REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE AWARD OF DOCTORATES 1 by the University of St.Gallen

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1 REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE AWARD OF DOCTORATES 1 by the University of St.Gallen of 16 May Pursuant to Art. 9(1)(a) of the University of St.Gallen Act of 26 May 1988, the Governing Council of the University of St.Gallen hereby issues Regulations Governing the Award of Doctorates, as follows: I. General Provisions Scope of application Art. 1. These Regulations govern the following aspects of doctoral studies at the University of St.Gallen: a) admission to doctoral studies; b) administration and grading of the examinations, grading of the doctoral thesis; c) the award of a doctorate, and the conferment of an honorary doctor's degree. II. Admission to Doctoral Studies Application Art. 2. Persons who intend to take up doctoral studies have to apply for admission. Admission shall be made dependent on evidence of an adequate educational level, particularly on the average degree grades, and on a personal reference. Evidence, recommendation Graduates of the relevant courses University of St.Gallen Art. 3. Applications shall be accompanied by the following documents: a) evidence of an adequate educational level in accordance with Arts. 4-6 of these Regulations; b) a personal reference for the doctoral thesis. The following persons may provide a reference for the doctoral thesis: 1) an Ordinary or Extraordinary Professor of the University of St.Gallen; 2) another habilitated lecturer employed by the University of St.Gallen; 3) in exceptional cases, and with the President's consent, a lecturer who has not habilitated. Members of the faculty in accordance with the above paragraph may continue to accept theses as Referees after their retirement, but only until the end of their 67th year. 3 Art. 4. Evidence of an adequate educational level has been adduced if the average grade of the licentiate's degree is at least 5 a) for graduates in economics or in the teaching of economics applying for a doctor's degree in economics; b) for graduates in political science applying for a doctor's degree in political science; 1 The German text shall prevail in case of doubt. 2 With amendments of 28 February 2000 (Arts. 10, 20 and 21). 3 With amendments of 27 February 2006 (Arts. 3(3) and 10(2)). 1

2 c) for graduates in law applying for a doctor's degree in law. If the average of grades is below 5, the application requires an additional justification by the person providing the reference for the doctoral thesis. The Senate Committee shall issue guidelines concerning admission in special cases. The Department's Awarding Committee shall make decisions in individual cases. Other universities Art. 5. Applicants with corresponding degrees from other universities shall be deemed to have an adequate educational level if they a) have an equivalent degree which satisfies the requirements stipulated by Art. 4; b) if they satisfy the other university's requirements for them to take up doctoral studies. The Senate Committee shall issue guidelines concerning equivalence. The Department's Awarding Committee shall make decisions in individual cases. Applicants with other degrees Agreements with other universities Art. 6. Applicants with other degrees from the University of St.Gallen or other universities may be admitted to studies for a doctor's degree in economics or political science. The Senate Committee shall issue guidelines concerning any necessary supplementary educational evidence. The Department's Awarding Committee shall make decisions in individual cases. Art. 7. Agreements concerning the admission to doctoral studies with other universities shall be reserved. III. Examinations Purpose Art. 8. In the doctoral examinations, applicants shall provide evidence of their possession of thorough scientific knowledge and their mastery of scientific methods. Structure Art. 9. Doctoral examinations shall consist of a) written course work b) preliminary study and the colloquy on the preliminary study; c) thesis; d) disputation. Thesis Committee Written course work Art. 10. Any applicant's Thesis Committee shall consist of the Referee and Co-Referee. The Referee shall be in the chair. The Co-Referee shall be proposed by the Referee and appointed by the President. If the Referee is a member of the faculty in accordance with Art. 3(2)(2) or (3) who has been appointed Referee after his retirement, the Co-Referee shall be an Ordinary or Extraordinary Professor. On the Referee's application, the Awarding Committee may extend the number of Thesis Committee members. Art. 11. Applicants shall submit written course work in the context of the seminars of the doctoral course. Written course work shall be 2

3 submitted to the teaching staff responsible for such seminars. In studies for a doctor's degree in economics, written course work shall be graded. In studies for a doctor's degree in political science or law, written course work shall be accepted, rejected, or returned for revision. The Senate shall determine the extent of the doctoral course in the Course Regulations. The Senate Committee shall regulate the form and administration of the doctoral course and of written course work. Preliminary study and the colloquy on the preliminary study Thesis Requirements Composition Subject matter Language Specifications Appraisal Art. 12. Applicants shall submit a preliminary study of their thesis, containing the detailed objectives and initial results of the thesis. The colloquy on the preliminary study shall be held by the Thesis Committee and shall last 30 minutes. It shall not be open to the public. After the colloquy on the preliminary study, the Thesis Committee shall decide whether to accept, or reject the preliminary study of the thesis or to return it for revision. Art. 13. The doctoral thesis shall be a scientific achievement attained by applicants on their own, in which they provide evidence of profound knowledge of their subject matter and of a thorough mastery of scientific methods applicable to the subject matter of their thesis. Art. 14. The Referee shall approve the subject matter of the thesis and assist the applicant in the writing of the thesis. The Senate shall determine the conditions in which several applicants may write a joint thesis. Art. 15. The subject matter of the thesis shall be derived from a discipline taught at the University of St.Gallen. It shall possess an essential connection with a main subject of the degree course on whose basis the applicant was admitted to doctoral studies. Interdisciplinary studies are included. Exceptions shall be determined by the Award Committee of the relevant department. Art. 16. Theses shall be written in the German language or, subject to written consent by the Referee and Co-Referee, in the French, Italian or English language. At the Referee's and Co-Referee's request, the Senate Committee may consent to a thesis being written in another language. Art. 17. The doctoral thesis shall contain a declaration whereby it has been written by its author without any illicit assistance and has not been submitted to any other university. The thesis shall refer to any sources and aids that were used in its composition. Art. 18. The Referee and Co-Referee shall submit a written appraisal of the thesis to the Thesis Committee within three months after the thesis has been submitted, such appraisal to serve as the basis for the disputation. The Senate Committee for Doctoral and Degree Theses shall, on the basis of a request made by the Thesis Committee after the disputation, decide whether to accept or reject the thesis with a certain 3

4 grade or to return it for revision. Acceptance may be subject to conditions. Disputation Examination procedure Art. 19. In the disputation, applicants shall provide evidence as to whether they have satisfied the demands made regarding the thesis. The disputation can be held when the Referee and Co-Referee have recommended, in their appraisal, that the thesis be accepted. The disputation is held by the Thesis Committee and shall last one hour. It shall be open to the public. Art. 20. The preliminary study of the thesis shall be submitted no later than twelve months after submission of the written course work. The colloquy on the preliminary study shall take place no later than six weeks after submission of the preliminary study. For the computation of this period, only the weeks during lecturing time shall be counted. The thesis shall be submitted to the Thesis Committee no later than three years after acceptance of the preliminary study. The disputation shall be held no later than four months after submission of the thesis during term time. For the computation of this period, only the weeks during lecturing time shall be counted. The Award Committee may authorise exceptions in the case of important reasons. IV. Examination Results Grades Art. 21. The results of the written course work, thesis and disputation required for doctoral studies in economics shall be graded as follows: 6 = very good = good = satisfactory 3.5 = weak 2.5 = very weak 1.5 = worthless. Any grade below 4 shall be unsatisfactory. Quarter grades may be awarded to a thesis that has been accepted. Passes Art. 22. The written course work required for doctoral studies in economics shall be passed if its average grades amount to at least 4. The calculation of the grade average shall be weighted in accordance with the number of periods of individual seminars. The colloquy on the preliminary study shall be passed if the preliminary study is accepted. The thesis shall be passed if its grade is at least 4. The disputation shall be passed if its grade is at least 4. The examination shall only be passed if all its parts have been passed. 4

5 Overall grade Retake of failed examinations Satisfaction of requirements or return for revision Examinations that have been definitively failed or rejected Art. 23. The overall grade shall be calculated on the basis of individual grades. For doctoral studies in economics, the average grade of written course work and the grade of the disputation shall be counted once, and the grade of the thesis shall be counted four times. For doctoral studies in political science and law, the grade of the disputation shall be counted once, and the grade of the thesis shall be counted four times. The following gradings shall be awarded: "with the highest distinction" (6 to 5.90), "very good" (5.89 to 5.50), "good" (5.49 to 5.00) and "satisfactory" (4.99 to 4.00). Art. 24. Unsatisfactory parts of the graded written course work of doctoral studies in economics may be retaken once. Rejected written course work in doctoral studies in political science and law may be retaken once. A failed disputation may be retaken once. If a preliminary study is rejected, a new preliminary study may be submitted within twelve months. This second preliminary study cannot be returned for revision. Any rejected thesis cannot be resubmitted. Art. 25. Any preliminary study that has been returned for revision shall be revised within six months. Thereafter, the preliminary study cannot be returned for revision again. If a thesis is accepted subject to conditions or returned for revision, such conditions shall be satisfied and such revision shall be carried out within a period of no more than twelve months. Thereafter, the thesis cannot be returned for revision again. Any preliminary study or thesis that has been submitted late shall be deemed to have been rejected. Art. 26. Doctoral studies at the University of St.Gallen cannot be continued if a) the written course work in doctoral studies in economics has not been passed or b) the written course work in doctoral studies in political science or law has been definitively rejected or c) the preliminary study has been definitively rejected or d) the thesis has been rejected or e) the disputation has been definitively failed. V. Award of a Doctorate Publication of the thesis Art. 27. Any thesis shall have to be published. The Senate shall issue regulations governing the publication of theses, the number of deposit copies to be printed, and the distribution of theses. No thesis may be printed prior to approval by the Senate Committee for Doctoral and Degree Theses. Doctor's diploma Art. 28. A doctor's diploma shall be prepared subsequent to submission of the deposit copies of the thesis. It shall be prepared in 5

6 the German language or, at the applicant's request, in the French, Italian or English language, and it shall bear the seal of the University and the signatures of the President and of the Secretary of the Senate A copy of the doctor's diploma shall be kept in the archives of the University. Further copies may be produced at the applicant's request. Applicants shall bear the costs of the production of any additional copies and translations. Award of the doctorate Revocation Art. 29. Subsequent to examinations having been passed and the thesis having been accepted, the Senate shall award the degree of a doctor of economics (doctor œconomiæ: abbreviation: Dr.oec.) or of a doctor of political science (doctor rerum publicarum; abbreviation: Dr.rer.pol.) or of a doctor of law (doctor iuris; abbreviation: Dr.iur.). The award of the doctorate shall be conducted by the President. Subsequent to the award of a doctorate, applicants may use the title of a doctor. Art. 30. The Senate may revoke any doctorate that has been awarded if the person in question has obtained such degree by deception or if essential conditions for the award of a doctorate were not satisfied. VI. Award of an Honorary Doctorate Conditions Award Art. 31. The Senate may award a) the degree of an honorary doctor of economics for outstanding merit for the benefit of economics or economic practice; b) the degree of an honorary doctor of political science for outstanding merit for the benefit of political science or the public good; c) the degree of an honorary doctor of law for outstanding merit for the benefit of law. The Senate shall decide to award an honorary doctorate on the basis of a written and reasoned request submitted by a member of the Senate or by a department. Art. 32. The President shall award honorary doctorates on the occasion of the dies academicus or of another solemn University event, by presentation of an honorary doctor's diploma. VII. Legal Redress Basis Art. 33. Legal redress shall be governed by the University Act and by the Law on the Practice of Administrative Law. VIII. Final Provisions Execution Transitional law Repeal of previous law Art. 34. The Senate shall issue executive provisions. The execution of these Regulations shall be incumbent upon the President. Art. 35. The Senate shall issue transitional provisions. Art. 36. The regulations for the award of doctorates in economics, 6

7 political science and law, all of them dated 5 February 1982, are hereby repealed. Effectiveness Art. 37. These Regulations shall be effective for students entering the level of doctorate studies subsequent to 1 October On behalf of the Governing Council of the University The Chairman: lic.iur. Hans Ulrich Stöckling, Cantonal Minister of Education The Secretary: Dr. Daniel Candrian, General Secretary 7