Submission of the dissertation at the Doctoral School

In accordance with Article 204(1) of the Law on Higher Education and Science, a doctoral student training at the Doctoral School ends with the submission of a doctoral dissertation.

The doctoral dissertation (paper version) should be submitted to the Dean's Office of the Doctoral School together with:

1. abstract of the dissertation in Polish and English;
2. a positive opinion of the supervisor or supervisors (template in Polish, template in English);
3. the PhD student's statement on the submission of the doctoral dissertation and on its originality, independent preparation and non-infringement of copyright (template in Polish, template in English);
4. a report of the achievements obtained during education at the Doctoral School, which should be prepared in the Doctoral Schol system (tab: Applications and requests->Report of the achievements); after the supervisor approves the self-reference, inform the Doctoral School Office (the document must be approved by the Dean of the Doctoral School before printing), printed and submitted in a paper version.

The Dean of the Doctoral School, based on the documentation of the doctoral student's education at the Doctoral School , doctoral dissertation and the submitted documents described above verifies the candidate's learning outcomes for qualifications at the Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) level 8.

If the Dean determines that learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8 have been achieved, the doctoral student receives a certificate of completion of training at the Doctoral School of Wrocław University of Technology and achievement of learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8. If it is verified, that learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8 have been not achieved, the doctoral student is informed about the need to correct or supplement the documentation.

Title page of the doctoral dissertation

The title page of the doctoral dissertation should be prepared according to the template in Polish or template in English.

What is the best way to prepare for completing a dissertation?

We encourage to read the article Ten Simple Rules for Finishing Your PhD.

Scholarship

Upon submission of a dissertation to a doctoral school, a doctoral student terminates his or her education and loses the right to receive a doctoral scholarship. However, in accordance with Article 209(8) of the Law on Higher Education and Science, a doctoral student who submits their doctoral dissertation earlier than the deadline of 4 years from the start training shall receive the doctoral scholarship until the date of expiry of the deadline for the completion of education, but not longer than for six months.

Submission of the dissertation at the Scientific Discipline Council

The submission of a dissertation at a doctoral school is not the same as the initiation of proceedings for conferring of a doctoral degree as defined in Article 189 of the Law on Higher Education and Science. At the Wrocław University of Science and Technology - in accordance with § 8 (1) of the Statute  - the  Scientific Discipline Council is the competent body for conferring doctoral degrees in a given discipline. This means that a person who is a graduate of the Wroclaw University of  Sience and Technology Doctoral School, in order to initiate proceedings for the grainting  of a doctoral degree, submits the appropriate documents to the appropriate Scientific Discipline Council in accordance with the current Regulations for the conferring of degrees at the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.

For more information on the procedure for conferring the doctoral degree at Wroclaw University of Technology, please visit the websites of the Science Department and the respective Scientific Discipline Councils or contact the administrative staff of Scientific Discipline Councils.

Provisions of the Regulations of the Doctoral School

In accordance with § 5 of the Regulations of the Doctoral School of the Wroclaw University of Technology:

• The education in a given discipline ends after obtaining learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8, which takes place when a student has completed the courses included in the educational programme for a given discipline and has submitted a doctoral dissertation together with a positive opinion of the supervisor(s).
• A student is entitled to submit a doctoral dissertation before the end of the eighth semester under the condition of completing the educational program and achieving all learning outcomes. A doctoral student who submitted a doctoral dissertation with a positive opinion of the supervisor or supervisors before the end of the eighth semester and passing all the seminar courses included in the curriculum, is credited by Dean, taking into account an opinion of the head of the educational discipline and the opinion of the supervisor or supervisors.

Requirements for a doctoral dissertation

Article 187 of the Law on Higher Education and Science sets the following requirements for a doctoral dissertation:

• The doctoral dissertation demonstrates the candidate’s general theoretical knowledge in a discipline (or disciplines) and the ability to conduct research or artistic work independently.
• The subject matter of the doctoral dissertation shall be an original solution to a scientific problem or in terms of the application of results of own scientific research in the economic or social sphere, or an original artistic achievement.
• The doctoral dissertation may be a written dissertation, including a scientific monograph; a collection of published and thematically related scientific articles; design, construction, technological, implementation or artistic work; as well as an independent and separate part of a collective work.
• The doctoral dissertation shall include an abstract in English, whereas a doctoral dissertation prepared in a foreign language – an abstract in Polish. In the case when the dissertation is not in written form, its description in Polish and English shall be attached.

In addition, § 5 of the Regulations for the conferring of degrees at the Wroclaw University of Science and Technology specifies the following requirements for a doctoral dissertation:

• The doctoral dissertation demonstrates the candidate’s general theoretical knowledge in a discipline (or disciplines) and the ability to conduct research or artistic work independently.
• The subject matter of the doctoral dissertation shall be an original solution to a scientific problem or in terms of the application of results of own scientific research in the economic or social sphere, or an original artistic achievement.
• The doctoral dissertation may be a written dissertation, including a scientific monograph; a collection of published and thematically related scientific articles; design, construction, technological, implementation or artistic work; as well as an independent and separate part of a collective work
• A doctoral dissertation that is a collection of published and thematically related scientific articles should include a brief substantive introduction presenting the main research hypotheses and key conclusion
• The dissertation may be presented in a language other than Polish
• A doctoral dissertation, being a written work, should be accompanied by an abstract in English, and if the doctoral dissertation is prepared in a foreign language, an abstract in Polish is additionally included. If the doctoral dissertation is not a written work, a description in Polish and English shall be attached.