All PhD candidates, regardless of whether they are internally or externally funded, must apply for admission to the PhD programme within the prescribed deadline. As a rule, the application must be submitted no later than three months after the commencement of employment or the start of the doctoral project.

Admission to a PhD programme is a prerequisite for appointment as a doctoral research fellow at USN. The requirements for the admission application are described in Chapter 2 of the PhD Regulations.

Together with your principal supervisor, you must prepare:

• a complete project description
• a plan for the 30-credit training component
• a plan for any research stays abroad or other forms of research mobility

If, at the outset, you are aware that the research project will require specific academic expertise or material resources, this must be documented in the application. It is also recommended that such requirements be discussed during initial meetings with your supervisor and manager.

You are responsible for obtaining the necessary approvals for the use of research data and for ensuring compliance with all applicable research ethics requirements and academic standards.

You must familiarise yourself with relevant legislation, regulations and guidelines, including:

• the use and storage of research data
• ICT regulations
• export control regulations, where applicable
• research ethics guidelines
• the Health Research Act, where relevant to the project
• data protection legislation

Admission is confirmed through an agreement between the faculty and the candidate. The content of the PhD Agreement is described in Chapter 2 of the PhD Regulations.

See also: How to become a PhD student

Doctoral education is one of the University's core responsibilities, and USN maintains high ambitions for the quality of its PhD programmes.

The objective is for all candidates to complete a doctoral programme that is academically rigorous and subject to robust quality assurance procedures. The faculties are responsible for their respective PhD programmes, and each programme is administered by a Programme Committee. The Chair of the Programme Committee is the highest academic authority within the programme.

The Programme Committee considers, among other matters:

• admission to the programme
• changes to the supervisory team
• completion of the doctoral programme

As a PhD candidate, you are responsible for complying with applicable deadlines. This includes applications relating to changes in the training component or supervisory team, as well as the submission of progress reports, the mid-term evaluation and the doctoral thesis.

It is important that you remain informed about the deadlines and requirements applicable to your PhD programme. This contributes to steady progress and to a more predictable and efficient completion of doctoral education.

The training component of USN's PhD programmes comprises a total of 30 ECTS credits.

Individual PhD programmes may require compulsory doctoral-level courses in addition to the common requirements that apply to all PhD candidates at USN.

You are responsible for familiarising yourself with the courses and activities that form part of the training component within your programme. Together with your supervisor, you should plan the training component so that it supports the completion of the research project and contributes to your academic development.

It is recommended that you plan the training component at an early stage of the doctoral programme and revise the plan as necessary in consultation with your supervisor. Any amendments must be processed in accordance with the procedures applicable to the programme.

The webpage for your PhD programme provides information concerning programme structure, compulsory and elective courses, and expected learning outcome for the specific programme:

• Humanities, Culture and Educational Science
• Management
• Nautical Operations
• Person, Health and Society
• Technology
• Ecology

During the commencement phase, it is particularly important that you:

• apply for admission to the PhD programme within the prescribed deadline
• prepare the project description in collaboration with your principal supervisor
• plan the training component
• identify any requirements for resources and support arrangements
• familiarise yourself with relevant regulations and research ethics requirements
• become acquainted with the responsibilities and procedures of the Programme Committee
• plan any international research stays or mobility activities

A thorough and well-planned start provides an important foundation for progress, quality and successful completion of the doctoral programme.