Doctoral Studies in Macedonia

According to Higher Education Law (HEL) of Macedonia, the system of higher education is organized and scheduled in three cycles:

1. The first cycle of university studies has duration of 3 to 4 years. By completing it, a student can earn 180 or 240 ECTS. This kind of studies enables students to enter the second cycle of university studies and gives them an opportunity to be employed at professional jobs. For international use and in the diploma issued in English, the academic title Baccalaureus or Baccalaureate is granted to the students after completing the first cycle of studies.
2. The second cycle of university studies has duration of 1 to 2 years. By completing it, a student can earn 60 or 120 ECTS. This kind of studies might have longer duration if it is in accordance to the international standards for a given profile. The total number of credits after completing the first and the second cycle of university studies amount to 300 ECTS. For international use and in the diploma issued in English, the academic title Master is granted to the students after completing the second cycle of studies.
3. The third cycle of university studies – PhD studies has duration of three years and a student can earn 180 ECTS. With a public defence of the doctoral dissertation, an academic title Doctor of Science is acquired. The University regulates the acquirement of the ECTS credits at the doctoral studies with a common act, and announces the ECTS credits necessary for submission of the doctoral dissertation.

HEL states that admission to the PhD degree programmes assumes prior completion of a second cycle of academic studies. The University might also set additional conditions for admission to the PhD degree programmes.
The PhD studies are considered as completed after completion of all courses and after submission and public defence of the PhD dissertation.
The HEL gives an opportunity to the University to organize studies from the third cycle in duration of less than three years, after which, the title of specialist is acquired. The title specialist i.e. its abbreviation, is added to the academic title acquired from the second cycle of university studies.
The study programmes from third cycle are approved by the University Senate after being proposed by the Scientific Faculty Council of the University Unit.
The Accreditation Board provides accreditations for the study programmes for doctoral studies – third cycle (as well as for the study programmes of the first and second cycle), while an approval for start of the study programme is given by the Ministry for Education and Science. Apart of this, the HEL states that the studying programmes financed by the National Budget of MK are approved by the Government of MK with prior consultations with the Council.
The study programmes are publicly announced by the University no later than the date of announcement of the Competition for Admission of Students.

Doctoral Studies in Ireland

1. Supervision

Scientific Board or Supervisor?
Supervisor - same personal supervisor for the student’s thesis work on an active/new research area of the department or the supervisor.

Subject Assignment?
Subject assigned in the beginning of doctoral studies, by agreement between the student and supervisor.

Duration?
4 years

Who can be a Supervisor?

• Any professor/lecturer in the department
• Any internal or external researchers can be co-supervisors

2. Development

Course Work:
The students don’t have to take course work during their doctoral degree preparation. However, where the student has a deficiency in a specific area some additional coursework might be prescribed.

Presentation of Work:

• In the department;
• At national conferences (actively encouraged);
• At international conferences.

3. Thesis

Submission of Doctoral Written Thesis:

• Language normally used: ENGLISH. Alternative languages: IRISH or other. Alternative language subject to availability by faculty;
• No credits allocated to the doctoral thesis;
• The doctoral thesis is a previously unpublished substantial written report.

Oral Presentation of Thesis Work:

• Language normally used: ENGLISH. No alternative languages used in general, but subject to availability by faculty;
• Oral presentation for a closed audience with oral examination at closed doors;
• Duration: typical duration of 3 hours with no upper limit.

4. Examination

Thesis Examination Board:

• Composition: one internal examiner, one external examiner, the Chair, supervisor and possible Assistant Dean (4 or 5 elements);
• Selection in consultation with the Head of Department, Assistant Dean and Dean

Evaluation:

• Mark based on the reading of the thesis and the oral presentation of the thesis work, with no grading system for the doctoral degree.
  
• Possible outcomes:
  

• Award degree with no corrections needed;
• Award degree subject to minor corrections usually verified by internal examiner;
• Refer back to student for major correction examined by internal and external examiners, oral at their discretion);
• Reject, but allow student do additional work and resubmit thesis within 12 months with full thesis and oral examination;
• Reject

Doctoral Studies in Germany

1. Supervision

Scientific Board or Supervisor?
There are both an appointed supervisor and a Scientific board. The latter includes 3 to 7 members depending on the university, elected by the Faculty/Department.
The student has the same personal supervisor during its thesis work on an active research area.

Subject Assignment?
Subject assigned at the beginning of the doctoral studies , by agreement between the student and supervisor. The subject might be changed slightly.

Duration?
4 years

Who can be a Supervisor?

• Only professors in the department can supervise doctoral students.

2. Development

Courseware?
No

Course Work:
There is no course program. The doctoral thesis is exclusively research-based.

Presentation of Work:

• In the department;
• At national conferences ;
• At international conferences.

3. Thesis

Submission of Doctoral Written Thesis:

• Language normally used: GERMAN. Alternative language: ENGLISH;
• No credits allocated to the doctoral thesis;
• The doctoral thesis is a previously unpublished substantial written report.
  

Oral Presentation of Thesis Work:

• Language normally used: GERMAN. Alternative language: ENGLISH;
• Oral presentation for an open audience and with one part of the oral examination public and another part of the oral examination that is not public;
• Duration: typical duration of 1,5 hours with upper limit.
  

4. Examination

Thesis Examination Board:

• Composition: four or three internal examiners and none or one external examiner (4 elements: 4+0 or 3+1).;
• Selection by the scientific committee of the institution.
  

Evaluation:

• Mark based on the reading of the thesis and the oral presentation of the thesis work, with a grading system.
  
• If the student fails he/she may resubmit a revised thesis not earlier than 1 year after the rejection of the first thesis. The student may also resubmit for doctorate but only once more.

Doctoral Studies in Italy

1. Supervision

Scientific Board or Supervisor?
Scientific board of 16 members elected by the Faculty/Department.
The student has the same personal supervisor during its thesis work on an active research area in the department.

Subject Assignment?
Subject assigned at the beginning of the doctoral studies , by agreement between the student and supervisor

Duration?
4 years

Who can be a Supervisor?

• Any professor/lecturer in the department.
• No internal or external researchers can supervise doctoral studies.
  

2. Development

Courseware?
No

Course Work:
The students don’t have to take course work during their degree doctoral preparation. The course work can be assessed by examinations.

Presentation of Work:

• In the department;
• At national conferences ;
• At international conferences.

3. Thesis

Submission of Doctoral Written Thesis:

• Language normally used: ITALIAN. Alternative language: ENGLISH;
• No credits allocated to the doctoral thesis;
• The doctoral thesis is a previously unpublished substantial written report.
  

Oral Presentation of Thesis Work:

• Language normally used: ITALIAN. Alternative language: ENGLISH;
• Oral presentation for an open audience and with oral examination at open doors ;
• Duration: typical duration of 1,5 hours with no upper limit.
  

4. Examination

Thesis Examination Board:

• Composition: two internal examiners and one external examiner (3 elements);
• Selection by the scientific committee of the institution or by the rector or equivalent.
  

Evaluation:

• Mark based on the reading of the thesis and the oral presentation of the thesis work, with a grading system.
  
• If the student fails he/she may resubmit a revised thesis within a time limit. The time limit is not precisely defined.

Doctoral Studies in Poland

1. Supervision

Scientific Board or Supervisor?
Scientific board consisting of minimum 8 professors. The student, in most cases, has the same personal supervisor during its thesis work on an active research area of the supervisor.

Subject Assignment?
Subject assigned after a specified period of coursework, by agreement between the student and supervisor

Duration?
4 years

Who can be a Supervisor?

• Any professor or DSc title holder in the department
• Any external professor or DSc title holder, but with an obligatory internal supervisor.

2. Development

Courseware?
Yes

Course Work:
The students have to take course work during their doctoral degree preparation. The course work is assessed by examinations. The coursework is offered as specialist graduate course units. In case of failure the student must retake the exam.

Presentation of Work:

• In the department;
• At national conferences ;
• At international conferences.

3. Thesis

Submission of Doctoral Written Thesis:

• Language normally used: POLISH. Alternative language: ENGLISH;
• No credits allocated to the doctoral thesis;
• The doctoral thesis is a previously unpublished substantial written report.
  

Oral Presentation of Thesis Work:

• Language normally used: POLISH. Alternative language: ENGLISH;
• Oral presentation for an open audience and with oral examination at open doors ;
• Duration: typical duration of 2 hours including discussion with no upper limit.

4. Examination

Thesis Examination Board:

• Composition: five internal examiners and one external examiner (6 elements);
• Selection by the scientific board.
  

Evaluation:

• Mark based on the reading of the thesis and the oral presentation of the thesis work, with a grading system: passed or passed outstanding.
  
• If the student fails he/she may resubmit a revised thesis.

Doctoral Studies in France

1. Supervision

Scientific Board or Supervisor?
Scientific board. The student has the same personal supervisor during its thesis work on an active research area.

Subject Assignment?
Subject assigned in the beginning of doctoral studies, by agreement between the student, supervisor and the Scientific Board.

Duration?
3 years

Who can be a Supervisor?

• Any professor/lecturer in the department
• Any internal or external researchers but one of the supervisors should be a Full Professor or Associate Professor with Habilitation, or researcher from the CNRS (National Centre for
  Research) with Habilitation.

2. Development

Courseware?
Yes

Course Work:
In some Universities (Nancy), the students have to take course work during their doctoral degree preparation. The course work is not assessed by examinations. There are two specialist graduate courses and a professional course (English for Science, meeting with industrials).

Presentation of Work:

• In the department;
• At national conferences ;
• At international conferences.

3. Thesis

Submission of Doctoral Written Thesis:

• Language normally used: FRANCH. Alternative language: subject to availability by faculty;
• No credits allocated to the doctoral thesis;
• The doctoral thesis is a previously unpublished substantial written report.
  

Oral Presentation of Thesis Work:

• Language normally used: FRENCH. In some cases there can be use of alternative languages (international juries, bi-national thesis);
• Oral presentation for an open audience and with oral examination at open doors ;
• Duration: typical duration of 1.45-2 hours with no formal upper limit.

4. Examination

Thesis Examination Board:

• Composition: two internal examiners, three to four external examiners among whom two “rapporteurs” who should comment in detail the content of the thesis;
• Selection by the supervisor and then assessed by the Scientific Board of the “École Doctorale” (Department for Doctoral Studies).
  

Evaluation:

• Mark based on the reading of the thesis and the oral presentation of the thesis work, with no grading system for the doctoral degree.
  
• If the student fails it may resubmit revised thesis (only the manuscript) but may not do further work if the authorization of presentation of the thesis has been given by the "rapporteur“ in the pre- evaluation, on the written document . If the thesis is to be re-submitted there is no time specification, because this situation is very rare.