Guide for future doctors and assessors

The doctoral degree in the university’s highest academic degree and shall be awarded in acknowledgement of the author’s considerable scientific insight and maturity, and of the author having contributed substantially to the advancement of science. The award of the doctoral degree shall be based on a dissertation which is defended at a public, oral defense session.

If a doctoral thesis, or parts hereof, is the result of group work it is necessary to enclose a statement signed by the co-authors and by the author himself/herself regarding the extent and character of each person contribution to the work. SCIENCE's co-authorship statement must be used.

The detailed rules about the awarding of a doctoral degree can be read in The Faculty of Science’s supplementing rules and procedures in connection with the Ministry of Education’s order on doctoral degrees (only in Danish) and in the University of Copenhagen’s Internal Rules and Guides regarding doctoral theses (only in Danish).

For more detailed rules and guidelines for preparation, submitting and evaluation of a doctoral thesis refer to the Faculty of Science’s Guide for the Author of a Doctoral Thesis.

When a doctoral thesis is submitted for evaluation at SCIENCE an assessment committee is formed. The assessment committee usually consists of 2-3 members whose task is to secure an independent and qualified evaluation of the thesis. The assessment committee must follow the “Guidelines by the Faculty of Science for preparing evaluation committee recommendations in connection with doctoral theses”.

When a thesis is submitted, suggestions for members of the assessment committee must be enclosed, along with CV and a list of publications from the suggested persons. Doctoral theses must be submitted electronically to sci-fi@science.ku.dk.

In support of the effects encouraging good scientific practice, the Faculty of Science routinely screens all doctoral theses for duplicate text prior to the actual evaluation (learn more).

If you are going to be opponent or leader of the defense at a doctoral thesis defense we recommend that you in advance read the "Guide for the chairperson of the doctoral defence and the opponents in connection with doctoral theses at the Faculty of Science".

The administrative management of a doctoral thesis defense is handled by SCIENCE Research and Innovation and by the administrative employees at the relevant institute. In order to support and smoothen the work a check list for doctoral cases (only in Danish) has been created for use by the administrative personnel. 

You can view guidelines for the treatment of legal capacities regarding doctoral theses here (In Danish).