PHD programme

Undertaking a PhD

The 2004 Bologna declaration prescribes that a PhD programme must be composed of at least 180 credits. Admission is reserved to holders of an academic Master’s degree, obtained after a study programme of at least 300 credits (total Bachelor plus Master). The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is conveyed after the defence of a PhD thesis that should outline the quality and originality of the research as well as the candidate’s ability to communicate about his/her area of expertise.

The doctoral regulation of the Académie universitaire 'Louvain' states that the academic title of doctor can be obtained after successful completion of a PhD programme with two compulsory components:

• an advanced scientific training, worth 60 credits, referred to as "doctoral training" (doctoral training for the ISV students )
• a research assignment relating to the preparation of a doctoral dissertation, worth at least 120 credits

The PhD examination itself consists of two parts:

• the writing of an original thesis or an essay accompanied by a coherent set of publications and work of which the doctoral student is either the author or the co-author
• the defence of this thesis, during which the candidate should outline the qualities and originality of the work, and its relevance to the wider scientific public

The organisation of the PhD programme within the Académie universitaire ‘Louvain’ involves various actors at different levels.

The academic and administrative sides of a PhD are managed by the Académie universitaire Louvain (through the CODAL and the Doctoral Committees). PhD students register for a PhD programme and the doctoral training in one of the member institutions and obtain their degree from this university.

The doctoral training is co-organised by the university consortiums of the French-speaking Community of Belgium, under the aegis of the F.R.S.-FNRS (National Fund for Scientific Research).