Study Programme
Leading-edge thematic education, alongside modern research directions in materials, processes and manufacturing technologies, is the core of the doctoral learning journey.
Future-ready graduates have a strong thematic backbone coupled with cross- and transdisciplinary competences as well as transferable skills that enable the creation of impact beyond their own scientific discipline, for the benefit of society. The MaP Doctoral School organises its educational offers in a matrix structure, with thematic tracks organised vertically, while overarching topics along the horizontal axis connect in a cross-disciplinary manner. An additional layer accounts for transdisciplinary learnings, as well as the further development of personal and transferable skills such as scientific practice & ethics, science communication, etc.
Thematic Tracks
MaP Doctoral School is organised into thematic tracks, each covering a future-oriented interdisciplinary research area. Each track brings together the resources of research units around a specific scientific interest, thereby forming a vibrant scientific community that builds on collaboration and exchange of scientific ideas toward progress. The tracks provide the doctoral candidates with an administrative and intellectual community on campus, and offer them a menu of advanced courses.
Each track is headed by a chair and supported by the executive office of the MaP Doctoral School.
To display recommended courses for your track:
- Go to the course catalogue
- Select Structure/Programme: Doctorate Materials Science
(independent of your own department)
- Select Structure/Section: Subject Specialisation
- Select Structure/Subsection: [Choose your track]
- Click on Search
Cross-Disciplinary Topics
Overarching tools and topics stimulate cross-disciplinary skills by connecting the individual thematic tracks. These topics, framed as advanced seminar series or hands-on workshops aim to broaden the scientific horizon beyond the students’ individual expertise. The formats are designed to be interactive and serve as a framework for periodically changing topics.
Offers are developed further based along MaP's current activities like Distinguished Lecture Series, Raman Workshop, etc.
Transdisciplinary Formats
The development of transdisciplinary competences is all about preparing graduates to drive future transformations in the way Materials and Processes shape the world. To account for the transdisciplinary aspect, each year, the doctoral students of the School compete in a call for transdisciplinary formats, to realise e.g. a thematic symposium, a winter/summer school or a whole new format. Both theme and format are required to be of broader interest and "mission-driven", with relevance to society and/or industry.
Call for Transdisciplinary Formats
Each year, MaP Doctoral School runs an ideas competition for transdisciplinary formats. The winning idea receives CHF 25'000 and organisational support from the MaP Doctoral School Office for its realisation.
Procedure & Rules
Eligible to submit an idea are all doctoral students of the School. Ideas can be submitted by teams or individuals. It is possible to be involved in submitting more than one idea. To submit an idea, please provide the following info by 5 June 2025 to :
- (working) title of your idea
- full name(s) of applicant(s) involved
- WHY: briefly describe the motivation; why is your idea relevant (overall, and for the different disciplines researched in MaP)?
- WHAT: summarise what your idea is about; what you address (with reference to the WHY)
- HOW: provide the cornerstones of your format’s concept; what makes it stand out compared to other formats
Applicants will be invited to pitch their idea on the occasion of the MaP Graduate Symposium on 19 June 2025. After the pitches, the audience will choose the winning idea in a democratic decision.
Personal & Transferable Competences
An additional layer accounts for the training of skills to create impact beyond own scientific discipline. This includes, for instance, personal competences in good scientific practice and soft skills such as data analysis, science communication, application of research results, teaching and supervision, as well as entrepreneurship.
Course Recommendations
The table below gives you an overview on keywords you could use when searching for courses.
Instructions:
- Open the current course catalogue
- Input a suitable keyword in the field "Catalogue data" (second row from the bottom)
- Press "Search"
Questions? Please send us an .
