Instructions about Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Technology
The structure of the doctoral studies is determined in the study guide.
At the Faculty of Technology, the structure of a doctoral degree is as follows:
- Dissertation and the public defence
- Postgraduate studies 40 ECTS
- Discipline-Specific Studies 25-36 ECTS
- General Studies Aiming for Expertise 4-15 ECTS
Doctoral researchers who have started their studies in the DPMLS, MATTI or PCS doctoral programmes before 1 January 2022 may complete their degree according to the curricula of period 2020-2022 of the DPMLS, MATTI or PCS doctoral programme until 31 December 2026. Starting from 1 August 2024, all postgraduate degrees follow the requirements of 40 credits for postgraduate studies. A postgraduate student may complete 40 credits of postgraduate studies in accordance with the degree requirements that were in operation at the time their postgraduate study rights began or have taken effect thereafter, noticing the restrictions set above.
Course registrations can be found on Peppi
Study units specific to doctoral studies (presentations/posters at a conference, research visits and the like) are accepted by the supervisor. The doctoral researcher sends a request for registering a study unit by filling in an electronic form. The form first goes to the coordinator of the doctoral programme for checking and then to the supervisor for acceptance.
- Doctoral researchers prepare their personal study plans together with their supervisors.
- The plan must comply with the study requirements of the doctoral programme in the study guide.
- The first plan is approved by the research director. (Subject supervisor in the UGIS portal)
- The plan is prepared and approved according to the instructions in the UGIS portal.
Updating the plan
- There is no need to update the personal study plan due to small changes (for example, the course recorded in the plan changes to another course in the same field). Changes in general studies aiming for expertise typically do not require an update of the plan.
- If there are significant changes in the study module compared to the plan, the doctoral researcher will primarily discuss with their supervisor whether the desired learning outcomes will be achieved. The personal study plan will be updated if needed. The update of the plan is approved by the supervisor. The plan is updated in the UGIS portal.
Universities at Turku
Doctoral researchers can complete courses at other universities in Turku. Completing a course at another university requires applying for the study right.
Apply for the study right using the electronic form. The electronic form for applying for the flexible study right from Åbo Akademi and Turku University of Applied Sciences.
Doctoral courses
On the website, you can find doctoral courses available to all doctoral researchers that have a doctoral study right in one of the Finnish partner universities.
Other Finnish universities
With the contractual flexible study right (Tohtori+), doctoral researchers can apply for temporary study rights for courses organised by other universities and include these studies in their degree. Based on this agreement, you can apply for the study right for the courses offered by Aalto University, University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, University of Lapland, Hanken School of Economics, and University of the Arts Helsinki (, and Åbo Akademi University).
The study right is applied for according to the instructions of the university offering the course.
Flexible study right (JOO)
The flexible study right agreement between Finnish universities has ended. If you have previously been granted a flexible study right (JOO), you may complete the course as admitted.
Registering the completed course to the study register
When you have completed a course in another Finnish university (concerns also Åbo Akademi), apply for the registration of the study credit by the electronic form. Attach a study transcript which proves your achievement to your application.
Electronic form for updating supervison plan
- The doctoral researcher fills in the form after verbally agreed with the supervisors, research director and possible members of the follow-up group on the changing supervision arrangements. The form is forwarded to the supervisors for approval.
- The form will be reviewed by the doctoral programme coordinator. The coordinator forwards it for approval by the decision makers.
- Once the vice dean of the faculty has made a final decision, the approved supervision plan will be emailed to the doctoral researcher, supervisors and research director.
Signing a cotutelle agreement is a good idea when there is a need for doctoral dissertation supervision from another university located outside Finland.
Please contact Doctoral Education Specialist Annastiina Mäkilä when you plan to make a cotutelle agreement.
When a doctoral researcher makes a publication agreement with publishers, they have to ensure that they are allowed to republish the article as part of their doctoral thesis. If publishers set a time limit (embargo) for the right to republish an article, doctoral reseracher have to ensure that there is no conflict with the planned schedule of the public defence of the doctoral thesis.
Faculty-specific instructions
Before delivering an application, the doctoral researcher must be in contact with their supervisors and the Research Director. The application needs to contain:
- A filled in and signed form to maintain an active study right.
- A filled in and signed supervision plan
- A signature from all supervisors and the research director is required.
- Contains an updated personal study plan (HOPS).
- An updated research plan, which states what has already been done in the thesis work and how the work will continue from here on. In addition, a schedule of the planned completion is required.
The application is delivered by email to tech-doc@utu.fi.
Decision
The applications for activating a study right which has been moved to the passive register are considered by Chief Academic Officer and Vice Dean. The faculty makes the decision about re-activating the study right after the doctoral programme and the department in question have been heard.
Decision against re-activation
Should the faculty, based on the reasons described above, decide agains re-activating a study right, the doctoral student may re-apply in one year at the earliest.