In order to apply the Dr. Philos. thesis must be complete. With the application five copies of the thesis must be attached. Should the application be approved you will be registered as a doctoral candidate, and there will be appointed an evaluation committee.
The thesis must discuss a relevant NMBU-related topic.
The right to apply for the doctoral degree exam
Applicants who can prove equivalent qualifications in another discipline may be allowed to apply for admission to the doctoral degree exam subject to approval by the faculty and then appoved by the Rector. The thesis will not be evaluated until admission has been granted. The faculty evaluates the applicant's qualifications and reaches a decision based on the documentation of previous studies and scientific works. In such cases, the faculty may require that the applicant follow additional specific courses and/or pass a test before admission is granted in order to have the thesis evaluated. The application must be submitted together with the doctoral degree thesis.
The thesis
The thesis shall be an independent, scientific piece of work of high academic standard with respect to the formulation of problems, the precision of concepts, the methodological, theoretical and empirical basis, the documentation and form of presentation. The thesis shall thus contribute to the development of new knowledge and be of an academic standard appropriate for publication as part of the literature in the relevant field.
The doctoral degree is awarded on the basis of:
- An approved scientific thesis
- Two approved trial lectures (One on a chosen subject, one on a prescribed subject)
- A satisfactory public defence of the thesis
Application for submission and evaluation of the scientific work/thesis
The thesis, and a letter with application for evaluation of the thesis, shall be submitted to the relevant faculty. Certified copies of examinations and degree certificates must be enclosed. The Rector appoints the evaluation committee.
Evaluation
To evaluate the thesis, the trial lectures and the defence, Rector appoints an evaluation committee of at least three members, based on a proposal from the relevant faculty. The committee will within a determined deadline submit a report on whether or not the work is worthy of defence for the doctoral degree.
Trial lectures and public defence
If the thesis is approved, the doctoral candidate will give two public trial lectures, one on a chosen topic and one on a prescribed topic. The trial lectures are part of the doctoral examination, and must be approved by the evaluation committee before the doctoral candidate can defend the thesis in a public defence.
Conferment of the degree, certificate
Upon approval of the thesis, trial lectures and the public defence of the thesis, the degree Doctor Philosopiae (abbreviated Dr. Philos. in english, Dr.philos. in Norwegian) shall be conferred on the doctoral candidate by the Rector. Diplomas are issued on an ongoing basis.
The right to appeal
Upon rejection of an application for evaluation (according to NMBU's regulations for the degree Dr. Philos.), or rejection of the thesis, the trial lectures or the defence of the thesis, the candidate may appeal pursuant to the Public Administration Act. The appeal may be sent to the faculty or to the Rector.