Outcomes for doctoral education according to the Higher Education Ordinance
Outcomes for the degree of doctor and the degree of licentiate are defined by the Higher Education Ordinance, annex 2, and represent generic outcomes for all doctoral education within Sweden. In order for a degree to be issued, all degree outcomes must be met.
Outcomes for Doctoral Degree
To obtain a doctoral degree, the student is required to:
A1. demonstrate broad knowledge and systematic understanding of research field as well as deep and current specialist knowledge in a particular aspect of this field
How to achieve the outcome A1, examples of activities
- Keep up to date with the X research literature
- Study the X textbook
- Take a course in X for theoretical knowledge
- Take active part in lab meetings/research group meetings, research seminars and journal clubs arranged by X (e.g. the research group, division, X research network)
- Take active part in scientific conferences and symposia (specify)
- Teach within the research field
- Demonstrate broad knowledge and a systematic understanding of the X research field when conducting the half-time seminar and thesis defence
- Demonstrate an up-to-date knowledge about the focus areas of the research when writing scientific papers and the thesis as well as during the thesis defense
A2. demonstrate familiarity with scientific methodology in general and with the methods of specific field of research in particular
How to achieve the outcome A2, examples of activities
- Become familiar with the relevant methodologies through discussions with supervisors, research group members, statisticians, and by taking part in seminars and journal clubs
- Take course(s) in statistics and apply the knowledge to the research project in dialogue with supervisors
- Learn method X by X
- Visit the X lab to learn method X
- Attend a research conference to learn about the latest methodological developments in the X research field
- Discuss the methodologies used in the writing and defending of the thesis
*Specify time period for each activity, e.g. during year 1, every second week, continuously, before half-time review. Indicate completed activities during ISP follow-up.
To obtain a doctoral degree, the student is required to
B1. demonstrate a capacity for scientific analysis and synthesis and the independent critical review and assessment of new and complex phenomena, issues and situations
How to achieve the outcome B1, examples of activities
- Take active part in research seminars and journal clubs and thereby critical analyse and discuss issues related to my own research and the research of others
- Learn to draw relevant conclusions from the research results in dialogue with supervisors and other colleagues
- Contribute to the writing of manuscripts
- Write a systematic review article including a meta-analysis
- Write a literature review of the research field for half-time review and thesis defence
B2. demonstrate an ability to identify and formulate research questions critically, independently, creatively and with scientific rigour, and to plan and conduct research and other advanced tasks using appropriate methods and within given time frames as well as to review and evaluate such work
How to achieve the outcome B2, examples of activities
- Formulate research questions, hypotheses and make methodological choices in discussion with supervisors and other collaborators
- Take active part in as many phases of the research project phases as possible: planning, execution, analysis, writing
- Take active part in the publication process by, for example, maintaining a dialogue with a scientific journal
- Learn peer-review
- Participate as a doctoral student representative in work groups/committees/ boards at KI
- Critically review earlier studies in the field when writing manuscripts and the thesis
- Develop project leadership skills by arranging events (specify)
B3. demonstrate through the writing of a thesis the ability to make a significant contribution to the development of knowledge through own research
How to achieve the outcome B3, examples of activities
- Contribute significantly to the formation of knowledge within X through my research
- Contextualise my own research within the field when writing and defending the thesis
B4. demonstrate an ability to present and discuss research and research results, orally and in writing and with authority, both in national and international contexts and in dialogue with the scientific community and society in general
How to achieve the outcome B4, examples of activities
Learn oral communication skills by:
- attending courses on presentation techniques/communicating (popular) science
- presenting my research at group meetings, seminars,
- national/international conferences
- teaching or presenting research to, e.g., master’s students, patient associations
Learn written communication skills by:
- attending courses on scientific writing/popular scientific writing
- writing scientific articles, writing (popular) science articles/press releases
- taking part in a thesis-writing seminar
- learning peer-review
- producing conference posters
- write a popular-science summary of the thesis
B5. demonstrate an ability to identify the need for further knowledge
How to achieve the outcome B5, examples of activities
To identify the need of further knowledge:
- in dialogue with supervisors and other collaborators
- by attending doctoral courses and participating in seminars and conferences
- at annual follow-ups and revisions of the individual study plan
- at the half-time seminar when presenting and discussing plans for remaining studies
- by writing research grant applications
- when writing and defending the thesis
B6. demonstrate an ability to contribute to the development of society and to support the learning of others in research, education and other advanced professional contexts
How to achieve the outcome B6, examples of activities
- Take a course in teaching and learning in higher education
- Teach on (a) course(s) at bachelor and master levels
- Actively contribute to discussions at conferences, research seminars, journal clubs, research group meetings
- Interact with society by holding classes for school students, patient organisation or the general public
- Take courses in innovation and entrepreneurship (arranged by e.g. the Unit for Bioentrepreneurship)
- Participate in career planning activities (see e.g. Career support for doctoral students)
- Demonstrate social commitment and an awareness of sustainable development
- Discuss future career plans with a mentor
- Write a popular science summary of the thesis
*Specify time period for each activity, e.g. during year 1, every second week, continuously, before half-time review. Indicate completed activities during ISP follow-up.
To obtain a doctoral degree, the student is required to
C1. demonstrate intellectual independence and scientific integrity as well as an ability to make ethical judgements in research
How to achieve the outcome C1, examples of activities
- Read Good research practice and discuss its implications with supervisors and other collaborators
- Take the online course on reference management and plagiarism check (part of the introduction for new doctoral students)
- Take a research ethics course/courses on laboratory animal science/quality assurance of clinical research
- Write an application for ethical approval of study X
- Develop an open-minded, investigative, and inquisitive approach through discussion with supervisors and colleagues
- Attain intellectual autonomy through critical reflection and creative thinking and by exploiting opportunities for development as an independent researcher
- Write the thesis as independent as possible
C2. demonstrate deeper insight into the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual in its application
How to achieve the outcome C2, examples of activities
- Take courses in research ethics and scientific theory
- Take active part in research seminars
- Take part in discussions and follow debates at the department and in larger contexts (e.g. in dialogue with society in general)
- Discuss and reflect on the consequences of research in different contexts e.g. concerning global societal challenges (see e.g. UN Agenda 2030), locally and within healthcare
- Discuss and reflect on the responsibility of researchers regarding research findings and the interpretation and dissemination of those when writing and defending the thesis
*Specify time period for each activity, e.g. during year 1, every second week, continuously, before half-time review. Indicate completed activities during ISP follow-up.
Outcomes for Degree of Licentiate
To obtain a licentiate degree, the student is required to:
A1. demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the field of research including current specialist knowledge in a limited area of this field as well as specialised knowledge of research methodology in general and the methods of the specific field of research in particular
How to achieve the outcome A1, examples of activities
- Read relevant books in research field X (e.g. the latest edition of “The Principles of Neuroscience”, “Epidemiology: An Introduction”, “The Biology of Cancer”), if such exist
- Keep abreast of the scientific literature in research field X, specifically within X
- Gain greater knowledge of X by doing X
- Take active part in laboratory meetings and research seminars arranged by X (e.g. the research group, division, department,doctoral programme X and/or graduate school X)
- Take active part in journal clubs (name the organiser)
- Take active part in scientific conferences and symposia (give examples)
- Demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of the research field X including current specialist knowledge in a limited area of this field when writing the licentiate thesis
- Become familiar with the relevant methodology for analysis of X through discussions with supervisor, research group members, senior researchers and statisticians, and by taking part in seminars and journal clubs
- Learn statistics by taking course(s) in statistics and applying the skills learned to research project in consultation with supervisor(s) and co-authors, and with statisticians
- Learn a particular method by taking the relevant course, and applying the skills learned to own research project
- Learn methods X, Y and Z by taking part in courses and doctoral activities held under doctoral programme X or research school X and by ...
- Learn method X through the instruction of postdoc/ supervisor/collaborator X and then applying and developing this method
- Learn method X on a study visit to X (name of lab, place, time plan)
- Discuss the methodology of thesis in connection with its composition
*Specify time period for each activity, e.g. during year 1, every second week, continuously, before half-time review. Indicate completed activities during ISP follow-up.
To obtain a licentiate degree, the student is required to:
B1. demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues with scholarly precision critically, autonomously and creatively, and plan and use appropriate methods to undertake a limited piece of research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames in order to contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as to evaluate this work
How to achieve the outcome B1, examples of activities
- Contribute well-considered proposals for new points of inquiry, hypotheses, methodological choices and/or research projects through personal reflection and discussion with supervisor(s) and other collaborators on the basis of own research experience/results, other’s research and by keeping abreast of the scientific literature
- Take part in as many research project phases as possible: planning, execution, analysis, writing and journal correspondence
- Learn peer-review under supervision
- Participate as a doctoral student representative in work groups, committees and boards at the university and the department, work groups and/or steering committees for doctoral programmes
- Critically review earlier studies in the field when writing own scholarly articles and licentiate thesis
- Take active part in the publication process by, for example, maintaining a dialogue with journals (including after article revisions)
B2. demonstrate the ability in both national and international contexts to present and discuss research and research findings in speech and writing and in dialogue with the academic community and society in general
How to achieve the outcome B2, examples of activities
- Learn oral communication skills by attending courses on presentation techniques, communicating (popular) science, presenting own research and results to the group, at seminars, national/international conferences, and teaching or presenting research and research results to undergraduate students, patient associations and other public arenas
- Learn written communication skills by attending courses on scientific writing/popular scientific writing, writing academic articles and popular science articles or press releases under supervision, taking part in a thesis-writing seminar, learning peer-review under supervision, and producing conference posters
- Write a popular-science summary of thesis
B3. demonstrate the skills required to participate autonomously in research and development work and to work autonomously in some other qualified capacity
How to achieve the outcome B3, examples of activities
- Skills required to participate autonomously in research and development such as time management, project management, communication skills, perseverance, curiosity, ability to collaborate, critical reading skills, problem solving skills can be learned by “learning-by-doing”, participating in specific workshops, seminars and courses, reading and networking with and learning from peers, senior researchers, mentor(s) and role models
- Take part in courses on teaching and learning and teach
- Interact with the society in general (e.g. by holding classes for school students or the general public)
- Take part on courses on innovation and entrepreneurship (e.g. as arranged by the Unit for Bioentrepreneurship) or in career planning activities (e.g. as arranged by Career Service)
- Discuss future career with a mentor
*Specify time period for each activity, e.g. during year 1, every second week, continuously, before half-time review. Indicate completed activities during ISP follow-up.
To obtain a licentiate degree, the student is required to:
C1. demonstrate the ability to make assessments of ethical aspects of own research
How to achieve the outcome C1, examples of activities
- Read Good research practice and discuss its implications with supervisors and others within and outside the research group
- Read about Plagiarism checks in doctoral education
- Attend the research ethics course (at least 1.5 credits) and, if necessary, the courses on laboratory animal science and “Good clinical practice” (GCP), quality assurance of clinical research etc.
- Help to write the ethical application for study X
C2. demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used
How to achieve the outcome C2, examples of activities
- Take part in courses on research ethics and scientific theory
- Take active part in research seminars
- Take part in discussions and follow debates at the department and in larger contexts (e.g. in dialogue with the society in general)
- Discuss and reflect on how research findings as well as their interpretation can be used. Discuss and reflect on what consequences the research can get in different contexts, for example concerning local and global societal challenges (see e.g. UN Agenda 2030), within health care, in relation to different groups of individuals
- Discuss and reflect on the responsibility of researchers and others regarding research findings and the interpretation and dissemination of those
C3. demonstrate the ability to identify the individual need for further knowledge and take responsibility for their ongoing learning
How to achieve the outcome C3, examples of activities
Identify the need of further knowledge in connection with:
- a dialogue with supervisor(s) and other collaborators
- annual follow-ups and revisions of individual study plan
- the writing of research grant applications
- the writing of licentiate thesis (e.g. proposals for continuation studies)
- the licentiate seminar
*Specify time period for each activity, e.g. during year 1, every second week, continuously, before half-time review. Indicate completed activities during ISP follow-up.
How to achieve the outcomes for degree
Planning and follow-up
Making it concrete how to achieve the outcomes for doctoral education can facilitate supervision and contributes to that the doctoral students gets a clear picture of the expectations.
As an aid in the planning of the doctoral education, the doctoral student and supervisor should describe relevant activities for all intended learning outcomes in the ISP (see the examples for each learning outcome above and see the example text for each outcome in the ISP system).
Tracking progress regarding the fulfilment of the outcomes at the time of annual follow up and half-time review supports effective monitoring of the students’ education as a whole, and can facilitate the dialogue they have with their supervisors. At the time of a student’s thesis defence, the supervisor attests that the outcomes.
Learning and development while performing research
Interaction with supervisors, research group members and the rest of the scientific community is of the utmost importance for developing indipendence and achieving the outcomes for the degree.
Regular formal and informal meetings with supervisors and research group meetings, keeping up with the latest scientific developments and gradually acquiring more responsibility and autonomy in their analyses and syntheses are essential for students in their endeavours to become independent thinking researchers.
Supervisors should think about how the supervisory situation can be structured to stimulate learning.
Courses and other learning activities
Examples of activities that contribute to achieving learning outcomes are general science courses, project-specific courses, seminars/seminar series, symposia and scientific retreats/conferences. KI announces travel grants for participation in international conferences and research visits abroad and in Sweden.
The design and content of a doctoral education is very individual, and the fulfilment of a student’s degree outcomes and ambitions of scientific autonomy are particularly dependent on the student’s own initiative taking as regards self-development and the development of others, including interaction with the society in general.
Activities contributing to the achievement of each intended learning outcome
In order to facilitate for doctoral students, supervisors and members of the Examination Board to get an overview regarding activities contributing to the achievement of each intended learning outcome for doctoral degree an outcome matrix has been produced. It gets clear that there are many activities that contribute to achieving the outcomes.
The sections of the thesis summary chapter in which achievement of each outcome for doctoral degree at KI can be shown are exposed in the section Intended learning outcomes and the kappa.
The outcomes for doctoral education – who assesses what?
KI is required to ensure that each doctoral student who graduates has achieved all the outcomes for the degree. It is important that the doctoral student and the supervisor together reflect upon the student’s academic progress and think about what they need to do to ensure that the doctoral student meets these intended learning outcomes. The primary responsibility for achievement in this respect lies with both the doctoral student and the principal supervisor.
The principal supervisor
It is the responsibility of the principal supervisors to ensure that doctoral students receive a quality education that is realistic in scope in relation to their individual study plan (ISP). The supervisor together with the doctoral student, is responsible for conducting an annual follow up of the doctoral education. During these follow-ups and other feedback meetings with the doctoral student, the supervisors assess the status of the research projects and how far the students have come on the way to achieve the outcomes. Such sessions also provide opportunities for supervisors to give practical advice on how their doctoral students can advance in terms of their individual study plans or how these plans, including research projects, ought to be revised. This is called “formative assessment”.
When students apply to defend their theses, their supervisors are required to testify that they have, in their judgement, achieved the outcomes for the degree of doctor as laid out in the Higher Education Ordinance. This requires thorough knowledge of the students’ skills and abilities in terms of these objectives. Some intended learning outcomes (ILOs) concern collaboration with the society in general (see below). Students are expected to be able to make a reliable assessment of their achievements in this respect and account for how they know that these ILOs have been met. The skills required of doctoral students include being able to:
- discuss research and research results with society in general,
- demonstrate an ability in research, education and other advanced professional contexts to contribute to the development of society, and
- demonstrate deepened insight into the possibilities and limitations of science, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual regarding its application.
The half-time committee
The half-time committee is expected at the half-time review to check that the outcomes for degree of doctor are well on their way to being achieved. Use the Status report of progress towards the degree outcomes in the doctoral student´s half-time report as a basis for this discussion.
Examination board
At the end of the doctoral education, the examination board is to assess the thesis and its defence, taking into account the outcomes have been achieved. As a basis for this assessment at the time of thesis defence, the examination board has, besides the thesis, also the report on the doctoral student’s learning, development and achievement of degree outcomes that is sent to the board at the time of the preliminary review.
More information for the Examination board
Additional information: Intended learning outcomes in doctoral courses
All of KI’s doctoral courses are examined in terms of the intended learning outcomes as stated in the respective syllabus.
Information about course syllabi and intended learning outcomes in doctoral courses