Graduate School Handbook for PhD

Students

2013/2014

Table of Contents
First Year Mentors ........................................................................................................................... 4
What are first year mentors?
How am I assigned to a mentor?

Phase 1 of PhD Studies .................................................................................................................... 4

Affiliated and Unaffiliated Students
Credit Requirements
Required Basic Courses
Core Module Course Requirements
Core Modules
Grading Policy
Registration and Withdrawal
Substituting Advanced Courses for Core Modules
Rotation Requirements
Performance Evaluation
PhD Supervisor
Thesis Committee
Qualifying Exam
Exam Date
Reading List
Thesis Proposal
Exam Chair
Exam Outcome

Phase 2 of PhD Studies .................................................................................................................. 12

Credit Requirements
Teaching Assistant Requirement
Progress Reports
Advanced Courses
Courses at IST Austria
Courses at Other Institutions
Workshops and Symposia
Registration and Withdrawal
Thesis Defense
Thesis Committee
Pre-conditions for Defending
Defense
Outcome
Final Thesis Submission
Graduation Ceremony

Academic Transcripts ..................................................................................................................... 17

Grounds for Dismissal .................................................................................................................... 17
Ethical Conduct at IST Austria ...................................................................................................... 17

Miscellaneous ................................................................................................................................. 17
Graduate Student Key Contacts ..................................................................................................... 18
Academic Calendars 2013/2014..................................................................................................... 20
Attachments:
Academic Checklist: Phase 1
Academic Checklist: Phase 2

Rotation Protocol Form

Rotation Student Evaluation Form
Student Supervisor Agreement

Course Offerings 2013-14

Curricular Requirements for students entering in the fall of 2013

First Year Mentors

Every incoming student is assigned a first year mentor. Students will have a meeting with their
mentor during the second week of their arrival (the week of September 23rd). A second, follow-up,
meeting will occur in the month of November. A third meeting will take place in the last week of
February to discuss the affiliation process. During a students first year Mentors will play an
important role in defining the first year of your PhD studies. The Graduate School encourages
students to take full advantage of their mentors, as they are an invaluable resource to succeeding in
your first year of studies.

What are first year Mentors?

First year mentors are members of the faculty at IST that will provide you with advice on courses,
rotations, Graduate School requirements and policies, and general advice on the academic track of
your first year at IST. While mentors are faculty at IST, they are here to serve your best interests.
All of your interactions with your mentor are confidential, except in very exceptional cases where
mentors may be asked to communicate with the heads of the Graduate School.

How am I assigned to a mentor?

Students are assigned a mentor based on their area of scientific interest (Biology and Neuroscience;
Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics,and Physics). The mentors for the 2013-14 are:
Chris Wojtan (a computer science professor) and Calin Guet (a biology professor). If you wish to be
assigned an alternate mentor you can request a change from the Graduate School by contacting Uli
Seiss (ulrike.seiss@ist.ac.at). Your request should provide a justification as to why you wish to have
an alternate assigned. Unjustified requests will be denied.

Phase 1 of PhD Studies

The PhD program at IST Austria is divided into two distinct phases: Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1,
the first part of your PhD studies, is dedicated to course work and rotations, and the requirements
are described in the following sections. The length of Phase 1 varies depending on whether you have
entered the program with or without a Masters Degree. Differences will be noted where relevant.

Affiliation

Unaffiliated students are those have yet to officially affiliate with a research group.
Affiliated students are those that have officially joined a research group.

Every student will spend the first 9 months as unaffiliated. The earliest a student can affiliate is on
June 1, 2014. Students entering with a Master degree have to affiliate by September 15, 2014,
students entering with a Bachelor degree have to affiliate by June 15, 2015 at the very latest.

Credit Requirements

All students in Phase 1 must complete 24 credits per academic year. The minimum number of
credits per semester a student is permitted to register for is 9 credits. If less than 12 credits are

completed in a semester the remaining credits must be taken in the other semester within the same
academic year. Missing credits in one year cannot be made up for in another academic year. An
academic year is composed of a Fall and Spring semester (e.g., Fall 2013 and Spring 2014, not
Spring 2014 and Fall 2014).

Students can fulfill the credit requirement by attending Core Module Courses, attending advanced
courses at IST or at another institution. (IST Austria has an agreement with the University of Vienna
allowing students at IST Austria to attend their courses and workshops for credit. For more details,
see the Advanced Courses section under Phase 2 of PhD Studies.)
In general, the Phase 1 credit requirements are completely fulfilled by the Core Module Courses and
rotations. This design results in a student spending 50% of her or his time for Core Module Course
and Required Basic Courses, with the remaining 50% of the time being dedicated to rotations.

Students need to inform the Graduate School (Uli Seiss and Christine Francois; ulrike.seiss@ist.ac.at
and christine.francois@ist.ac.at ) at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the semester regarding their
course schedule for the semester. Note: this does not apply to the very first fall session.

Required Basic Courses

Phase 1 requires students to attend basic courses in the first academic year: Introduction to
Research at IST Austria (Fall semester) and "Scientific Presentation and Conduct" (Spring
semester).

Introduction to Research at IST Austria

This course introduces students to research conducted at IST Austria. The format is a two-day
symposium where each faculty member gives a lecture introducing students to their research. In
addition, students are required to attend a number of the IST Colloquia of their choosing.
Scientific Presentation and Conduct
This course involves a number of topics covering scientific practice, presentation, writing, and
ethical conduct.

These courses cannot be deferred and must be completed by all students in their first year. Both
courses have a Pass/Fail grading policy. Contact the instructors for additional details. Both courses
do not count towards the credit requirement.

Breadth Requirement

IST Austria has a Graduate school curriculum that is unique by European standards. During his or
her PhD studies every student must complete a Breadth Requirement consisting of completing a
number Core Module Courses in different core research areas at IST: Biology, Computer Science,
Mathematics and Statistics, Neuroscience, and Physics. The goal is to provide an interdisciplinary
education that promotes thinking across the boundaries of disciplines, communication with scientific
areas outside of ones area of interest, and the promotion of interdisciplinary research and
collaborations. Students fulfill the Breadth Requirement by attending at least one half Core Module
in 4 of the 5 of the core areas mentioned above (3 credits).

Core Modules
IST offers Core Modules in four research areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Biology,
Computer Science,
Mathematics and Statistics
Neuroscience, and
Physics

For the current Core Module Course offering and course prerequisites, for the academic year
2013/2014, see the Academic Calendars 2013/2014 section of this document.

All Core Module Courses have a consistent course structure and grading policies while still allowing
for stylistic differences in how courses are taught in different disciplines. Each module can be either
a full semester (12 weeks) long module, or a module (half-semester or six weeks). Full modules
are worth 6 credits (ECTS) and modules are worth 3 credits.
In the first class the professor will need to communicate the following course details:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A full course schedule and syllabus,

How the course will be graded,
Exam and homework policy,
Date of the final examination, and
Her or his policy on absences.

Each module consists of two 75 minute lectures per week and weekly recitations. Recitations are
typically taught by Teaching Assistants, however the faculty may conduct recitations. Each
module has weekly homework assignments (the type of assignment will vary from course-tocourse) and 1 final exam in the 7th week.

Each full module consists of two 75 minute lectures per week and weekly recitations. Recitations
are typically taught by Teaching Assistants, however the faculty may conduct recitations. Each full
module has weekly homework assignments (these vary from course-to-course) and 1 final exam in
the 13th week.
All Core Module Courses occur on either a Monday-Wednesday or a Tuesday-Thursday schedule.
The semesters at IST are divided in half-semesters in the following way:
Sept. 30 . 1 - Nov. 22

Nov. 25 Jan.. 31

1st half fall term 2013/14

2nd half fall term 2013/14

March 3 - May 9
1st half spring term 2014
May 12 - July 11
2nd half spring term 2014
Course descriptions are available on the course webpages found on the IST website:
http://ist.ac.at/graduate-school/courses. Course websites contain detailed schedule
information, course materials, and homework assignments.

Grading Policy
All Core Module Courses are graded on a numeric point system that is consistent with the Austrian
grading system. Core Modules cannot be taken on a Pass/Fail basis by students using them to fill
their Breadth Requirement. The point system used is on a scale of 1-5 and performance can be
scored as follows:

1 = outstanding performance
2 = exceptional
3 = good performance
4 = satisfactory to sufficient performance; sound work, but with a number of notable errors;
this score meets the minimum needed to pass
5 = insufficient; performance is unsatisfactory

In general, the mean grade at IST Austria is a 3 (i.e., good performance).

Different modules will differ in what fraction of the grade is derived from participation, homework
assignments, and the final exam. At minimum the final examination contributes to the final grade.
Some examples of how modules have been graded are:

1. The final grade is made up of 50% of the homework assignments and 50% of the final exam.
2. The final grade is made up of 20% participation, 30% homework assignments, and 50%
from the final exam.

Only one exam period is offered (exceptions being personal tragedies, sever illness, etc.). The
extension of deadlines is solely up to the discretion of the professor.

Registration and Withdrawal

Registration is mandatory if the student wishes the course to count towards the yearly credit
requirements and the Breadth Requirement.

Students must register at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the every term (i.e., half-semester) using
the online registration tool http://ist.ac.at/graduate-school/courses/registration/ IST students do
not need to enter a matriculation number.
If a student wishes to withdraw from the course, it is the students responsibility to inform both the
course instructor and Christine Francois (christine.francois@ist.ac.at). The deadline for dropping a
course is the 3rd week from the official start of the course (this applies to both module and full
module courses). Should the student fail to inform the course instructor and the Graduate School, or
drop out of the class after the deadline, the student will receive a grade, as determined by the
instructors grading policy, and these will be listed on the students transcript accordingly.

Substituting Advanced Courses for Core Modules

Students can substitute an advanced course, under specific conditions, to fulfill one breadth
requirement. No more than one module can be substituted. The following conditions must be met
for a valid substitution:

If an advanced course is cross-listed in two different core areas, then the student must indicate
which field should be used towards the breadth requirement.
1. Prior approval of the Graduate School,
2. The substituting course must adhere to the structure of a Core Module, and
3. The substituting course must be in same core area as the course it is replacing.

Rotation Requirements + Research Project

Rotations are an opportunity for students to decide on a PhD supervisor, learn new skills, and
experience research outside of their main area of scientific interest.

IST requires 3 rotations in 3 different research groups, plus 1 research project worth 6 credits,
which can be done with one of the previous rotation instructors The maximum number of rotations
allowed is 5. In exceptional cases, a waiver of this rule can requested from the Graduate School.
However, students arriving at IST with a Masters Degree will not have sufficient time before the
Qualifying Exam to complete more than 4 rotations. The Graduate School strongly encourages
students to take one rotation outside their main scientific research area.
Rotations during the academic year follow a fixed schedule:
Sept. 30 - Dec. 6
Dec. 9.Feb. 14
Feb. 17 April 11
April 28 July 7

Rotation 1
Rotation 2
Rotation 3
Rotation 4 OR research project

The maximum time commitment that can be required for rotations is 200 hours (or approximately
50% of the workload during a semester week). Rotations that are scheduled outside of the semester
period (e.g., a fifth rotation after the Spring semester, or a student who arrives prior to the start of a
semester) last for 6 weeks and are considered full-time.
Rotations require the approval of the head of the research group. Students are encouraged to
schedule their rotations earlier rather than later in the year to avoid difficulties securing the
opportunity to rotate in a particular group. First year Mentors will assist students in scheduling
rotations to maximize the benefit and prevent an excessive workload during the semester.

The student and the professor must come to an agreement on the project and the expected outcome
(e.g., short presentation at the end, short paper, etc.). Students are required to meet with each
rotation supervisor (i.e., professor) before the start of the rotation. During this meeting the
professor and the student need to fill out the first half of the Rotation Protocol Form (attached to
the end of the Graduate School Handbook). The student should inform the professor at the start of
the rotation whether she or he is considering doing a PhD in the group.

Performance Evaluation

At the end of the rotation the student and professor should meet to complete the Rotation Protocol
Form, including signatures of both parties. During this meeting the professor will inform the
student whether they have met the performance standards expected in the group and whether
affiliation is an option or not. The student must file the Rotation Protocol Form with the Graduate

School. Failure to do so will lead to the rotation not being credited towards the Phase 1
requirements.

In addition, students should complete the Rotation Evaluation Forms and submit these to the
Graduate School. These forms will be kept confidential and are an important way to help improve
the Graduate School.

PhD Supervisor

The PhD Supervisor needs to be part of the IST faculty. The student and the intended supervisor
must come to a mutual agreement that the student will work towards his or her PhD under the
supervisor, and that the supervisor will support this student in this endeavor. It is important to
recognize that this constitutes a binding commitment for both sides. Any changes in the supervision
need to be approved by the Dean.

Students may choose, with agreement of two or more professors to be co-supervised. The cosupervisor can be another faculty at IST or faculty (or equivalent) at another institute, university,
etc. External co-supervisor must be approved be the Dean of the Graduate School.

Once a professor(s) has agreed to act as a students supervisor, they and the student involved need
to sign the Student-Supervisor Form. The supervisor should file this form with the Graduate
School. The co-supervisor is an equal partner in all academic aspects of the students PhD
requirements (e.g., if a supervisor signature is needed then both co-supervisors must provide their
signatures).

Thesis Committee

The Committee consists of the Supervisor and at least two other committee members. If there is
a Co-Supervisor, then they must be one of the Committee members although they do not count
against the required two additional members.

Other Committee Members: Two committee members are required, excluding supervisor(s). At
least one Committee Member must be external (i.e., not part of the IST faculty). External
committee members with a PhD need to be approved by the Program Chair. External
committee members without a PhD need the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. The
second committee member can either be external, as above, or one of the other professors at
IST.

A student can have more than 3 members on her or his committee.

The Thesis Committee must be formed in consultation with, and receive the approval of, the
Supervisor(s). The names and affiliations of the Thesis Committee must be filed with the Graduate
School. The student and supervisor(s) will be notified when the external committee member is
approved.
The Thesis Committee should decide on and define what it expects from the student in the
Qualifying Exam and clearly communicate its expectations and performance measures to the
student. The Graduate School strongly advises to assemble the Thesis Committee already shortly
after the affiliation.

Qualifying Exam
The Qualifying Exam (QE) is not a public exam, and consists of two separate sessions: an oral
presentation on the thesis proposal (20 minutes and 10 minutes discussion), followed by an oral
examination by the Thesis Committee covering the topic of the proposal, the reading list, and any
other relevant background knowledge (45-60 minutes).

Exam Date

The Qualifying Exam (QE) date can be no later than 5 months after the respective affiliation
deadlines:
February 15, 2015 (student with a Masters degree), or
November 15, 2015 (students without a Masters Degree).

IST Austria strongly advises students to schedule their Qualifying Exam in well before the deadlines
so that they have sufficient time to retake the QE, if required.
The student will need to coordinate the exact exam date with the Thesis Committee and inform the
Graduate School at least 2 months prior to the exam date.

An extension of the date can only be granted in exceptional cases and only after written request and
justification of the supervisor.

Reading List

The reading list typically consists of 5-10 journal or conference articles and/or book chapters that
represent a balance between survey, review, and primary research materials based on the students
proposed area of research. The student will be examined on these materials during the QE.
The reading list must be agreed upon by the student and the PhD Supervisor(s). The list requires
approval of the Program Chair of the Graduate School. The list should be submitted to the Graduate
School no later than 2 months prior the QE date.

Thesis Proposal

The Thesis Proposal should describe a research problem/direction, put it into the context of existing
work, and should be 5-10 pages long. It does not have to contain a concrete outline of a Thesis (and
no partial results). The student should explain why s/he wants to work on a specific topic, and
demonstrate a deep knowledge about the state of the art in the literature around the chosen topic
(what are the open questions, what are the possible implications if some of them were solved, etc.).
The student needs to mail the Thesis Proposal to all Committee Members and file it with the
Graduate School 1 month before the Q.E..

Once the student has submitted all documents, the Graduate School will organize the exact time and
place of the exam, provides the Thesis Committee with all of the necessary documents, and advises
them on procedural issues.

10

Exam Chair
Once the student has submitted the exam date (2 months prior to the exam), the Graduate School
will contact the Program Chair and assign an Exam Chair from among the faculty of IST.

The Exam Chair presides over the Qualifying Exam but normally asks no questions. The primary
role of the Exam chair is to ensure that the Qualifying Exam proceeds in a fair manner that is
consistent with the rules and policies of the Graduate School. She or he is typically a non-voting
member. However, in the case of a tie vote, among the voting members, the Exam Chair will cast the
tie-breaking vote.

In addition the Exam Chair must formally sign off on the outcome of the exam in order for it to be
accepted by the Graduate School. In rare cases in which the Exam Chair does not approve the
outcome, the Dean of the Graduate School makes the final determination of the exam outcome.
Should the Dean be a member of the Thesis Committee the Deputy Dean assumes the duties and
rights of the Dean.
The Exam Chair is also responsible for filing the outcome of the exam with the Graduate School.

Exam Outcome

The Thesis Committee determines the outcome of the Qualifying exam by majority vote. Three
possible outcomes are possible: Pass, fail with the option to retake the exam, and fail without option
to retake.
Should the outcome be pass the exam chair will forward the results to the Graduate School.

Should the outcome be fail with the option to retake the exam, then the student needs to
reschedule the second exam no sooner than 1 month, and no later than 2.5 months following the
first exam. The Thesis Committee members and the reading list remain the same for the second
exam. There are only two possible outcomes of second exam: Pass or fail. If the outcome is a fail the
students contract will be terminated at the next possible date.
Should the result be fail without option to retake the exam, the students contract will be
terminated by the next possible date.
Overview of Timeline Prior to the Qualifying Exam:
Approximately 3-4 months prior

At least 2 months prior

11

1. Find and finalize your choice of

Supervisor(s). If a Co-Supervisor is
external get approval from the
Graduate School.

1. Find and finalize a Thesis Committee
and submit to the Graduate School.
Get approval of the external
committee member.
2. Finalize the reading list with
Supervisor(s) and submit to the

Graduate School.

3. Provide Committee member with the

reading list.

At least 1 month prior

1. Finalize the exam date and notify the

Graduate School.

1 month before

1. Send the Thesis Proposal to

Committee Members and file the
Thesis Proposal with Graduate
School.

After successfully completing all of the Phase 1 requirements the students salary will be adjusted
accordingly.

Phase 2 of PhD Studies

Phase 2 of the PhD studies is period in which the student will primarily work on her or his research
towards completing a Thesis project. In addition, Phase 2 students are required to serve as a
teaching assistant (see below). Additional academic requirements (e.g., course work) may be
required by the Supervisor(s), Thesis Committee, or Program Faculty.
The Supervisor(s), Thesis Committee, and the Program Faculty will monitor and evaluate the
students progress towards a PhD.

The students are advised to make use of her or his Thesis Committee by keeping them updated on
their progress! They can be valuable advisors, and ultimately they will be references for future
positions.
By the end of their studies, every student has to fulfill a breadth requirement as defined in the
curricular. Failure to complete these requirements will prevent the student from being awarded a
PhD.

Credit Requirements

All students in Phase 2 must register for 24 credits per academic year. In practice, each Phase 2
student is automatically registered, by the Graduate School, for 12 credits per semester of PhD
Thesis Research fulfilling the credit requirements.

Teaching Assistant Requirement

Every student in Phase 2 is expected to serve as teaching assistant (TA) for at least one Core
Module Cours before they graduate from IST Austria.

Students may fulfill this requirement by teaching or co-teaching an advanced graduate course given
they have received prior approval from the Graduate School.

12

Progress Reviews
Phase 2 students have a biannual performance evaluation with their PhD Supervisor(s). The student
and the PhD Supervisor(s) must meet and complete a Progress Report summarizing the students
performance. Reports are due twice a year: October 15 and April 15.

The express purpose of discussing the students performance is to establish whether the student is
making reasonable progress towards a PhD degree, and make constructive suggestions on how the
student can improve and attain the established goals.
In addition to the personal meetings with the supervisor for the Progress Reviews, it is
recommended that the student give a presentation with at least 2 committee members present
once a year to demonstrate his/her progress.

The Graduate School will send out a reminder to all students and Supervisors in question in a timely
manner.

The Program Faculty discusses all Progress Reports in special meetings in early November and early
May. A negative Progress Report may lead to (1) a warning by the Program Chair, and then if not
remedied to (2) a dismissal. In problem cases, the Program Chair may warn a Student or propose
dismissal from the Graduate School. Normally, a student will be warned once before being
dismissed. Every dismissal must be voted on by the Program Faculty and approved by the Dean of
the Graduate School.

Please note: All dismissals must be communicated to the student by November 15 to be effective on
December 31, and by May 15 to be effective on June 30.

Advanced Courses

Courses at IST Austria

IST Austria offers a variety of advanced courses in all areas of science and mathematics represented
at IST. Phase 2 students are encouraged to attend the courses that will benefit their long-term
academic goals. For a list of the currently scheduled courses see the section, Advanced Course
Schedule 2013/2014, below. Past advanced courses can be viewed on the IST website.
Keep in mind that not all advanced courses are offered every year.

Courses at Other Institutions

IST Austria has an agreement with the University of Vienna allowing students at IST Austria to
attend their courses and workshops for credit. If students wish to take courses outside IST and have
these appear on their transcripts they need to register their attendance prior to taking the course
with the Graduate School. After the course is completed, documents demonstrating successful
completion from the awarding institution need to be filed with the Graduate School.
Attending a course at another Austrian institution needs some advance planning, as Austrian
universities have specific enrollment times for each semester. They may also require students to
submit proof of their high school graduation. Students interested in this option should start this
process 1 month before the start of the semester at the very latest.

13

Workshops and Symposia

The Graduate School of IST Austria strongly encourages that students attend workshops and
symposia that complement their scientific interests. This type of forum is an excellent opportunity
to add skills and network within the scientific community.

If a workshop or symposium offers credits for attending please contact the Graduate School prior to
attending, and after completion provide the appropriate documents demonstrating that the credits
were successfully awarded. These will then appear on your transcripts. However these credits will
not count towards the credit requirement in Phase 1.

Registration and Withdrawal

Students should register at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the term (i.e., half-semester).
IST students do not need to enter a matriculation number: http://ist.ac.at/graduateschool/courses/registration/ In registering students should indicate whether they are taking the
course for credit or auditing the course (with approval of the instructor).
If a student wishes to withdraw from the course the student should inform both the course
instructor and Christine Francois (Christine.francois@ist.ac.at ).

Thesis Defense

The Thesis Defense must be scheduled within 4 years of passing the Qualifying Exam. The Dean of
the Graduate School may approve an extension. Failure to complete required Core Module Courses,
Rotations, and the Required Basic Courses is not grounds for an extension.

The Thesis Defense has the following format:

1. Public Presentation: The student presents the outcome of the Thesis to a public audience
followed by a public question session.
2. Closed Examination: Questions from the Thesis Committee in private.

Thesis Committee
The Thesis Committee is the same as for the Qualifying Exam. Changes to the committee may be
requested from Graduate School and must be approved by the Program Chair.
Pre-Conditions for Defending

The student must have fulfilled the breadth requirement. The student must provide to the Thesis
Committee Members a draft version of the Thesis. In order to proceed to the defense all Thesis
Committee Members must be willing to accept it (with minor modifications). The Committee
Members should inform the student of their willingness to accept the thesis. The student needs to
file the exact date of the Defense and the names of the Thesis Committee Members with the
Graduate School. Once every Thesis Committee Member approves, the Exam can be scheduled at
least 1 month later and the Graduate School will announce and advertise the Defense.

The Graduate School will assign a defense chair from among the faculty. The Defense Chair will
request written comments from all of the Committee Members. These comments will be included in

14

the general appraisal of the Draft Thesis and, if required, a list of requested modifications to the
draft. The comments and requested modifications will be forwarded to the student.

Defense

The Defense consists of a public lecture and a private examination by the Thesis Committee. The
public lecture of the Thesis should last no more than 50 minutes, followed by questions from the
audience and the Thesis Committee. In the private examination the Thesis Committee and the
Defense Chair may ask additional questions about the Draft Thesis and request additional
modifications.
Outcome

Immediately after the exam, the Thesis Committee discusses the exam and votes on the outcome. All
members of the Thesis Committee have the right to vote. The thesis can be accepted only if there is
unanimous agreement among the Committee and the Defense Chair. There are two possible
outcomes to a PhD defense: Accept and Reject.
If the outcome is to Accept, the Thesis Committee may request a list of requested minor
modifications to the Thesis.

In the case where there is not a unanimous vote by the Thesis Committee to accept the Thesis then
the outcome is to reject the Thesis. The student has the right to appeal this decision to the Dean of
the Graduate School.

The Thesis Committee will immediately write a report (normally 1-2 pages) that justifies their
decision, and communicate this decision to the student after their deliberations. The Defense Chair
will inform the Graduate School of the preliminary result.

Final Thesis Submission

The student has to provide all Defense Committee Members with a final version of the Thesis which
includes all of the requested modifications together with a signature form. Every Defense
Committee Member must approve the final version by signing the Thesis. Electronic signatures are
acceptable.

The student has to submit the final thesis together with all signatures within 2 months of the
Defense to the Defense Chair, who then files the Thesis and the Defense Report with the Graduate
School. The Defense Chair may grant an extension of 1 month if the student fails to submit the final
thesis in time. If the Final Thesis is not submitted by the end of the extension the Dean will then
decide what the fate of the students Thesis is.

Graduation Ceremony

The student will formally receive the PhD Degree in a special graduation ceremony that occurs
twice a year. This represents the official date of the degree.

Timeframe Thesis Defense:

3 months prior

15

1. Provide the Thesis Committee

Members with a draft version of

the thesis.
2. Any changes in the Thesis
Committee? If so, have they been
approved?
2 months prior

1. Collect feedback from Thesis

Committee Members on the
Thesis.
2. Finalize the Exam date.

1 month prior

1. File the exam date and a list of the

Thesis Committee Members with
the Graduate School.

Within 2 months following the Defense

1. Finalize the Thesis including the

requested modifications.
2. Provide the Committee Members
with the final version.
3. Collect signatures of the
Committee members.
4. Submit the final thesis (electronic
version) to the Defense Chair.

16

Academic Transcripts
A student can request their official academic transcripts from the Graduate School at anytime.
Please make the request to Uli Seiss (ulrike.seiss@ist.ac.at). In the request students may ask that
some or all of their numeric grades (i.e., 1-5 scale) be converted to a Pass/Fail scheme (1-4 is a Pass
and 5 is a Fail). Please allow up to one week for the transcripts to be processed.

Grounds for Dismissal

There are a number of conditions under which IST Austria may seek to terminate a students
contract:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Failure of the student to affiliate with a research group;

A student fails the Qualifying Exam without the option to retry;
A student fails the second attempt at the Qualifying Exam;
A students failure to rectify multiple negative Progress Reports; and
Violations of Ethical Conduct.

Ethical Conduct at IST Austria

IST Austria applies the definitions laid down by the Max-Planck Society in the document Catalogue
of Conduct to be regarded as Scientific Misconduct. This document is an integral part of the Rules
for PhD Students at IST Austria. These same rules apply for professors, postdocs, and students.

Miscellaneous

The Graduate School Handbook for PhD Students is updated bi-annually in March and August.
Updates can be obtained from the IST Wiki under Graduate School

17

Graduate Student Key Contacts

Dean of the Graduate School
Thomas Henzinger
ext. 1033

Program Chair
Herbert Edelsbrunner ext. 3301
Jonathan Bollback
ext. 3601

Mentors
Calin Guet
Chris Wojtan

ext. 4001
ext. 4401

Ombudspersons
Krish Chatterjee
Sylvia Cremer

ext. 3201
ext. 3401

Program Chair
Deputy Program Chair

Biology and Neuroscience students

Computer science, Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics
students

Academic Affairs (Contacts for Graduate School related questions)

Uli Seiss
ext. 1034
Academic Affairs Graduate School
Christine Francois
ext. 1033/98 Academic Affairs Course registration

Johannes Dollinger

ext. 1046

Assistants (Individuals responsible for affiliated and unaffiliated students)

Vlad Cozac
ext. 1083
Students that are unaffiliated
Elisabeth Hacker
ext. 1015
Students affiliated with:
Krishnendu Chatterjee
Herbert Edelsbrunner
Tom Henzinger
Christoph Lampert
Uli Wagner
Chris Wojtan
Nicole Hotzy
ext. 1032
Students affiliated with:
Tobias Bollenbach
Sylvia Cremer
Clin Guet
Carl-Philipp Heisenberg
Daria Siekhaus
Michael Sixt
Christine Krebs
ext. 1071
Students affiliated with:
Nick Barton
Jon Bollback
Krzysztof Pietrzak
Vladimir Kolmogorov
Gaper Tkaik
Caroline Uhler
Alexandra Mally
ext.
Students affiliated with:
Eva Benkov

18

Sarah Seider

ext.1096

Amalia Solymosi

ext. 3700

Laszlo Erds
Jir Friml
Harald Janovjak
Robert Seiringer
Students affiliated with:
Jozsef Csicsvari
Bjrn Hof
Simon Hippenmeyer
Gaia Novarino (will start in January 2014)
Ryuichi Shigemoto
Students affiliated with:
Peter Jonas

Graduate Student Association (as of September 2013)

Vanessa Barone
ext. 3911
Heisenberg group
Daniel Capek
Heisenberg group

19

Academic Year 2013-14

Course times
1st half fall 30.09. 22.11. 2013
Non-teaching days: 1.11. (Fri)

Exam week: 18.11. 22.11.

2nd half fall 25.11. 31.1. 2014

Exam week: 27.1. 31.1.
Non-teaching days: 23.12. 6.1. 2014 (Christmas break)
February non-teaching month OR blocked courses
1st half spring3.3. 9.5. 2014
Exam week: 5. 9.5
Non-teaching days: 14.4. 25.4. (Easter break); and 1.5. (Thurs)
2nd half spring
12.5. 11.7. 2014
Exam week: 7. 11.7.
Non-teaching days: 29.5. (Thurs), 9.6. (Mon), 19.6. (Thurs)

Rotation slots:
Rotation 1
Rotation 2
Rotation 3
Rotation 4

30.9. 6.12.
9.12. 14.2.
17.2. 11.4.
28.4. 4.7.

10 weeks 20 hours/week
6 weeks 20 hours/week + 2 weeks 40 hours/week
2 weeks 40 hours/week + 6 weeks 20 hours/week
10 weeks 20 hours/week

Public holidays:
26.10.
1.11.
25.12.
26.12.
1.1.
6.1.
21.4.
1.5.
29.5.
9.6.
19.6.
15.8.

Austrian National Holiday

All Saints Day
Christmas Day
St. Stephens Day
New Year Eve
Epiphany
Easter Monday
Labor Day
Ascension Day
Whit-Monday
Corpus Christi Day
Assumption Day

20

Academic Checklist: Phase 1

Required Basic Courses:
Date
Fall 2013

Spring 2014

Course

Grade (Pass/Fail)

Completed ()

Introduction to Research at IST

Scientific Presentation and Conduct

Core Module Courses:

Core Area

Course Name ( Core Module)

Semester Grade Completed ()

Biology

Computer Science

Mathematics & Statistics

Neuroscience
Physics

Overall Credit Requirements:

(24 credits per academic year; minimum of 9 credits per semester)
Fall 2013
Credits

Year

First (2013/2014)

Spring 2014
Credits

Total
Credits (24)

Completed ()

Applicable only to unaffiliated students entering without a Masters Degree

Year

Fall 2014
Credits

Spring 2015
Credits

Total
Credits (24)

Completed ()

Second (2014/2015)

Rotations:
(3 rotations are required; a fourth is optional)
Sequence

Grade
(Pass/Fail)

Group

Date Documents Filed

With Graduate School

Completed ()

Rotation 1 (Required)
Rotation 2 (Required)
Rotation 3 (Required)
Rotation 4 (Optional)
OR Research Project
Rotation 5 (Optional)

PhD Supervisor(s):
Date Filed With

Name

Graduate School

Supervisor

Co-supervisor (Optional)
Co-supervisor (Optional)

21

Completed ()

Qualifying Exam:
Task

Date Filed With Graduate School

Completed ()

Reading List

Thesis Proposal

Committee Member 1 (Internal, IST)

Committee Member 2 (External)

Committee member 3 (Optional)

Committee member 4 (Optional)
Exam Date

Exam Outcome

Second Exam Date (If Required)

Second Outcome (If Required)

Notes on Phase 1 Requirements:

1. In order to successfully transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 studies all of the boxes above must be
checked completed. The following exception applies:
a. Students may spread breadth requirement throughout their PhD studies. However, it is
strongly recommended that these requirements be completed in their first year; All Phase 1
requirements must be completed to obtain a PhD at IST Austria.

22

Academic Checklist: Phase 2

Advance Courses:
(These are note required by the Graduate School, but may be by your Supervisor(s).)
Course Name

Course Location (IST, Univ. Vienna, etc.)

Semester Grade Completed ()

Teaching Assistant Requirement:

(All PhD students are required to TA one Core Module Courses.)
Semester/Year

Course

Instructor(s)

Progress Reports:
(Note: Progress Reports are due every October 15th and April 15th.)
Year 1

Report

Completed ()

Date Filed With Graduate School

Outcome

Completed ()

Date Filed With Graduate School

Outcome

Completed ()

Date Filed With Graduate School

Outcome

Completed ()

Date Filed With Graduate School

Outcome

Completed ()

Progress Report 1
Progress Report 2

Year 2

Report

Progress Report 1
Progress Report 2

Year 3

Report

Progress Report 1
Progress Report 2

Year 4

Report

Progress Report 1
Progress Report 2

23

Thesis Defense:
Task

Date Reported to the Graduate School

Completed ()

Date Reported to the Graduate School

Completed ()

Exam Date

Defense Chair

Final Thesis Committee Members

(Note: This should be identical to your QE committee.)

Draft Thesis to the Thesis Committee
Draft Thesis to the Graduate School
Outcome of the Defense

Final Thesis Submission:

Task
Final Revised Thesis

Signature of Supervisor

Signature of Co-supervisor (If Applicable)

Signature of Co-supervisor (If Applicable)

Signature of Committee Member 1 (Internal, IST)

Signature of Committee Member 2 (External)

Signature of Committee member 3 (If Applicable)

Signature of Committee member 4 (If Applicable)
Final Thesis Approval

24

Rotation Protocol
Rotation Instructor
Student
From-to
Start of the project:
Brief description of
project/ evaluation
criteria/

Signature of Rotation Instructor

Signature of student
End of the project:
strengths of the
student/ what
should the student
work on

Grade

Pass:
Fail:

Date
Signature of Rotation Instructor
Signature of student

25

Definitions:
The workload of a standard rotation is approx. 200 hours. During a rotation, a faculty can expect the
student to be available for 4 half days and one full day. During phase 1 students have to fulfil a credit
requirement of 24 ECTS points and course work has precedent over other commitments.
Before the start of the rotation student and faculty need to agree on an outline of the rotation project.
By the end of the rotation student and faculty sit down together, discuss the rotation project, strengths
and weaknesses of the student, and sign the rotation protocol. Faculty need to inform the student
whether they would be willing to accept the student or not.
The student files the rotation protocol together with the student evaluation form with the Graduate
School.
The professor informs the Graduate School whether or not the student has performed at the level
expected of a group member and whether or not s/he is willing to accept the student into the group.
Both parties have the option of filing confidential comments with the Graduate School.

26

Student Rotation Evaluation

Please hand this evaluation form in together with the rotation protocol.
Student Name:
Rotation Advisor Name:
Was this a group you consider taking your PhD in?

Was this a rotation in your field?

How many hours did you work? Was the workload appropriate?

Who was you primary contact (faculty postdoc students)?

Did you enjoy the project and was the rotation a useful experience for you?

Do you wish to add any confidential comments?

27

Supervisor-Student Agreement

I .... (name of faculty) hereby formally accept the following student

..(name of student) into my research group, and will act as her/his Supervisor for
her/his Thesis, with all rights and responsibilities outlined in the General Rules for the Graduate School
at IST Austria.

I understand that the students salary starting with the students entry into the graduate school will
be charged to my group budget.

Date

---------------------------------Signature IST faculty

-------------------------------Signature student

28

29

Default start date of the PhD Program is September 15, 2013. All students are initially unaffiliated.

Curricular requirements for students entering in the fall of 2013

(1) Course: Introduction to Research at IST (1 ECTS credits) phase 1
(2) Course: Scientific Presentation and Conduct (2 ECTS credits) phase 1
(3) Do three lab rotations with three different professors phase 1
(4) Fulfill a credit requirement: 12 ECTS credits per semester - phase 1
(5) Fulfill a breadth requirement before graduating:
Every student has to complete at least one half module (3 credits) in four of the following five
areas: Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Neuroscience, and Physics.
Take four core modules (or the equivalent of eight core half modules).
Attending an advanced course at IST Austria can be substituted for a core course in this field
(Approval of the Graduate School is required prior to course registration).
(6) Act as a Teaching Assistant for at least one half core module (or an advanced course) before
graduation.
(7) Form a Thesis Committee and pass the Qualifying Exam:
Students with a Masters degree have to affiliate by September 15, 2014 and take the Qualifying
Exam by February 15, 2015 at the latest.
Students with a Bachelors degree have to affiliate by June 15, 2015 and take the Qualifying Exam
by November 15, 2015 at the latest.
Each full core module earns 6 ECTS credits; one half module earns 3 ECTS credits
The credit requirement can be fulfilled by either taking courses (core or advanced) at IST Austria. Courses
not attended at IST Austria can be counted towards the credit requirement, but not the breadth
requirement.

FALL I 2013 (9/30 - 11/22)

8:45 AM
9:00 AM
9:15 AM
9:30 AM
9:45 AM
10:00 AM
10:15 AM
10:30 AM
10:45 AM
11:00 AM
11:15 AM
11:30 AM
11:45 AM
12:00 PM
12:15 PM
12:30 PM
12:45 PM
1:00 PM
1:15 PM
1:30 PM
1:45 PM
2:00 PM
2:15 PM
2:30 PM
2:45 PM
3:00 PM
3:15 PM
3:30 PM
3:45 PM
4:00 PM
4:15 PM
4:30 PM
4:45 PM
5:00 PM
5:15 PM
5:30 PM
5:45 PM
6:00 PM

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thur

Fri

Random Graphs & Geometric

Structures
Adv. Math

Linear Algebra
Core Math

Random Graphs & Geometric

Structures
Adv. Math

Linear Algebra
Core Math

HeEd, UlWa

ChLa, UlWa

HeEd, UlWa

ChLa, UlWa

Methods of Data Analysis

Adv. Physics

Introduction to Neuroscience
Core Neuroscience

Biological Physics
Core Physics

Introduction to Neuroscience
Core Neuroscience

Biological Physics
Core Physics

GaTk

GaNo, GaTk, JoCs, PeJo, RySh,

SiHi

GaTk, ToBo

GaNo, GaTk, JoCs, PeJo, RySh,

SiHi
Recitation Introduction to
Neuroscience

GaTk, ToBo

Recitation Methods of Data

Analysis
Algorithms
Core Computer Science

Molecular Cell Biology I

Core Biology

Algorithms
Core Computer Science

Molecular Cell Biology I

Core Biology

KrPi, VlKo

HaJa

KrPi, VlKo

HaJa

Stability of Matter in Quantum

Mechanics I
Adv. Physics/Math

Recitation Molecular Cell

Biology I

RoSe

Recitation Linear Algebra

Stability of Matter in Quantum

Mechanics I
Adv. Physics/Math
RoSe

Recitation Biological Physics

Recitation Stability of Matter in

Quantum Mechanics I

Recitation Random Graphs &

Geometric Structures

Recitation Algorithms

FALL II 2013 (11/25 - 1/31)

8:45 AM
9:00 AM
9:15 AM
9:30 AM
9:45 AM
10:00 AM
10:15 AM
10:30 AM
10:45 AM
11:00 AM
11:15 AM
11:30 AM
11:45 AM
12:00 PM
12:15 PM
12:30 PM
12:45 PM
1:00 PM
1:15 PM
1:30 PM
1:45 PM
2:00 PM
2:15 PM
2:30 PM
2:45 PM
3:00 PM
3:15 PM
3:30 PM
3:45 PM
4:00 PM
4:15 PM
4:30 PM
4:45 PM
5:00 PM
5:15 PM
5:30 PM
5:45 PM
6:00 PM

Mon

Tue

Wed

Principles of Evolution
Core Biology

Discrete Mathematics &

Probability
Core Math

Principles of Evolution
Core Biology

HeEd, NiBa

NiBa, SyCr

HeEd, NiBa

NiBa, SyCr

Principles of Neuronal Circuit

Assembly
Core Neuroscience

Biological Physics
Core Physics

Principles of Neuronal Circuit

Assembly
Core Neuroscience

Biological Physics
Core Physics

SiHi

GaTk, ToBo

SiHi
Recitation Principles of
Neuronal Circuit Assembly

GaTk, ToBo

Recitation Discrete
Mathematics & Probability

Cryptography
Adv. Computer Science

KrPi

Formal Methods
Core Computer Science

Formal Methods
Core Computer Science

Cryptography
Adv. Computer Science

KrCh, ToHe

KrCh, ToHe

KrPi

Recitation Formal Methods

Recitation Cryptography

Stability of Matter in Quantum

Mechanics II
Adv. Math/Physics

Recitation Principles of
Evolution

Stability of Matter in Quantum

Mechanics II
Adv. Math/Physics

RoSe

Recitation Biological Physics

RoSe

Recitation Stability of Matter in

Quantum Mechanics II

Fri

Thur

Discrete Mathematics &

Probability
Core Math

SPRING I 2014 (3/3 - 5/9)

8:45 AM
9:00 AM
9:15 AM
9:30 AM
9:45 AM
10:00 AM
10:15 AM
10:30 AM
10:45 AM
11:00 AM
11:15 AM
11:30 AM
11:45 AM
12:00 PM
12:15 PM
12:30 PM
12:45 PM
1:00 PM
1:15 PM
1:30 PM
1:45 PM
2:00 PM
2:15 PM
2:30 PM
2:45 PM
3:00 PM
3:15 PM
3:30 PM
3:45 PM
4:00 PM
4:15 PM
4:30 PM
4:45 PM
5:00 PM
5:15 PM
5:30 PM
5:45 PM
6:00 PM

Tue

Mon
Molecular & Cellular
Neuroscience
Core Neuroscience

Thur

Wed

Image Processing & Analysis

Core Computer Science

Molecular & Cellular

Neuroscience
Core Neuroscience

Fri

Image Processing & Analysis

Core Computer Science
ChLa

ChLa
PeJo

PeJo
Statistics
Core Math

Molecular Cell Biology II

Core Biology

Statistics
Core Math

Molecular Cell Biology II

Core Biology

CaUh

DaSi, ToBo

CaUh

DaSi, ToBo

Scientific Presentation &

Conduct
Required for 1st year
students
SyCr, ToHe

Geometry & Topology

Core Math

Geometry & Topology

Core Math

HeEd, UlWa

HeEd, UlWa

Recitation 1

Recitation 3

Recitation Molecular Cell

Biology II

Recitation 4

Recitation 5

Recitation Statistics

SPRING II 2014 (5/12 - 7/11)

8:45 AM
9:00 AM
9:15 AM
9:30 AM
9:45 AM
10:00 AM
10:15 AM
10:30 AM
10:45 AM
11:00 AM
11:15 AM
11:30 AM
11:45 AM
12:00 PM
12:15 PM
12:30 PM
12:45 PM
1:00 PM
1:15 PM
1:30 PM
1:45 PM
2:00 PM
2:15 PM
2:30 PM
2:45 PM
3:00 PM
3:15 PM
3:30 PM
3:45 PM
4:00 PM
4:15 PM
4:30 PM
4:45 PM
5:00 PM
5:15 PM
5:30 PM
5:45 PM
6:00 PM

Tue

Mon
Cell & Developmental Biology
Core Biology
EvBe, CPHe, JiFr

Problems in
Evolutionary
Biology
Adv. Biology
NiBa

Machine Learning
Adv. Computer
Science
ChLa

Thur

Wed
Cell & Developmental Biology
Core Biology
EvBe, CPHe, JiFr

Problems in
Evolutionary
Biology
Adv. Biology
NiBa

Fri

Machine Learning
Adv. Computer
Science
ChLa

Systems Neuroscience
Core Neuroscience

Selected Topics in Mathematical

Physics
Adv. Math/Physics

Systems Neuroscience
Core Neuroscience

Selected Topics in Mathematical

Physics
Adv. Math/Physics

JoCs

LaEr

JoCs

LaEr

Scientific Presentation &

Conduct
Required for 1st year
students
SyCr, ToHe

Differential Equations
Core Math

Convex Optimization
Adv. Computer Science/Math

Differential Equations
Core Math

Convex Optimization
Adv. Computer Science/Math
CaUh, VlKo

CaUh, VlKo
ChWo

ChWo
Recitation 1

Recitation Selected Topics in

Mathematical Physics

Recitation 2

Recitation 4

Recitation 5

Recitation Convex
Optimization