PhD Programme in Information Systems

Approved by the Board of University of Agder 18 June 2008. Modified according to the S-sak 137/09.

The numbered sections refer to the corresponding sections in the Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at University of Agder.

§ 2 Admission

2.1. Applicants’ formal qualifications

2.1.1. Education
Applicants for the PhD programme must hold a higher degree (Master degree or equivalent qualifications) in a relevant subject area from a Norwegian or foreign university or college. The degree must comprise a minimum of 90 credits in subjects related to information systems, with at least 30 of these credits from the 4th or 5th year of study. Other educational background or real competence considered by the Faculty to be equal to the above requirements with respect to scope, level and content may also qualify for admission.

All applicants are required to document sufficient previous knowledge in social-scientific methodology. If the Faculty is of the opinion that the applicant lacks the required knowledge within the relevant subject area or within social-scientific methodology, applicants may be required to take additional examinations at a lower level, or will be given a reading list and be tested by writing a paper that must be approved, or by taking an oral examination. In the event of insufficient previous knowledge at the time of admission, the required previous knowledge shall normally be tested and approved in the course of the first six months after admission. Required additional examinations, if any, do not involve any extension of the agreed time frame.

Applications for admission shall be decided by the Faculty Board on the recommendation of the programme committee for the PhD programme.

2.1.2. Level
Generally, an applicant should not be considered for admission to the PhD programme if he/she has an average mark for information systems modules (refer to section 2.1.1) lower than B, a mark for graduate modules lower than B, or a mark for his/her Master’s degree thesis or equivalent lower than B.

In individual cases, where an applicant has lower marks, the application may still be considered if the PhD programme committee finds the documentation presented to indicate that the applicant will be able to successfully complete the PhD programme.

2.2. Plan for the doctoral degree programme

Applications for admission are to be written on a special form and shall include a plan for the programme in accordance with University of Agder’s PhD regulations, and a 4-6 page outline of the research project as a preliminary proposal for a dissertation. The preliminary proposal shall include a description of the applicant’s research interest and indicate the subject area of the dissertation. The preliminary project description will provide a basis for the programme committee’s opinion as to the applicant’s abilities to complete the programme, and also the Faculty’s competence and capacity to provide the training and supervision required.

The programme committee may decide to interview the applicants.

A more comprehensive project description of approximately ten pages should be prepared in consultation with the supervisor, and normally be approved by the programme committee within six months after admission.

§ 3 Agreement

An agreement about the doctoral student’s rights and duties is to be signed by the student, the supervisor(s) and the Dean. Substantial changes to the agreed terms are subject to approval by the programme committee.

The parties can, on the initiative of the candidate or the other parties, agree to terminate the organised doctoral degree education prior to the agreed date. In the event of voluntary termination, issues relating to appointment, funding, rights to results, etc shall be provided for in a separate agreement. If the voluntary termination is due to a candidate’s desire to change research project, the candidate shall submit a new application for admission.

Based on recommendation from the PhD programme committee, the Faculty may determine that a student’s enrolment in the PhD programme be terminated prior to the previously agreed termination date. Such enforced termination may be decided if one or more of the following conditions apply:

1. Repeated and serious violations of the student’s obligation to provide information, meet commitments, and submit reports in accordance with these regulations;
2. Major delays in the progress of the research project that are of such a nature as to raise doubts about the candidate’s ability to complete his/her project within the stipulated time period. In order to constitute grounds for enforced termination such major delays must be due to factors within the candidate’s control;
3. Major delays in the completion of the organised training component due to factors within the candidate’s control;
4. Violation of the ethical research standards in the candidate’s subject area;
5. Behaviour by a candidate that is in violation of the trust that must exist between a university and its candidates, including any illegal activities related to the completion of the PhD programme.

If the doctoral candidate is employed by the University, the agreement may only be terminated if the conditions of the Civil Service Act (Tjenestemannsloven) are met.

§ 4 PhD programme

4.2. Organised academic training

The objective of the doctoral degree work is to continue the academic and scientific training from the Master’s degree programme or equivalent, and to take the PhD candidate up to the research front in the relevant subject area. This will be done primarily through the candidate’s work on the dissertation, but also through active participation in a training component.

The purpose of the training component is on the one hand to provide support for the student’s work on his/her dissertation, in particular with respect to providing insight into fundamental problems and theoretical-methodological issues, and on the other hand to provide the student with a broader academic perspective and thus prepare him/her for future academic work. The broader perspective is taken care of through training in the theory of science and methodology. The responsibility for providing instruction lies with the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences.

The training component shall comprise a minimum of 45 credits. Details on the training component are found in the curriculum and module descriptions. All PhD candidates shall complete a number of common modules totalling 15 credits. In addition, candidates shall take 20 credits of methodology modules. The remaining 10 credits are specialisation modules. Subject to approval by the programme committee, this category of course work may include participation in research seminars and conferences, and individual reading courses (directed reading/reading and conference).

Each candidate’s individual training component is subject to approval by the programme committee. On the basis of an application, the programme committee may allow a candidate to replace modules offered by University of Agder with relevant modules from other institutions.

For examinations in the theoretical syllabus, a pass or fail is awarded. A pass indicates a high academic level, equivalent to a grade B.

The training component must be completed and passed in its entirety before the candidate may apply to the Faculty to have his/her dissertation evaluated.

Examinations passed more than 5 years before admission can normally not be included in the training component. It is a condition that modules/courses included in the training component were not used as a basis for admission or formed part of previously completed units of study.

If a candidate fails one of the examinations in the training component a new examination can first be taken the following semester. The same applies in the event of failure to meet certain requirements relating to previous knowledge, or non-approval of the extended project description.

4.3. Supervision

The Faculty shall appoint a supervisor and, if relevant, a co-supervisor on the basis of a proposal from the programme committee. The principal supervisor and the programme committee are responsible for the follow-up of the PhD student. The student and the supervisor shall prepare a progress report every year.

The PhD programme is a supervised research education programme. Consequently, the PhD student is expected to be present at the University of Agder during the course of programme unless otherwise agreed.

§ 7 Submission

The PhD student must submit an application to the Faculty via the programme committee to have his/her dissertation evaluated. The application should be accompanied by 5 copies of the dissertation. If the dissertation is found to be worthy of defence, another 40 copies of the dissertation must be submitted.

§ 8 Appointment of evaluation committee

The Faculty shall appoint an evaluation committee on the basis of proposals from the programme committee. At least two members shall be unaffiliated with University of Agder.

§ 9 Committee report and further procedure

The report from the evaluation committee shall be considered by the Faculty Board on the basis of recommendations from the programme committee.

§ 10 Trial lecture and public defence

The trial lecture is to be held in connection with the public defence.

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