In order to follow this course, some knowledge, skills as well as hardware, software and databases are requested.

Knowledge
Basic crystallography will not be teached. Then, the students should already possess a minimum of knowledge in this discipline: the minimum is a four years University level in Physics or chemistry including at least one unit in crystallography. 

Skills
The best would be that the students are already aware of some methods and techniques of structure solution from single crystal data. 

Hardware
A PC working under Windows 95/98/NT is requested. The student should have access to a full Internet connection (E-mail, Web, FTP, Telnet) and his lab should preferably be equipped with a modern powder diffractometer.

Software - Databases
The course is based on public domain software. However, some steps in the course are lacking of freeware (search-match procedures for phase recognition) and the usual crystallography databases are not exactly free in access (ICDD, ICSD, CSD). Therefore, the student should dispose of at least a search-match software and of the ICDD PDF-2 database (generally the case when a lab is equipped with a powder diffractometer).