CSE doctoral studies

This Canvas "course" is aimed to disseminate and share information regarding doctoral education at CSE. More detailed information can be found through the linked pages.  

We are aiming to continuously improve and extend this material. We are grateful for your suggestions and comments. 

CSE doctoral education is integrated between the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. Therefore, the following consists of information that concerns CSE as a whole, as well as information that is specific for the University of Gothenburg or Chalmers University of Technology, respectively.

Here you find information regarding the recruitment process, some tools to support supervisors, and information for new employees at CSE.

Below is an overview visualisation of the approximate timeline for the process of the doctoral studies, based on the default setup of 20% department duties. (ISP = Individual Study Plan, F-U = follow-up meeting)

 

PhD process overview.png

Contents

General Syllabi - ASP

Doctoral studies are steered by general syllabi. As a PhD student you are admitted to a specific education whose requirements are found in the respective general syllabus. The education is either at the University of Gothenburg or at Chalmers: 

Here are the information about the general syllabi at the University of Gothenburg.

Here are the information about the general syllabi at Chalmers.

Individual Study Plan - ISP

Doctoral studies need to be planned, followed up on progress, and revised through the formal document 'individual study plan' (ISP). The first version of the ISP shall be created jointly by the student and the supervisors, in consultation with the examiner, and approved and established by the Head of Department for doctoral education. The first version should be submitted no later than after 2 months (GU) resp. after 3 months (Chalmers) (consult development tool and expectations tool). This first ISP does not require a formal follow-up meeting. The ISP shall be revised at least in connection with the follow-up meetings, such that it continuously documents the agreed status and plan among all involved parties, throughout the duration of the studies. Before the follow-up meeting, create a new version of the ISP and send a draft to the participants. After each follow-up meeting (see below), a new version of the ISP is established, signed, and archived (but if needed this can be done more often).

ISP template at Chalmers: Word/LaTeX (Please do not share these with your colleagues! Ask them to download an updated version!)

ISP system at the University of Gothenburg (Working with the study plan)

If you are an Chalmers employee that access the GU ISP system in your role as an supervisor or examiner, you log in as an external user.

Follow-up Meetings (Annual FUM)

Doctoral studies must be followed up at least once a year! Formal follow-up meetings can be also arranged at a shorter interval if the student or supervisors feel the need for that. It is the supervisor and the student who are jointly responsible to call for a follow up meeting. Be sure you do so with enough time before your contract expires (if applicable). 

The first meeting should happen 6-7 months after the start of the PhD studies.

Instructions on how to organize a follow-up meeting.

We recommend to revisit the development tool and expectations tool as part of the preparation for the follow-up meeting.

Further explanations about follow-up meetings are available here:

Intranet instructions regarding follow-up meetings

Courses in doctoral studies

Course credits can be acquired in various ways. One is to take a formal course (PhD level or Master level). Other ways are, for example, individual reading courses, review work, work done on a project (not leading to publication), and credits from MSc studies that are beyond the entry requirements for PhD education. Doctoral schools (such as topical winter and summer schools) can be credited as well.

Most forms of additional credits are approved by the examiner. Transfer of credits  from previous studies have to be approved in a follow-up meeting. 

The principle for course credits in doctoral studies is: one week's full time work corresponds to 1.5 credits.

PhD Courses and Compulsory Courses

Individual reading course  (including review work, and other work)

Courses at Master's level

Transfer of Credits (from previous studies, Master's level courses or other institutions)

Double Counting of Courses

Licentiate Seminar

Halfway through doctoral studies, a licentiate seminar (or midterm seminar) is required. The process to arrange such a seminar is presented below.

Lic_Picture.png

For further details about the process, see here

PhD Defense

The process to arrange the defense is presented below.

PhD_Picture-1.png

For further details of the process, see here

Roles

PhD Student: Responsible for their education and progress in doctoral studies. Remember that PhD students are employees! CSE PhD students formed a local PhD council.

PhD Supervisor: Responsible for guiding and supporting assigned PhD students in their education and progress.

PhD Examiner: Responsible for quality assurance of assigned PhD students. Gives go-ahead, in connection with a follow-up meeting, for preparing a Licentiate or PhD defense and examines the Licentiate seminar. Informal feedback between the PhD student and the examiner (perhaps including the supervision team) is a good practice and can help reduce pressure regarding goals and expectations during the PhD.

Head of Department for doctoral education, responsible for research education at CSE:

Directors of studies for doctoral education, supporting the head of department for doctoral education in the leadership of the research education, responsible for follow-up meetings:

Head of department for doctoral education and directors of graduate studies can also be a point of contact for informal discussions outside the formal schedule of follow-up meetings.

Administrative coordinator and Education administrators for doctoral education: Responsible for administration of doctoral studies.

Page managers:

Wolfgang Ahrendt, Vice head of department, responsible for doctoral education (vprefphd.cse@chalmers.se)
Nir Piterman, Director of studies for doctoral education (piterman@chalmers.se)
Christian Berger, Director of studies for doctoral education (christian.berger@gu.se)
Graham Kemp, Director of studies for doctoral education (kemp@chalmers.se)
Clara Oders, Administrative coordinator for doctoral education (phdadm.cse@chalmers.se)
Helny Malmborg, Education administrator (phdadm.cse@chalmers.se)
Jenny Lind, Education administrator (phdadm.cse@chalmers.se)