The courses offered by the Graduate Program in Ecology (PPGE-UFRJ) are greatly responsible for the education that the graduate students receive. The courses also help our Graduate Program to build its identity. According to the PPGE policies, every Master student should take courses in order to complete 360 hours; PhD students are required to attend a minimum of 450 hours. The courses offered by the PPE-UFRJ are distributed into three categories, as follows:
| Conceptual |
|---|
|
General concepts and theory in Ecology, which are not restricted to a given taxonomic group and / or environment. Master students should take at least 90 h; PhD students should take at least 120 h. Courses taken in the Master’s degree can be considered when entering the PhD Program. |
| Methodological |
|---|
|
Courses focused on quantitative tools and methods in Ecology. MSc students should take at least 90 h. PhD Students should take at least 120 h. |
| Complementary |
|---|
|
Courses focused on the taxonomic group and / or the environment related to the students’ research. Specific Topics |
Courses attended at other graduate programs can be considered in order to fulfill the requirements above. As a consequence, students (in accordance with the advisor) may ask for an evaluation of the courses taken in other universities, which is performed by the graduate committee. A maximum of 30% of the time required for completing the courses can be taken from other graduate programs.
Minimal Time Required
| Research Degree |
|---|
| MSc |
| PhD |
| Conceptual | Conceptual | |
|---|---|---|
| MSc | 90h | |
| PhD | 120h | |
| Methodological | Methodological | |
|---|---|---|
| MSc | 90h | |
| PhD | 120h | |
| Complementary | Complementary | |
|---|---|---|
| MSc | Does not apply | |
| PhD | Does not apply | |
| Total | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Mestrado | 360h | |
| Doutorado | 450h | |
Such a structure was approved by the graduate committee on March 24, 2013, and applies to all students who have enrolled at PPGE-UFRJ since 2013. These changes were made to offer the students a solid background in both theory and methods in ecology, as understanding different tools and methodologies has become as important as understanding the essential concepts in Ecology.