Doctoral process

Requirements

Before you can start the doctoral programme at our Faculty, you always need the admission of the doctoral programme coordinator. Without this permission you can not start with the doctoral research and you can not register as a doctoral student. Even if you applied directly to the supervisor or via a special call. Whether you are admitted or not, depends on a number of conditions that you have to meet as a future doctoral student:

You must prove that you’re suitable for doing scientific research.

In order to determine whether you meet this condition, a distinction is made between the following categories of candidates:

1. In principle, admission is automatically granted to applicants who have graduated (at least cum laude) as a Licentiate or Master of Psychology (or Psychological Sciences) or as Licentiate or Master of Educational Sciences or (Instructional and) Educational Studies from a Flemish University.
   In principle, admission will also automatically be granted to applicants who have graduated cum laude from one of the following K.U.Leuven degree programmes: Aanvullende Studies van Onderwijswetenschappen/Complementary Studies - Master of Educational Studies/Master Educatieve Studies/Master of Educational Studies.
2. Applicants holding one of the degrees listed above from a Flemish university but who did not graduate cum laude may also be admitted to the programme. They should submit a detailed application for admission through their supervisor (Art. 8). These applicants may be required to pass a predoctoral exam
3. Holders of another Licentiate or Master’s degree from a Flemish university may also be admitted to the programme. They should submit a detailed application for admission through their supervisor (Art. 8). These applicants may be required to pass a predoctoral exam.
4. Applicants who do not hold a degree from a Flemish university or Belgian nationality will need to obtain approval from the International Office as well as from the coordinator. These applicants may also be required to pass a predoctoral exam.

Application doctoral programme

When you have found a supervisor who agrees to support your candidature for a PhD you have to apply for the doctoral programme:

- Candidates of categorie 1 to 3 must apply to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme. More information (Dutch)

- Candidates of categorie 4 must apply via International Office: “International Admissions and Mobility of the K.U.Leuven. More information

Based on your application file the doctoral programme coordinator, will decide if you are accepted (or not).  If so, the University's student administration will be informed, so you can register as a doctoral student.

In case you have not found a supervisor, please read the section about 'choosing a PhD subject and a supervisor '.

Exemption doctoral training programme

To obtain the degree of Doctor of Psychology or Doctor of Educational Sciences, candidates must successfully complete doctoral training.
Only exceptionally you can be (partially) exempted from doctoral training, for instance when combining doctoral research with full-time employment which prevents you from undertaking doctoral training or if you are living abroad while pursuing their doctoral degree.

Doctoral students exempt from doctoral training are expected to meet all other requirements, including annual enrolment and cannot be exempted from the first and the last common core component of the doctoral training (i.e. international publication and annual progress reports).

If you wish to be (partially) exempted from doctoral training, you should submit this detailed request to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme. The decision will be made by the doctoral programme coordinator. 

When the conditions mentioned above have been fulfilled, you are ready to enrol for the doctoral training or, in case you are exempted for the doctoral training, for the other part of the doctoral programme.

Predoctoral period and exam

It is possible that you will be obliged to first pass through a predoctoral period and an examination, to check whether you are capable of achieving a doctoral degree within four years. The maximal duration of the predoctoral period is one year for candidate doctoral students from the EEA countries and two years for other candidates. In this period, your academic skills and research maturity will be stimulated and tested. Your supervisor is responsible for the organisation of the predoctoral period and composes an individual programme which will be approved by the doctoral programme coordinator of the research unit concerned (more info see chapter one of the doctoral programme regulations of the faculty).

Before you can start your predoctoral period, you will be informed about the individual programme and what is expected from you for the predoctoral exam. Based on the results of this exam, it will be decided whether or not you are admitted to the doctoral programme. If you pass this exam, you will be admitted to the doctoral training. If not, you will of course not be admitted, but you can receive a ‘research specialisation certificate'.

During your predoctoral period, you have to be enrolled as predoctoral student. More information on the registration fee, can be found here.

Candidate doctoral students from the EEA countries who have applied for a doctoral scholarship (for example an IWT scholarship), can - in anticipation of the allowance of this scholarship - also enrol as predoctoral student, without having to do a predoctoral test. However, these students must submit a certificate in which the faculty declares to give permission for the subscription and states that, in anticipation of the allowance of the doctoral scholarship – no scholarship is granted.

PhD subject and supervisor

It depends on your statute whether or not you can choose a supervisor and topic yourself:

• Project assistants: Both the supervisor and the topic are, in broad outlines, predetermined. As PhD student, you elaborate the proposed topic.
• Research assistents: At the beginning of the mandate, you have to choose a topic and supervisor. The topic must belong to the research field of the centre that created the vacancy for this research assistant.
• RFF scholars(Research Foundation Flanders): You can choose the supervisor and the topic. In collaboration with the proposed supervisor, you apply to the RFF, with the chosen topic.
• Self-financing doctoral students: You choose both your supervisor and your topic yourself.

If you already have a topic in mind, but no supervisor, you may contact the doctoral programme coordinator to help you finding a supervisor who is willing to support and supervise your doctoral project. More information about the skills of a good supervisor can be found on the Profile of a good supervisor (only available in Dutch)

PhD types

One of the conditions to graduate as doctor in Psychology or Educational Sciences, is to deliver a doctoral thesis. Traditionally, this thesis is an elaborated research in book form. In consultation with your supervisor (and possibly, co-supervisor), you can also opt for a compilation of scientific journal articles. The journal articles can already be published or accepted and/or be submitted for publication. In these articles, you report on the research conducted in the framework of your doctoral project accepted by the supervisory committee.

More information and instructions for the above and other kind of PhD-types can be found in the doctoral programme regulations of the Faculty .

Requirements about the length and formatting of the thesis, the language, the lay-out and such more, can be found in the section 'Criteria for a successful doctoral training'.

Supervision

During the long doctoral process, you are certainly not on your own, as there are various forms of supervision for doctoral students. First of all, of course, there is your supervisor (and possible co-supervisor), but beside him/her, there are also some administrative tools to keep you on the correct "doctoral path". Below, you can find more information about each of these forms of supervision.

Supervisor (and co-supervisor)

The initial and most important coaching during your doctoral process will be done by your supervisor(s) and (possible) co-supervisor(s) and co-operators. If you have questions or problems about your doctoral process, your supervisor is the first person to contact and ask for help. The KU Leuven has set up a profile with a number of characteristics of a good supervisor (only available in Dutch). If your supervisor does not respond to this description of a good supervisor on various points, and if this causes severe problems for your relation with him/her, please contact the  faculty’s ombudsperson for the doctoral students or the doctoral programme coordinator of the research unit concerned.
 

Progress reporting

Annual progress reporting is compulsory for all doctoral students, even those (partially) exempt from doctoral training.

The length of this survey may not exceed two pages and it reports on the progress of your research and doctoral training during the last year. More specifically, you can report about the already realised parts of your research planning, the publications that you’re preparing or that have already been published, the scientific congresses you have taken part in, the parts of your doctoral training you have already realised, and the agreements you have made with your supervisor. You must also discuss your further research planning. The standard form should be completed and signed by your supervisor, the use of this format is obligatory.

This report should be submitted to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme, the latest, by June 15, each year. After receiving all reports, the doctoral programme coordinator will read and sign the reports for approval. So you don't have to contact the doctoral programme coordinator yourself! In case your report is disapproved or not sufficiant, you will be informed.

Research project and supervisory committee

Your research proposal contains an extensive report of the design and general set-up of your doctoral research. Concretely, you describe – amongst others – the theoretical frame from which you start, your research questions and the methodology you wish to use. The proposal can already include a report of (preparatory) research you have done, but in the first place it is an extensive and well-founded planning of what you are about to do. The proposal starts with a one-page summary of your proposal.

The research proposal and the one-page summary should be typed, using one and a half line spacing and an 11 or 12 point font and can be written in Dutch, French, German or Englisch. The language used will also depend on the composition of the supervisory committee. The research proposal consist of 10 to 20 pages (not including one-page summary, references and appendices).

When your research proposal is ready, and you have the approval of your supervisor, your supervisory committee can be convened for a meeting. Together with your supervisor you can compose the supervisory committee. More information about this supervisory committee can be found in the Faculty's Doctoral Regulations .

Ultimate submission date research proposal

The research proposal should be submitted before the middle of the doctoral period.
There is, however, one exception: if you have to apply for an extension of your doctoral mandate before the end of your second year, your project text should be submitted before your extension application. For example, RFF scholars have to submit their extension application to the RFF after one and a half year. Consequently, they have to submit their research proposal before they apply for an extension.

Attention! There should be at least one year between the approval of the research proposal and the thesis defense.

Steps to be taken

(1) You have to submit (by e-mail) the definitive version of your research proposal, including a copy of the one-page summary (in a seperate file) to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme no later than 7 days before a scheduled Faculty Board meeting (= Friday before the meeting). The one-page summary should always contain: name + surename, title of the proposal, names of your (co)supervisor(s) and of the members of the proposed supervisory committee.
At the same time, your supervisor submits (also by e-mail) a reasoned proposal for the composition of the supervisory committee to the same person.
After receiving this information (before 02.00 pm) your request will be scheduled for the next meeting of the Faculty Board.
Dates of the Faculty Board meetings in academic year 2011-2012 can be found here.

(2) As soon as the supervisory committee has been appointed, the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme will arrange, together with you and your (co)supervisor(s), a date of meeting and will send the doctoral proposal to the members of the supervisory committee. In principle, the members of the supervisory committee should be given at least two weeks (holidays and exam periods not included) to read and evaluate the research proposal, so it can take abouth a month before your committee can take place.

(3) During the meeting of your supervisory committee, each member of the committee will get the chance to ask questions about your research proposal. The members who are not able to attend the meeting are requested to send their written comments in advance. During the meeting you are expected to summarize these comments and respond on it. After the meeting you should also mail your answers to the absent members.

Afterwards, you will be asked to leave the room. During your absence, the committee members will decide (with a majority of votes) whether they will or will not accept your doctoral project. When they have taken the decision you will be informed about it. This decision will be committed to paper, and must be signed by all committee members.

Your research proposal can be conditionally accepted pending revision, in that case  the supervisory committee will ask you to rewrite your research proposal. One reason, for example, can be that they doubt whether the doctoral research that you proposed, is feasible. In the case that your proposal is rejected, a new meeting of the supervisory committee can be planned.
During the whole process of your doctorate, you can convene the members of the committee, if you think it's necessary. However, it is advisable to discuss this first with your supervisor, as he/she and your colleagues are the first source of advise. 

Finishing off a PhD

Requirements doctoral thesis

•  You can choose whether you write your thesis in Dutch, French, German or in English.

• Regardless of the language used, the thesis should contain a Dutch and an English one-page summary.

• If the thesis is written in Dutch, German or French, an English summary of about 20 pages (1½ line spacing, 11 or 12 point font) must be included as an appendix.

• If permission is granted by the Faculty Board, the doctoral thesis can also be written in another language than Dutch, German, French or English. Again, the doctoral student should then enclose an English summary of about 20 pages (1½ line spacing, 11 or 12 point font) must be included as an appendix.

• Thesis length may vary according to the nature of the subject, but is ideally between 100 and 300 pages.

• The thesis should be typed with 1½  line spacing and an 11 or 12 point font.

• The thesis should be printed double-sided on paper size 160 x 240 mm.

• The thesis should be submitted in bound form with a printed cover, according to the instructions given here.

• A copy of the summaries (1 page each) should also be enclosed, immediately after the title page.

• The doctoral student is responsible for the text as it appears in the submitted copies; inaccuracies in the results cannot be attributed to printing errors.As soon as the doctoral jury has been appointed by the Faculty Board, the doctoral student must submit one copy of the printed thesis per jury member including the chair, one copy for the library, one copy for the research group as well as a one-page summary to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme, who will distribute copies to the jury members.

• As soon as the doctoral jury has confirmed that the thesis defense can take place, an electronic version of the thesis should also be submitted for electronic archiving before the date of defense, check out the webpage of LIRIAS for instructions.

• In addition, regardless of the language used, a one-page Dutch summary intended for a wide audience should be made available on K.U.Loket, ‘Mijn doctoraat’ (My PhD)  for use by the K.U.Leuven Press Office. This summary does not form part of the doctoral thesis but is obligatory as soon as you received permission to defend.    

Composition doctoral jury

The doctoral jury decides whether or nor the doctoral student has passed the "examination" to obtain the degree of Doctor in Psychology or in Educational Sciences .

The doctoral jury consists of the chair (the doctoral programme coordinator), the (co)supervisor(s) and at least two opponents. The number of opponents should be equal to or higher than the number of (co)supervisors. At least one of the opponents should be from another University and at least one opponent should be a member of the Faculty. At least one opponent should also have served on the supervisory committee. The jury’s youngest senior academic staff member (from the Faculty), not including the (co)supervisor(s), will act as secretary.

Steps to be taken

(1) You have to submit (by e-mail) the final text of your doctoral thesis, including a copy of the one-page summary (in a seperate file) to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme no later than 7 days before a scheduled Faculty Board meeting. The text of your doctoral thesis must be complete (i.e. it should include the summaries, introduction, conclusion, references and appendices) and finished in terms of content and style. However, the lay-out does not yet need to be finalized and the manuscript does not yet need to be printed and bound. The one-page summary should always contain: name + surename, title of the dissertation an the names of your (co)supervisor(s).
At the same time, your supervisor submits a reasoned proposal for the composition of the doctoral jury to the same person (also by e-mail).
After receiving this information (before 02.00 pm) your request will be scheduled for the next meeting of the Faculty Board.
Dates of the Faculty Board meetings in academic year 2011-2012 can be found here.

(2) Before submitting a composition proposal to the Faculty Board, the supervisor should verify that nominees would be willing to serve on the doctoral jury if the proposal is approved

(3) As soon as the doctoral jury has been accepted and your DOClog has also been approved , the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme can send the final printed version of the dissertation to the members of the doctoral jury and can make further arrangements for the thesis defense, together with you and your (co)supervisor(s).

Date of defense

In principle, the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme can schedule, together with your (co)supervisor(s) and you, a provisional date and time of defense once the composition of the doctoral jury has been approved by the Faculty Board. As soon as the jury grant permission to defend (at the end of the reading period) the date is final.

When the provisional date and time is fixed and all jury members (including the chair) are informed about it, the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme will check for a suitable room of defense and makes the reservation. Usually defenses take place in the ‘Promotiezaal’ (University Hall) or in another public room considered appropriate by the Faculty. A list with suitable rooms can be obtained at the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme or can be found here. 

If, by exception, one of the jury members cannot be present at your doctoral defense, he/she must inform the chair of the doctoral jury.  

Normally you may not send invitations for the defense if you have not yet received the permission to defend. As there is not much time between the end of the reading period and the date of defense, it is allowed to send invitations, only if the composition of your jury has been approved by the Faculty Board ànd if you clearly mention on the invitation that the date of defense has been fixed on the condition that the jury grant permission to defend.

Submission final doctoral thesis

The ‘ultimate moment’ for each doctoral student is when he/she hands in the manuscript to the printer. You can bring your manuscript to any offset printer or copy shop. Do not forget to enquire, beforehand, how long it will take before your thesis is printed. Also, ask for an official invoice – you will need this for reimbursement of expenses afterwards.
How many copies do you have to order? You will need at least one copy of the printed thesis per jury member including the chair, one copy for the library and one copy for your research group/centre. You can also provide some copies for others as family and friends, colleagues, future employers, ..... 

Reading period

In principle, the members of the doctoral jury should be given at least four weeks to read and evaluate the thesis. During exam periods and the summer holidays, jury members should have at least eight weeks to read and evaluate the thesis. For the other holidays and the class free week the reading period will be extended with a few days to max. 1 week, depending on the lenght of the holiday period.
In principle, doctoral dissertations should not be submitted and defenses should not take place in the period between the end of the second exam session and the start of the third exam session.
If you are not sure about how many weeks you have to count, you can contact the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme.

Between the end of the reading period and the date of defense is, preferably, one or two weeks to take care of the last preparations for the defense: you have to reregister, upload the summary and dissertationin KULoket, ... The administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme will inform you about it once you have received the permission to defend. In the meantime she will send the invitation mail to the members of the Faculty and the doctoral jury, print your diploma (after you registered), reserve the togas/gowns for the jury members, ...

In exceptional circumstances, the reading time can be shortened. The doctoral programme coordinator will decide whether your request can be accepted or not. The reasoned request for changing the reading time must be send to the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme. 

Permission to defend

At the end of the reading period, the jury members inform the chair of the doctoral jury whether they approve the thesis. This approval must be accompanied by a preliminary report on the thesis. In this report, the opponents of the jury are invited to assess the following aspects of the thesis: (a) the international relevance of the research reported (innovative aspects, impact on the research field, etc) (b) the scope of the research and (c) textual aspects of the thesis (clarity, structure, academic style, references, illustrations, figures, etc.).

If approval is granted by all jury members, the doctoral student is given permission to defend the thesis and further arrangements for the doctoral defense can be made. The administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme will inform you about it.

If at least one of the jury members does not approve the thesis, the chair will convene a meeting of the doctoral jury to consider whether the defense can take place. The doctoral student is heard by the jury, which then decides whether to approve the thesis. More info in the Faculty’s Doctoral Regulations.   

Enrolment PhD defense

When you have received the permission to defend your doctoral thesis, the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme will ask you to enroll for the defense at the Central student administration at the University Hall. At this last enrolment, you must pay the final enrolment fee. 

List of PhDs and KULeuven agenda

After receiving the permission to defend, the administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme will update your electronic doctoral file with the exact date and time of defense, the title of your thesis and the composition of your doctoral jury. Due to this update you are automatically subscribed to the list of actual doctoral defenses, which means that your doctoral defense will be included in the list of PhD’s which is drawn up by the press service of the KULeuven and will be included to the general agenda of the KULeuven.

Doctoral defense

A doctoral defense always follows a fixed procedure which lasts a maximum of two hours and a half:

• Entry of the jury members.

• Short introduction by the chair of the jury.

• The doctoral student gives a short presentation of his/her doctoral research, during about 20 minutes. (Try to present your research in an accessible manner, so that it can be understood by non-specialists).

• The (co)supervisor(s) may choose to spend up to 15 minutes on joint questions.

• Each opponent of the jury asks questions and interacts with the doctoral student for up to 15 to 20 minutes.

• After the defense, the jury members will evaluate the candidate’s work in a closed meeting.  The Faculty’s professors and emeritus professors are entitled to attend the meeting as observers. At the start of the deliberation, the doctoral jury considers the preliminary reports provided by all opponents.  This is followed by a brief discussion aimed at reaching consensus on the overall quality of the thesis, including the quality of the defense. The jury secretary prepares a brief report on this discussion and the jury’s final assessment. The opponents’ individual preliminary reports and the joint final report are not included in the diploma (supplement), but will be send to the doctoral student and his/her (co)supervisor(s) after the defense.

• After the deliberation, the chair of the jury informs whether the degree of Doctor in Psychology or Educational Sciences has been granted.

• Then there will be a short laudatio by one of the (co)supervisor(s).

• Traditionally, the new doctor then extends a word of thanks, and invites the audience for a reception.