Regulations for the degree Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the Department of Economics and Resource Management (IØR), Agricultural University of Norway

These regulations have been approved by the board of the Department of Economics and Resource Management (IØR), Agricultural University of Norway (NLH) on 11. November2004, and supplements the regulations for the degree Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the Agricultural University of Norway, approved by the board of NLH on 26. February 2004. The NLH regulations are part of the department’s PhD regulations.

Disciplinary field

The Department of Economics and Resource Management (IØR) offers PhD studies within economics and administrative sciences and related fields where the department has competent supervisors.

Admission

The admission requirements are specified in the PhD regulations of NLH, §5.

In order to be accepted as a PhD student, the average grade of the Master degree and of the Master thesis should be the equivalent of B or better.

Applications for admission are submitted by the proposed main supervisor to the research education and research committee (FUFU). FUFU is to submit its recommendation to the head of the department for approval. The decision is sent to NLH for registration.

Study plan

The PhD student shall, in cooperation with the main supervisor, submit a doctoral study plan to FUFU within six months after commencing on the PhD programme. FUFU is to submit its recommendation to the head of the department for approval. The plan is sent to NLH for registration.

Minor changes in the study plan can be approved by the main supervisor in consultation with the head of FUFU. Major changes require a new approval of the study plan.

Organized academic training

The organized academic training shall consist of courses with a total work load of not less than 60 credits (ECTS), which is the equivalent of one year of study. FUFU can stipulate a higher course work load, but it shall not exceed 70 credits. The passing grade in courses taken as part of this training is C or higher.

The course package is part of the study plan. FUFU should ensure that the course package both gives the necessary theoretical and methodological background for the thesis work, as well as a broad overview of the discipline.

The majority of the courses shall be at the PhD level (i.e., 300 and 400 levels at NLH). Supplementary courses (e.g., in statistics) can be at lower levels.

If the relevant course offerings are not available, an individual reading course with a written exam (frie studiepoeng) can be approved as part of the course package, but shall not exceed 10 credits.

Courses taken at other universities or institutions can be approved on an individual basis. Only courses which have an evaluation are approved (i.e., participation only is not sufficient).

FUFU decides whether a final comprehensive exam is required, based on recommendations from the main supervisor. The comprehensive exam shall be in the form of a term paper (take-home exam of maximum five days) or a written, closed book exam (maximum five hours). The exam shall be held as soon as practically possible after completion of the required courses.

After completion of the organized academic training the PhD student shall submit the documentation of the courses taken to the head of FUFU. The training must be approved before submission of the thesis.

Supervision

The PhD student shall have one main supervisor. The requirements for the main supervisor are specified in the NLH PhD regulations §10. The main supervisor and the PhD student shall be in regular contact throughout the PhD programme.

The PhD student shall normally have at least one co-supervisor from the department.

In cases where the PhD student is employed at another institution, a co-supervisor working at the same institution should, as a main rule, be appointed.

Co-supervisors from other departments at NLH or from other institutions can also be appointed when FUFU finds it necessary to complement the competence in the department.

The expected workload of the PhD supervisors is specified in the supplementary regulations.

Work plan

The PhD student shall in cooperation with the main supervisor prepare a work and time plan for the PhD programme period. The plan shall be submitted to the head of FUFU by the PhD student.

The PhD student shall meet with the main supervisor and co-supervisors at least every six months to review and discuss the progress and the plan of work. A detailed work plan with milestones for each term shall be presented and discussed in that meeting, e.g., deadlines for paper drafts. A brief statement of the progress and the approved plan shall be submitted by the PhD student to the head of FUFU. The deadlines for the submission are 1. February and 1. September.

If the thesis work is delayed for more than six months compared with the original work plan, the main supervisor shall report to the head of FUFU, and a meeting shall be held to discuss the reasons for the delay and how to deal with the situation. The PhD student shall in cooperation with the main supervisor, and within two weeks after the meeting, submit a revised plan for the PhD programme period.

Reporting and dissemination

The reporting on progress and work plans is specified in §6.

The PhD student shall at least once present the work in the department’s seminar series.

The PhD student is strongly encouraged to present the work at international workshops or conferences. He or she is also encouraged to submit papers which will form part of the thesis to international journals (before the submission of the thesis). The PhD student shall inform and discuss the plans for presenting or submitting papers with the main supervisor.

PhD students that collect primary data shall prepare a CD ROM with questionnaires, code book, raw and processed data, and other relevant material.

Thesis

For the thesis requirement, reference is made to the PhD regulations of NLH.

The procedures for submission of thesis and the format of the thesis are found in separate supplementary regulations.

Coming into force

These regulations come into force on 11. November 2004. For PhD students that already have had their study plan approved before this date, §4 and §5 in the new regulations do not apply.

Students already enrolled in the dr. scient programme can apply to get the PhD degree instead of the dr. scient degree.