Programme plan for the PhD programme at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo Please note that the English translation is for information purposes only. For all legal purposes the original document in Norwegian is the authoritative version. Decisions regarding establishment and amendments to the PhD programme Date Filing number Decision-making body From semester Establishment of the PhD programme 25.3.2003 03/8425 University Board Amendments to the programme Responsible faculty The Faculty of Medicine Decisions regarding adoption and amendments to the programme plan Date Filing number Decision-making body From semester Adoption of the programme plan 17.6.2003 27.10.2009 The Faculty Board Autumn 03 Spring10 Amendments to the programme plan 25.11.2003 8.6.2004 14.6.2005 The Faculty Board Superior regulations for the PhD programme The PhD programme at the Faculty of Medicine is made pursuant to the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. 1
Other regulations for the PhD programme Supplementary rules pertaining to the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 23.9. 2008. Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for postdoctoral research fellows, doctoral research fellows, research assistants and residents. Quality assurance system for the PhD education. 1. Name, scope, objectives and qualifications of the PhD programme 1.1 Name of the PhD programme PhD in medicine and health sciences 1.2 Scope of the PhD programme The PhD programme has a stipulated length of 3 years, equivalent to 180 credits. Thesis work is stipulated to 2,5 years, equivalent to 150 credits. 1.3. Obtainable degree Philosophiae doctor (PhD) The PhD degree is conferred on the basis of: 1.4 Basis for conferral of degree completion of the educational component a doctoral thesis a PhD examination The PhD examination includes a trial lecture and a public defence of the thesis (disputation), cf. Section 2 of the Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. 1.5 Objectives of the PhD programme The PhD education at the University of Oslo aims to educate independent researchers of high international standard, in accordance with recognised scientific and ethical principles. The education shall qualify candidates for research and other work requiring high levels of scientific insight. 2
1.6 Qualifications upon completion of the programme After completion of the programme, candidates shall have insight into and master key issues related to philosophy of science and research ethics, and master the research methods that are used in their field. They shall be able to assess the usefulness and applicability of various methods of research and development projects, be able to contribute to developing new theories, methods and interpretations within their discipline and be able to assess these critically. PhD graduates shall be able to formulate scientific lines of inquiry, plan and carry out research and development work and conduct research of high international standard. They shall be able to analyse complex academic questions and be able to challenge established knowledge in their academic field. Furthermore, they shall be able to supervise others in research and development work, participate in and contribute to further development of their research environments, as well as to convey information about their research in a constructive manner both inside and outside academia. 2. Admission to the programme 2.1. Admission 2.1.1. General 2.1.2. Programme specific To be admitted to the PhD programme at the University of Oslo, an applicant must have completed at least five years of higher education (master degree or equivalent), or equivalent studies that have been recognised by the faculty as forming a sufficient basis for admission. In their respective PhD programmes, the faculties may stipulate additional for admission, cf. Section 5.1 Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. Educational : To be admitted to the faculty s PhD programme, an applicant must normally have completed five years of higher education, i.e. a Master s degree or equivalent education. The faculty can approve equivalent education based on individual assessment. Emphasis will be placed on whether the education is of sufficient high academic level, and on whether the applicant s academic and personal qualifications are sufficient to carry out the project. English language : Proficient language skills in English are required for all candidates who partake in the PhD programme. International candidates who do not have English as their first language must document their English language skills by taking one of the tests below with the following results: - TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language with a minimum score of 550 on the Paper-based Test (PBT), or 80 on the internet-based Test (ibt). - IELTS academic - International English Language Testing Service with band score 6.0. Exemption is granted according to NOKUT s guidelines. 3
2.2 Application deadline Application for admission to the PhD programme shall normally be submitted within three (3) months from commencement of a research project leading to the PhD degree, and if relevant within three (3) months from the start of a doctoral research fellowship position. 2.3 Project description The project description must only apply to the applicant s specific PhD project. The project description should consist of up to 10 pages, including a reference list, and should normally include the following: - description of topic, including background for the project, and relationships to national and international research within the research field - description of the research question - description of the data basis and source material that will to be used, and how the data and material will be collected and analysed (where relevant) - account of the applicant s independent contribution if the PhD project is going to be included in a larger research project - description of any ethical problems regarding the project - description of necessary approvals for carrying out the project, and whether these approvals are procured 3. Structure and content of the PhD programme 3.1 Content of the PhD programme 3.1.1. General The programme consists of an educational component and a thesis. The content of the educational component shall ensure, in combination with the work on the thesis, the necessary depth and breadth of academic knowledge. 3.1.2. Programme specific The formalised research training at the Faculty of Medicine is organised in a PhD programme. The PhD programme is linked to the faculty s academic fields and are thematically organised around these. 4
3.2 Requirements to the content of the educational component The educational component shall correspond to at least 30 credits, whereof at least 20 credits shall be taken after admission. The educational component shall normally be completed at the University of Oslo. 3.2.1 General The educational component, together with the thesis, shall provide training of high academic standard. The candidates shall carry out a scientific work, receive training in dissemination and an introduction to research ethics, the philosophy of science and scientific methods, cf. Section 8 Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. The educational component shall be relevant to the doctoral degree work and to a general qualification in research within the field. The educational component can be carried out throughout the admission period, but the greater part of it ought to be completed during the first year of admission. 20 of 30 credits must be taken at the University of Oslo. Compulsory part: The compulsory part is covered by the faculty s compulsory Introductory courses. Candidates working on research projects involving the use of laboratory animals are required to attend a mandatory course in laboratory animal science. The course must be arranged according to the of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (FELASA category C). 3.2.2 Programme specific Elective part: 10 credits of the elective part shall consist of courses from the organised PhD education at the University of Oslo. Up to 5 credits can be taken as other activities than courses. The following list over activities can be approved, and gives an overview of how many credits each activity gives: - Other research courses: 0.15 credits per hour - Research seminars: 0.15 credits per hour, up to 5 credits Documentation of participation is required - Participation in a national congress with a presentation: 1 credit per congress Maximum 3 credits can be achieved in this manner. The presentations must be from different projects - Participation in an international congress with a presentation: 2 credits per congress Maximum 4 credits can be achieved in this manner. The presentations must be from different projects - Original lecture: 1 credit per hour, up to 2 credits - Popular scientific article/chronicle in one s own field of expertise: 1 credit per article, up to 2 credits 5
- Study or research period at an institution abroad: 1 credit per week, up to 5 credits A minimum duration of two weeks is required. The plan for the stay abroad must be approved by the principal supervisor and completion of the stay abroad must be confirmed by the external institution. A written report must be submitted after completion - Approved specialisation in medicine: 5 credits Individual courses forming part of specialisation are not approved All activities sought to be approved must be at PhD level. Courses at Master s degree level can be approved in exceptional cases if the candidate has a particular need to acquire supplementary knowledge for an interdisciplinary assignment. Grade requirement is B or better. Research courses at PhD level completed at a recognised educational institution are approved with the number of ECTS credits awarded by the institution. 3.3 Compulsory programme elements The candidate is required to: 3.3.1 General receive training in research ethics, the philosophy of science and scientific methods submit annual progress reports compile an independent, scientific work that fulfils international standards give a trial lecture defend the thesis in a public defence / disputation 3.3.2 Programme specific The compulsory introductory courses cover basic research methods in medical research such as research processes, formulation of research questions, setting up testable hypotheses and project planning, methods of collecting and analysing data, presentation of research results and research dissemination. It also includes central topics in research ethics, the philosophy of science and scientific methods. http://www.med.uio.no/forskning/phd/forskerkurs/ 6
3.4 Research environment 3.4.1 General Upon admission, candidates will be affiliated to the basic unit they belong to academically. The basic unit must ensure that their candidates are affiliated to an active research environment. The PhD programme at the Faculty of Medicine is an organised research training programme. 3.4.2 Programme specific Candidates who are not affiliated to the faculty through employment at one of the basic units will be affiliated to the research environment of their principal supervisor and/or co-supervisor. The PhD project is affiliated to the Faculty of Medicine by way of the supervisor s employment. The supervisor is responsible for facilitating the candidate s participation in relevant research environments. The PhD programme shall constitute an independent research environment in addition to the candidate s workplace. Candidate and supervisor(s) shall have regular contact. For candidates who are externally employed, the faculty enters into agreement with the external party that provides the necessary prerequisites for the candidate to complete his/her doctorate. 2/3 of the educational component must be completed at the University of Oslo. 3.5 Requirements for supervision 3.5.1 General all candidates shall normally have minimum two supervisors with a doctoral degree or equivalent candidates shall receive individual supervision candidate and supervisors shall maintain regular contact supervisors shall among other things advise and contribute to discussions and assessments in connection with the thesis work, cf. Section 7 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo supervisors shall advise the candidate on matters of research ethics pertaining to the thesis supervisors shall ensure that the PhD candidate participates in an active research environment 7
Upon application for admission to the PhD programme the candidate must have established contact with minimum one supervisor. The supervisor must back the project before the application for admission to the PhD programme is submitted to the faculty. The parties shall make a plan for the educational component together. Supervisors must have doctoral degrees, or equivalent academic competence assessed by the faculty. If the principal supervisor is employed by an institution other than the University of Oslo, reasons for choosing an external principal supervisor must be given separately with the application for admission. If the faculty accepts an external principal supervisor, at least one of the co-supervisors must be employed by the Faculty of Medicine. The candidate and supervisor(s) are obliged to keep each other regularly informed about all conditions which can affect the completion of the PhD project and supervision. The parties have a duty to actively follow up circumstances that can lead to delay or failure to complete the PhD education, so that the education can as far as possible be completed. The parties are obliged to submit reports in accordance to the rules stipulated by the faculty. 3.5.2 Programme specific The supervisor shall: Advise on formulating and restricting themes and questions Discuss and assess hypotheses and methods Assist in finding academic literature and sources of data (libraries, archives etc.) Discuss the plan and implementation of the work (disposition, linguistic form, documentation etc.) Discuss the results and their interpretation Advise the candidate on research ethical questions related to the thesis Keep up to date with the progress of the candidate s work and assess it in relation to the plan for completion The PhD candidate shall: Give the supervisor access to draft parts of the thesis In their work adhere to principles of research ethics applicable to the subject field PhD candidate and supervisor can upon agreement ask the authority responsible for admissions to appoint a new supervisor for the candidate If a PhD candidate or supervisor finds that the other party fails to adhere to his/her obligations, the party who claims that such a breach has occurred is obliged to raise the issue with the other party. Candidate and supervisor shall jointly try to find a solution to the situation that has arisen. The Faculty of Medicine terminates agreements of supervision between a PhD candidate and supervisor, and 8
appoints a new supervisor upon request from one of the parties. A supervisor cannot resign before a new supervisor is appointed. The candidate is not entitled to supervision after expiry of the admission period. 4. The thesis 4.1 Form and content of the thesis 4.1.1 General The thesis shall be an independent, scientific work that meets international standards in terms of scientific quality, methodology and ethical. It must contribute to the development of new scientific knowledge and must be of sufficient high quality to merit publication as part of scientific literature in the field, cf. Section 12 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. A PhD thesis at the Faculty of Medicine has a stipulated length of 2,5 years of full-time study. The thesis can be a monograph or a collection of articles with a presentation. The presentation must give an overall perspective by summarizing the most important research questions, results and conclusions, and in that way show the relationship between the articles. The overall presentation of scientific results must be an independent scientific document in which the candidate has the opportunity to elaborate and if necessary correct aspects of the articles. It must show a thorough grasp of scientific perspectives and maturity as well as the ability to investigate specialised scientific issues. 4.1.2 Programme specific Article-based theses should consist of at least three (3) scientific articles published or submitted for assessment to international peer-reviewed journals. The PhD candidate should as a general rule be first author of at least two articles. Where the candidate is not the first author, he/she should have made a substantial contribution to the data collection, interpretation of results and article writing. On submission of the thesis, at least one (1) of the articles included in the thesis ought to be finally accepted for publication. Manuscripts and works submitted for publication must have the same quality as a published paper. The number of articles will depend on the size and quality of each separate article and on the extent of the candidate s contribution. The number of articles may be reduced if the candidate has put an unusually large amount of work into an article and the article is of very high quality. A signed co-author declaration describing the candidate s contribution to each article must be enclosed with an article-based thesis. 9
4.2 Language of the thesis The thesis shall normally be written either in Norwegian or English. 5. Evaluation 5.1 Evaluation committee An application for evaluation of the thesis must be sent to the faculty, cf. Section 12 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD). An expert evaluation committee is appointed to evaluate the thesis and PhD examination, cf. Section 13 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. 6. The PhD examination 6.1 Trial lecture The trial lecture shall test the candidate s ability to acquire knowledge that goes beyond the topic of the thesis and shall test the candidate s ability to convey this in a lecture setting. The title of the trial lecture is decided by the evaluation committee, cf. Section 18 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. 6.2 Public defence of the thesis (disputation) The disputation (public defence of the thesis) is public and shall be held at the University of Oslo, cf. Section 18.2 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. 7. Diploma and diploma supplement 7.1 Diploma The doctoral diploma is issued by the University of Oslo, cf. Section 20 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo. 10
7.2 Diploma supplement The diploma supplement is issued by the faculty, cf. Section 20 of the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo, and shall state: 7.2.1 General the content of the educational component the date and title of the trial lecture the date of the public defence the title of the thesis collaboration with other institutions, if applicable 7.2.2 Programme specific The diploma supplement shall specify at which basic unit the doctoral work was completed and the project s research field. 8. Quality assurance 8.1 Evaluation system pertaining to the PhD programme UiO has developed a quality assurance system which also includes the PhD education. The quality assurance system shall help doctoral candidates to complete theses of high academic standard, and help ensure that the education is completed as close up to the stipulated length of time as possible. The system shall also ensure that doctoral theses from the University of Oslo comply with good research practice and current regulations. PhD candidates and supervisors shall annually submit separate progress reports for their PhD project. At the same time, they shall participate in evaluations of the learning environments and candidate satisfaction that take place every three years. The doctoral programmes shall be evaluated periodically every five years by a national or international committee. The faculties and basic units shall, in addition, in annual plans and reports give a short account of planned and implemented measures and improvements to the PhD programme. 11