Info for new doctoral students at the School of Science24 September 2015Emma Holmlund

Doctoral studies in a nutshell

Doctoral Programme in Science

• The doctoral programme is a joint effort of the 5 departments at the School of Science (SCI).

• It is administered by the personnel of the learning services and the doctoral programme committee

• The largest of the doctoral programmes at Aalto• About 110 new doctoral students every year• Annually about 80 doctors graduate from SCI (about 230

doctors at Aalto)

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The doctoral programme of SCI is run by the academic and the learning services personnelDoctoral programme committee:

• Head, Prof. Tapio Lokki (CS)• Prof. Gustaf Gripenberg (MS)• Prof. Jukka Tulkki (NBE)• Prof. N. Asokan (CS)• Prof. Juho Rousu (CS)• Prof. Adam Foster (PHYS)• Prof. Riitta Smeds (DIEM)

… and the learning services personnel:

• Kitta Peura• Confirmation of the study plan• Scholarships• Licentiates

• Emma Holmlund• Pre-examination process

• Tuija Casey• Appointing the opponent• Dissertation release and public

display of the dissertation• Approval of the dissertation,

graduation

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Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Supervision

Publising of dissertation

Defense

Graduation

Doctoral studies

Funding possibilities• Project funding• Department / School

funding• Personal grants

Doctoral studies• Theoretical studies• Research work and

publishing results

Pre-examination

post doctoral position in another university

working outside academia: industry, entrepreneur, publicsector, third sector

organisations

Admissionto theprogramme

Recommended• Mobility abroad• Networking

Q: Where can I find information regarding doctoral studies at the School of Science?

A: At the INTO web pages, your supervisors and the learning services!https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Homepage

Checklist for doctoral candidates

• A checklist for doctoral candidates is available in Into • Important stages during doctoral studies and links to

more information

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Getting started with doctoral studies• Remember to:

• Enrol as an attending or non-attending student every year until you get your doctoral degree

• Only attending students can get credits for courses• Only attending students can confirm study plans, apply for

permission to publish, graduate…• If you do not enrol on time, you need to restore your right to

study, 35€

• Get to know:• Into-pages• Aalto IT services• MyCourses• Practices of your own department

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Rights and responsibilitieshttps://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Supervision+of+doctoral+candidate

• Rights and responsibilities of a doctoral candidate include:• right to receive guidance on regular basis• right to study in accordance with the study plan and research

plan • responsibility to commit to the study plan and research plan

and to report on your progress as agreed on in the supervision plan.

• Duties of the supervising professor include:• to follow up on the progress of your studies

• The personal study plan should be checked at least once a year and be updated as necessary

• to ensure that you are aware of the requirements for a doctoral dissertation and of the stages included in the pre-examination process

• to assist you in career planning

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If you do not get enough guidance

• Talk with your supervising professor• Ask if you could get a separate thesis advisor

• If you cannot talk with your supervising professor, talk to the Head of the Department

• If you cannot talk to the Head of the Department, contact us:• Emma Holmlund (emma.holmlund@aalto.fi) • Kitta Peura (kitta.peura@aalto.fi)• Tuija Casey (tuija.casey@aalto.fi)

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International and interdisciplinary studies

• Aalto University encourages doctoral candidates to spend a at least six months period abroad during their studies

• Contact your supervising professor or department to find out, which university would be of most use for your studies or research.

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Theoretical studies

• 40 credits degree structure• Consists of following studies:

• Research field 20-35 credits• Substance studies

• Scientific practices and principles 5-20 credits• Transferable skills

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Theoretical+studies

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Research field studies• Give the student deeper knowledge in the research field• Supports the research work • Prepares for research and other demanding work that requires

expertise

• Following studies may be included in the module:• doctoral or master level courses• practical assignments related to the research field• writing a literature review• examinations based on textbooks• national or international scientific conferences, seminars or

summer schools• Note: language studies cannot be included to doctoral

degree!

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Scientific practices and principles studies• Prepare for scientific work in general• Introduce to applying and presenting scientific knowledge

• Following studies may be included in the module:• research methodology • research ethics and good scientific practice• history and philosophy of science• scientific writing and communication• scientific presentation • pedagogical studies

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Confirmation of the study plan

• When all theoretical studies (40 credits) have been completed, the study plan has to be confirmed

• The total amount of credits may exceed the maximum limit of module, if reasonable grounds exist

• Your supervising professors signature is needed• DPC confirms the study plan on application

• Note: If you want to make changes to a confirmed study plan, it needs to be confirmed again

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Confirmation+of+the+study+plan

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Licentiate thesis and degree (not mandatory)

• Complete the theoretical studies and confirm your study plan

• Do the research and write the licentiate thesis• Apply for examination of the thesis• Apply for the approval of the licentiate thesis and degree• The Dean awards the degree

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Licentiate+thesis+and+graduation

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General quality requirements of dissertations at Aalto

• A dissertation must follow good scientific practices and ethically sustainable principles.

• A dissertation must contain new scientific findings in its area of research.

• Research methods and new research findings are to be presented clearly and they need to withstand examination

• The candidate’s own contribution to the research has to be sufficient and clearly stated.

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/General+quality+requirements+and+forms+of+dissertations

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Different forms of dissertations

1. A single study (a monograph)2. An article dissertation 3. Some other work which meets corresponding scientific

criteria

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1. A single study (a monograph)

• A monograph is the result of a researcher’s personal work

• It does not contain journal articles

• Information or results presented as new may not be originated from other sources

• The doctoral candidate’s own contribution must be stated; did you collect all the data, all the interviews, group work etz.

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2. An article dissertation (1/2)

• An article dissertation contains several publications or manuscripts accepted for publication

• And a compiling part, that is introducing to the research, summarizing the objectives, methods and results of the research

• The new scientific information should be primarily included in the publications

• The amount of publications included in an article dissertation depends on the quality of the articles and on the candidate’s contribution to them

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2. An article dissertation (2/2)

• The publications included in the dissertation must be journal or conference articles of a high level

• The majority of the publications must be accepted through a peer-review process

• The publications may include many authors, but • The candidate’s contribution to the scientific content of

the articles must be independent and significant• At least two of the articles must have the candidate as

“first author or equivalent”

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3. Some other work which meets the corresponding scientific criteria

• The dissertation comprises a sufficient number of scientific publications, manuscripts accepted for publication, submitted manuscripts and/or essays

• And a summarizing part that is introducing to the research, summarizing the objectives, methods and results of the research

• The candidate’s independent contribution should be evident in the essays

• Each essay should contain new results

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Pre-examination processhttps://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Pre-examination+process

•The dissertation manuscript must be complete and ready for publication

• The purpose of the pre-examination is not to develop the dissertation together with the examiners!

• The pre-examination process starts on application•Supervising professor proposes two independent pre-examiners

• Pre-examiners have 6 weeks to evaluate the dissertation•DPC evaluates the statements of pre-examiners and decides on permission to publish (usually in an e-mail meeting).•If the doctoral candidate is asked to make moderate or significant corrections to the dissertation manuscript, DPC will discuss the permission to publish again

• The process can take 2-3 months, even more

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Publishing the dissertation• The doctoral candidates at Aalto University shall publish

their dissertations in the Aalto publication series• Using the Aalto publication platform• Unigrafia is the printing company that is to be used

• Five weeks is to be reserved for printing the dissertation!• The printed dissertation shall be publicly displayed in the

School of Science for at least ten days prior to the defence• The electronic publishing of your dissertationhttps://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Publishing+and+printing+of+a+dissertation

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Public defence• The supervising professor proposes an opponent for the public

defence • Opponents tend to be busy – it is good to set the date with

opponent well in advance

• Prior to the defence the doctoral candidate • makes the arrangements for public defence together with

the department• Doctoral candidate writes a dissertation release and takes

care of the distribution of the dissertation

• In the public defence, the doctoral candidate generally gives the Lectio Praecursoria in his or her own language

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Public+examination

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Approval of the dissertation and graduation• Apply for approval of the dissertation and the doctoral

degree• Make sure that your study plan has been confirmed!

• DPC approves and grades the dissertation in its meeting• The opponent proposes a grade for the dissertation

• Pass or Pass with distinction

• If the opponent proposes a grade of pass with distinction, DPC will require a statement from Head of the Department

• The dissertation will be evaluated as a whole, also the pre-examination process will be taken into account in the evaluation.

• The Dean awards the degree

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Approval+of+a+dissertation+and+graduation

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Questionnaires and follow ups

• For new students• For 1-4 year students• Clarification for full time students of the situation if not

graduated within 5 years.• Questionnaire to graduated students

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FAQ

Q: How many articles needs to be included in the dissertation?

A: No set limit. It depends on the quality of your work and your contribution in the articles. Usually 3-6.

Q: Midterm review?

A: For all new PhD students at PHYS from 1.1.2013. After 18 mo a 20-30 page report and 45 min oral presentation about your results: http://physics.aalto.fi/studies/doctoral-studies/midterm-reviews/

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Thank you for your attention!

These slides will be available here:

https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Homepage

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