STUDY PLAN FOR THE PHD-PROGRAMME IN GEOGRAPHY 2007/2008

The study plan is founded on the Regulations concerning the philosophiae doctor degree (PhD) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), passed by the Board of NTNU on 22 May 2003. The study plan for the PhD Programme in Geography was authorized by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management on the 24th of January 2007.

The PhD Regulations as well as internal faculty procedures and administrative guidelines that are common to the Faculty’s study Programmes are to be found on the Faculty’s web pages http://www.ntnu.no/studier/geografi/phd

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAMME (§ 2 in PhD Regulations)

The PhD Programme in Geography is prescribed as 180 credits (3 years). The final course plan for the PhD Programme is to be shaped in joint consultation between candidate, supervisor and the Department depending on the thesis area of research and the candidate’s individual requirements and wishes.

Objective for the PhD Programme in Geography

The PhD Programme in Geography aims to develop the candidate’s qualifications in work that requires an advanced degree of scientific expertise. The most important element of the Programme is an independent piece of research achieving an advanced scientific standard. The candidate is to complete training which is to complement work with the thesis, as well as contributing to the necessary academic requirements. The Programme is to provide the basis for an independent, creative and critical perception of one’s own and others’ research, as well as providing practice in communicating research results in academic and other forums.

ADMISSION (§ 5 in Regulations)

The applicant must have a Master’s Degree or equivalent education in Geography or M.Phil. in Development Studies or other education that the Faculty has deemed acceptable for admission to the PhD Programme in Geography. The applicant must have a weighed average grade of Master’s or equivalent education with a grade of B or higher. Applicants who are unable to meet these criteria may only be admitted if they can document that they are suitable candidates for education leading to a PhD degree.

In special cases, applicants with other backgrounds than a Master Degree or equivalent in Geography may be admitted. Applicants may in such cases be required to attend particular courses/qualifying courses as a prerequisite for admission.

Closing dates for application:

The closing dates for application to the PhD Programme in Geography are May 15th and November 15th.

Application requirements

Applications for admission are to be made on the application form which is to be found on the Faculty’s web pages, or by enquiry to the Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology. The PhD plan, including the project description, is composed in consultation with the main supervisor, and the applicant must therefore make contact with a qualified person at the Department when working on the application.

As the Department of Geography receives a large number of applications for its PhD programme, applicants are requested to make initial contact with the departmental administrative officer for detailed information about application procedures.

Admission procedure

The Faculty will consider applications for admission on recommendation from the Department/Doctoral Committee.

Procedures for admission and the follow-up of incomplete applications are described on the Faculty’s web pages.

Decision of admission

The decision concerning admission is based on a collective evaluation of the application. Admission to a PhD Programme is formalised by a written contract, in accordance with § 6 of the Regulations concerning the philosophiae doctor degree (PhD) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

In the case of the number of applicants exceeding the number of places at the Department, applicants will be ranked according to academic qualifications, the quality of the project description and its relevance in relation to the Department’s academic field of priority.

PhD PLAN (§ 5.2 in Regulations)

The project description is to give an account of which issues are being considered, approaches to problems, as well as the choice of theory and method. The description of the research project is normally to be between 5 and 10 pages.

FUNDING PLAN ( § 5.2 in Regulations)

The Department will only accept candidates that are able to produce full financing of the PhD programme. A budget must be included in the application, where both wage- and running expenses are accounted for.

SUPERVISION (§§ 5.2 and 8 in Regulations)

Work on the PhD thesis constitutes active research under supervision. The supervisor’s total use of time supervising is stipulated to 210 worker-hours for the entire period. This is equivalent to approx. 70 worker-hours per year for 3 years. In addition to the contract period stated between candidate and supervisor, this includes preparation, reading, complementary work etc. If a supplementary supervisor is appointed, the number of worker-hours must be divided between the principal and supplementary supervisor.

Procedures for the appointment and changing of supervisor(s) is described on the Faculty’s web pages .

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, ( §§ 5.2 and 7.2 in Regulations)

A plan for the meeting of residency requirements is to be presented in the application and in the agreement on supervision. In certain instances, the Department may grant dispensation from the residency requirements.

PARTICIPATION IN ACTIVE RESEARCH GROUPS IN NORWAY AND INTERNATIONALLY, (§§ 4 and 5.2 in Regulations)

Candidates are encouraged to participate in these milieus in order to establish and make use of the contacts with acknowledged researchers nationally and internationally.

ACADEMIC DISSEMINATION, (§§ 2, 4 and 5.2 in Regulations)

All candidates must present their PhD project at conferences, research courses and research seminars at the Department.

REPORTING, (§ 9 in Regulations)

The candidate and supervisor are to deliver separate annual reports on progress, in accordance with § 9 of Regulations concerning the philosophiae doctor degree (PhD) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Procedures for submission and processing of candidate and supervisor reports are to be found on the Faculty’s web pages.

ORGANIZED ACADEMIC TRAINING, (§ 7.3 in Regulations)

Objective of organised training component

The organized academic training has a prescribed duration of one semester’s full time work. The organized academic training is to complement the work with the thesis, as well as provide scientific and methodological training, so the candidate develops an individual and mature relationship to one’s own and others’ research, and the role of research in a larger context.

Structure and implementation

The candidate is to state in her/his application, a plan for the organized academic training component in consultation with the supervisor (s). It is recommended that the organized academic training is completed at an early stage of the Programme. The candidate is responsible for signing up for evaluation in subjects within the given deadlines. External courses/subjects that are to be a part of the organized academic training must be approved by the Department, in accordance with existing guidelines. For procedures concerning the signing up for courses and approving of external courses/subjects, consult the Faculty’s web pages .

The organized academic training component must cover at least 30 credits in total. An application concerning changes in the original approved plan for the organized academic training component is decided by the Department on the recommendation of the supervisor.

The organized academic training component consists of three elements:

* The Theory of Science, minimum 10 credits

* Methodological courses, 5-10 credits

* Theoretical/substantial courses, 10-15 credits

The Department of Geography offers annually a research seminar (GEOG8000- Theoretical Perspectives in Geography) that PhD candidates are invited to join. On application, one may replace this seminar with another course of similar extent that deals with central geographical approaches to problems.

In addition, we offer extended versions of our 10 Master Degree courses with an additional curriculum and an essay requirement. Each PhD candidate can select one or two of these courses. The Department co-operates with other Norwegian and Nordic Departments in arranging national and Nordic research seminars in geography. At least one course, which holds the status of being a theoretical- and methodological course, is arranged annually. Courses that are arranged by other Departments or courses that are inter-disciplinary may be accepted if they are relevant to the candidate’s work.

Compensation in credits for each course is determined by the length and extent of the candidate’s contribution. The total work-load of the courses equal approximately 30 hours per credit.

The Faculty approves each individual plan for the organized academic training component on the recommendation of the supervisor and the Department.

Courses that are to/may be part of the organized academic training component:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
GEOG 8000	Forskningsseminar/Theoretical Perspectives in Geography	10	S*
SOS 8000	Theory of Science for the Social Sciences	10	**
GEOG 8505	Landskape and Planning II	10	A*
GEOG 8506	Geography, Health and Development II	10	A*
GEOG 8509	Physical Geography Seminar II	10	A*
GEOG 8513	Fluvial Systems II	10	A*
GEOG 8514	Slope Systems and Material Transport II	10	A*
GEOG 8515	Environment, Development and Changing Rural Livelihoods II	10	A*
GEOG8516	Humanitarianism- Theory and Practice II	10	A*
GEOG 8517	The Global in the Local- Social- and Cultural Geographical Perspectives II	10	A*
GEOG 8518	Knowledge Management in a Global Economy II	10	A*
GEOG8561	Gender and Social Change II	10	A*
Recommended courses
	Nasjonale forskerkurs	10 15	S/A
	Nordiske forskerkurs	10 15	” ”

*The courses are offered on condition that at least 3 participants sign up for them. If fewer candidates sign up, the lecturer responsible will decide whether the courses are to be alternatively arranged as individual study courses.

Individual curricula may be approved as part of the organized academic training component, if access to research seminars makes it difficult for the candidate to assemble a course programme that complements the work with the thesis within a reasonable time frame. Evaluation is by written work.

THESIS (§ 7.4 in Regulations)

Requirements for the thesis and rules for evaluation are given in Regulations concerning the philosophiae doctor degree (PhD) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), http://www.ntnu.no/studier/geografi/phd

If the thesis consists of a number of smaller pieces of work (normally 4-5 articles/chapters in a book), the candidate must be the sole or main author of at least half of them.

FINALIZATION

Procedures for submission, appointment of an evaluation committee, the committee’s report and assessment of the thesis, revision for new assessment, trial lecture and public defence, as well as conferment of the PhD degree are described in the Faculty’s web pages.

Oversikt over emner på PhD-nivå som tilbys av Geografisk institutt:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester
GEOG 8000	Theoretical Perspectives in Geography	10	S*
GEOG8505	Landskape and Planning II	10	A*
GEOG8506	Geography, Health and Development II	10	A*
GEOG8509	Physical Geography Seminar II	10	A*
GEOG 8513	Fluvial Systems II	10	A*
GEOG 8514	Slopesystems and Material Transport II	10	A*
GEOG8515	Environment, Development and Changing Rural Livelihoods II	10	A*
GEOG8516	Humanitarianism- Theory and Practice II	10	A*
GEOG8517	The Global in the Local- Social- and Cultural Geographical Perspectives II	10	A*
GEOG8518	Knowledge Management in a Global Economy II	10	A*
GEOG8561	Gender and Social Change II	10	A*

*The courses are offered on condition that at least 3 participants sign up for them. If fewer candidates sign up, the lecturer responsible will decide whether the courses are to be alternatively arranged as individual study courses.

**For courses on the Theory of Science, see information from the Faculty of Social Science and Technology Management (PhD Study Plan in Sociology). Other equivalent courses may be approved on application.