Starting a PhD

Within three months of being appointed, the supervisor and co-supervisors, in consultation with the PhD candidate, draw up a study and supervision plan. The supervisors decide among themselves who will do what and they record this in writing.

Completing the PhD

The supervisors are responsible for the quality of the dissertation. They evaluate whether the manuscript meets the requirements for a PhD and re-evaluate any changes that have been agreed.

Approval of the dissertation

If the supervisors believe that the manuscript is ‘proof of competency in the independent conducting of scientific research’, they approve the manuscript within six weeks of it being submitted.

Once the manuscript has been approved, the PhD candidate submits propositions to the supervisors. Once approved, the supervisors forward these to the Dean.

The PhD committee

• The supervisor asks the Dean (in Converis) to appoint the proposed members of the PhD committee. Supervisors may not be members of this committee.
• The secretary of the PhD committee sends the manuscript to the members of the PhD committee and receives their responses.
• Within six weeks of receipt of the dissertation, the members of the committee inform the secretary whether the candidate may be admitted to the defence.

The examining committee

• In the meantime, the supervisor puts forward proposals to the Dean (in Converis) regarding the composition of the examining committee. Supervisors may not be members of this committee. The Rector Magnificus and the Dean (or their appointed replacements) act as chair and secretary, respectively.
• The Dean appoints the members of the examining committee.
• After consulting the supervisors, the PhD candidate and the Dean, the beadle sets the date and time for the PhD ceremony.