Regulations. PhD programmes in Philosophy. Faculty of Philosophy

Transcription

1 Regulations PhD programmes in Philosophy Faculty of Philosophy Contents 1. General provisions 2. Structure of the PhD programme (training and research) 3. Admission and selection procedure 4. Dispute resolution regulations 5. Final provisions Section 1 General provisions Article 1.1 Applicability These Regulations apply to the teaching and organization of a PhD programme in Philosophy The PhD programmes are organized by the Philosophy Graduate School of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Groningen. Article 1.2 Definitions The following definitions apply to these Regulations: a. Act: the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW Wet op het Hoger Onderwijs en Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek) b. PhD student: a student registered at the University to follow a PhD programme c. the University, RUG: the University of Groningen d. Graduate School: the school which organizes the PhD programme e. Supervisor: the professor, co-supervisor or supervisor who supervises the PhD student f. Professor of record: the professor appointed by the College of Deans (= Board for PhD programmes) g. A special circumstance: special family circumstances, illness, pregnancy, a physical, sensory or other performance disability of the PhD student or a circumstance related to the organization of the PhD programme that is beyond the control of the student, which has led to delay in the PhD programme h. Admissions Board: board that assesses on behalf of the Faculty Board whether a student may be admitted to the PhD programme. Article 1.3 Aim of the PhD programme A PhD is the highest degree awarded in academic education. Those who have been awarded a PhD have extremely valuable competences for knowledgeintensive positions in academia and in society. In the light of the Dutch ambition for a highly educated working population, the PhD programme aims to train PhD students who are capable of working with processes of knowledge acquisition, transfer and application. RUG Philosophy PhD Regulations, page 1

2 1.3.2 The aim of the PhD programme is to prepare PhD students as well as possible for the writing and defence of a thesis. PhD students will be prepared to fill social positions for which experience with academic research is required The PhD programme will create a framework for learning how to conduct academic research and provides skills training in the field of oral and written reporting of research results, with an eye to the writing and defence of a thesis The PhD programme ensures that the didactic skills necessary for students to be able to perform the teaching tasks of a university lecturer will be acquired during the PhD programme The thesis that is the end product of the PhD programme must be offered to the RUG College of Deans in order for the student to be allowed to proceed to the RUG PhD defence ceremony The College of Deans of the RUG will decide whether or not to allow the student to proceed to the defence ceremony in line with what is stipulated in the RUG PhD Regulations. Section 2 Structure of the PhD programme Article 2.1. PhD programmes The PhD programme is full time and lasts 4 years. The study load is 240 ECTS credits, whereby one ECTS credit is the equivalent of 28 hours of teaching or research. Of the 4 years, 3.5 years (210 ECTS) are reserved for conducting supervised research and 0.5 years (at least 25 and no more than 30 ECTS) for following modules The PhD modules are in principle divided into 5 ECTS for practical skills, 5 ECTS for the Groningen Philosophical Research in Debate module, ECTS for the modules offered by the Research Master or elsewhere in the Netherlands, and 5 ECTS for didactic skills The programme may be followed part-time, on condition that it will not last any longer than 5 years. Article 2.2 Training and supervision plan for the PhD programme After consultation with the supervisor, the PhD student will draw up a Teaching and Supervision Plan before the PhD programme begins Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 3.1 of these regulations, the Teaching and Supervision Plan must be approved by the Director of the Graduate School before the PhD student can register for the PhD programme The Teaching and Supervision Plan for PhD students must include the following: * the name and duration of the PhD programme * the name of the supervisor(s) * the name of the professor of record * the name of the daily supervisor of the PhD student * the extent of the supervision * a description of the research project * the time schedule for the research project * the time schedule for the teaching and research activities to be followed * the schedule for the progress interviews * the way that the performance and progress of the student will be assessed each year * deadlines, etc. and reports * any extra teaching and research facilities that will be needed A PhD student has the right to the same teaching facilities as a RUG student within the meaning of the WHW If completion of the programme by the PhD student will be delayed or is likely to be delayed by more than a year, which delay is not caused by a special circumstance, the Faculty Board, at the request of the Director of the Graduate School, and after the advice of the supervisor and the PhD coordinator, may terminate the PhD student s programme. RUG Philosophy PhD Regulations, page 2

3 2.2.6 Before the Faculty Board decides to terminate the PhD student s programme, there must be a meeting between the Director of the Graduate School, the PhD student s supervisor, the PhD student and the PhD coordinator. Section 3 Admission and selection procedure Article 3.1. Admission to a PhD programme Admission will be granted to the PhD programme to anyone who has passed the final examination of a university Master s degree programme, or in line with the text of the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW) as of 31 August 2002, has passed the final examination of a degree programme in Higher Education with a study load of at least 168 ECTS, or, with regard to a programme with a study load of more than 168 ECTS, the examination that finalizes that part of the programme that is the equivalent of 168 ECTS, or has a foreign diploma that in the opinion of the Faculty Board is at least the equivalent of the diplomas listed under a or b satisfies the conditions set out in Articles and 3.2 of these Regulations The Faculty Board will have the final decision on admission to the programme. The Faculty Board may delegate the decision to admit to an Admissions Board The Admissions Board will be appointed annually. Article 3.2 Admissions procedure for the PhD programme Bearing in mind the admissions procedure for the PhD programme within the meaning of Article 3.1.2, the Admissions Board shall assess the knowledge and skills of the candidate (Colloquium Doctum special entrance examination) The Admissions Board will assess the written documentation and determine whether the prospective student can be admitted directly to the PhD programme on the basis of the submitted material. The prospective student will be invited for an interview. The interview will be based on the submitted written documentation and may comprise an approx. 15-minute presentation on an academic subject related to the chosen PhD programme Students register for the admissions procedure by sending the following documents: - a completed registration form - a curriculum vitae - an overview of results achieved; for conditions see a description of the proposed research project - a letter outlining the prospective student s motivation for selecting the PhD programme, including his or her expectations and interests - if possible, written results of previous research, such as academic articles or a Master s thesis - two personal recommendations from experts in the field; these are written reports, from people recognized as experts by the Faculty Board, that present a useful and reliable picture of the student s eligibility for the programme. - other documents, if required, which in the opinion of prospective students will highlight their eligibility for the programme If, on the basis of the submitted documentation, the Admissions Board is of the opinion that the student does not qualify for admission and that there is therefore no need for an interview, the student will be notified accordingly in writing All rejections will be justified in writing No less than three months before the starting date of the programme, the student will be informed whether he/she has qualified for admission Students who have not yet obtained their Master s degree at the time of the selection procedure but who would normally do so before the PhD programme begins may be granted RUG Philosophy PhD Regulations, page 3

4 provisional admission. This is conditional on gaining the Master s degree before the date that the student wants to start the PhD programme. Article 3.3. Colloquium Doctum: times The Colloquium Doctum (entrance examination) will be held once a year for the degree programme which will commence in the first semester Applications for admission to the PhD programme can be submitted to the Faculty Board The Admissions Board will make its decision before 1 June. Admission will be on condition that the candidate has satisfied the requirements set out in Article 3.2 concerning knowledge and skills by the starting date of the PhD programme at the latest, supported by certificates from the degree programmes followed. On receipt of a positive recommendation from the Admissions Board, the Director of the Graduate School will issue a declaration of admission to the PhD programme. Article 3.4 Numerical limitations The Faculty Board will decide each year how many PhD students will be considered for admission to the PhD programme The Faculty Board may decide to impose a maximum number of places for a certain period of time If the number of students who satisfy the conditions for admission in accordance with Article 3.2 exceeds the maximum number of PhD places as referred to in Article 3.4.2, the Admissions Board will decide an order of priority This order of priority will apply to all students who satisfy the conditions referred to in Article The result will be sent immediately in writing to all students. Article 3.5 Admission Admission to the PhD programme will not occur before the student has registered as a PhD student with the RUG and has paid the relevant tuition fees. If a student has been awarded a grant by the Faculty Board on the basis of the Grant Regulations for PhD Students, then that student will be exempt from paying tuition fees The amount of university tuition fees is set annually by the Board of the University and is included in the RUG Implementation Regulations. Section 4 Dispute resolution regulations Article 4.1 Disputes If a dispute arises concerning the provisions of Article 2.2 of these regulations, either party may address a petition explaining the dispute to the Faculty Board Before a decision is taken by or on behalf of the Faculty Board, the Board will hear both parties involved in the dispute, as well as anyone else who in its opinion can contribute to resolving the dispute The Faculty Board will make a decision concerning the dispute, stating its reasons, as quickly as possible, and certainly within two months of receipt of the petition. All the involved parties will be informed of this decision immediately An appeal may be lodged with the Board of the University of Groningen within six weeks of the date of the decision. Article The current complaints and disputes regulations of the University of Groningen will apply to all other complaints and disputes concerning the PhD programme as well as to individual complaints. RUG Philosophy PhD Regulations, page 4

5 Section 5 Final provision Article 5.1 Amendments Any amendments to these Regulations will, after discussions with the Faculty Council, be confirmed by the Faculty Board in a separate decree An amendment to these Regulations shall not apply to the current academic year, unless it may reasonably be assumed that the amendment will not harm the interests of students In addition, amendments may not influence the following to the detriment of students: - any approval issued within the meaning of Articles 3.1 and any other decision taken within the meaning of these Regulations concerning a student. Article 5.2 Publication The Faculty Board shall duly publish these Regulations, any rules and guidelines concerning admission to the PhD programme, and any amendments to these documents. Article 5.3 Date of Commencement These regulations shall take effect on 1 September As decreed by the Faculty Board on 19 April 2006, after approval by the Faculty Council on 19 April Updated on 1 June 2007 due to changing circumstances. RUG Philosophy PhD Regulations, page 5