Doctoral Studies
Regulation for doctoral studies of the School of History and Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. (FΕΚ Β’ 1430/ 26-4-2018)
Article 1.
General Principles
Doctoral studies at the School of History and Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, AUTh aim at promoting knowledge and innovative scientific research that lead to acquisition of a doctoral diploma.
A doctoral diploma is an academic title that certifies the preparation of original scientific research and the substantial contribution of its owner to the development of science and knowledge to the equivalent scientific sector.
This specific Regulation outlines the structure and the operating rules of the doctoral programme of the School of History and Archaeology, AUTh, as this was established by Decision of the School’s Assembly (Assembly no. 376/15.12.2017).
Article 2.
Legal and Institutional Framework
The doctoral programme of the School of History and Archaeology, AUTh, is organized and operated in accordance with the provisions of Chapter SΤ of L. 4485/2017 (FΕΚ.114/4-8-17, T. Α΄) and the provisions and decisions already in force.
Article 3.
Eligibility for admission
Those eligible for applying for a Doctoral degree at the School of History and Archaeology should meet the following criteria:
tο have a BA degree (University or TEI=Technical Educational Institution) from a Greek or a foreign University recognised as equivalent.
tο hold a master’s degree (hereafter: Μ.A.) from a Greek or a foreign University recognised as equivalent or hold an Integrated Master’s Degree according to the Article 46 of L. 4485/2017.
to have achieved in MA a mark of 8.00 or higher or an equivalent one according to the criteria of the Hellenic National Recognition and Information Centre (Hellenic N.A.R.I.C. / Δ.Ο.Α.Τ.Α.Π.).
to have documented relevant knowledge of at least two foreign languages, C2 level in one of the four European languages (English, French, German, Italian) and B2 in a language relevant to the research subject. Foreign language competence should be proven by the following ways: a) State certificate of L. 2740/1999 as amended by the paragraph 19 of the Article 13 of L. 3149/2003, b) a degree in a Foreign Language and Philology or a degree in Translation and Interpretation of Foreign Languages from a Greek or a foreign University recognised as equivalent c) a Bachelor or Master Degree or Doctoral diploma from any recognised foreign higher education institution, d) a degree equivalent to a certificate of Greek secondary education as long as it has been obtained after a regular full-time attendance of six years in a foreign institution.
The foreign language teaching certification does not prove knowledge of a foreign language (p.d. 347/2003). The applicants that hold the relevant certification must provide a validated copy and exact translation of their qualification, on which the foreign language teaching certification was based.
Αrticle 4.
Duration (of studies)
The duration for the acquisition of the doctoral degree is at least three (3) full calendar years beginning from the three-member Advisory Committee’s appointment.
The maximum time for the completion of the doctoral thesis is set at five (5) full calendar years from the date the three-member Advisory Committee is appointed. The above-mentioned period can be extended for an extra year, upon the applicant’s request and a well-documented decision by the School’s Assembly.
The candidate is entitled to ask for suspension of one (1) full calendar year for reasons of military service, pregnancy and serious medical issues providing an application which should be accompanied by the unanimous decision of the three-member Advisory Committee and the necessary supplementary documentation. The application is approved by the decision of the School’s Assembly. During the suspension, the candidate’s status as a doctoral candidate is terminated as well as any rights deriving from it. The period of suspension is not added to the maximum total period for the completion of the doctorate degree.
Change of title or specialization of title may be accomplished after documented proposal by the three-member Advisory Committee and approval by the School’s Assembly during the first three years since the Committee’s appointment. Change of subject of the doctoral thesis can be accomplished after a documented proposal by the three-member Advisory Committee and approval by the School’s Assembly. In case the change of subject leads to a new scientific field, then the procedure of the Article 7 of this Regulation should be followed.
Article 5.
Rights / Benefits and Obligations of the Candidates
Rights / Benefits
Doctoral Studies are free. The candidates for five (5) full calendar years since the appointment of the three-member Advisory Committee, maintain full rights and provisions foreseen for the students of the second-degree course. An indication of them are the following: technological and financial support, awards, scholarships, student care, representation to corporate bodies, transition for a certain period to universities abroad via the Erasmus programme, etc. Moreover, the candidates maintain rights of access, lending and use of electronic services in university libraries up to five (5) years after being granted the doctoral diploma.
Obligations
Candidates bear the obligation to renew their registration every academic year with the submission of an application to the secretariat of the School.
Article 6
Participation of the Candidates to the educational procedure
By decision of the School’s Assembly (Article 9, par. 3, segment e’ of L. 3685/2008 that remains valid according to the Article 88 par. a’ of l. 4485/2017) and joint decision of the Minister of Education and Finance, it is possible to assign doctoral candidates with the assistance to the Teaching and Research Staff on a graduate and master’s level on an hourly compensation, which is charged on the Institution’s budget.
Article 7
Selection Procedure of Doctoral Candidates
The School may announce positions of doctoral candidates every May after the proposal of the Departments and the decision of the School’s Assembly. The positions are publicized in the daily press and are posted on the School’s website. The applications with all the necessary supporting documents should be submitted at the School’s Secretariat within the second fortnight of September.
THE APPLICANT
The applicant submits within the deadline specified in the present Regulation, an application to the School’s Secretariat.
The fields that should be indicated in the application are: a suggested title, the language – which can be different to Greek, if applicable – and the suggested supervisor of the Doctoral Thesis, who should be eligible to supervise a Doctoral Thesis, according to the Article 39 of L. 4485/2017 and the Article 8 of the present Regulation. The application should be accompanied by a full Curriculum Vitae of the applicant, a comprehensive and well-documented research proposal, as well as the documentation defined in the Article 3 of this Regulation, any research or/and written activity, as well as two reference letters.
THE SCHOOL
The School’s Assembly, based on the relevance of the research subjects included in the submitted applications, appoints a three-member committee from the Teaching and Research Staff of the School according to module and specialization criteria. Every committee examines the submitted applications and documentation and schedules an interview with the applicant. Then, each committee submits to the School’s Assembly a report with a detailed memo, which mentions whether the applicant is eligible or not. They can also suggest a supervisor if one has not been suggested by the applicant. In any case, the final decision falls within the competence of the School.
The School’s Assembly, considering the Committee’s memo, approves or rejects the candidate’s application. The Assembly’s authorization decision defines the title and the language of the Doctoral Thesis. In the same decision, the Assembly may set as a prerequisite for the preparation of the Candidate’s Thesis, the successful attendance of modules or other obligations relating to scientific research.
Article 8
Supervision of Doctoral Thesis
The right to supervise a Doctoral Thesis belongs to members of Teaching and Research Staff of A’ academic rank, associate and assistant professors of the same or other Higher Educational Institution or researchers of A’, B’ or C’ academic rank from research centres mentioned in the article 13A of L. 4310/2014 including the research centres of the Academy of Athens and the Biomedical Research Foundation (BRFAA) of the Academy of Athens.
The School Assembly assigns the proposed supervisor, according to paragraph 3 of Article 38 of L. 4485/2017, the supervision of the Doctoral Thesis and appoints a three-member Committee with the responsibility to frame and support the preparation and writing of the dissertation.
In the three-member Advisory Committee the supervisor can participate as a member, as well as two other members of the Teaching and Research Staff of A’ academic rank, associate or assistant professors of the same or other Higher Educational Institution or researchers of A’, B’ or C’ academic rank from research centres mentioned in the Article 13A of L. 4310/2014 including the research centres of the Academy of Athens and the Biomedical Research Foundation (BRFAA) of the Academy of Athens or by recognised research centres or institutes of a foreign country and have the same or similar subject module with the Doctoral Thesis under examination. Members of the Teaching and Research Staff that are on leave can be appointed as members of the three-member Advisory Committee. At least one (1) member of the Teaching and Research Staff from the three first academic ranks of the School of History and Archaeology participates in the three-member Advisory Committee. Every member of the Teaching and Research Staff of the Faculty does not have the right to supervise more than five (5) Doctoral Theses. Cases of co-supervision of Doctoral Theses will not be counted in the total.
If, for any reason, the supervisor is not present or fails to act as a supervisor for a long period, the School’s Assembly, considering the circumstances, assigns the supervision to someone else, according to what is stated in the previous paragraphs, upon request of the candidate and in agreement with the new proposed supervisor. Otherwise, one of the other two (2) members of the three-member Advisory Committee undertake action as supervisors even if this exceeds their maximum number of candidates.
If the initial supervisor is transferred to another Higher Education Institution or Faculty of a Higher Education Institution or if they retire, they continue acting as supervisors of the Doctoral Theses they have undertaken, and the title is granted by the Higher Education Institution, in which the Faculty belongs to, where the preparation of the Doctoral Thesis initiated.
The School’s Secretariat must upload on their website, both in Greek and in English, the name of the Candidate, the title and a short abstract of the Doctoral Thesis, the name of the supervisor and of the three other members of the Three-member Advisory Committee.
Article 9
Preparation of Doctoral Thesis with Co-supervision
The School of History and Archaeology, according to Article 43 of L.4485/2017, can work together with other Schools of Higher Educational Institutions in the country, research centres and institutions of the Article 13A of L. 4310/2014, including the research centres of the Academy of Athens and the Biomedical Research Foundation (BRFAA) of the Academy of Athens, for the preparation of Doctoral Theses with co-supervision. The preparation process, the granting of a uniform or separate title, etc., are foreseen in the Special Protocol of Cooperation that is compiled. The School of History and Archaeology may cooperate with recognized as equal Institutions or research centres and institutes of foreign countries for the preparation of doctoral theses with co-supervision. The preparation process, the granting of a uniform or separate title, etc., are foreseen in the Special Protocol of Cooperation that is compiled according to the decision of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs with the number 41931/Ζ1/13-3-2018 (FEK 972/t. B’ / 13-3-2018).
Article 10.
Preparation Process
Every January, the candidate must present in front of the three-member Advisory Committee in public and submit in writing a detailed memo in relation to the progress of their Doctoral Thesis and their participation in the academic activities of the School. A copy of the memo, as well as the comments on it by the supervisor or the three-member Advisory Committee, and the progress reports are included in the candidate’s personal folder.
Article 11
Evaluation of the Doctoral Thesis
After completion of the Doctoral Thesis the candidate submits an application to the three-member Advisory Committee, via the Secretariat, for its public defense and evaluation. The three-member Advisory Committee decides on the approval or the justified rejection of the application. If this is approved, they draw up a detailed Explanatory Report within thirty days. The completion of the doctoral thesis is recorded in the Report and the appointment of a seven-member Committee for the candidate is proposed. If the three-member Advisory Committee does not approve the application of the candidate, they hand in detailed scientific recommendations for improvement, as well as a schedule for the implementation within the maximum time limit foreseen in this regulation for the completion of the doctoral thesis. The School’s Assembly, after the submission of a positive Explanatory Report by the three-member Committee, appoints a seven-member Examination Committee for the evaluation of the candidate’s Doctoral Thesis within the maximum time limit foreseen by the present regulation. The members of the three-member Advisory Committee take part in it, as well as four other members that meet the criteria of Article 39, paragraph 2., passage b’ of L. 4485/2017 and have the same or similar specialization with the scientific field of the Doctoral Thesis. At least four of the members of the seven-member Examination Committee should belong to the Teaching and Research Staff of the School of History and Archaeology. In the case that this is not feasible, then they may come from other Schools of AUTh or another University, Institution or research centre of Greece or a foreign country. The three-member Advisory Committee has the right to propose the members of the seven-member Examination Committee.
In order to form the seven-member Examination Committee, the members of the three-member Advisory Committee are replaced by new ones that meet the criteria of the Article 39, paragraph 2., passage b’ of L. 4485/2017. The members that have served so far, have the right to attend the public defend and evaluation and they have speaking rights but no voting rights. Members of the Teaching and Research Staff who are on leave have the right to attend as members of the seven-member Examination Committee.
The candidates defend their Doctoral Thesis for about half an hour in front of the seven-member Examination Committee in a public oral test that takes place within 60 days since the Committee’s appointment. The process of public defense requires the physical presence of at least four (4) members of the seven-member Examination Committee, while the rest of the members can attend via videoconference. The oldest of its members acts as Chair of the Examination Committee, if he/she is a full professor of the School, or else any of the oldest staff members of the School with the only exception that of the supervisor. The candidate replies to questions of the seven-member Examination Committee and any members of the previous three-member Advisory Committee. The whole procedure is not allowed to exceed two (2) hours. Then the candidate steps out and the seven-member Examination Committee deliberates and decides on the quality of the doctoral thesis, the completeness, the originality and its contribution to science. Based on these criteria they form their final judgment and give their mark. Its approval and evaluation is attested by the relative Minutes. The Doctoral Thesis is approved with the majority of at least five (5) members of the seven-member Examination Committee. The Minutes are signed by all the members of the seven-member Examination Committee that took part in the evaluation process of the Thesis and are forwarded via the Secretariat to the School’s Assembly. The approved Doctoral Thesis is marked with one of the following features:
Excellent
Very Good
Good
For the completion of the proclamation process, as well as getting the relative certificates, the candidate must provide the Secretariat with a document by his/her supervisor confirming that the final draft of the doctoral thesis has included the corrections-observations that were made by the seven-member Examination Committee during the public verbal examination.
Article 12.
Deliberation and Proclamation of the Doctoral Candidates
The Assembly deliberates and proclaims the candidate in a public session of the School, with the candidate being present. The Chair of the Faculty presents the Minutes that certify the successful completion of the process of the oral presentation and evaluation of the Doctoral Thesis and then follows the deliberation and proclamation of the candidate to a Doctor of the School. The meeting is attended by the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and the Dean can also be present. The deliberation and proclamation ceremony, as well as the type of the Doctoral Diploma follow the standards of the relative decisions by the AUTh Senate. The ceremony is held three (3) times annually. Before the deliberation and proclamation process, the candidate may obtain a document confirming the successful outcome of the Examination. The candidate gets a copy of the Doctoral Diploma. The Doctoral Diploma (membrane) is signed by the Chancellor, the Head of the School and the Head of the Secretariat and bears the official stamp of the AUTh.
Article 13.
Form of the Doctoral Thesis and number of copies
The Doctoral Thesis when submitted should be written on a computer and printed on paper 80gr/m² A4, bound in a hard-copy with a cover. If it contains pictures and drawings, these should be distinct, and their origin should be mentioned. At the end of the Doctoral Thesis, there should be a comprehensive abstract in a foreign language. The Doctoral Thesis should not be published before its final evaluation. The University, the Faculty, the School and the Department, the full name of the author, the title of the dissertation and the words ‘Doctoral Thesis’ should be written on the front cover. On the inside front cover: the full name of the author, the title, the words ‘Doctoral Thesis’ and the phrase ‘Submitted to the School of History and Archaeology, relevant Department. The names of the members of the three-member Advisory Committee and the seven-member Examination Committee should be written at the bottom of the inside front cover. The author’s full name, the University and the title of the Doctoral Thesis are written on the fourth page. At the bottom of the fourth page, the following phrase: ‘the approval of this Doctoral Thesis by the School of History and Archaeology of AUTh does not necessarily reflect the author’s views’ (L. 5343/1932, Article 202, par. 2). The Doctoral Thesis is submitted in eight (8) copies in the form specified in the previous paragraph. Seven (7) of them are given to the members of the Examination Committee and one (1) to the School’s Secretariat. If the Doctoral Thesis is approved, in order to obtain the title, the candidate has the obligation to hand to the School’s Secretariat another three (3) copies of the final version of the Doctoral Thesis in electronic version (PDF), which are then distributed as follows:
One (1) at the Central Library – University Information Centre.
One (1) at the Departmental Library of the School.
One (1) at the Documentation Centre of the National Research Centre.
Along with the submission of the three copies, the candidate must submit an abstract of 150 words both in Greek and English at the School’s Secretariat to be posted on the School’s website. Prior to handing the copy of the Doctoral Diploma to the candidate, he/she must fill out a special form of the National Documentation Centre (EKT) of the National Research Centre (NHRF) with an abstract of the Doctoral Thesis and relevant scientific information to support it, and then send these documents along with a hard copy of the Doctoral Thesis to the EKT of the NHRF for the update of the National Archive of the Greek Doctoral Theses.
Article 14.
Reasons for Disqualification
The Assembly of the School of History and Archaeology, based on the proposal of the three-member Advisory Committee, may decide to disqualify the candidate and subsequently remove the subject and the title of the Doctoral Thesis. The reasons for disqualification are: when exceeding the maximum time limit along with the extension, foreseen in this regulation. At least two consecutive negative progress reports or the non-compliance to the candidate’s obligations as specified in Article 10 of this regulation. The candidate is automatically disqualified at their own request.
Article 15
Plagiarism / omission of report to bibliography used
The candidates, when handing in their Doctoral thesis, must report whether they have used the work and views of others. Plagiarism is considered to be a serious academic offence. Plagiarism is the practice of copying another author’s work, as well as using another author’s work, published or not, without giving credit to the original source. Citation of any documentary resources, even of work by the candidates themselves, without any relevant reference, can lead to the decision by the Faculty’s assembly to disqualify or deprive the title from the candidate.
Article 16.
Transitional provisions
All candidates of the School, upon approval and publication of this Regulation of Doctoral Studies, fall within the provisions of L. 4485/2017 and this Regulation. Candidates of the School that have exceeded the maximum duration for the preparation of their doctoral thesis, that is longer than five years, bear the obligation to complete it within two years. Any individual issues that may arise during the application of this Regulation, will be addressed with decisions of the School’s Assembly and the AUTh’s Senate.
Attachments:Doctoral Studies Regulation in the Government Gazette