Regulations of the Doctoral Education Programme and Doctorate of the Institute of Philosophy. Approved by the Doctoral Commission of 12.12.2007. With amendments approved by the Faculty Council of 14.05.2008. 1 The Doctoral Commission The doctoral commission is concerned with admission into the doctorate, with assessments of achievements submitted within the framework of the doctoral education programme, and with the supervision of progress reports. 1.1 Composition The doctoral commission is composed of seven members of the ZAP of the Institute of Philosophy: the dean, the vice-dean of education, the vice-dean of research, the director of the international programme, and three members appointed by the Faculty Council, for a term of three years, once immediately renewable. The vice-dean for research is the chairperson of the commission. The administrative director of the faculty or a member of the ATP or BAP (post-doc), appointed by the faculty, is secretary of the commission. He or she attends the meetings without the right to vote and writes the minutes of those meetings. 1.2 Authority The doctoral commission performs two functions: 1. The commission decides about admission to the doctorate, and the postponement or withdrawal of admission. 2. The commission is also responsible for approving individual dossiers within the doctoral education programme and in particular with supervising progress reports. The authority to oversee the content and quality control of the doctoral education programme in general belongs to the POC MPhil/Doctoral programme, of which all members of the doctoral commission are also members. In keeping with article 16 of the household rules of the Institute of Philosophy, the POC also includes representatives of the doctoral students. 1.3. Meetings The doctoral commission meets four times per academic year. The first meeting takes place at the beginning of October (after the second examination period), the second at the beginning of December, the third in March, and the fourth at the beginning of July (after the first examination period). The commission can also be approached in between these meetings, for its advice concerning urgent dossiers (such as the admission of scholarship students working on projects). 2 Admission into the doctorate 2.1 Admission requirements To apply for entrance to the doctoral programme, a student must already have been awarded the diploma of the post-initial Master of Philosophy (MPhil) from the K.U.Leuven, and distinguished him/herself in his/her studies. This research master counts as a predoctoral examination wherein the academic abilities of the candidate and his/her maturity of research are improved and tested. To be admitted to the doctoral programme a candidate is required to have passed the MPhil with at least distinction and 2 x 15/20 for the MPhil thesis. This predoctoral examination is not required: (1) if the candidate has, besides the diploma of Master in Philosophy from the K.U.Leuven (or a diploma that is considered to be its equivalent), also been awarded a second Masters diploma in another area of study, can demonstrate his/her aptitude for scientific research and has distinguished him/herself in his/her philosophical studies. In this case the candidate is required to have passed the Master in Philosophy with at least distinction and 2 x 15/20 for the Master thesis. (2) if the candidate has obtained an FWO scholarship. (3) if the candidate is a scientific assistant who is recruited as a doctoral scholarship student, on the basis of his/her expertise, within the framework of a funded research project. These scholarship candidates must have a Master in Philosophy from the K.U.Leuven (or a diploma which the Doctoral Commission considers to be an equivalent, taking into account the specific objectives of the research project) and they must have passed with at least distinction and 2 x 15/20 for the Master thesis. (4) if the candidate has obtained a Master degree in Philosophy from the K.U.Leuven and has a fulltime appointment in a permanent position at the K.U.Leuven.
Students who are admitted to the doctoral programme without having been awarded an MPhil diploma are still required to follow all Major-seminars from the MPhil programme organized by their research group during one academic year. This means they are required to actively participate in those seminars. To be admitted to the doctoral program a candidate is required to have adequate knowledge of the language the primary literature on his/her doctoral subject is written in. Students who do not posses this knowledge at the start of the MPhil programme will be encouraged to work on their language skills. Before a student can request admission to the doctoral education program, a member of the ZAP of the Institute of Philosophy must be prepared to act as the promoter of his/her research. The doctorandus/a is free to choose the promoter of his/her research. Those who can be promoters are: fulltime and part-time members of the ZAP of the K.U.Leuven who are attached to the Institute of Philosophy or who teach at the Institute of Philosophy and have a doctorate in Philosophy. Those who can be co-promoters are: members of the ZAP of another faculty of the K.U.Leuven, members of the ZAP of another Belgian or foreign university with which K.U.Leuven has a working agreement, or those who hold a post-doctoral mandate at the Institute of Philosophy. The doctoral commission can approve a motivated request for an exception to these regulations.when the promoter is not a member of the staff of the Institute of Philosophy, the doctoral commission assigns a co-promoter from within the Institute of Philosophy. The promoter undertakes to guide the doctoral research of the doctorandus/a according to the guidelines given by the university ( profiel van de goede promotor ). Approval of the project of the doctoral commission counts as the official assignment of the promoter. Changing one s promoter can only take place through a new application to the commission. 2.2 Procedure Application for admission to the doctorate takes place in principle in conjunction with completion of the MPhil programme. The doctorandus/a provides the doctoral commission with an application dossier that includes the following information: - the c.v. of the applicant, including an overview of his/her academic curriculum and earned study results - a description of the research project, with clear focus, status quaestionis, method and work plan - a recommendation from the promoter who is prepared to guide this research On the basis of the application and the applicant s academic c.v., the commission decides whether the student can be admitted into the doctoral programme. In forming their decision, the commission considers above all if the student is competent to undertake scientific research in philosophy and if he/she is possessed of the necessary skills to undertake research in a specific domain. The commission can also request that the project be re-formulated (and, if need be, re-submitted). The commission can also make suggestions about the promoter (suggest another promoter or assign a co-promoter, perhaps from another Belgian or foreign university). The doctoral commission assembles a guidance committee, consisting of the promoter (c.q. the copromoter) and two (c.q. one) ZAP members of the Institute of Philosophy, who will oversee the progress of the doctorate. The members of the guidance committee are experts in the field of research of the doctoral student, or in aspects of it. Besides the obligatory progress reports (see 3.3), the student can consult them to discuss his/her work. However, the promoter retains the primary responsibility for guiding the student. Those who can be members of the guidance committee are: members of the ZAP of the Institute of Philosophy, of another faculty of the K.U.Leuven, or of another Belgian university, or those who hold a postdoctoral mandate at the Institute of Philosophy. If the decision is negative, the student candidate and the promoter will be given the reasons of the commission for this. In case of disagreement with the decision the candidate can write an appeal to the ombudsperson, as specified in article 19 of the university regulations. In case of approval the candidate is admitted into the doctoral programme for a period of six years 1. If, due to unforeseen circumstances, the student wishes to make a break in his/her studies, the Doctoral Commission can grant approval for a period of a maximum of two academic years. Such a break is anyway possible in case of lengthy sickness leave, pregnancy and breast-feeding leave, adoption leave, parental leave, and palliative leave. When no thesis has been submitted after the designated term of six years, the commission can decide not to extend the admission any longer. In this case the promoter and the doctorandus/a must be consulted. The student presents his/her application in the language in which he/she also wishes to write his/her thesis. When he/she later wishes to change this choice, he/she presents this request to the doctoral commission. For those students who have a diploma in the Dutch language, the language in which their thesis is written is Dutch or a language of an international forum (English, and in exceptional cases French or German). In the case that a thesis is not in Dutch, a summary is submitted in Dutch, presenting the 1 The doctoral education programme must be completed within this period; the public defence can if necessary be held within the one year following those six years.
most important results. Non-Dutch speaking students can write their theses in English (exceptionally in French or German). The promoter and the guidance committee ensure that students write their thesis in a correct academic language. 2.3 Registration After the approval of an application to the doctorate, the student must register himself/herself for the doctoral education programme at the student administration of the K.U.Leuven. The chairperson of the doctoral commission grants permission for this. The doctorandus/a pays tuition fees for the first registration and then again in the academic year in which the doctoral thesis is defended. In the interim the doctorandus/a is required to register every year with the university, without attendant fees. If a doctoral candidate from a non-eer country, after earning the MPhil diploma, still has not been granted permission to register after the meeting of the commission in December, he/she can be permitted to register as a pre-doctoral student for the current academic year. The chairperson of the doctoral commission grants permission for this. 3 The doctoral education programme 3.1 Aims The doctoral education programme aims to broaden the knowledge of the doctorandus/a and to deepen that knowledge within his/her research domain. Besides, the doctoral education programme aims for its candidates to write their thesis under optimal conditions, through adequately guiding doctorandi. The doctoral education programme is required. In exceptional cases the doctoral commission can decide on an individual basis to grant the student freedom from this requirement. 3.2 Description of the programme The doctoral education programme comprises a number of required components and a supplementary section. The education programme has been completed when all of the required components have been completed. The required components are the following: 1. a scientific publication: a book, a contribution to a book or a journal article that is already published or has been accepted for publication 2. give at least two seminars, which have been organized within the research centre of which the student is a member, concerning one s own doctoral research, or concerning a more general theme 3. active participation in at least one doctoral seminar from the MPhil programme. Students with an MPhil diploma are exempted from this requirement 4. give at least one lecture or oral presentation at an international conference 5. submission of progress reports as described below The supplementary section comprises additional activities in function of doctoral research and/or as preparation for functioning professionally within or outside of the university. These activities fall under four domains: 1. Following doctoral seminars at the Institute of Philosophy or other faculties of the K.U.Leuven or at another university. 2. additional education, such as language courses and the academic writing course 3. research activities, such as taking part in study days and conferences 4. obtaining experience in education, such as training in pedagogy, organising an undergraduate seminar or part of a course The doctorandus/a registers the activities (required and supplementary) through a form that he/she presents to his/her promoter for approval. The chairperson of the doctoral commission decides if the student has fulfilled the requirements of the programme. At the completion of the doctoral programme the doctorandus/a receives a transcript of his/her achievements. 3.3 Progress Reports One year after the doctoral project has been approved, the doctorandus/a is expected to submit a short written report, to be considered by the promoter and the chairperson of the doctoral commission. Within two years after beginning doctoral research, the doctorandus/a must report to the members of the guidance committee on his/her research. This requirement consists of a written report (results, first chapter if available, plan for future research) and an oral presentation. This oral presentation of research can also coincide with giving a seminar about research within the research centre (a required component of the doctoral programme). After the presentation, the guidance committee and the doctorandus/a meet to evaluate his/her research. The remarks of the committee are recorded in the report. If the committee members come to the conclusion that there are serious shortcomings in the research of the first period, and if they doubt the candidate s ability for continuing the research project, they can advise (with motivation) that the doctoral project be ended. The student can lodge an appeal against this decision with the Faculty Bureau of the Institute of Philosophy.
The following years follow the same procedure as for the first year. Before submitting the second progress report, the doctorandus/a and his/her promoter must have a progress interview based on the progress report. A progress interview is: - an open discussion between the doctorandus/a and his/her promoter (or an executive and an assistant) - on the working of the doctoral student - which looks to the future - and which is planned and takes place at least once a year. The purpose of this interview is not so much to evaluate the doctorandus/a, than it is to assist and coach him/her. This dialogue should not have any direct consequences for the career of the doctorandus/a. Open conversations between the doctorandus/a and his/her promoter are considered to be self-evident, but with regard to the second progress report they are explicitly expected to have such a discussion. Time and place of the interview will be communicated by the promoter in the report. Items to be dealt with in the interview are: - a verbal explanation of the progress made by the doctorandus/a - feedback from the promoter based on the progress report (this may include indications of the strong and weak points of the doctorandus/a, of means for achieving ends the doctorandus/a sets for him/herself and of points which merit particular attention in the light of an academic career) - a plan for the next academic year based on the feedback of the promoter - the study environment and the assignments of the doctorandus/a (both concepts should be understood in a broad sense, which means both official and informal elements can be discussed) - in addition to feedback from the promoter other topics such as the guidance by the (co-)promoter, work environment, prospects etc can be discussed. 3.5 Financial Assistance The faculty compensates the doctorandus/a for costs incurred within the framework of his/her research, up to a maximum of 750 Euros. The doctorandus/a declares these costs via a form that his/her promoter signs. If a doctorandus/a wishes to take part in scientific meetings that cannot be covered by this amount, then he/she is required to submit a request in advance, to the chairperson of the doctoral commission, for reimbursement of costs. A recommendation from the promoter should accompany the request. Such requests can only be considered if the doctorandus/a is at the time, in one way or another, actively participating in the programme. 4 The doctoral examination 4.1 General The exam for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy consists of an open defence based on one s personally researched thesis and three additional theses, submitted at the same time, about philosophical subjects that are not concerned with the subject of the thesis. In order to be admitted to defend this thesis, the candidate must have completed the doctoral education programme. 4.2 Preliminary discussion with the guidance committee and submission of the thesis When the promoter decides that the doctoral research can be brought to a close and the thesis submitted, the doctorandus/a gives a printed (but not bound) copy of his/her dissertation to the members of the guidance committee. After three (working) weeks, the promoter calls together the members of the guidance committee and the student for a preliminary discussion, in which the committee members present their remarks (concerning both form and content of the dissertation) to the student and listen to his/her answers. After this preliminary discussion, there are three possibilities: 1. The committee judges that the research project can be brought to a close and the dissertation defended. The president informs the Dean of this conclusion in a letter, signed by the members of the guidance committee. 2. The committee judges that the research project can be brought to a close and the dissertation defended, but the student should first remedy some shortcomings. These should be of such a nature that they can be carried out within a period of three weeks. 3. The committee judges that the dissertation is not acceptable for defence. In this case, the candidate has one more chance to submit a revised version of his/her dissertation. Once the promoter and guidance committee have judged the dissertation acceptable for defence, the doctorandus/a hands in six or seven 2 printed (bound) copies of his/her thesis to the administrative director of the Institute of Philosophy, together with the text of the additional theses. He/she also submits a short summary that will be used for the announcement of the defence. Finally, he/she ensures that his/her thesis 2 Number of jury members, plus one.
is electronically archived, as required, within the K.U.Loket. There must be at least six working weeks 3 between handing in the (bound) doctoral thesis and the doctoral defence. Three (working) weeks after receiving the dissertation, the external member (or members) of the examination jury informs the administrative director of the acceptability of the dissertation for defence. If the advice is positive, the doctorandus/a registers for the doctoral examination at student administration. A negative recommendation of the external jury member requires motivation. In this case, the chairperson calls together the internal members of the examination jury to discuss the advice. 4.3 Composition of the examination jury The thesis is assessed in an open defence by an examination commission assembled by the Rector, based on a proposal from the Faculty Bureau of the Institute of Philosophy. It is not permitted for the doctorandus/a to make a proposal for the composition of this committee, or for him/her to make contact with potential members of the jury. The examination commission is composed of at least five members, including the promoter and the members of the guidance committee, each of whom is an expert concerning the subject matter of the thesis. If there is a co-promoter, it is recommended to have an examination committee composed of six members. At least one and at most two members of the examination commission do not belong to the Institute of Philosophy. The Dean of the Institute of Philosophy (or someone appointed by him to take his place) is the chairperson, and a member, of the committee. The examination committee designates one of its members as secretary. 4.4 Public defence and deliberation During the open defence the doctorandus/a gives a brief presentation of the results of his/her research. This is followed by a discussion with the members of the examination committee. Given the fact that a preliminary discussion with the guidance committee has already taken place, the questions of the internal members of the committee are meant especially to allow the doctorandus/a to defend his/her topic of research in a discussion among experts ( doctum colloquium ). Finally the public is offered the chance to make comments and to ask questions. The examination committee deliberates immediately after the open session. ZAP members of the Institute who have been present at the entire defence may also take place in the deliberation. However, they are barred from taking part in a vote for the result. The deliberation of the examination committee is secret. The examination committee assigns no grade to the evaluation of the thesis, but a communal figure out of 20 is formulated. This figure is composed of as follows: the four or five expert-members of the Committee, including the promoter (and possibly the co-promoter), each gives a number out of 20 to the deliberation. The chairman gives a number out of 10 points. Thus the committee evaluates out of 90 points (or, as the case may be, out of 110). A final figure out of 20 is then calculated from this. The chairperson communicates this final figure to the candidate in writing within the week. At the request of the candidate, the chairperson can let him/her know the figure immediately after the graduation ceremony. After the defence of the thesis and the deliberation the chairperson proclaims the candidate as Doctor in Philosophy (without communicating the grade earned). After this the promoter may give a short laudatio. 4.5 Practical arrangements The distribution of copies of the thesis takes place through the secretariat of the Institute and not through the promovendus/a. The secretariat is also concerned with requesting the proclamation hall and with announcing the defence. Any wider form of announcement falls to the doctorandus/a himself/herself to make, at his/her own cost. This is also the case for the reception. 4.6 Bridging measures The new regulations are valid for all students admitted into the programme after the 1 st of June 2008. Students who were admitted under an earlier regime follow the regulations that were then valid, unless they wish to follow the new regulations. In that case they should, with the approval of their promoter, inform the president of the Doctoral Commission of this decision. 3 The first week of the Christmas and Easter holidays, and also the period between July 5 th and August 5 th, are considered as vacation.