ORDINANCE NO. 4/2017 

OF THE DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW

of 2 October 2017

on the rules of conducting a doctoral assessment procedure

at the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies

of the University of Warsaw

The Faculty of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw is authorised to confer the degree of doktor nauk społecznych [doctoral degree in social sciences] in the discipline of:

• political science,
• security science,
• public policy.

1. Examination of the application for the doctoral assessment procedure
   
2. A doctoral assessment procedure is initiated at the request of the person applying for the degree of doktor in the discipline of: political science, security science, public policy.
3. For the doctoral assessment procedure to be initiated, the candidate for the degree must be an author of a scientific book published or accepted for publishing, or of at least one scientific article published in a peer-reviewed journal from the list of scientific journals announced by the minister competent for science based on the regulations on financing science, or of a publication being a part of peer-reviewed materials published following an international scientific conference.
4. An application for the doctoral assessment procedure, including a detailed synopsis of the doctoral thesis, should be first discussed and approved at a meeting of an appropriate unit or chair. An approved application is then submitted to the Office for Academic Degrees and Doctoral Programmes [Sekcja ds. stopni i studiów doktoranckich]. The Office for Academic Degrees and Doctoral Programmes submits the documents related to the doctoral assessment procedure to the teams for doctoral assessment procedures appointed by the Faculty Board in the discipline of: political science, security science and public policy.
5. The teams for doctoral assessment procedures determine whether the subject of the thesis falls within the scope of the Faculty Board’s authorisation to confer the degree of doktor, whether the submitted documents, and in particular the synopsis of the doctoral thesis, demonstrate appropriate scientific quality and indicate that the works on the thesis are highly advanced, which is the basis for initiating the doctoral assessment procedure, and whether the title of the thesis has been properly formulated. If the thesis synopsis and/or title require supplementation or amendments, the application is returned to the candidate.
6. The academic staff member who has consented to be the thesis supervisor may be present at the team’s meeting (without the right to vote). Such an academic staff member may, with the consent of the candidate, make changes in the submitted application during the team’s meeting.
7. If the candidate has met the requirements, the relevant team submits to the Faculty Board its recommendation to initiate the doctoral assessment procedure, appoint the thesis supervisor (and a co-supervisor, if applicable) and (if a relevant request has been submitted) a supporting supervisor.
8. A specimen application and the list of other documents required for initiating a doctoral assessment procedure have been provided as Appendix 1 to these Rules.
9. The application for the doctoral assessment procedure is examined at the meeting of the Faculty Board. The candidate’s academic tutor applying for the position of the thesis supervisor is also present at the meeting. The Faculty Board, by secret ballot and with an absolute majority of the votes cast with at least half of the members entitled to vote present, adopts the resolutions on:

– initiation of a doctoral assessment procedure

– appointing a thesis supervisor

– appointing a supporting supervisor

1. The Faculty Board may terminate a doctoral assessment procedure if a doctoral student fails to submit his/her doctoral thesis within four years from the initiation of a doctoral assessment procedure.
2. If a resolution on rejection of the application for the doctoral assessment procedure is adopted, the Chairperson of the Faculty Board notifies the candidate of this decision in writing and with a justification.
3. In justified circumstances, a candidate may request a change of supervisor, supporting supervisor or the subject of the doctoral thesis. Such changes are approved with a resolution of the Faculty Board, upon consulting the relevant team for doctoral assessment procedures.
4. Doctoral thesis
5. A doctoral thesis should present an original solution to a scientific problem and demonstrate the candidate’s general theoretical knowledge in the given discipline of science as well as the ability to conduct independent research. A doctoral thesis must be its author’s individual achievement; it may also constitute an independent and distinct part of a collective work if it demonstrates the candidate’s individual contribution to the development of the work’s concept, performance of the experimental part, preparation and interpretation of the results.
6. A doctoral thesis should be submitted in four copies together with a summary in English and in Polish and an opinion from the thesis supervisor presenting the description and assessment of the thesis.
7. A doctoral thesis prepared in a language other than Polish should include a summary in English and in Polish.

III. Doctoral degree exams

1. The Faculty Board appoints members to the examination committees for conducting doctoral degree exams. The examination committee is composed of persons holding the academic title of profesor or the academic degree of doktor habilitowany. This requirement does not concern examiners conducting exams in a modern foreign language.
2. Doctoral degree exams are conducted within the following scopes:
3. a) the primary discipline compliant with the subject of the doctoral thesis – with the examination committee composed of at least four persons holding the title of profesor in the field of science or art to which the given discipline of science belongs, or the degree of doktor habilitowany in the given discipline of science, or persons who have acquired qualifications equivalent to those resulting from holding the degree of doktor habilitowany under Article 21a of the Act and who conduct research or teaching activity in relation to this discipline of science, including the thesis supervisor, the second supervisor or a co-supervisor;
4. a) an additional discipline – with the examination committee composed of at least three persons among whom at least one holds the title of profesor in the field of science or art to which the given discipline of science belongs, or the degree of doktor habilitowany in the given discipline of science, or who has acquired qualifications equivalent to those resulting from holding the degree of doktor habilitowany under Article 21a of the Act and who conduct research or teaching activity in relation to this discipline of science;

2. c) a modern foreign language – with the examination committee composed of at least three persons among whom at least one teaches this language in a higher education institution and the remaining persons hold the degree of at least doktor.
3. If the candidate fails to pass one of the doctoral degree exams, the candidate may apply to the Faculty Board for re-taking the exam. Such an exam may be held no sooner than after the lapse of three months from the date of the first exam and no more than once.
4. Appointing reviewers
5. The teams for doctoral assessment procedures in the discipline of: political science; security science; public policy submit to the Faculty Board their recommendations on two reviewers for the submitted doctoral thesis. A reviewer must hold the title of profesor or the degree of doktor habilitowany. The role of reviewer may not be performed by a person in relation to whom there are justified doubts as to his/her impartiality.
6. Upon receiving the last review, all reviews and the thesis summary are immediately sent in an electronic form to the Central Commission for Degrees and Titles.
7. Accepting the doctoral thesis and its approval for a public defence
8. The Faculty Board, at the request of the relevant team, appoints the Doctoral Commission responsible for: accepting the doctoral thesis, approving it for a public defence and accepting the defence. The Commission is composed of the members of the Faculty Board holding the title of profesor or the degree of doktor habilitowany in the field of science to which the primary discipline relevant for the thesis subject belongs, and the members of the Faculty Board holding the title of profesor or the degree of doktor habilitowany in a related discipline of science, the thesis supervisor and the reviewers. The supporting supervisor may be present at the meetings of the commission conducting doctoral degree exams and of the Doctoral Commission, upon the invitation of the chairperson of the Faculty Board and without the right to vote.
9. The Doctoral Commission, having read the doctoral thesis and the opinions of the supervisor and the reviewers, adopts by secret ballot a resolution on acceptance of the doctoral thesis and its approval for a public defence and sets the date of the defence. In the event a doctoral thesis is not accepted and not approved for a defence, the Doctoral Commission presents this matter to the Faculty Board together with a justification and the Faculty Board adopts a resolution on this matter.

A summary of the doctoral thesis is posted on the Faculty’s website directly after the Doctoral Commission adopts the resolution on acceptance of the doctoral thesis, while the reviews are posted on the day on which they are submitted by the reviewers. The summary and the reviews are available on the website at least until the day on which the degree of doktor is awarded.

1. Defence of the doctoral thesis
2. Information on the date of the public defence is sent to organisational units authorised to award the degree of doktor nauk społecznych [doctoral degree in social sciences] in the discipline of: political science, public policy, security science. No later than ten days before the date of the defence an announcement on the defence of the doctoral thesis is posted on the noticeboard for doctoral students and on the Faculty’s website.
3. The doctoral thesis defence takes places at an open meeting of the Doctoral Commission with the thesis supervisor, supporting supervisor and reviewers present.
4. The course of the doctoral thesis defence is minuted.
5. During a doctoral thesis defence:
6. a) The Chairperson of the Commission announces that the candidate has met the conditions specified by regulations on the doctoral assessment procedure, has passed the doctoral degree exams, has submitted a doctoral thesis which has received positive opinions from the reviewers and the thesis supervisor, has been accepted and approved for a defence.
7. b) The thesis supervisor presents the candidate and his/her academic achievements.
8. c) The candidate presents the main aims of the doctoral thesis – a summary of his/her academic achievements, which has been also submitted in a written form, and the reviewers present their opinions on the doctoral thesis.
9. d) If a reviewer is absent, the chairperson of the Doctoral Commission decides that a review is read out by one of the Commission members.
10. e) The Candidate expresses his/her opinion on the reviews.
11. f) The Chairperson opens a discussion during which all those present at the meeting may voice their opinions and the candidate answers any questions asked.
12. After the doctoral thesis defence, the Doctoral Commission holds a closed meeting at which it adopts a resolution on accepting (or rejecting) the public defence of the doctoral thesis.
13. The Doctoral Commission prepares a draft resolution on the award of the degree of doktor and submits it to the Faculty Board.
14. A doctoral thesis may be awarded distinctions according to the rules specified in a relevant resolution of the Faculty Board.
15. The Faculty Board, by secret ballot and with an absolute majority of the votes cast with at least half of the members entitled to vote present, adopts the resolutions on the award of the degree of doktor.
16. The resolution of the Faculty Board on the award of the degree of doktor becomes valid upon its adoption.

VII. Terminating a doctoral assessment procedure

1. A doctoral assessment procedure is terminated at the Dean’s request if:
2. a) the candidate has not taken the doctoral degree exams or has failed to pass them,
3. b) the Doctoral Commission has not accepted the doctoral thesis and has not approved it for a public defence.
4. A doctoral assessment procedure may be terminated at the request of the Dean or the thesis supervisor if the candidate has not submitted his/her doctoral thesis within four years from the date of initiating the procedure.
5. The Faculty Board may terminate a doctoral assessment procedure at the request of the candidate.

This ordinance enters into force on the day of its signing. Ordinance no. 3/2017 of 15 May 2017 becomes ineffective.

The above Rules have been specified pursuant to the following acts: Act of 14 March 2005 ‘Law on Higher Education’, as amended

Act of 14 March 2003 on academic degrees and titles and on degrees and titles in arts, as amended

Ordinance of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of 26 September 2016 on a detailed course of actions in the doctoral assessment procedure, the procedure for award of the degree of doktor habilitowany and the procedure for award of the title of profesor

Appendix 1 

Documents required for initiating a doctoral assessment procedure

Doctoral programme students and graduates

1. Application to the Board of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw for initiation of a doctoral assessment procedure, together with the proposed subject of the thesis and indication of the thesis supervisor.

The application must include:

– information on the area of knowledge, field and discipline of science in relation to which the doctoral assessment procedure is to be initiated;

– application for a consent to submit a doctoral thesis in a language other than Polish;

– information on the chosen foreign language (doctoral degree exam);

– information on the chosen additional discipline for the doctoral degree exam (please choose from: political science, philosophy, public policy, security science).

2. A scientific book published or accepted for publishing or at least one scientific publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal of at least national reach, as specified by the minister competent for science based on the regulations on financing science, or in a peer-reviewed report from an international scientific conference.
3. Consent from the academic tutor to provide academic supervision and adopt the role of the thesis supervisor.
4. Consent from the second academic tutor to provide academic supervision and adopt the role of the thesis co-supervisor, if applicable.
5. The candidate’s recommendations regarding the thesis supervisor (and co-supervisor, if applicable).
6. Application of the academic tutor for appointment of a supporting supervisor, if applicable.
7. Consent of the supporting supervisor to provide academic supervision.
8. Opinion of the academic tutor (with an indication of the percentage of the thesis already written and accepted).
9. List of the candidate’s scientific publications.
10. Synopsis of the doctoral thesis.
11. Plan of the doctoral thesis.
12. List of references collected for the purpose of the doctoral thesis.
13. Résumé/CV.
14. Declaration on the payment of costs of a doctoral thesis defence if the thesis is submitted more than two years after the date of graduation from the doctoral programme (applies to doctoral programme students and graduates).
15. Information on the course of the doctoral assessment procedure if the candidate has already applied for the degree of doktor in the past.

Persons who apply for a doctoral assessment procedure as part of an individual procedure must submit also:

1. higher education diploma,
2. declaration on the payment of costs of the doctoral thesis defence,
3. personal questionnaire form.

A candidate who is a beneficiary of the ‘Diamond Grant’ [Diamentowy Grant] programme established by the minister competent for science must submit an application for a doctoral assessment procedure together with:

1) copy of a document certifying his/her status of a beneficiary of the programme ‘Diamentowy Grant’;

2) opinion referred to in Article 11(3) of the Act.

Dean of the Faculty

of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw

Prof. UW dr hab. Stanisław Sulowski

RESOLUTION NO. 88/2017

OF THE BOARD OF THE FACULTY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

of 26 April 2017

on the principles of awarding Distinctions to doctoral theses

A doctoral thesis may be awarded distinctions if all of the following criteria are met:

1. a) the doctoral thesis defence has taken place no later than 4 years after the initiation of the doctoral assessment procedure;
2. b) the doctoral degree exams have been passed by the candidate for a doctoral degree with the grade ‘very good’;
3. c) the request for awarding distinctions to a doctoral thesis has been submitted by the thesis reviewer or reviewers;
4. d) the request for awarding distinctions to a doctoral thesis has been approved by a qualified majority of two-thirds of the members of the Doctoral Commission, after the acceptance of the public doctoral thesis defence.

The request for awarding distinctions to a doctoral thesis should be submitted by the Chairperson of the Doctoral Commission during the meeting of the Faculty Board at which the matter of conferring the doctoral degree is considered.

A doctoral thesis has been awarded distinctions if the request of the Doctoral Commission has been approved with the absolute majority of votes of authorised members of the Faculty Board.

The resolution comes into force on the day of its adoption.

Dean of the Faculty

of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw

Prof. UW dr hab. Stanisław Sulowski

Head of the PhD Student Union:
Rafał Więckiewicz M.A.
wieckiewicz.rafal@gmail.com

Phone number & e-mail:
+ 48 22 55 20 187
monika.tomaszewska@uw.edu.pl

Office hours:

Office Venue:
Auditorium Building
Krakowskie Przedmieście st. 26/28, 00-927 Warsaw
Room no. 210, 2 floor