IMPRS-HD offers a dedicated curriculum in English language with emphasis on lectures and seminars in the field of astrophysics. IMPRS-HD intends to offer a broad and deep education in astronomy and astrophysics besides the thesis research work. Depending whether students aim for a doctoral degree in astronomy (the usual case for IMPRS students) or for a doctoral degree in physics their curriculum will be slightly different. While there is a basic mandatory curriculum for all IMPRS students, students who had attended similar lectures previously, do not have to attend again. Usually, all new students meet first during the first day of the introductory block course Introduction to Astronomy in September, or later during the Theoretical Astrophysics lecture, and the regular IMPRS seminar. The astronomy curriculum consists of introductory and advanced courses, advanced lectures, seminars, a lab course and summer schools, all structured in a 2-year cycle , starting each year in September (see the long-term course schedule (pdf file)) Thus, students will be able to finish with the lecture program within 2 years, leaving time for finishing up their research work, completing their thesis and preparing the final disputation within three years. All courses are open also for non-IMPRS students. More detailed information about the IMPRS curriculum can be found here. For more information about the IMPRS seminar please check the seminar page. Students are welcome to follow their interests for the lectures and may attend other courses from the many specialized courses in the program. A time schedule for the IMPRS academic winter term 2009/10 can be downloaded here (pdf file). The regular IMPRS astronomy courses offered this winter term are the 3-week block course "Introduction to Astronomy - I,II" during September, the semester courses "Theoretical Astrophysics" and "Galaxies". Next summer semester will follow "Cosmlogy", then "Observational Methods" (winter) and "Stellar physics" (summer). If you haven't done an Astronomy Lab Course yet, you should plan for that as well within the first 2 years. Please check the following webpage for more information and registration. Note that besides the semester program for the advanced courses IMPRS offers also block lectures for the Galaxies, Stellar Physics, and Cosmology lectures either before or after the semester period.