Graduating around the globe
“At the end of the first year of study, or sometimes at the beginning of the second year, there will be what is often referred to as a 25% seminar.” When successful candidates begin their studies, they are introduced to the department and the research groups relevant for their PhD studies. An important element of this introduction is to be assigned supervisors. Over the years, a practice of having at least two supervisors has emerged. There is a main supervisor and an assistant supervisor, and quite often the main supervisor is a senior scholar (professor) and the assistant supervisor a junior scholar (assistant or associate professor). The distribution of responsibilities between the supervisors differs, but generally this team of three members will collaborate closely during the process. The doctoral candidate also has a say in who is appointed as supervisor.
The studies involve courses and dissertation work. Originally, the expectation was that two years would be spent on each of these activities, but in recent years more credit points tend to be given to the dissertation work. The first year of study is spent on courses and on developing the dissertation project. An initial version of the idea of the dissertation has to be included in the application, but the further specification of the research problems and the methods to use is an important element of the first year in the programme. The progress of the studies is monitored through a digitized Individual Study Plan (ISP) system. In most departments, the dissertation work is followed up at three points in time (with some local variations). At the end of the first year of study, or sometimes at the beginning of the second year, there will be what is often referred to as a 25% seminar. On this occasion, the PhD student, in the presence of colleagues, supervisors and researchers from the department, will present the general ideas and structure of the PhD work and receive feedback. After about two years of study, there is a “mid-seminar” that follows the same model.
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