How to carry out the PhD programme

Doing the doctoral thesis (2,5, years)

The most important component of the PhD education is an independent piece of research carried out under active academic supervision.

A complete or preliminary project description must be submitted together with the application.

Choosing courses (30 ECTS, 0,5 year)

The plan for academic training is assessed and approved by the faculty at the time of admission. All changes to the plan do also have to be approved by the faculty.

Participation in departmental and faculty training on Health, Safety and Environment is mandatory in addition to normal course work.

Learning activities and internationalization

A PhD degree requires a great deal of independence and capacity for completion. The final thesis is expected to contribute to the development of new scientific knowledge and meet international standards in the field. PhD education at NTNU is internationally oriented. The PhD student is expected to contribute to international conferences and publish in international peer-reviewed journals. It is possible to complete part of the studies abroad, either in the form of a prolonged research stay or by completing some of the courses abroad.

Learning methods include supervision, to conduct the course part of the PhD programme, to read scientific publications, to conduct, to analyze and present own research, and to write scientific publications and the PhD thesis.

The supervisors are to give advice on the formulation and delimitation of the thematic area and research questions, discuss and assess methods and results, discuss arrangements, implementation, forms of documentation and presentation, and provide guidance with respect to relevant academic discourse. The candidate must receive supervision in academic- and research-related ethical issues related to the doctoral work.

The PhD courses given at NTNU may include learning activities as lectures, seminars, exercises, field work, laboratory experiments, group work and project work.

Assessment

The PhD degree is awarded based on completed course part of the programme, approved PhD thesis, approved public trial lecture on a prescribed topic and satisfactory public defense of the PhD thesis.

Evaluation of PhD programmes

All education at NTNU is continually evaluated according to our quality assurance system including PhD programmes. In addition the faculty have guide lines for the responsibilities and duties for the following up of a PhD Candidate and parties involved.

Evaluation reports for the PhD programmes at the Faculty of Natural Sciences

NB. Ph.d.-rapportene må publiseres på denne nettsiden, som bør ha en engelsk versjon av nettsiden for de 2-årige master- og ph.d.-programmene.

As part of the systematic quality work and follow-up of each PhD student, a mandatory yearly confidential progress reports are given by both the PhD student and the supervisor. In addition, the PhD student has a mandatory midterm evaluation half-way in the PhD programme.

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