Doctoral program

Anyone pursuing a doctoral study must adhere to the requisite doctoral program.

Below you will find additional information regarding the compulsory elements of your Ph.D.:

Different obligations for obtaining your PhD

To successfully complete the doctoral program, you must meet at least the obligatory criteria listed below.
Once you have met all requirements, you can submit a request to the Doctoral Committee to obtain a confirmation of the completed doctoral program (see 'forms').
In this request you must clearly indicate which performances correspond to the specific obligations laid down in both the 'truncus communis' and the supplementary part (art. 14 - 16 Doctoral Regulations). The Doctoral Committee of the faculty will then assess whether you have met all the requirements of the program and whether you can be admitted to the doctoral defense.

Truncus communis

1. The writing of at least one scientific publication at an international level: a peer-reviewed contribution written in the language of the discipline and which is minimally accepted for publication. The contribution can be a journal article, a book chapter or conference proceedings.

2. Giving at least two seminars, either about your own research, or on a more general theme. * 

3. Giving at least one oral or poster presentation about your own research at an international scientific conference.

4. Following at least one seminar series or course component specifically organised for PhD researchers. *

5. Following the course component ‘Research Integrity for starting PhD Researchers’ during the first year of the doctoral program.

6. Reporting on the progress of the doctoral research on a yearly basis via progress reports.

* In principle, these seminars take place during the biannual PhD Congress.

Milestones

The supplementary part consists of additional activities and training that the PhD researcher follows as part of the doctoral research and/or as a preparation for a career within or outside the university. The PhD researcher is ultimately responsible for the supplementary part. (art. 16 Doctoral Regulations) 

In principle, every doctoral student must achieve a number of 'milestones' during the course of the doctoral period. These milestones can be found in your KULoket under the application 'PhD progress' and they are an official way to track the progress you make in your doctoral program. Some of the obligatory parts of the program correspond to a milestone, other milestones depend on the faculty in which you are enrolled.

Certain milestones require you to submit an attachment (see section forms ).

For questions about the doctoral program, you can always contact the coordinator of the doctoral program.