IMPRS Heidelberg offers a dedicated curriculum with the emphasis on astrophysics lectures. Depending whether students aim for a doctoral degree in astronomy (the usual case for IMPRs students) or for a doctoral degree in physics (a rare case) they will have follow a slightly different curriculum. However all students meet together in the block course Introduction to Astronomy I+II in September, the Theoretical Astrophysics lecture during the winter term and the regular IMPRS seminar. The program offers introductory and advanced lectures, seminars, and summer schools, all structured in a 2-year cycle, starting each year in September. The courses are open also for non-IMPRS students and are held in in English language. Students will be able to finish with the lecture program within two years, leaving more time for finishing up their research work, completing their thesis and preparing the final disputation within three years. Introductory lectures: The introductory lectures are aimed for students, who enter IMPRS with yet limited knowledge in astronomy. Introduction to astronomy I: History in astronomy, time and position measurements, stars and the sun, planetary systems, observational instruments. Introduction to astronomy II: The Milky Way, normal galaxies, active galaxies, radio galaxies, evolution cycle of matter, cosmology. These two lectures are offered as a three-week all-day class in September each year (block course). Theoretical astrophysics: Radiative processes, hydrodynamics, plasma physics, stellar dynamics, high energy physics. The introductory lectures present the basic knowledge for any student researching in astronomy, astrophysics or cosmic physics. This lecture is offered as semester course every winter term. Advanced courses (semester courses): In a series of four advanced courses profound knowledge in key areas of Astronomy and Cosmic Physics will be presented. These lectures are offered as semester courses with a time schedule such that every IMPRS student has the opportunity to visit each lecture. They are also offered (partly) as block courses within the semester break. Observational methods: Telescopes, instrumentation, detectors, observational methods in the optical, IR, UV, radio-, and sub-mm range, X-ray and Gamma-ray observations, data analysis, data banks Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics: Stellar structure, stellar atmospheres, star formation, stellar evolution, planet formation, planetary systems, interstellar matter Galaxies: Galactic structure, dynamics, and evolution, star clusters, hot stellar systems, structure and dynamics of the ISM, star forming regions, galaxy clusters, intergalactic medium Cosmology: Models and properties of the homogeneous universe, inhomogeneities in the universe, early universe, inflation and dark energy, later stages of the universe, galaxy distribution, gas, galaxy clusters Specialized courses: There are several courses per semester focused on various research topics within the IMPRS research field. We expect IMPRS students to join at least one of these courses. IMPRS seminar: The weekly IMPRS seminar is intended to provide a central meeting opportunity for all IMPRS students in order to exchange ideas and experience. In the winter term, the IMPRS seminar is held as a "Oberseminar", ie. as literature seminar discussing current research highlights as well as fundamental knowledge from recent astrophysics literature. In the summer term, the IMPRS seminar is held as an advanced seminar ("Fortgeschrittenenseminar") with presentations of ongoing thesis projects. IMPRS summer schools: Annual summer schools on dedicated fields will take in Heidelberg with lectures and seminars by invited lecturers and guest scientists. We aim for topics which are of interest for a broad audience of IMPRS students. Our first summer school was held September 2006 on the Physics of the Interstellar Medium. The topic of the second school held August-September 2007 is the Milky Way Galaxy. The topic of the third school held September 2008 is the Art and Craft of Astronomical Instrumentation. The topic of the fourth school held August 2009 is Statistical Inferences from Astrophysical Data. Requirements: Certain requirements have to be met in order to get awarded a doctoral degree Attendence of the IMPRS course program is certified by IMPRS-HD. Arriving students may find it confusing to find requirements for PhD studies from different "organisations" as IMPRS, the Faculty, and the Graduate School HGSFP. However, to follow IMPRS-HD rules is always safe. In case of questions, the IMPRS coordinator Christian Fendt is happy to help. In the case a student aims for a doctoral degree in astronomy, Heidelberg University requires to follow the mandatory "plan of study" as described above. In addition, active participation in an advanced topical seminar and an astrophysics lab course is required. Please check the following webpage for more information and registration. For students aiming for a doctoral degree in physics the curriculum is different and has to be defined for each student individually. Note that while "astronomy" cannot be studied for a Diplom/Master's degree in Germany (and, thus, is a PhD study), the study of "physics" is for a Diplom/Master's degree. This is why the requirements for the doctoral degrees are different. In addiation to these university requirements for all students, all IMPRS students are obliged to attend the introductory courses (if they have not attended these courses elsewhere), the IMPRS seminar and at least one of the summer schools. In addition, IMPRS students aiming for a doctoral degree in astronomy are obliged to attend two lectures of advanced course program. These two lectures must be outside their own research field (e.g. a "Galaxies" course for a student working in star formation). All Heidelberg astronomy students (incl. IMPRS students) are obliged to attend the astronomy lab course ("Praktikum") and fullfil their teaching obligation (a minimum of 2 hours per week for one semester; e.g. course/exercises supervision). Please check the webpage of the university graduate school HGSFP for more information about the university rules for graduate students. A summary of rules defined by the Dean of the Faculty for Physics and Astronomy can be downloaded as pdf file.