Regulations on earning a doctor’s degree

Chapter I. General provisions

§ 1

1.These regulations stipulate:

– the conditions to be met by the candidate applying for a doctor’s degree

– the methods of gaining and verification of learning outcomes for the qualification at level 8 of Polish Qualifications Framework and the implementation of the individual research program in the course of extramural program,

– administrative support for teaching and the procedures involved in granting a doctor’s degree within extramural course of studies.

§ 2

2. Wherever these Regulations quote:

a. the University or CUE – it stands for Cracow University of Economics,

b. the Act – it stands for the Act of 20 July 2018, the Law on Higher Education and Learning (Journal of Laws, item 1668 with the subsequent amendments);

c. a participant of CUE Doctoral Program – it stands for a person applying for a doctor’s degree within extramural, for whom the Senate has passed an Act nominating a supervisor, or supervisors, or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor;

d. a tutor – it stands for a person providing content support for the participant of CUE Doctoral Program preparing an initial draft of the doctoral dissertation; the tutor needs to hold at least the degree of a habilitated doctor;

e. a supervisor – it stands for a person nominated by the CUE Senate or the Council of that Discipline providing scientific guidance for the participant of CUE Doctoral Program ; the supervisor needs to hold at least the degree of a habilitated doctor;

f. auxiliary supervisor – it stands for a person holding a doctor’s degree, exercising an important auxiliary role in scientific guidance for the participant of CUE Doctoral Program , nominated by the CUE Senate or the Council of that Discipline;

g. learning outcomes at level 8 of Polish Qualification Framework – it stands for the definition formulated by the Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 14 November 2018 on the characteristics of secondary learning outcomes prerequisite for qualification to level 6 – 8 of Polish Qualifications Framework (Journal of Laws item 2218); learning outcomes in the course of CUE Doctoral Program learning process which are prerequisite for awarding a doctor’s degree;

h. ECTS points – it stands for the points defined by the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System as the measures of average workload of a participant of CUE Doctoral Program prerequisite for reaching the anticipated learning outcomes;

i. doctoral dissertation or thesis – it stands for a written work, including a scientific monograph, a collection of published, thematically consistent scientific papers, a project or implementation study as well as an independent and separate part of a collective work. Doctoral dissertation represents candidate’s general theoretical knowledge of a discipline or disciplines and proves his/her ability to conduct an independent research work. The dissertation presents an original solution to a scientific problem, an original solution in the application of one’s own results of research in the realm of economic or social spheres;

j. an initial concept of doctoral dissertation – it stands for the characteristics of the planned research, containing the proposed subject of the dissertation, an indication of the scientific discipline for which the research is to be conducted, the main research goals and hypotheses, and a brief discussion of the methodology of research;

k. an individual plan of research – it stands for the description of research provisions which underpin the preparation for the dissertation and application for a doctor’s degree. An individual research plan shall:

i. substantiate the selection of the research problem,

ii. present the goal, research hypotheses, research questions,

iii. indicate the methodology of research which should allow finding an individual solution to the research problem,

iv. include the proposed structure of the dissertation,

v. declare other research activity, participation in conferences and publishing.

l. CUE Doctoral Program – it stands for an organized University activity entailing all steps necessary to earn a doctor’s degree within extramural program framework, and which includes::

i. reaching learning outcomes at level 8 of Polish Qualifications Framework (PQF) for higher education,

ii. Implementation of a tailored research plan, and

iii. conducting proceedings to award a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode.

Chapter II. Prerequisites for earning a doctor’s degree

§ 3

1. A doctor’s degree may be awarded to a person who:

a. holds Master’s degree, Master’s (Engineer) degree, or an equivalent, and holds a diploma stipulated by art.326 (2).2. of the Act or art. 327 (2) of the Act allowing to apply for a doctor’s degree in the country in whose system the issuing university operates; ;

b. has reached learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF while the learning outcomes in the knowledge of one modern language have been confirmed by a certificate or a diploma of graduation attesting the knowledge of that language at least at B2 level;

c. has prepared and submitted a doctoral dissertation;

d. has passed Ph.D. title conferment procedure;

e. has in their output at least::

· one paper published in a scientific journal or reviewed materials from an international conference, which in the year of publication of the paper in its final form were included on the list prepared in compliance with the provisions issued pursuant to art 267 (2). 2 b), or

· one scientific monograph published by the house which in the year of publishing the monograph was on the list prepared in compliance with the provisions issued pursuant to art 267 (2). 2 a) of the Act, or a chapter in such monograph;

f. has defended doctoral dissertation.

§ 4

The process of awarding a doctor’s degree observed by CUE includes the following procedures:

a. submitting the application requesting participation in the process of awarding doctor’s degree in the extramural mode, jointly with the enclosures stipulated by separate regulations,

b. reaching and verification of learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF,

c. confirmation of the selection of a tutor,

d. elaboration of the initial draft of doctoral dissertation under the tutor’s supervision,

e. assessment of the initial draft of doctoral dissertation by the Scientific Council at CUE Doctoral School,

f. appointing a supervisor or supervisors or a supervisor and an auxiliary supervisor by the respective Council of the Discipline,

g. elaboration under the supervisor’s guidance of the draft of the dissertation in the form of an individual research plan,

h. presentation and discussion on the proposed individual research program,

i. opinion on the individual research program given by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School,

j. accepting an individual research program by the Discipline Council and designation of subjects covered by the doctoral examination,

k. conclusion of the implementation of the individual research program and submission of doctoral dissertation,

l. verification of prerequisites for commencing procedures to award a doctor’s degree (i.a. required publications, verification of the dissertation by the Unified Antiplagiarism System),

m. sitting exams prerequisite for the conferment of a doctor’s degree,

n. admission to a public defence of doctoral dissertation,

o. public defence of doctoral dissertation,

p. conferment of a doctor’s degree.

Chapter III. Implementation of prerequisites to earn a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode

§ 5

1. The process aimed at conferring a doctor’s degree may be conducted in the extramural mode.

2. To reach learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF prescribed for higher education, the persons applying to earn a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode should participate in::

a. seminars,

b. workshops aimed at betterment of the set of research tools,

c. tutorials aimed at reaching level 8 of PQF learning outcomes,

d. meetings held to present and discuss the outcomes of the individual research plan,

– in compliance with the principles stipulated by the regulations.

3. A participant of CUE Doctoral Program may reach learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF via individual work as well as through participation in classes and consultations stipulated by section 2 and section 3, within the scope prescribed by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School.

4. The classes stipulated by section 2 and 3 may be conducted either in Polish or in a foreign language.

5. Learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF and the syllabus of classes under CUE Doctoral Progam implemented in the extramural mode shall be stipulated by the resolution of CUE Senate.

§ 6

1. The costs of implementation of the process aimed at awarding a doctor’s degree are regulated by the Rector’s ordinance.

2. The fees for the process of awarding a doctor’s degree in the extramural procedure, including the charges for conferring a doctor’s degree are set in a manner to cover all the expenses borne by CUE in this respect.

3. The Rector, at a request of the person obliged to bear the costs stipulated by section 1 and section 2, may exempt such person from that obligation:

a. when there are other sources of financing the process of awarding a doctor’s degree (a financing entity), particularly when the employer or the head of research project undertake to cover the cost; exemption from the fees is effective from the moment of signing a contract between CUE and the financing entity;

b. a candidate or a participant of CUE Doctoral Program who is employed by CUE.

§ 7

1. A person who intends to earn a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode shall submit an application to qualify for CUE Doctoral Program in the extramural mode addressed to the Director of CUE Doctoral School.

2. The conditions and procedure of qualification for persons applying to participate in CUE Doctoral Program in the extramural mode shall be stipulated by the Rector’s ordinance.

3. The decision on the acceptance of the application shall be made by the Director of CUE Doctoral School on prior opinion formulated by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School, within one month from the submission of the application.

4. The decision of the Director of CUE Doctoral School pertaining to the application shall include:

a. the appointment of the candidate’s tutor,

b. designation of seminars, workshops and tutorials to be attended by the candidate.

5. On receiving a positive decision of the Director of CUE Doctoral School, the candidate is required to sign a contract envisaging a process aimed at awarding a doctor’s degree within the extramural mode by participation in CUE Doctoral Program.

§ 8

1. To reach learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF, a candidate is obliged to participate in::

a. seminars of 45 hours,

b. workshops bettering the set of research tools of 45 hours,

c. tutorials aimed at reaching learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF of 45 hours.

2. Reaching learning outcomes at level 8 of PQF shall be verified by an academic teacher appointed by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School, providing that:

a. the credits for seminars are granted by the supervisor,

b. the credits for workshops and tutorials are granted by the academic teacher who conducts them.

3. All forms of activity stipulated by section 1 shall be organized by the – Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures in such a way that they may be completed within one full academic year.

§ 9

1. The candidate, under the guidance of the supervisor, shall prepare an initial draft of the dissertation, which is then evaluated by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School.

2. The evaluation of the initial draft of the doctoral dissertation, made by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School, may be either positive or negative.

3. Should the evaluation be negative, the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School shall indicate the directions and steps to be taken, prerequisite for reaching a positive evaluation. In particular, the Council may make a request to the Director of CUE Doctoral School for a change of a tutor or extension of the time necessary for the preparation of the initial draft of the doctoral dissertation. The initial draft of the doctoral dissertation with a negative evaluation result needs to be resubmitted to the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School.

§ 10

1. Following a positive evaluation of the initial draft of doctoral dissertation and candidate’s application by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School, the Disciplinary Board shall pass a resolution on the appointment of a supervisor or supervisors, or a supervisor and an auxiliary supervisor.

2. To become appointed a supervisor, a person shall hold the degree of a habilitated doctor or the title of a professor, while an ancillary supervisor shall hold the degree of a doctor.

3. A person who is employed by a foreign university or a scientific institution may become a supervisor even if he/she does not meet the provisions stipulated by section 6, on condition that the Disciplinary Board acknowledges substantial scientific accomplishments of such person in the area covered by the dissertation.

4. A person may not become a supervisor if during the past five years:

a. he/she supervised four doctoral students who were removed from the list of students due to negative mid-term evaluation result, or

b. he/she supervised preparation of a doctoral dissertation of at least two doctoral candidate who did not receive positive reviews from at least two reviewers.

5. The Disciplinary Board designating a supervisor or supervisors or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor shall observe the principle that one person may not at the same time serve as a supervisor for more than five doctoral candidate.

6. In particular, the duties of a supervisor entail:

a. providing a participant of CUE Doctoral Program with the necessary assistance in terms of content and methodology in the course of research work aimed at earning a doctor’s degree at CUE,

b. assistance in organizing the set of research tools,

c. providing methodological support and help in gaining teaching experience,

d. evaluation of the scientific development of a participant of CUE Doctoral Program .

7. When the Disciplinary Board has passed the resolution stipulated by section 2, a participant of CUE Doctoral Program earns the status of a doctoral candidate.

8. The Disciplinary Board shall change a supervisor, supervisors, or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor at a request of a doctoral candidate, a supervisor, or an ancillary supervisor or the Director of CUE Doctoral School. The request to change a supervisor, supervisors, or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor which is submitted to the Head of Disciplinary Board shall be approved by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School and processed by the Disciplinary Board within two months from the date of submission.

9. The appointment and change of a supervisor, supervisors, or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor shall be made by the resolution of the Disciplinary Board adopted by an absolute majority of votes, in the presence of at least a half of its statutory composition.

10. A doctoral candidate has the right to lodge an appeal against the resolution to change a supervisor, supervisors or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor requesting the Board to re-examine the case. The appeal is resolved by way of a resolution adopted by an absolute majority of votes, in the presence of at least a half of its statutory composition.

§ 11

1. A doctoral candidate shall prepare an individual research plan under the guidance of the supervisor or supervisors, which is then to be presented at an open scientific meeting.

2. The individual research plan shall be prepared within the framework of individual work with the supervisor in the course of seminars.

3. The plan of an individual research program shall be presented in the course of an open scientific meeting. The meeting shall be convened by the Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures at a request of a doctoral candidate, approved by the supervisor. A doctoral candidate shall submit a plan of individual research along with the request.

4. The plan of individual research submitted by a doctoral candidate and approved by the ancillary supervisor when such was appointed by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School, shall then be submitted to the Disciplinary Board. The Disciplinary Board shall pass a resolution on:

a. approval of the individual research plan,

b. approval of the title of the dissertation,

c. designation of two subjects covered by the doctoral examination (a subject related to the discipline of the dissertation and one subject from an additional discipline). The additional disciplines include philosophy, sociology and other scientific disciplines in which CUE has the right to confer doctoral degrees.

5. Amendments to the individual research program that have been prepared by a doctoral candidate in consultation with the supervisor or supervisors shall be made at a request of a doctoral candidate, and shall be introduced by the Disciplinary Board on prior approval of the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School.

6. The Disciplinary Board shall adopt the resolution stipulated by section 4 and section 5, by an absolute majority of votes, in the presence of at least a half of its statutory composition.

§ 12

1. The implementation of the individual research program shall conclude with the preparation of the doctoral dissertation..

2. The doctoral dissertation shall be submitted by delivering four of its copies to the Director of CUE Doctoral School. In case the dissertation is in a written form, the doctoral candidate shall submit four ready, printed and permanently bound copies of the dissertation and one its copy in a digital form, in PDF (Portable Document Format). The electronic form shall not have any limitations in its access, and it shall be stored on a portable device which shall be possible to reproduce without any specialized hardware, connectors or software.

3. The doctoral dissertation shall include its summary in English, and the dissertation written in a foreign language shall have a summary in Polish. When the dissertation has not been prepared in a written form, it shall have a description in Polish and English. .

4. On submitting the dissertation, the doctoral candidate shall attest that he/she is the author of the doctoral dissertation, and did not attribute to himself/herself any significant fragment or other elements of somebody else’s work or scientific finding.

5. The supervisor or supervisors shall comment on the submitted dissertation in the form of a written opinion. The opinion shall be produced within 14 days from the date of submission.

6. The opinion stipulated by section 5 shall include a general evaluation of the dissertation by showing its merits and drawbacks, in the understanding of art. 189 second sentence of the Act.

Chapter IV. Procedures in conferring a doctor’s degree

§ 13

1. The procedure for conferring a doctor’s degree shall be instituted at a request of a person applying for the degree, who meets the requirements stipulated by art. 186 (1) 1-3 or art. 186 section 2 of the Act. The request shall be submitted to the proper Disciplinary Board.

2. The request stipulated by section 1 shall be submitted to the Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures jointly with the doctoral dissertation and the opinion of the supervisor or supervisors. .

3. A summary in English shall be attached to the doctoral dissertation, and a summary in Polish to the doctoral dissertation written in a foreign language. When a dissertation is not in a written form, it shall include a summary in Polish and in English.

4. The request to commence the procedure shall be verified and approved by the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School. In the course of the approval, the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School shall consider:

a. satisfaction of conditions stipulated by art. 186 (1) 1-3 or section 2 of the Act;

b. the results of verification of the dissertation by the Unified Antiplagiarism System stipulated by art. 351 of the Act.

5. In case of doctoral candidate contributing publications authored by more than one person, as stipulated by art. 192 (2) 7 of the Act, the measure of doctoral candidate’s contribution shall be set as 1/n, where n stands for the number of authors. It is considered that the condition stipulated by art.186 (3) a and b has been fulfilled when the sum of shares in preparing a publication for a person applying for the degree is not less than 1.

6. The request to commence procedure to confer a doctor’s degree shall be resolved by the Disciplinary Board which passes a resolution on:

a. the commencement of the procedure,

b. the appointment of three reviewers,

c. the appointment of the examination board to hold the doctoral examination,

d. personal composition of the Examination Board .

7. When the conditions stipulated by section 1, section 4 and section 5 have not been fulfilled, the Disciplinary Board shall take a resolution refusing to initiate proceeding to award a doctor’s degree. .

8. The resolution of the Disciplinary Board shall be taken by an absolute majority of votes, in the presence of at least a half of its statutory composition.

§ 14

1. The reviewers shall be appointed from persons who are not faculty of CUE or work for Polish Academy of Sciences, a research institute or an international institute, Centrum Lukasiewicz or Lukasiewicz Network Institute where the person applying for a doctor’s degree may be employed.

2. The reviewers shall write a review of the dissertation within two months of its submission.

3. A reviewer shall hold the degree of a habilitated doctor or the title of a professor.

4. A person who is employed by a foreign university or an institution may become a reviewer even if he does not fulfill the conditions stipulated by section 3 provided the Disciplinary Board recognizes exceptional accomplishments of such person in the area covered by the dissertation

§ 15

1. Sitting a doctoral examination with a positive result is prerequisite for admission to the doctoral dissertation defence. .

2. The doctoral examination shall be held by an examination board of at least five members. The examination board shall include::

a. the chairperson selected from the members of the Scientific Council of CUE Doctoral School, ,

b. the examiners in two subjects included in the doctoral examination – the examiners shall hold at least a degree of a habilitated doctor in the discipline covered by the examination,

c. at least two members holding a degree of a habilitated doctor or the title of a professor..

3. The form of the examination shall be decided upon by the examination board.

4. Should a doctoral candidate fail one of the examinations, at his request the Disciplinary Board may allow another sitting of the examination..

5. The doctoral examination shall be organized by Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures

6. The doctoral examination may be evaluated as positive or negative.

7. Should there be differences of opinion among the examination board members, the chairperson of the board shall have the casting vote.

§ 16

1. The Doctoral Board is composed of the following members:

a. The reviewers – they take part in the proceedings of the Doctoral Board, yet they do not have the right to vote on the admission to the defence of the dissertation,

b. At least five members holding the degree of a habilitated doctor or professor’s title, nominated by the Disciplinary Board,

c. A supervisor, supervisors, or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor. The supervisor, supervisors and an ancillary supervisor take part in the proceeding of the Doctoral Board without the right to vote on conferring the degree.

2. The Doctoral Board is vested with the following tasks:

a. Verifying the premises of admission to the defence of the doctoral dissertation,

b. Taking decision on admission to the defence of the doctoral dissertation;

c. Holding the defence of the dissertation;,

d. Applying to the Disciplinary Board for conferring a doctor’s degree..

3. On receiving the reviews the Doctoral Board takes a decision on admitting a doctoral candidate to a public defence of the dissertation. The resolution on admission shall be in the form of a decision.

4. The person admitted to the defence of the doctoral dissertation shall:

a. have received positive reviews from at least two reviewers,

b. have sat a doctoral examination with a positive result.

5. The Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures shall post the doctoral dissertation in its written form and the reviews on Public Information Bulletin (PIB) of CUE website, not later than 30 days prior to the day of the defence.

6. Public defence of the doctoral dissertation shall be held before the Doctoral Board.

7. The Doctoral Board shall prepare and forward to the Disciplinary Board an application to confer a doctor’s degree.

8. Resolutions on matters stipulated by section 3 and section 7 are taken by a secret ballot, by the absolute majority of votes with more than a half of the Doctoral Board attending.

§ 17

A doctor’s degree is awarded on the basis of the resolution passed by the Disciplinary Board by a secret ballot by the absolute majority of votes, with at least a half of the statutory composition attending.

Chapter V. Administrative support

§ 18

1. Administrative support for the participant of CUE Doctoral Program and the training process within the extramural mode shall be provided by the Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures.

2. The documentation of the training process for the participant of CUE Doctoral Program in the extramural mode shall entail:

a. the documents submitted by the person applying for a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode,

b. the results of enrollment,

c. a contract to implement a procedure aimed at awarding a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode,

d. examination reports attesting that credits have been awarded for seminars, workshops and tutorials,

e. the initial schedule of work,

f. documents attesting the appointment of a supervisor, supervisors, or a supervisor and an ancillary supervisor,

g. an individual plan of research,

h. the text of the doctoral dissertation,

i. the documents attesting that the doctoral examinations have been passed,

j. the report of the Unified Antiplagiarism System for the doctoral dissertation,

k. all applications filed in the course of the training and the decisions passed.

3. The Center for Doctoral Education and Procedures shall be held responsible for keeping documentation for persons applying for a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode,

4. The documentation of persons who have been awarded a doctor’s degree in the extramural mode shall be stored in the Archives of CUE.

Chapter VI. Final provisions

§ 19

Procedures for conferring a doctor’s degree which were commenced before 1 May 2019 shall be concluded before 31 December 2021. In case that deadline has not been observed, the procedures shall be discontinued or terminated.

§ 20

1. The correspondence dispatched to the last participant of CUE Doctoral Program address known to the University shall be considered as delivered, with the exception of the correspondence to be delivered in line with the stipulations of of the Act of 14 June 1960 (Administrative procedures code, Journal of Laws of 2018 point 2096 with the subsequent amendments).

2. The matters of order and the mode of training not stipulated by these regulations shall be resolved by the laws currently in force and separate normative acts of CUE, and in the absence thereof, by the decisions of the Director of the CUE Doctoral School.