- Regulations for Doctoral Studies
- I. General provisions
- II. Doctoral Studies
- II.1. Learners in doctoral studies
- II.2. Supervision
- II.3. Filling a vacant student place
- II.4. Organisation of study
- II.4.1. General principles
- II.4.2. Period of study, suspension of doctoral studies and changes to the period of study of doctoral students matriculated to doctoral programmes opened from the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.4.3. Workload, academic leave and extending the period of study of doctoral students matriculated to doctoral curricula opened before the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.4.4. Individual plan
- II.5. Progress review
- II.5.1. Progress review schedule
- II.5.2. Progress review committee
- II.5.3. Documents required for progress review
- II.5.4. Progress review meeting
- II.5.5. Decisions of the progress review committee
- II.5.5.1. Decisions of the progress review committee regarding learners in doctoral studies in doctoral programmes opened from the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.5.5.2. Decisions of the progress review committee regarding learners in doctoral studies in doctoral curricula opened before the 2022/2023 academic year
- II.5.6. Repeat progress review and appealing a progress review decision
- II.6. Exmatriculation
- III. Applying for Doctoral Degree
- III.1. Completion of the doctoral programme
- III.2. Council awarding doctoral degrees
- III.3. Requirements for doctoral candidate
- III.4. Requirements for doctoral thesis
- III.4.1. General requirements for doctoral thesis
- III.4.2. Doctoral thesis as an integrated collection of research publications
- III.4.3. Doctoral thesis as a monograph
- III.4.4. Requirement for research publications and the introductory chapter
- III.4.5. Requirements for patents, patent applications and applied solutions
- III.4.6. Structure of the doctoral thesis
- III.5. Allowing a doctoral thesis to be defended
- III.6. Publication of the doctoral thesis
- III.7. Defence of the doctoral thesis
- III.8. Applying for doctoral degree and defence of the doctoral thesis under a joint supervision agreement
- III.9. Contesting and overruling the decisions of the council awarding doctoral degrees
- III.10. Preservation of the doctoral thesis
- IV. Implementing provisions
- Study Regulations
- I. General provisions
- II. Courses and modules
- III. Following the curriculum
- IV. Assessment
- V. Completion of studies
- VI. Filling vacant student places and rematriculation
- VII. Additional rights and obligations of students
- VII.1. Notification
- VII.2. Counselling
- VII.3. Making adaptations in studies
- VII.4. Giving feedback
- VII.5. Studying at other higher education institutions in Estonia
- VII.6. Studying at higher education institutions abroad
- VII.7. Academic leave
- VII.8. Extension of studies
- VII.9. Good academic practice
- VII.10. Contesting decisions concerning the organisation of studies
- Annex 1. Studying as a visiting student or external student
- Annex 2. Intensive study of Estonian
- Annex 3. Recognition of prior learning and professional experience
Regulations for Doctoral Studies and Study Regulations
III.7.2. Council’s decision
149. During a closed discussion (involving the members of the council as well as the opponent(s) and supervisor(s) who do not have the right to vote), the council discusses the doctoral candidate’s thesis, presentation and ability to defend the main statements of the doctoral thesis in the discussion. Taking into account the assessments of the opponent(s) to the doctoral thesis and the discussion, the council makes one of the following decisions in a public vote to be officially recorded:
149.1. the doctoral thesis was defended successfully (grade ‘defended’). The doctoral degree is awarded to the doctoral candidate;
149.2. the doctoral thesis was not defended successfully (grade ‘not defended’). The doctoral degree is not awarded to the doctoral candidate;
149.3. the decision is not made due to suspicion of plagiarism or other academic fraud. The doctoral thesis is sent to experts for assessment.
150. The council’s decision must state the reasons. If the council decides not to award a doctoral degree to the doctoral candidate, the substantive deficiencies found in the doctoral thesis and/or defence which did not allow to award the degree must be presented.
151. In the case specified in clause 149.3, the council asks for at least two expert assessments and letters of explanation from the doctoral candidate and supervisor(s). Then, within one month of the defence, the council makes one of the following decisions to be officially recorded:
151.1. the suspicion of plagiarism or other academic fraud was not confirmed, and
151.1.1. the doctoral thesis was defended successfully (grade ‘defended’). The doctoral degree is awarded to the doctoral candidate;
151.1.2. the doctoral thesis was not defended successfully (grade ‘not defended’). The doctoral degree is not awarded to the doctoral candidate;
151.2. the suspicion of plagiarism or other academic fraud was confirmed. The doctoral degree is not awarded to the doctoral candidate and the council makes a proposal to the vice rector for research to exmatriculate the doctoral student due to academic fraud on the grounds provided for in clause 87.12.1 of these regulations.
152. The minutes of the council’s meeting serve as the basis for the issuing of a diploma. In addition to the required standard formal elements, the minutes must contain the name of the doctoral candidate, the title of the doctoral thesis in Estonian and the language of the doctoral thesis or, if the doctoral thesis has been written in Estonian, the Estonian and English titles of the doctoral thesis, the names of the supervisor(s), opponent(s) and members of the council with decision-making powers attending the defence along with their research degrees, the name of the council chair, the voting results, and the decision on awarding the doctoral degree.
153. If the council decides not to award the doctoral degree to the doctoral candidate, the doctoral candidate has the right to apply for a repeat defence of the same doctoral thesis once within the time limit set by the council.
