The main ingredients of your
dottorato.
| Corsi (Courses) |
Dottorandi are requested to take six credits for courses during
their first year (some flexibility in the time request -- but not
on the number of credits -- is usually allowed, with the support of
the tutor). A course is defined as a series of lectures of about 20
hours (at least 15 anyway), with a final exam (no grade is needed;
only pass/fail). Attendance to the courses of the BISS school is
mandatory (although a dottorando may decide to take exams only for
some of them). Other courses are usually organized by the Collegio
or by the Doctoral School. Dottorandi may ask to take credits for
courses held in other programs/universities, or in International
schools they attend. Authorization is usually granted if such
initiatives are compatible with the above definition of Course
and they get the endorsement of the tutor. |
| Commissione |
During the first year, any tutor appoints two other researchers
who will follow the progress of each dottorando. This three-member
committee is responsible for the annual progress check (in
October), the approval of the thesis proposal, the approval of the
preliminary version of the thesis (in October of the last year).
Members of this commissione are not requested to be members of the
Collegio. One of them is expected to represent a research area
different from the one of the thesis. |
| Fare didattica (Teaching) |
You may do some teaching while you are a dottorando, but some
constraints are to be satisfied, as per Statuto. Each year, the
full teaching activity must not exceed 100 hours; of these, at most
25 may be of actual lectures in class. If you plan to have teaching
duties, you must present a written detailed plan of
your duties to the Coordinatore, by February 28th. The plan must
have the explicit endorsement of your tutor. |
| Lavorare (Working) |
Dottorandi are supposed to work full time for their PhD. They
may have some limited work activity, but this should get
authorization from the Collegio. This applies also to research
contracts. Submit your detailed requests to the Coordinatore,
including the expected time allocated to such activities, the
period of the year, and the content of the activity. |
| Medaglione |
The "medaglione" is the presentation of the dottorando and
his/her thesis. It is approved by the Collegio after the defence of
the thesis (that is, after the external reports). An original copy
of it will be deposited to the Ufficio Dottorato together with the
final, official copy of the thesis. Copies of the medaglione will
be also sent to the final external commission, together with the
thesis and the external reports. |
Proposta di tesi
(Thesis proposal) |
By February of the second year, each dottorando shall present a
written proposal detailing the research he/she will do towards the
final thesis. The report will discuss the state of the art, the
methodologies to be used, the first results already obtained (if
any), the main research objectives, and the relevant bibliography.
During the first half of March, the proposal will be discussed
together with the Commissione, which must approve the
proposal. |
| Proroga |
At the end of the three years (actually: at any time during the
three years) you may ask for a delay of one year (no scholarship is
awarded, of course). For such a request you need: (i) the
endorsement of your tutor; (ii) present the request to
Coordinatore; (iii) present the official request to Ufficio
Dottorato. Normal deadline is October 31th. In exceptional cases, a
request may be presented after reception of the external reports on
the thesis. |
| Relatore (Thesis supervisor) |
Usually it coincides with the tutor. When the dottorando's
research is actually followed by someone who is not a member of the
Collegio, we may have a relatore and a tutor. In this case
the relatore must be approved by the Collegio, either at thesis
proposal time, or at one of the annual checks in October. |
| Tesi |
It is an original piece of research, which already contains
some published results and it is expected to produce further
publications. Each dottorando is expected to produce: (i) A
preliminary version by October 31st of the third year; it must get
approval from the commissione. (ii) A complete version by December
15th; it will be sent to two external referees and defended (in
February) against the Collegio. (iii) A final, official version
taking into account the comments of the external referees and those
of the Collegio. Together with the medaglione it will be deposited
(hard and soft copy) to Ufficio Dottorato. Together with the
medaglione and the external reports will be sent to the members of
the final committee of the final exam (this committee -- which is
one for all the dottorandi of the same cycle -- is composed of
three or four external members and will meet in late April or May
for the final exam). |
| Tutor |
A member of Collegio dei Docenti who follows the study and
research of each dottorando. The tutor is assigned by the Collegio
at the start of the first year; suggestions from the students are
welcomed. |
| Soggiorno all'estero |
Any dottorando is required to spend at least three months
abroad (with six months preferred time) during the three years. If
you have a scholarship from UniBO, it will be increased of 1/2 for
each month you spend abroad. You must present some papers at
Ufficio Dottorato. The papers include a letter from the
Coordinatore. Ask for such a letter by email, detailing where you
go and when (exact dates), including a research title
(half line max) and a research project (from half to one page);
include the invitation from the research center (email will do) and
the endorsement of your tutor. The Coordinatore will send you the
pdf of the letter you need. |
