PhD Programme Regulations

• General Information
• 1. Supervisor
• 2. Registration
• 3. Approval of the thesis
• 4. Examiners (reading committee)
• 5. Setting a provisional date for the degree ceremony
• 6. Cum Laude
• 7. To finish
• Finally

General Information

 

Contact persons

• Faculty of Arts: Ms. N.G. Scholtens, Faculty Office, Harmoniecomplex, room 1315.0336, tel. (050-363)5906/5834.
• The Rector’s Office: Ms. M. Peperkamp, Oude Boteringestraat 44, tel. (050-363)5290
• Students Service Center (SSC): Ms.drs. B. Pier, Academy building, tel. (050-363)5276.

Regulations for the PhD Degree

The current PhD degree regulations may be ordered in book form from Ms. Peperkamp, or consulted at the web site. T

 

Necessary forms

• form to ‘register for a PhD degree’  [PDF](in duplicate);
• form for ‘approval of the thesis [PDF]’ (in duplicate);
• the form ‘reserving a date for the degree ceremony’ (with carbon copies) may be obtained from the SSC.

Further information 

• payment for copies of thesis (appendix 8 of the PhD degree regulations);
• registering for a PhD degree with alternative qualifications to those specified in the Higher Education and Research Act, article 7.8.2.a (appendix 10 of the PhD degree regulations);
• written information concerning additional faculty funding for theses for internal PhD candidates and for external PhD candidates. 

1. Supervisor

If a supervisor is on the point of retirement, the registration of the PhD degree must take place before the date of the retirement. Forms to ‘register for a PhD degree’ received after the retirement date will not be processed. The ius promovendi (the right to supervise a thesis) continues for 5 years after retirement. If the ius promovendi expires before the PhD candidate graduates, then a new form to ‘register for a PhD degree’ must be submitted with the name of the new supervisor.

  

2. Registration

The form to ‘register for a PhD degree’ must be completed in duplicate, signed by the supervisor(s), co-supervisor(s) and the candidate, and submitted to the Faculty Office. After approval, the Dean shall countersign the forms, one of which will be sent to the secretary’s office of the Committee of Deans (CvD). The other form will remain with the Faculty Office, which will open a file on the PhD candidate.

The secretary’s office of the CvD shall check the registration form and send it to the SSC after approval. If the proposal on the form meets with any objections, the PhD candidate, the supervisor and the faculty shall be informed of this by the CvD.

  

3. Approval of the thesis

Approval of the thesis by the supervisor(s) shall be announced by means of the form ‘approval of the thesis’. Two copies of this form must be signed by the supervisor(s) and returned to the Faculty Office. After countersignature by the Dean, one form shall be sent to the secretary’s office of the CvD for approval, and then sent on to the SSC. The other form will be placed in the file held by the Faculty Office.

  

4. Examiners (reading committee)

Using the form ‘appointment of examiners’, and at the same time as submitting the form ‘approval of the thesis, the supervisor shall propose prospective examiners to the CvD via the Dean. The examiners shall be the supervisor and three professors from the own university or from a different Dutch university, or from a foreign educational institution of university rank, no more than one of whom may be an emeritus professor still holding the ius promovendi. The technical chair of the committee shall be the Dean, representing the Rector Magnificus (Vice Chancellor). The PhD candidate shall supply three copies of the manuscript to the Faculty Office and ensure that the supervisor also receives a copy.

The Dean shall appoint the examiners in writing. In this letter, the Dean shall also request that a judgement be formed of the thesis before a certain date. A copy of the thesis shall be enclosed with the letter. Copies of this letter shall be sent to the supervisor and the PhD candidate. The examiners shall have no more than six months to inform the Dean of their judgement. The Faculty of Arts generally considers six weeks to be sufficient time.

  

5. Setting a provisional date for the degree ceremony

Once the SSC has received the form ‘approval of the thesis’ from the secretary’s office of the CvD, and the Dean has appointed the examiners, the PhD candidate may book a provisional date for the degree ceremony with SSC. The PhD candidate shall be sent the form ‘reserving a date for the degree ceremony’ for this. N.B. at this point the examiners have not yet approved the thesis. If the degree ceremony cannot take place on one of the Thursdays reserved for the Faculty of Arts, please consult the Faculty Office about an alternative day.

The PhD candidate and the supervisor(s) shall sign the form ‘reserving a date for the degree ceremony’ and return it to the Faculty Office, after which the Dean shall sign the form with the provisional date for the degree ceremony. The form shall then be sent by the Faculty Office to the SSC.

As soon as the thesis has been approved by the examiners, the CvD shall be informed of this in writing, with copies being sent to the supervisor, the PhD candidate, the SSC and the examiners. The SSC shall then change the provisional date for the degree ceremony into a definitive date and set the time of the ceremony.

  

6. Cum laude

In accordance with the PhD degree regulations, a proposal for awarding a cum laude must be submitted by a majority of the examiners. On the recommendation of the supervisor, the Dean shall approach two external examiners with the request to assess the thesis. The supervisor (for obvious reasons, not the PhD candidate) shall then ensure that the Dean receives two extra copies of the thesis to be sent to the external examiners. In order to prevent this procedure creating delay, cum laude proposals must be received by the Dean as soon as possible.

  

7. To finish

The SSC shall send the summary to professors, emeritus professors and other interested parties within the faculty.

The printing of the thesis may begin once

• the SSC has approved a proof of the recto and verso sides of the title page
• the proofs of the thesis, including the ‘stellingen’ (statements), have been approved by the supervisor.

The required edition must cover:

• the number of requests for copies received by the SSC
• 15 copies for the University Library (or 2 + an electronic version)
• 5 copies for the SSC for the CvD and public relations.

In the month preceding the month of the PhD degree ceremony, but at the latest 14 days in advance, the Dean shall write inviting the supervisor, professors, emeritus professors, and the examiners to the degree ceremony.

  

Finally

• It is only possible to deviate from the above after consultation with the Faculty Office. Please contact them for information not contained here.
• The department of Information & Public Relations of the RUG can help you deal with press and publicity matters (050-3635447/3635448).
• Neither the reception nor the dinner are covered by any regulations and the PhD candidate may arrange these as he or she wishes. Nor are there any rules about who may be invited.

The Faculty of Arts wishes the PhD candidate a successful day!