at the end of the page)

By choosing a module, the student chooses a narrower field of research and a mentor who will help him with course selection. Classes include one elective course that is required for a given module and a number of elective courses that are organized in a single elective block. Part of the courses offer general knowledge needed by students who have not acquired appropriate knowledge at lower levels of study (Academic skills, Data analysis in biology, courses dealing with research methods in biology), while more courses provide content specific to certain areas of biology or multidisciplinary specific knowledge. During the first year, the student attends a course compulsory for the module (9 ECTS) and two elective courses (a total of 18 ECTS) and is engaged in acquiring laboratory skills necessary for the preparation of a doctoral dissertation through the subjects Preparation of doctoral dissertation 1, Study research work 1 and 2 ECTS). During the second year of study, in addition to two elective courses from a single elective block (a total of 18 ECTS), the student through the course Defense of the doctoral project (10 ECTS), in cooperation with a mentor and tutor, prepares a proposal for his doctoral project, a basis for the preparation of a doctoral dissertation. In the second year of study, the student is engaged in the preparation of a doctoral dissertation (a total of 32 ECTS). In the sixth semester, in addition to preparing a doctoral dissertation, through the subject Presentation of experimental results from the doctoral dissertation, the student prepares a presentation of published results of his research which he presents to the audience consisting of mentor(s), tutor and expert commission.

Students can also choose courses from the appropriate doctoral programs of other higher education institutions at the University of Belgrade.

Classes take place during the first two years of study, while in the third year, study research work and the finalization of the doctoral dissertation are planned. All work on the dissertation takes place under the guidance of mentors and tutors, whose roles are to contribute to the quality and efficiency of the realization of the candidate’s doctoral dissertation.

The purpose of the PhD program Biology, based on scientific research within numerous domestic and international projects, is to provide students with opportunities to research modern biological sciences and develop solid academic interest and competencies. The goal of the program is to provide an intellectual framework for the development of highly educated and creative young scientists who are expected to take leading positions in scientific research, university teaching and activities in which biology is applied, such as agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, food, chemical industry. The program provides students with quality theoretical knowledge and experimental experience in the field of biology, as well as specific knowledge and experimental skills in the narrower fields in which they conduct their own research.

Study Program: Molecular Biology

DOCTORAL STUDIES IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY – 3 years

The study program of doctoral studies in Molecular Biology carries a total of 180 ECTS, lasts 3 years and includes two modules:
-module Molecular Biology, with submodules: Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Molecular Biomedicine and Molecular Genetics and Genomics
-module Physiology with submodules Animal and human physiology, Biophysics with bioinformatics, Translational research in neurobiology and biomedicine, Immunobiology and Neurophysiology.
(Descriptions of the submodules are at the end of the page)

By choosing a submodule, the student chooses a narrower field of research and a mentor with whose help he chooses the courses he will attend. During the first year, the student attends one course required for the submodule (which carries 9 ECTS) and two elective courses (a total of 18 ECTS) and acquires laboratory skills necessary for the preparation of a doctoral dissertation (a total of 33 ECTS). During the second year of study, in addition to two elective courses (18 ECTS), the student, through the subject Defense of the doctoral project (10 ECTS) in cooperation with the mentor and tutor, prepares a proposal for his doctoral project, which he defends at the end of the winter semester. This project represents the basis for the doctoral dissertation. In the second year, the student is also engaged in the preparation of a doctoral dissertation (a total of 32 ECTS). Study research work, among other things, includes “rotations” – experimental work lasting several weeks in different laboratories. The goal of this activity is to master experimental skills and enrich the experimental experience as a key moment in the education of a modern molecular biologist and physiologist. In the sixth semester, in addition to writing a doctoral dissertation, through the subject Presentation of experimental results from the doctoral dissertation, the student prepares a presentation of published results of his research which he presents to the audience consisting of mentor(s), tutor and expert Commission.

Students can also choose courses from the appropriate doctoral programs of other higher education institutions at the University of Belgrade.

Classes take place during the first two years of study, while in the third year, study research work and the finalization of the doctoral dissertation are planned. Experimental and theoretical work on the dissertation takes place under the guidance of mentors and tutors, in consultation with the Advisory Committee, whose roles are to contribute to the quality and efficiency of the doctoral dissertation of the candidate.

The goal of the Molecular Biology program is to provide an intellectual framework for the development of highly educated and creative young scientists who are expected to take leading positions in scientific research, university teaching and activities in which they will apply the acquired knowledge (medicine, pharmacy, biotechnology, agriculture, etc.).

Modern achievements of molecular biology and physiology have found wide application in many activities (agriculture, forestry, food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries as well as certain branches of medicine). Numerous generations of molecular biologists and physiologists have been educated at the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, and they find their place in scientific research and academic institutions, in development laboratories in industry, in clinical laboratories and medical teams, contributing to the improvement of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic protocols. In our country, there is a need for higher levels of education in this area and the need for molecular biologists and physiologists capable of responding to the high demands of the present day. The purpose of the PhD study program Molecular Biology is precisely the development of such scientists.

Study Program: Ecolgy

DOCTORAL STUDIES IN ECOLOGY – 3 years

The doctoral study program Ecology is organized by the Faculty of Biology in cooperation with experts from other relevant institutions.

The study program carries a total of 180 ECTS, lasts 3 years and includes four modules. (modules descriptions are at the end of the page)

By choosing the module, the student chooses a narrower field of research and a mentor with whose help he chooses the subjects he will attend. Classes include five elective courses that are organized into a single elective block. During the first year, the student attends three elective courses (which carry a total of 27 ECTS) while the compulsory courses Preparation of Doctoral Dissertation 1 and Student Research Papers 1 and 2 carry a total of 33 ECTS. During the second year of study, in addition to two elective courses from a single elective block (a total of 18 ECTS), the student through the course Defense of the doctoral project (10 ECTS), in cooperation with a mentor and tutor, prepares a proposal for his doctoral project, a basis for the preparation of a doctoral dissertation. In the second year of study, the student was engaged in the preparation of a doctoral dissertation and laboratory and fieldwork (a total of 32 ECTS). Classes take place during the first and second year of study, while the third year is left for study research work and the preparation of a doctoral dissertation. Study research work, among other things, includes laboratory and/or fieldwork within various research or applied projects in the field of ecology, biogeography and biodiversity protection, which the student chooses with rhe help of his mentor. Students can also choose courses from the appropriate doctoral programs of other higher education institutions at the University of Belgrade. In the sixth semester, in addition to the preparation of the doctoral dissertation, through the subject Presentation of experimental results from the doctoral dissertation, the student presents and discusses the published results of his research in front of an audience consisting of mentor(s), tutor and expert Commission.

All work on the dissertation takes place under the guidance of mentor(s) and tutor, whose roles are to contribute to the quality and efficiency of the realization of the candidate’s doctoral dissertation.

The study program of doctoral studies in Ecology was developed in response to the growing need for competent academic profiles, as well as researchers and practitioners in the field of ecology, biogeography and biodiversity protection. The goal of the Ecology study program is to provide a framework for the development of highly educated and creative young scientists who are expected to take leading positions in scientific research, university teaching and activities in which ecology, biogeography and environmental protection and biodiversity are applied. The study program is aimed at improving the theoretical basis, practice and competence of students in the field of ecology, biogeography and protection of biodiversity of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The program enables future experts to use the latest research technologies and scientific concepts in order to apply relevant standards and policies with appropriate management and achieve quality international cooperation. The focus of the program is on research methodologies and standards that are internationally recognized and applicable at the national and regional levels. The program offers training for academic and scientific research, as well as the application of knowledge and skills in the analysis, monitoring, management and protection of biodiversity in the Balkans. Research can be oriented according to the levels of ecological organization (species, population and landscape-ecosystem level), as well as according to the medium of the environment (terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and habitats).

WHO WE ARE?

What do we offer

Scientific activity at the Faculty of Biology is carried out at three institutes: the Institute of Zoology, the Institute of Botany and the Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry. The basic scientific activity of the Faculty of Biology is carried out through various programmes of fundamental research funded by the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, as well as many international projects (e.g. SCOPES, FP6, FP7) covering a rather wide range biological disciplines and scientific areas.