If the PhD School assesses that the PhD plan despite adjustments is not being followed then the PhD student must be given the opportunity to reestablish the PhD project. The reestablishment period may have a length of three months, may not in itself prolong the PhD and may only be given once during a PhD project.
Planned assessments
There are two planned assessments during a PhD education. In addition 4+4 PhD students have a third planned assessment in connection with their qualifying exam/master's exam. The last assessment involves a meeting between the PhD student and the Head of the PhD School.
For PhD students on the 5+3 programme, regular assessments will be carried out according to the following plan:
|
Time after enrolment
|
Students on 5+3 programme
|
|
3 months |
PhD Plan* |
|
1 year |
1st assessment |
|
2 years |
2nd assessment |
*Research and Education Plan
For PhD students enrolled in the 4+4 programme, regular assessments are carried out in accordance with the following plan:
|
Time after enrolment
|
Students on 4+4 programme
|
|
3 months |
PhD Plan* |
|
1 year |
1st assessment |
|
2 years |
2nd assessment in connection with the qualifying exam/master's exam |
|
3 years |
3rd assessment |
*Research and Education Plan
Extraordinary assessments
Besides the regular assessments, the main supervisor must have regular (weekly) contact with the PhD student. If the supervisor observes that the PhD student is not following the PhD plan, then an extraordinary assessment must be held.
Examples where the PhD student is not following the PhD plan could be significant changes in research design, the data or the theoretical basis. It could also include significant changes to the timetables, including delays in some of the constituent parts. It could also involve a modification to the form of the thesis, a change of location or significant changes in the duration of the stay abroad, or significant changes in the course programme or dissemination activities.
A closer description of the assesment procedure hereunder the assessment procedure in connection to the qaulifying exam and a description of a reestablishment period can be found in the following sections.
Assessment of the report
On the basis of the report, the Head of the PhD School will assess whether the PhD student is following the PhD plan and whether suggestions on changes in the PhD plan can be approved.
If the Head of the PhD School assesses that the PhD plan despite adjustments cannot be followed the Head of the PhD School gives a clear written reason for this and must indicate in which respects the progress has not been satisfactory so that the student is able to relate specifically to the missing elements. If the assessment is not approved, the PhD student has a deadline of two weeks to submit any comments. After this the PhD student will receive an offer of re-establishment.
Before the Head of the PhD School makes the last planned assessment (for 5+3 students the second assessment and for 4+4 students the third assessment) the Head of the PhD School invites the PhD student to a meeting. The purpose af the meeting(s) is to acquire additional information to the written report. During the meeting the Head of the PhD School and the PhD student have the possibility to discuss specific in connection with the PhD education hereunder problems relating to supervision, planning, or other issues of educational or personal nature as well as carrier options.
Re-establishment period
If the Head of the PhD School concludes that the student does not meet the requirements of the PhD Plan despite any adjustments, the PhD student must have an offer to re-establish the PhD study within three months. The three months must not in itself lead to an extension of the total PhD programme.
If two weeks after receipt of the offer of three months to re-establish the study the PhD student has not accepted this, enrolment will be terminated.
If the PhD student accepts the offer to re-establish studies, the Head of the PhD School will appoint an assessment committee consisting of two expert assessors and the principal supervisor. The assessment committee must set specific goals for how the PhD student can re-establish the course of study within three months and assess whether there is a need for changes to the PhD Plan and describe the type of support the PhD student needs in during the reestablishment period.
At the end of the 3 month period the assessors will undertake a new evaluation within a month, where it will be evaluated whether the student has met the goals set and the course of study can continue.
If at the end of the 3 month period the assessment is positive, the Head of the PhD School approves the assessment and the PhD Programme can continue. The Head of the PhD School via the PhD School secretariat will notify in writing the PhD student and the principal supervisor of the decision.
If at the end of the 3 month period the assessment is still negative, enrolment will be terminated. The Head of the PhD School will inform any other employer that enrolment has been terminated. The Head of the PhD School will via the PhD School secretariat notify in writing the PhD student and the principal supervisor of the decision. The PhD student has 1 week to submit comments to the Dean with regard to the decision of the Head of the PhD School. The final decision will be taken in this case by the Dean.
The Qualifying examination/ Master's examination
As a 4+4 student the PhD student is enrolled as a Master's student and a PhD student the first two years. After two years, the PhD student enrolled in a 4+4 programme will take a qualifying examination/ master's examination. The qualifying examination should demonstrate that the student has achieved a skill level equivalent to a master's degree, and the oral exam must provide a broad basis for assessing the student's ability to complete the PhD programme and possibly to make adjustments to the PhD project.
The qualifying examination is held as a master's examination worth 60 ECTS and is based on a written status report prepared by the PhD student. The status report should basically be around 30 pages long and be written as a research article.
The master's examination is judged based on learning objectives for students at master's level.
PhD students enrolled in the master's program in mathematics must before completing the master's examination of 30 ECTS have passed 30 ECTS preparation courses or other individual study activities.
The status report must set out the results obtained so far, as well as future research plans. Articles, reports, ect. that the student has been (co)author of should be attached and form the basis of the examination.
There is an oral examination 1-1½ hours in length. There should include an approximately 30 minute presentation by the PhD student, after which questions can be asked both about the presentation and generally within the academic area. The examination should include a discussion of future plans. The examination is conducted by the supervisor in the presence of an external examiner.
The supervisor and external examiner give a comprehensive written assessment of the qualifying exam and progress report. The assessment ends with a grade according to the Danish grading system ("7-trinsskalaen"). The PhD student should be informed orally as to the examination result immedately after the examination.
The examination protocol is sent to the Examination Office who in turn registers the grade. The student thereby completes his/her master's and achieves the title cand.scient./cand.scient.pharm.
The written assessment (approximately one A4 page) is sent to the PhD School secretariat, confirming that courses equivalent to at least 22.5 ECTS credits have been passed and the rules for the examination have been met. The Head of the PhD School makes the final approval of the examination.
The PhD student receives an employment contract for the remaining two years of the PhD programme when the PhD School secretariat has received the Head of the PhD School's approval of the qualifying examination.
PhD students who fail the qualifying examination cannot continue their research training and must set aside extra time to complete a thesis in order to obtain the Master's degree.
If the PhD student wishes to leave his or her studies before the qualifying examination is passed, the work that has been passed in the course of the PhD study is transferred to the Master's education under the current procedures for credit transfer.