Approved 2012-10-03 Faculty Board for Economics and Design (FED) Dnr FAK 2011/630 Third-cycle (postgraduate research) training programmes are regulated in the Higher Education Act: the Higher Educations Ordinance and local regulations for third cycle research training programmes, approved by the University faculties. Responsibility and decision-making powers are regulated in the university's rules of procedure, decisionmaking procedures and delegation of authority. General Syllabus for Third-cycle Studies in Statistics with Specialisation in Econometrics The general syllabus for third-cycle studies in Statistics with specialisation in Econometrics is approved by the Faculty Board for Economics and Design 2012-10-03 and is effective from 2012-10-03. Scope of the programme PhD degree The PhD degree normally requires four years' full-time studies following the successful completion of 240 credits comprising course work of 120 credits and an approved scholarly thesis (PhD thesis) comprising 120 credits. Degree of Licentiate The licentiate degree normally requires two years' full-time studies following successful completion of at least 120 credits consisting of course work of 60 credits and an approved scholarly thesis/paper comprising at least 60 credits. The licentiate degree can also provide milestones of training that can result in a PhD degree. Objectives of Programme PhD degree For the PhD degree, the following goals/objectives should be fulfilled: Knowledge and Understanding For the PhD Degree, the doctoral student should
demonstrate broad knowledge and systematic understanding of the research field as well as advanced and up-to-date specialised knowledge in a limited area of this field, and demonstrate familiarity with scientific methodology in general and the methods of the specific field of research in particular. Skills and Abilities For the PhD Degree, the doctoral student should demonstrate the capacity for scholarly analysis and synthesis as well as to review and assess new and complex phenomena, issues and situations autonomously and critically demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues with scholarly precision critically, autonomously and creatively, and to plan and use appropriate methods to undertake research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames and to review and evaluate such work demonstrate through a thesis the ability to make a significant contribution to the formation of knowledge through his or her own research demonstrate the ability in both national and international contexts to present and discuss research and research findings authoritatively in speech and writing and in dialogue with the academic community and society in general demonstrate the ability to identify the need for further knowledge and demonstrate the capacity to contribute to social development and support the learning of others both through research and education and in some other qualified professional capacity. Judgement and Approach For the PhD Degree, the doctoral student should demonstrate intellectual autonomy and disciplinary rectitude as well as the ability to make assessments of research ethics, and demonstrate specialised insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used. (HF appendix 2 System of Qualifications) Licentiate Degree For the licentiate degree, the following goals/objectives should be fulfilled: Knowledge and Understanding For a Degree of Licentiate the research student should demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the field of research including current specialist knowledge in a limited area of this field as well as specialised knowledge of scientific methodology in general and the methods of the specific field of research in particular. Skills and Abilities For a Degree of Licentiate the research student should: demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues with scholarly precision critically, autonomously and creatively, and to plan and use appropriate methods 2
to undertake a limited piece of research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames in order to contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as to evaluate this work demonstrate the ability in both national and international contexts to present and discuss research and research findings orally and in writing and in dialogue with the academic community and society in general, and demonstrate the skills required to participate autonomously in research and development work and to work autonomously in some other qualified capacity. Judgement and Approach For a Degree of Licentiate the research student should demonstrate the ability to make assessments of ethical aspects of his or her own research demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her on-going learning. (HF appendix 2 System of Qualifications) Admission The requirements for admission to third-cycle courses and study programmes are that the applicant: 1. meets the general and specific entry requirements that the higher education institution may have laid down, and 2. is considered in other respects to have the ability required to benefit from the course or study programme. (HF 7 chap. 35 ) General Entry Requirements A person meets the general entry requirements for research courses and study programmes if he or she: 1. has been awarded a second-cycle qualification 2. has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded at second-cycle level, or 3. has acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad. The higher education institution may permit an exemption from the general entry requirements for an individual applicant, if there are special grounds. (HF 7 chap. 39 ) General Interim Regulations 3
Students who commenced studies for a postgraduate degree prior to July 1, 2007, according to the previous regulations, have the right to continue their programme and obtain their degree according to these regulations, up until June 30, 2015. Specific Entry Requirements The specific entry requirements laid down are essential for students to be able to benefit from the course or study programme. These requirements may comprise: 1. knowledge from one or more higher education courses and study programmes or corresponding courses and study programmes 2. specific professional or vocational experience, and 3. exquisite language skills or other conditions determined by the course or study programme. (HF 7 chap 40 ) Specific Entry Requirements for the Subject Statistics Specific entry requirements for admission to third cycle studies in Statistics are as follows: at least 90 credits in the subject Statistics, or in subjects that are connected to third-cycle studies in Statistics or equivalent knowledge acquired in some other way in Sweden or abroad. proficiency in English (written and oral). Application Application for admission to third cycle (research training) programmes is regulated in Linnaeus University s local admission procedures. Criteria for Assessment and Selection In selecting between applicants who meet the requirements laid down in Sections 35 & 36, their ability to benefit from the course of study programmes should be taken into account. However, the fact that an applicant is considered able to transfer credits from prior courses and study programmes or for professional or vocational experience may not alone give the applicant priority over other applicants. Within Statistics, assessment of the applicant s ability to benefit from the education is primarily based on: i) course grades, ii) bachelor and master theses as well as other possible scientific publications and iii) assessments from interviews. Admission A higher education institution may only admit applicants to third-cycle (doctoral research) courses and study programmes who have been appointed to doctoral studentships or awarded doctoral grants. The higher education institution may, however, admit applicants who have some other form of funding for their studies if it considers that the funding can be guaranteed during the entire period of study and that the 4
applicants can devote enough time to their studies to enable completion within four years in the case of a licentiate degree or a licentiate degree in the fine, applied and performing arts or eight years in the case of a PhD or a doctorate in the fine, applied and performing arts. (HF 7 chap 36 ) Admission is regulated in Linnaeus University s local admission procedures. In relation to institutional resources that are essential for admission, prefects should be able to demonstrate that there is sufficient finance, at least two supervisors and a place of work. Organisation of third-cycle studies Organisation of third-cycle studies is regulated in the local regulations for third cycle education programmes, approved by the University faculties. Supervisor and examiner Head-supervisor, assistant-supervisor and examiner are appointed in connection with admission. The division of responsibility and work between the head-supervisor, assistant-supervisor and examiner should be specified in the individual study plan. The doctoral student and supervisor have the right to request a change of supervisor. Accreditation and Deduction Decisions regarding accreditation should be built on a data, in the form of, for example, course credit. Accreditation data shall be filed in accordance with current document management plans. In connection with the admission of doctoral students, course and thesis credits that may be credited within the education should lead to decisions on deduction of financial time. Deductions should be carried out with the doctoral student's best in focus and without more research funding than necessary being used. Deductions are documented in the individual study plan. Structure and content of the education Individual study plan An individual study plan should be drawn up for each doctoral student. This plan should contain the undertakings made by the doctoral student and the higher education institution and a timetable for the doctoral student's study programme. The plan should be adopted after consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisors. The individual study plan should be reviewed regularly and amended by the higher education institution to the extent required after consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisors. The period of study may only be extended if there are special grounds for doing so. Such grounds may comprise leave of absence because of illness, leave of absence for service in the defence forces or an elected position in a trade union or student organisation, or parental leave. (HF 6 chap 29 ) 5
The individual study plan is a plan for proposed course work, work with the thesis and supervision up until the completion of the degree. The plan is worked out by the principal supervisor and research student in consultation with the examiner and will be reviewed at least once every year. The results of the review should clearly state progress made in the programme. The principal supervisor is responsible for ensuring that syllabi are followed up and progress reviews carried out. Courses Teaching is given in the form of individual supervision, courses and seminars. Scheduled teaching in the form of courses is taught in accordance with a yearly fixed plan, modelled on needs and resources. Students should, throughout the entire education, actively participate in research seminars in the subject/environment. The elective courses to be included in the degree are determined by the examiner in consultation with the doctoral student and supervisor. External courses provided by other institutions or seats of learning, which are not included in the study plan, can be credited upon review of each case. The doctoral student is recommended to study some courses at foreign universities. Third-level pedagogical education is obligatory for doctoral students who are going to teach. PhD degree Compulsory courses Probability theory Statistical inference theory Econometrics Philosophy and theory of science Elective courses Elective courses within or outside of the subject Licentiate degree Compulsory courses Probability theory Statistical inference theory Econometrics Philosophy and theory of science Elective courses Elective courses within or outside of the subject 18 credits 18 credits 15 credits 7.5 credits 61.5 credits 15 credits 15 credits 7.5 credits 7.5 credits 15 credits Examination of Courses Every course is examined through oral or written tests, through oral presentation for the research seminar or through reports that are submitted for the seminar. Choice of 6
examination form is decided by the course examiner. Every such educational measurement is assessed and evaluated by the course examiner with the grades Pass or Fail. Scientific Seminar The aim of participation in the scientific seminar is for students to train their ability to partake in scientific debates within the subject as well as their ability to discuss their work in a scientific forum. Course Syllabi All third-cycle study courses within the subject are documented through course syllabi. PhD Thesis The thesis component comprises 120 credits. As a requirement for the PhD degree, students will write an academic thesis (PhD thesis). The thesis should be based on independent research work and be of importance for research within the chosen subject area. The requirements of independence do not exclude the possibility of being part of a larger research project. The thesis can either be presented as a single, cohesive scholarly work, a monograph or as a compilation thesis. A compilation thesis should normally comprise 3-5 articles as well as a summarising chapter. At least three of the articles should be of sufficiently high quality for publication in a refereed journal or an anthology of high quality articles. The summary chapter should in addition include a discussion of the work's theoretical basis and relevance to previous research. The connection between the articles should also be discussed in the summarising chapter. In cases where articles have been co-authored with other individuals, the input of the thesis author should be stated in the foreword. The thesis should be written in English. The thesis should be professionally proofread prior to publication. Theses that are written in English should contain a summary written in Swedish. Quality assurance procedures for thesis work Final seminar Final seminar equivalent to an "internal disputation" should be held when the dissertation is deemed almost complete. Licentiate thesis For the licentiate degree, students should write 1-3 scientific papers comprising 60 credits that can be included as part of a doctoral dissertation. The essay should be based on independent research and maintain good scientific quality. Licentiate thesis written in English should have a summary written in Swedish. The thesis should be written in English. The thesis should be professionally proofread prior to publication. Quality assurance of licentiate thesis 7
Final seminar with an internal opposition should be held when the thesis is deemed almost complete. Examination of the PhD and Licentiate Thesis Examination of Licentiate Thesis The licentiate thesis should be defended in a public seminar. Two months before the licentiate seminar, at the latest, an application should be sent in to the decision-making body. Applications are made via the application form, Application for Licentiate Seminar. Discussant as well as Chairman of the licentiate seminar are appointed. The licentiate thesis is graded by the doctoral student's examiner with the exception of cases where the examiner is the student's deputy supervisor. In such cases, a different assessor of the licentiate thesis must be appointed. Licentiate thesis will be assessed with the grades Pass or Fail. Content and defence of the theses will be taken into consideration during grading. More detailed regulation of requirements on the opponent, the examination committee and its composition as well as forms for the licentiate seminar can be found in Local rules for third-cycle studies. Examination of Doctoral Dissertation The doctoral dissertation should be defended in a public seminar. Two months before the disputation, at the latest, an application should be sent in to the decision-making body. Applications are made via the application form, Application for Disputation. Grades for the dissertation are determined by an examination board. The Board should consist of three members. The examination committee must include at least one member who does not work at Linnaeus University. The examining committee should include no more than one member who works at the same subject/environment as the doctoral student. All members of the examination board should be at least professors or have equivalent qualifications. The dissertation should be assessed with the grades Pass or Fail. When grading shall take into account the content and the defence of the dissertation. Content and defence of the dissertation will be taken into consideration during grading. Prefixes to Degree Titles For research degrees within the subject of Statistics, the prefix philosophy will be used. 8
Interim Rules in Relation to Students Admitted on the Basis of Previous General Syllabi PhD students admitted on the basis of previous general syllabi can still take their degrees in accordance with these documents provided that the current version of the Higher Education Ordinance is followed. PhD students admitted on the basis of older versions of syllabi in doctoral research training programme subject Statistics, directive number 573/2008-64 can change to the general syllabus currently in force. 9