WASS Introduction course 2026 - 1 ECTS
Course schedule
| Dates | Start time | End time | Location | Coordinator | registrations app/max |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 18-19, 2026 | 09:00 | Hotel Wander | Marcella Haan | 7 / 27 | Apply | ||
| April 22-23, 2026 | 09:00 | Hotel Wander | Marcella Haan | 0 / 27 | Apply | ||
| June 29-30, 2026 | 09:00 | Hotel Wander | Marcella Haan | 0 / 27 | Apply | ||
| October 6-7, 2026 | 09:00 | Hotel Wander | Marcella Haan | 0 / 27 | Apply | ||
| December 2-3, 2026 | 09:00 | Hotel Wander | Marcella Haan | 0 / 27 | Apply |
Course description
Starting a PhD is a big challenge. Especially in the beginning, new candidates will encounter lots of new information and uncertainties; a new workplace, new colleagues, preparing a four-year process, writing a research proposal, etcetera. In order to feel at home within the Wageningen School of Social Science (WASS), to get to know your fellow PhD candidates, and to overcome pitfalls and problems during the PhD process, Wageningen School of Social Science offers the WASS Introduction Course for new PhD candidates.
The objective of the WASS Introduction Course is to make new PhD candidates more familiar with the WASS organisation and to prepare them for the PhD process. During various sessions, PhD candidates will be introduced to the WASS organisation, its fellows, and the PhD Council. A number of workshops will be offered with the objective to prepare candidates for their PhD process.
More specifically, the following issues will be considered:
- Everything you need to know about WASS
- Meeting the PhD Council
- Ethics in Social Sciences
- Competences necessary for the PhD process
- Proposal approval & Code of conduct
- Methodological challenges and pitfalls
- Dealing with your supervisor
Programme
Day 1 will start at 9.00 hrs and will finish around 20.00 hrs, this is including dinner. Day 2 will start at 9.00 hrs and will end around 17.30 hrs.
Target group
Target group are new WASS PhD candidates.
Learning outcomes
After the completion of this introduction course participants:
- are better prepared for their PhD process by being:
- Informed about practicalities and formalities in their PhD process
- Aware of the competences that are needed in their PhD process
- Aware of communication issues that can occur with supervisors and learning how to deal with these
- Informed on the approval procedure of their research proposal
- have a better understanding of the WASS organisation and feeling as a member of WASS
- The (international) candidates have a better insight in the Dutch culture
- Candidates are aware of the WASS mission and themes
- Candidates know the importance of ethics within WASS research and can relate that to their own research
- Candidates know each other and are familiar with the WASS staff and the WASS fellows.
Course fee
The course fee for the WASS Introduction course is 150 euros.
The WASS Introduction course is a compulsory course for 1 ECTS.
Teaching methods
Information sessions are combined with interactive workshops and social activities.
Requirements
The Introduction Course does not require specific knowledge or preparation. This course is especially useful for WASS PhD candidates that have just started their PhD project. For preparation, the PhD candidates could make a list of all the questions they have about WASS, the PhD process, and pitfalls that could occur during their PhD process.