- 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.4.2. Doctoral thesis as an integrated collection of research publications
107. An integrated collection of research publications must meet the requirements laid down in clause 121 and includes three research publications and an introductory chapter unless stipulated otherwise in these regulations.
108. In an integrated collection of research publications,
108.1. the introductory chapter must meet the requirements laid down in clause 118;
108.2. the three research articles must have been peer-reviewed and accepted for publishing by publications described in clauses 116.1 or 116.2. By a justified decision of the council, one of the three articles may be positively peer-reviewed by two internationally recognised independent researchers selected by the council.
The review of a scientific article should be organised by the council in accordance with articles 125.2 and 126. The review should be equivalent to the review of a high-quality scientific journal.
109. An integrated collection of research publications may also comprise
109.1. an introductory chapter meeting the requirements laid down in clause 118 and
109.2. at least one publication meeting the requirements of clauses 116.1 or 116.2 and at least two invention patents or patent applications;
109.3. at least two publications meeting the requirements of clauses 116.1 or 116.2 and at least one patent, patent application or applied solution.
110. The doctoral candidate must be the lead or sole author of at least one research publication.
111. If a publication, invention or applied solution has several authors or the doctoral thesis forms a part of a joint research, the contribution of the doctoral candidate must be significant and thoroughly described in the doctoral thesis.
Contribution to collaborative research must be described in the list of original publications.
It is customary to inform one’s co-authors of including a joint research in the doctoral thesis. If the doctoral candidate plans to publish a joint article in the doctoral thesis before it is published in a journal/collection, it is mandatory to ask for written permission from all co-authors.
In principle it is allowed to include a publication in several doctoral theses, however the final decision is made by the council.
112. The council, based on a calculated and justified decision, has the right to allow a doctoral thesis in the form of an integrated collection of research publications to be defended also if it contains fewer publications than required in clause 107, provided at least one of them includes research at an internationally outstanding level which has a clearly visible and comprehensible result that changes the scientific worldview of the specialisation, and in which the doctoral candidate is the lead or sole author.
The decision for a case described in clause 112 is made by the council when the supervisor of a doctoral candidate asks for a consultation with the council. Positive feedback from the council is necessary before the candidate submits their documents according to clause 122. Council’s decision for making the exception is made with the decision according to clause 125.
