The training component builds on the academic competence that the PhD candidate has acquired through previous studies. The training component provides candidates with knowledge, skills and general competence to support their thesis work and further research.
In consultation with the supervisor, the candidate prepares a plan for the training component, indicating which courses will be taken and in which semesters. The individual training plan must be approved upon admission to the PhD in Science of Professions, but can be changed upon application. The candidates must pass all the courses in the training component in order to have their thesis assessed.
The PhD programme’s training component consists of mandatory and elective courses, as well as mandatory activities. This part of the course includes minimum 30 ECTS, made up of courses at PhD level: 20 ECTS mandatory courses and 10 ECTS elective courses.
The course PRO9014 Science of Professions, with a focus on language, relationships and actions (7.5 ECTS credits) must be taken at Nord University. Candidates can complete other mandatory and elective courses at another faculty or institution, including international research courses.
Candidates must complete a minimum of 10 ECTS in research methodology courses and 5 ECTS in philosophy of science courses.
Elective courses can amount to a maximum of 10 ECTS, and candidates are free to choose between substantive courses of relevance to the research project and additional courses in research methodology or philosophy of science.
The courses in the training component are tailored to the PhD programme, and candidates are therefore encouraged to take the courses on offer. An overview of the courses can be found in the programme description. Where a course has participants who do not speak a Scandinavian language, the language of instruction will be English.
Mandatory activities in the training component consist of:
- Completed start-up, midway and final seminar (see separate section)
- Internationalisation (see separate section)
- Annual reporting
Start-up seminar
All candidates who have been admitted since the previous seminar must participate in the start-up seminar.
The start-up seminar provides the PhD candidates with an opportunity to discuss their project and debate methodological and thematic issues in the initial phase of their work on the thesis. Moreover, the seminar will introduce the candidates to the programme and the university community and help them establish contacts with relevant research groups, including contacts across the two faculties. Attendance at a seminar such as this will facilitate contact between candidates who are at the same stage in their work. The candidates’ presentations will be based on their own project outline and position at the time in question.
Midway seminar
All candidates must participate at a midway seminar during their third semester (the fourth semester for those whose required duties amount to 25% of the programme period).
The objective of the midway seminar is for candidates to get an outside perspective on the work they have done so far and on the project as a whole. The evaluation committee consists of two internal members, both proposed by the main supervisor.
Approximately three weeks before the midway seminar, the candidate must complete the ‘Candidate’s Report to the Midway Seminar’, with relevant attachments, and send it to the evaluation committee.
Final seminar
Approximately three months before the planned submission date for the thesis, all candidates must attend a final seminar. The objective of the final seminar is to quality assure the draft thesis before submission and to provide feedback to the candidate with a view to enhancing the quality of the thesis. The committee that provides feedback on the work consists of one internal and one external member, both proposed by the main supervisor.
The final seminar is open to all interested parties.
Internationalisation and support for international mobility
Each year, candidates have the opportunity to attend a seminar about internationalisation issues. Follow the link, annual planning cycle. The faculties provide administrative support and opportunities to apply for funding for international mobility. The period abroad must be spent at a recognised education or research institution, or some another relevant organisation, where it is possible to work with the subject areas in the research work/thesis. If this is not possible, candidates can spend time at another educational institution in Norway.
The Working Committee can also consider other arrangements that enable candidates to gain insight into alternative academic and research traditions relating to the topic of the thesis. In addition to international mobility, the faculties also invite guest researchers and facilitate the candidate's inclusion into international networks.
Progress report
All candidates must submit an annual progress report, and will receive a link to the online form to be completed in December. The candidates report their status and a self-assessment of their progress, as well as any deviations from the progress plan, publishing activity, exchange periods abroad and completion of the PhD courses.