The Research Council and the Dean of the School of Business are responsible for the supervision of the Ph.D. programme at the School. 

RULES on doctoral studies at the School of Business at Reykavík University Approved by the School Council on & November 2006

1.  Introduction

The School of Business emphasises three main pillars in its activities: Research, teaching and ties with the business community. The Ph.D. programme is intended to strengthen research within the School of Business while at the same time training young scientists for the benefit of the Icelandic economy and securing the status of Reykjavik University as an internationally recognised university.

The preparation of these rules has taken account of rules on doctoral studies at Reykjavik University as approved by the University Council on 31 January 2006 and the Universities Act No. 63/2006.  

2.  Administrative arrangements of doctoral studies

The Research Council and the Dean of the School of Business are responsible for the supervision of the Ph.D. programme at the School.  The Research Council is responsible for ensuring compliance with these rules and their renewal in accordance with changes in the rules of Reykjavik University and the development of doctoral studies at the international level. In consultation with the Research Council, the Dean shall decide on the admission of students to the Ph.D. programme, as provided in Article 5, and appoint advisors and thesis committees, as provided in Articles 6 and 7.  

3.  Substance of doctoral studies

Doctoral studies at the School of Business provide students with training in the application of scientific methods in acquiring and communicating new knowledge. In order to complete the Ph.D. programme, students must demonstrate:

• General knowledge of the basic principles of the field in question.
• Expert knowledge of their particular research field.
• Skills in the application of scientific working methods.
• Skills in delimiting, developing and carrying out independent research.
• Skills in communicating findings in speech and in writing in Iceland and abroad.
• An independent and recognised contribution to the creation of knowledge in their respective fields of research.

4. Credits, duration of studies and degree

The Ph.D. programme at the School of Business comprises 180 ECTS at the minimum, normally to be completed in 3-5 years and concluding with the award of a Ph.D. degree.

 A doctoral candidate shall defend his or her thesis no later than six years after enrolling in the Ph.D. programme. If a defence has not taken place before this deadline, the candidate shall be dismissed from the programme. In exceptional cases, under special circumstances, an extended deadline may be granted to a candidate.

5.  Applications and requirements for admission

Only students who have completed master's studies at the university level or comparable studies may enrol in the Ph.D. programme at the School of Business. Students who have completed undergraduate studies at the university level may begin research-related graduate studies for a doctoral degree, but need to have completed studies comparable to a master's degree before they can formally apply for admission to the Ph.D. programme. 

Applications for admission to the Ph.D. programme shall be submitted to the Dean of the School of Business. Applications may be submitted at any time, although the School of Business may post an advertisement for doctoral candidates with a specific application deadline.  The following documents shall accompany the application:

Transcripts of university diplomas in which the ranking of students in individual courses is listed.

• A curriculum vitae and list of publications.
• The names of three referees who may be contacted.  
• A report describing the subject of the proposed doctoral research.

 
The Research Council shall assess the qualifications of applicants and submit its conclusions in writing to the Dean.  The assessment shall take into account:

• Whether applicants have demonstrated outstanding performance in their studies and whether they are perceived as capable of showing initiative and achieving results in the advancement of knowledge in their fields of specialisation.
• Whether applicants possess sufficient basic knowledge within the field and in the area of research methods.
• Whether the research subject entails opportunities for the advancement of knowledge in accordance with the School's requirements concerning doctoral thesis (see Article 9).
• Whether the research subject is consistent with the School's policy on research and the expertise of prospective advisors.

To assist in the assessment, the Research Council is permitted to interview applicants, conduct standardised qualification tests and seek experts' opinion, including the opinion of prospective advisors.  Should the Research Council find that the above conditions have been fulfilled, it shall include a list of eligible advisors in its written opinion.  Where it is only possible to accept one doctoral candidate out of two or more qualified applicants, the Research Council shall include an ordered qualifications assessment in its written opinion.

The Dean shall decide whether an applicant should be admitted to the School's Ph.D. programme within two months from the reception of the application. In addition to the assessment of the Research Council, the Dean shall take into consideration the financial circumstances of the School of Business and the availability of advisors.

If accepted into the programme, an applicant shall be assigned a advisor by the Dean. Moreover, the Dean shall arrange for a contract to be made between doctoral candidates and their advisors providing for the progress of studies, as well as the rights and obligations of the candidate on the one hand, and the advisor and the School on the other hand.

6.  Advisors

The role of advisors is to advise doctoral candidates in their studies, track their progress and monitor quality.  Advisors are responsible to Reykjavik University for compliance with the University's requirements regarding doctoral studies. Advisors shall sit on thesis committees. 

Advisors shall meet the following academic requirements:

• A advisor shall have a Ph.D. degree.
• A advisor shall be a permanent employee of Reykjavik University and is expected to meet the requirements of level 2 in research skills according to the School of Business's advancement rules.
• A doctoral candidate's research project shall pertain to the advisor's field of specialisation.
• A advisor shall be an active participant in the research community and a recognised expert in his or her respective field.  Assessment of this qualification shall take account of published articles in peer-reviewed journals and the advisor's experience of international research cooperation and funding for research projects.

 
An additional advisor may be assigned to a doctoral candidate in special cases. The condition regarding a Ph.D. degree or permanent position at Reykjavik University may be waived as regards additional advisors. Additional advisors do not sit on thesis committees.

 7.  Thesis committees

The role of the thesis committee is to evaluate a candidate's research plan, provide a reasoned view on whether a Ph.D. thesis is acceptable for defence, and make a final decision on the award of a Ph.D. degree, as provided in Article 10.

 A thesis committee consists of three scholars, including the advisor who serves as committee chairman. The Dean appoints two scholars to a thesis committee on the recommendation of the advisor and with approval of the Research Council. They shall hold Ph.D. degrees, be actively involved in the research community and be recognised experts in the field of study of the candidate in question. At least one committee member shall have experience of guidance in research-related doctoral studies. At least one committee member should work outside Reykjavik University. 

8.  Research environment

Doctoral candidates shall be provided with adequate working conditions. They shall be provided with access to the necessary basic courses in research methodology and the application of scientific working methods. They shall be given the opportunity to monitor trends and innovations in their respective fields of study in community with other doctoral candidates and scholars, e.g. by attending meetings and conferences or studying at a foreign research or academic institution during part of the period of study.  

9.  Progress of study and doctoral thesis

No later than 12 months after admission to the Ph.D. programme, candidates shall submit a completed research plan to the thesis committee.  The research plan serves as the foundation of the doctoral thesis. It shall include:

• The delimitation of the subject.
• A summary of the state of the art in the subject.
• Research questions.
• A proposal for research as a response to the research questions. 
• A schedule of the progress of the studies.

The thesis committee shall evaluate the research plan, basing the evaluation on whether the plan adequately reflects the candidate's expertise, whether the candidate's proposed research is feasible within the time limits of the studies, whether the project's originality and academic importance are adequate, and whether the scope of the plan meets the requirements for doctorate degrees. 

 In exceptional cases doctoral candidates may be granted an extension of up to 6 months of their deadline for submitting a research plan. If a research plan has not been submitted within that deadline, the candidate shall be dismissed from the programme.

Doctoral candidates' research is completed with a doctoral thesis which constitutes an independent piece of writing based on their research work. A doctoral thesis shall in part or in whole be based on at least three works which, in the opinion of the thesis committee, are acceptable for publication in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals. Moreover, at least one of the works shall already have been approved for publication in such a journal. The thesis committee shall evaluate the thesis and return a reasoned opinion to the Research Council as to whether the candidate should be permitted to submit his or her thesis for defence. This should be permitted only if the thesis is considered likely to satisfy the School's requirements. Following the defence, a doctoral thesis shall be made accessible to the general public.

 10. Doctoral thesis defence

A public doctoral defence takes place if the Research Council considers the thesis acceptable for defence. With the approval of the Research Council, the advisor shall appoint an examiner who shall participate in the doctoral defence with the thesis committee. Examiners shall meet the same academic requirements as advisors, cf. Article 6. The role of the examiner is to ask the doctoral candidate critical questions at the defence and seek further explanations than are provided in the thesis, where appropriate. The examiner also attends the meeting of the thesis committee following completion of the defence and participates in the discussions that take place. Following the doctoral defence, the thesis committee shall decide on the award of a Ph.D. degree on the basis of the thesis, on the one hand, and the candidate's defence, on the other hand.