Exams and Dissertations

As a PhD student you have to pass a so-called qualifying exam half-way through your studies, and write and defend a PhD dissertation in order to obtain the PhD degree at the Faculty of Science, University of Aarhus. The rules apply for all PhD students independent of what study programme is followed (5+3 or 4+4). As a PhD student you will receive a grade in courses where results are given in form of grades starting 1st quarter 2005 (August 2005).

Qualifying Exam

Before passing the qualifying exam you must have passed courses worth 30 ECTS. If 20 ECTS out of the total number of 30 are passed with a grade you may choose to opt out of the course examination, where you demonstrate your communication and presentation skills, as part of your qualifying exam, and only be examined in your progress report.

If your course programme has not provided you with grades for at least 20 ECTS, but you have passed the courses, the qualifying exam is arranged containing a course exam as well as an examination in your progress report.

The qualifying exam takes place about half-way through your studies, and concludes your part A studies.

If you are  admitted to the PhD programme on a 4+4 programme, that is four years of MSc studies and four years of PhD studies, and you are enrolled as a MSc student and will obtain the MSc degree from the University of Aarhus after passing the qualifying exam.

Please note that you must pass your qualifying exam before the Faculty PhD Committee meeting. This meeting often takes place more than one month before your part A studies are concluded.

Further information is available on: Practical information about the qualifying exam.

PhD Dissertation

The successful completion of the PhD programme is marked by the submission of your PhD dissertation. The dissertation serves as documentation for the scientific work you have carried out during your studies, as well as your ability to communicate in writing the theoretical and experimental skills and results obtained.

Further information is available on: Practical information about the PhD dissertation

When you hand in your dissertation, an evaluation committee is appointed. The dissertation is distributed among the committee members who write an evaluation report and deliver it to the Faculty of Science within two months. If the dissertation is satisfactory to obtain the PhD degree you defend the thesis at a public PhD defence.

PhD Defence

The PhD defence takes place after the evaluation committee has written an evaluation report on the dissertation. The defence takes place not earlier than two weeks after the presentation of the written evaluation report to the Faculty of Science, and no later than three months after the dissertation has been handed in.

The PhD defence consists of two parts: A 45-minutes presentation of your dissertation, followed by a 45-minutes question-and-answer session between you and the evaluation committee members.

After the defence the committee completes the evaluation. If the committee agree that your dissertation and the defence have been passed satisfactorily, they send a recommendation for awarding the PhD degree to the Faculty of Science. Subsequently, The Faculty Board awards you the PhD degree.

When you receive your PhD degree you have a chance of having your dissertation printed in our DAIMI dissertation series. It only requires that you send a revised (if applicable) pdf-file to the PhD manager.