Students in the OIST PhD program must earn a minimum of 30 credits from coursework to fulfil their degree requirements. These 30 credits required comprise 20 from electives course and 10 from Mandatory courses. Students entering with a Masters degree or equivalent may be given a waiver of up to 10 elective credits, in recognition of prior relevant learning.
The OIST PhD is taught as a flexible program tailored to each student's individual needs, and there is no set program of study, nor do students choose a major field of study. This facilitates interdisciplinary study and research, and allows students to cross disciplines. Groupings of courses into disciplines in the accompanying documents are for the convenience of the reader only, and do not imply any formal categories or majors.
Students work with their mentor and academic advisors to choose the courses needed to prepare for their intended research, and to broaden their experience. Courses are offered at both Basic (minimal prerequisites, open to anyone) and Advanced (focused, high-level, with significant pre-knowledge required) levels to provide a wide range of options for students.
OIST uses a 15-week term system, with a minimum of 13 teaching weeks. OIST courses require a minimum of 20 hours class time per credit. Laboratory or exercise classes require additional hours as they are considered less 'dense' than lectures.