The main objective of the PhD course in Earth Sciences is to provide highly qualified teaching and research courses in the numerous Scientific-Disciplinary Sectors of the Geosciences. This objective will be achieved through: (i) the development of advanced research on topics which, in many cases, also have a value in the application field, (ii) the development of in-depth seminars, also held by external professors from the Academic Board, Italians and foreigners. These researches have the further advantage of allowing future PhDs to excel also in the professional and industrial world, expanding the professional opportunities of the PhD course. The depth of the didactic and experimental activities is such as to provide PhD students with professional skills in line with the highest international standards, both in the field of research and in the field of industry.
Given the heterogeneity of topics related to Earth sciences, common compulsory teaching activities (specific courses) are envisaged for 20 hours per year; the credits will be acquired in a highly flexible path defined jointly with the tutor and the College.
Both disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching activities are acquired by attending university courses on or off site, schools, workshops and/or seminars.
The total number of credits to be obtained in the three-year period is at least 180 credits, with the possibility of overcoming. Each year the doctoral student will be able to obtain a maximum of 55 credits per year for research activity. During the three-year period, it is necessary to achieve at least 20 credits in training activities, in addition to research activities.
The training credits will be assigned as follows:
research activity - 5 ECTS/month, max 55/year
university courses - credits foreseen in the course
schools, workshops, etc. - 1 credit/5 hours
seminar, individual lesson - 0.2 credits/hour
The interdisciplinary activities will be mainly focused on issues relating to the sourcing and sustainable exploitation of fluid and solid georesources and to geological and environmental risks; in this perspective they will involve geological-stratigraphic, geological-structural, paleontological, geomorphological, hydrogeological, geochemical, geophysical and mineralogical-petrographic aspects. IT improvement activities are foreseen, through the application of advanced level software, designed to face and solve geo-environmental and geo-statistical problems. The direct involvement of doctoral students is also envisaged (a) in the various phases of planning and presentation of research projects in the various existing funding areas, as well as (b) in the drafting of reports and scientific publications.