Doctoral studies are centered around one’s doctoral thesis and scientific research. Doctoral studies are regulated by the University of Tartu’s Regulations for Doctoral Studies, which include general requirements for supervision, individual planning, and application for a doctoral degree. Doctoral students should also get acquainted with good practices of the University of Tartu, especially good practices of doctoral studies.
Read more about the rules and regulations governing doctoral studies at the University of Tartu
This page compiles faculty guidelines and recommendations for planning your studies, for putting together and completing your individual plan, for progress reviews, as well as for writing the introductory chapter and the defence procedure.
In planning their studies, the doctoral student makes individual and purposeful choices about specific activities in cooperation with their supervisor(s), and provides a detailed timeline of planned activities in their individual study plan. Activities necessary for professional development and for the completion of the doctoral thesis can be pursued through university courses, events organised by the doctoral schools or the centre for doctoral studies, and through external events – both local and international. Courses related to a specific specialty varie and each specialty has provided a list of cumpolsory and/or optional courses.
The following illustration offers recommendations on which transferable skills to focus on at different stages of the doctoral studies, in addition to some activites supporting general development. The guidelines are based on the learning outcomes of the doctoral programs in the faculty, which must be achieved in order to complete the program. The recommendations are exactly that: suggestions aimed at easing the planning of the studies. Based on the specificities of each thesis project, and the needs of each doctoral student, alternative sequencing of these activities is also possible. However, the compulsory course "Introduction to doctoral studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences" should be taken during the first semester of studies, as it offers a broad insight into the most important topics related to doctoral studies.
Be sure to also visit the trasferable skills training homepage, which provides information on specific courses and training events realated to the required transferable skills.
Doctoral studies are carried out according to the doctoral student's individual plan, in which the study and research plan for the entire study period is agreed upon, based on the learning outcomes of the doctoral program.
The individual plan is therefore a central document in doctoral studies, which the doctoral student prepares in cooperation with the supervisor.
The individual plan consists of several parts:
The doctoral student's/external student´s progress in teaching and research is assessed during progress reviews based on how they have been able to progress based on their individual plan.
Depending on how one has been able to progress based on one´s individual plan,
1) the doctoral student/external student is reviewed positively or negatively and
2) the doctoral student will be assigned to full-time or part-time studies (applies only to those admitted before the 2022/23 academic year)
1. Research, development and creative activities
1.1 Research activities related to the doctoral thesis and compiling the doctoral thesis; publication of the results of research, development and creative activities.
1.2 Participation in and presenting at professional events related to the doctoral thesis; international study and research experience.
1.3 Other research, development and creative activities.
Participation in organising research, development and creative acitivities, participation in the planning and imeplementation of a research project, application of the results of research, development and creative activities, cooperation with entrprises and institutions, etc. For a project, please include its main details, incl. the code, eligibility period and title.
1.4 Acquisition of transferable skills that meet the learning outcomes of the doctoral program.
Acquisition of teaching and supervisory experience, as well as collaboration and leadership skills, popularisation of the specialisation, etc. Other work that is not directly related to the doctoral thesis may take up to 20% of the total working time of a junior research fellow.
2. Studies
Studies and self-development according to the requirements of the doctoral program. Courses, training and other activities that the doctoral student has selected to develop his/her transferable and professional skills.
1st-year doctoral student after matriculation:
The doctoral student must compile a period plan for the first semester and enter it into the Study Information System within 30 days after matriculation.
1st-year doctoral student before the first progress review:
The doctoral student must compile the individual plan for the whole period of study and a period plan for the second semester and submit it to the progress review committee, alongside other documents required and outlined in the Procedure of Doctoral Students’ Progress Review. The documents must be entered into the Study Information System at least 8 working days before the progress review date.
The doctoral student of the 2nd academic year and onwards:
Together with the progress review and other documents required by the Procedure of Doctoral Students’ Progress Review, the doctoral student has to submit the period plan for the next review period. The documents must be entered into the Study Information System at least 8 working days before the progress review date.
The external doctoral student:
To receive the status of an external student in a doctoral curriculum, an application and, together with it, the draft individual plan have to be submitted. The individual plan has to be compiled for a semester or an academic year, depending on the period for which the status of the external student is applied. The external student compiles the individual plan for the period of being an external student and enters it in the Study Information System within two weeks after registration as an external student.
Together with the progress review and other documents required by the Procedure of Doctoral Students’ Progress Review, the external doctoral student has to submit the period plan for the next review period. The documents must be entered into the Study Information System at least 8 working days before the progress review date.
Progress review is a process whereby the progression of the doctoral student in their research and coursework is evaluated during the progress review meeting. During the progress review, the review committee assesses the fulfilment of the doctoral studies programme, as well as the individual plan. Passing a progress review is a requirement for continuing in the doctoral studies programme.
At the faculty of Social Sciences, the progress review procedures are carried out in accordance with the University’s Regulation of the Doctoral Studies, as well as the faculty-level Procedure of Progress Review.
Educational science: 26.08.2024.
Media and communication: 28.08.2024, starting time 10.00.
Sociology: 23.08.2024, starting time 10.00
Law: 13.06.2024, starting 09.30, Zoom
Economics and business administration: 15.08.2024, 22.08.2024, 26.08.2024, 27.08.2024, 29.08.2024. Zoom
Political science: 21.08.2024.
Psychology: 26.06.2024.
The progress report is written by the doctoral student and confirmed by their supervisor. Good Practice of Doctoral Studies recommends the supervisor to support the doctoral student in preparation for the progress review
The doctoral student/external doctoral student submits the following documents to the progress review committee at least eight working days before the progress review date:
NB! The period plan and the progress review report are in the same document form. First, you’ll fill in the period plan for the following review period, below you’ll find the progress review report, detailing the previous review period.
For the submission of the documents, please follow the instructions of the secretary of the progress review committee.
The report covers the fulfilment of the individual study plan during the previous period of study and summarises the progress of doctoral studies as a whole.
If changes have been made compared to the individual study plan, they have to be explained throughout. See how the Faculty’s Procedure of Doctoral Students’ Progress Review describes the assessment of the doctoral student’s research according to academic years.
I Research, development and creative activities
I.1 Content and volume of research work and the stage of the doctoral thesis; publishing the results of the research, development, and creative activities.
I.2 Participation in and presenting at research-field related professional events, international studies and research experience.
I.3 Other research, development and creative activities
Participation in the organisation of research, development and creative activities; involvement in planning and carrying out of grant projects; implementation of the results of the research, development and creative activities; cooperation with enterprises and research agencies, etc. If you are involved in any research grants, add their basic information, including project code, eligibility period, and full name.
I.4 Development of transferable skills according to the learning outcomes of the doctoral programme
Obtaining teaching and supervision competences, developing cooperation and leadership skills, popularisation of the research field/speciality, etc. Here report all the activities that are not directly related to your research or reported under studies, e.g.
1) participation in projects that are not related to your research (including, e.g., popularisation of research);
2) supervising and reviewing;
3) (co-)organising events;
4) participation in decision-making bodies and attendance of their meetings.
II Studies
Coursework and self-improvement according to the doctoral studies programme. Courses, trainings etc that the student has selected to improve on their transferable and professional skills. Activities should be divided into sub-sections.
1) when one studied semester has passed from matriculation, and
2) when two studied semesters have passed from matriculation.
Progress reviews are held at least twice in an academic year for each curriculum. The dates of progress reviews are confirmed by 1 November (progress review of the autumn semester) and 1 March (progress review of the spring semester). This means that the progress review of the doctoral student does not take place immediately after they return from academic leave but on the confirmed dates.
Progress review report should be submitted no later than eight days before the date of the progress review meeting. The secretary of the progress review committee will inform the students about the submission details for their specialty.
The progress review meeting is attended by doctoral students and their supervisors.
Assessing progress of the learner in doctoral studies based on year of studies:
Assessing the progress in research of a 1st year doctoral student:
At the end of the first semester of the first year of study, the research and studies of a learner in doctoral studies are assessed positively if the learner in doctoral studies has completed the individual plan for doctoral studies and the period plan of the second semester that meet the requirements.
At the end of the first year of study, the research and studies of a learner in doctoral studies are assessed positively if the learner in doctoral studies has presented the results of his/her doctoral thesis to a wider audience at least once during the year of study, for example, at a research colloquium, an extended doctoral seminar, a scientific conference, etc., and has completed one of the following:
Assessing the progress in research of a 2nd year doctoral student:
At the end of the second year of study, the research and studies of a learner in doctoral studies are assessed positively if the learner in doctoral studies has presented the results of his/her doctoral thesis to a wider audience at least once during the year of study, for example, at a research colloquium, an extended doctoral seminar, a scientific conference, etc., and has completed one of the following:
Assessing the progress in research of a 3rd year doctoral student:
At the end of the third year of study, the research and studies of a learner in doctoral studies are assessed positively if the learner in doctoral studies has presented the results of his/her doctoral thesis to a wider audience at least once during the year of study, for example, at a research colloquium, an extended doctoral seminar, a scientific conference, etc., a has completed one of the following:
Assessing the progress in research of a 4th year doctoral student:
At the end of the fourth year of study, the research and studies of a learner in doctoral studies are assessed positively if the learner in doctoral studies has presented the results of his/her doctoral thesis to a wider audience at least once during the year of study, for example, at a research colloquium, an extended doctoral seminar, a scientific conference, etc., and has completed the manuscript of the doctoral thesis to be submitted for defence.
The review committee makes its decision based on the submitted materials and the results of the progress review meeting. The decision will be made available in the Study Information System within four working days after the progress review meeting. The progress review committee will give the doctoral student recommendations for fulfilling and improving the individual plan and, if deemed necessary based on the submitted materials and the progress review meeting, will initiate activities for improving the progress of the doctoral student.
Decisions of the progress review committee regarding learners in doctoral studies in doctoral programmes opened from the 2022/2023 academic year
The progress review committee makes one of the following decisions and provides reasons for that:
Decisions of the progress review committee regarding learners in doctoral studies in doctoral curricula opened before the 2022/2023 academic year
The committee assesses the research of the learner in doctoral studies in credit points.
The progress review committee makes one of the following decisions:
In order to receive the doctoral allowance, the learner in doctoral studies must receive a positive assessment (has fulfilled the curriculum at least to the extent of 75%). Additional information here.
Performance-based stipend will be awarded based on the decision of the progress review committee for those learners in doctoral studies who, based on the progress review, have fulfilled their curriculum 100% cumulatively (fulfilment of the curriculum across all years in studies). More information here: https://ut.ee/en/content/doctoral-students-performance-stipend
When writing a doctoral thesis as an integrated collection of research publications, it usually includes at least three research articles and an introductory chapter. The requirements for the introductory chapter can be found in paragraphs 118 and 121.6 of the Regulations for Doctoral Studies, but we have also compiled faculty level guidelines for writing said chapter.
Introductory chapter is not just a summary of the research articles; instead, it provides framing for the whole thesis, synthesizing new knowledge from the articles. In general, the chapter should follow the structure set out below, and include the following components. From a wider introduction, the author moves to the specific research puzzle, followed by overviews of theory, methodology, and results. The discussion/conclusions section is, once again, wider, touching upon the relevance of the results on the advancement of the discipline and offering the author’s opinion on the future outlook.