Procedure for Completing Education at the Doctoral School
Education at the doctoral school ends with the submission of a doctoral dissertation by the doctoral candidate. The doctoral dissertation may take the form of a written work, including a scientific monograph, a collection of thematically related published scientific articles, an artistic work, a design, construction, technological or implementation project, as well as an independent and distinct part of a collective work. The dissertation presents the candidate’s general theoretical knowledge in a given discipline or disciplines and the ability to independently conduct scientific or artistic research. The subject of the doctoral dissertation is an original solution to a scientific or artistic problem, or an original solution concerning the application of the results of the candidate’s own research in the economic or social sphere.
The schedule for preparing the doctoral dissertation and its submission deadline are specified in the Individual Research Plan (IPB) of the doctoral candidate. If the dissertation is submitted later than planned in the IPB, the IPB must be updated in advance to indicate the new deadline.
Before submitting the doctoral dissertation, the candidate is required to meet all conditions specified in the educational program and document the achievement of all learning outcomes. This means that the doctoral candidate must submit a substantive report for the final year of study at the doctoral school, approved and signed by the supervisor(s). The report for the final year must be submitted no later than 21 days before the submission of the doctoral dissertation.
No later than 14 days before submitting the dissertation, the doctoral candidate must inform the Director of the Doctoral School in writing about the planned submission date. In addition to the submission date, the notification must include the dissertation title, the scientific discipline, the name(s) of the supervisor(s), and a request for the issuance of a certificate confirming the completion of education at the doctoral school and the acquisition of qualifications at Level 8 of the Polish Qualifications Framework (PRK/PQF).
Procedure for Submitting the Doctoral Dissertation
The doctoral candidate uploads the electronic version of the dissertation in PDF format to the Diploma Thesis Archive (APD). The submitted work must be identical to the version that will be promptly forwarded to the relevant Discipline Council. To gain access to the APD system and upload the dissertation, the candidate must first submit the following documents to the Doctoral School Secretariat:
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A positive opinion from the supervisor (if two supervisors are appointed, each prepares a separate opinion; an assistant supervisor does not prepare an opinion);
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An abstract in English if the dissertation is written in Polish; in the case of a dissertation written in a foreign language, an abstract in Polish;
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A description in both Polish and English if the dissertation is not a written work (e.g., an artistic work, implementation project, device design, etc.);
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A signed statement from the doctoral candidate and signed statements from the supervisor(s) confirming that the submitted work is original, free from plagiarism, and identical to the version submitted to the relevant Discipline Council.
After uploading the electronic version of the dissertation to the APD, the doctoral candidate submits the work in the system to the supervisor, who forwards it to the Open Anti-Plagiarism System (OSA).
After delivering to the Doctoral School Secretariat the report generated by the OSA, signed by the supervisor(s), the doctoral candidate completes their education at the doctoral school.
The date on which the Director of the Doctoral School confirms the submission of the dissertation together with all required attachments is considered the date of completion of education at the doctoral school.
After submitting the dissertation and fulfilling all requirements specified in the educational program, the doctoral candidate receives a certificate confirming the completion of education at the doctoral school and the achievement of learning outcomes corresponding to Level 8 of the Polish Qualifications Framework (8 PRK).
Further steps leading to the awarding of the doctoral degree are described in Resolution No. 89 of the Senate of Nicolaus Copernicus University of 25 June 2019 (as amended) concerning the procedure for awarding the doctoral degree at Nicolaus Copernicus University, as well as in the relevant documents prepared by the appropriate Discipline Councils.
The subsequent steps leading to obtaining the academic degree of doctor are described in:
RESOLUTION No. 89 of the Senate of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of 25 June 2019 on the procedure for awarding the degree of doctor at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and in the relevant documents prepared by the relevant Discipline Councils.
RESOLUTION No. 38 of the Senate of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń of 26 September 2023 on the procedure for awarding a doctoral degree at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Principles for preparing a file with an electronic version of a doctoral dissertation (ZR.65.2024 – attachment)
Required attachments: