How to get the title

The information contained in this Section provides a short overview about the achievement of the Doctoral title, the final exam and the thesis. At the end of this Section a link to the University of Bologna intranet pages is provided for PhD students who are already enrolled in the Doctoral Course.

Final exam application

By the deadline set each year by the University of Bologna, candidates enrolled at the 3rd year of their PhD Programme, following the successful outcome of the last year approved by the Academic Board, have to apply to the final exam.

The final exam application consists in the following steps:

  1. Send the application form, duly filled and signed;
  2. Payment of the fee “Ammissione prova finale e rilascio pergamena”  

The form and the payment will be available in early September.

Failing to pay the fee and send the application form by the given deadline will result in the exclusion from the PhD course.

The student card has to be returned to the Department where the doctoral activity has been carried out. 

Submission of the PhD thesis

PhD candidates fulfilling the conditions mentioned above, who successfully completed their last year course and applied to be admitted to the final exam, have to submit their PhD Thesis by deadline that will be specified each year.

Opinion of the external evaluators on the PhD thesis

PhD thesis shall be assessed by at least two “external evaluators”, appointed by the Academic Board from among experts holding a position in Institutions that do not contribute in the awarding of the degree. They cannot be members of the Examination Board for the awarding of the PhD degree.

Notably, external evaluators can be appointed from among:

  1. Academics and researches, including those working on a temporary basis, which hold a position in Institutions other than the University of Bologna. External evaluators cannot be appointed from among academics and researchers holding a position in Italian or foreign Institutions actively collaborating at the implementation of the PhD Programme on the basis of specific agreements.
  2. High-qualified international experts in the specific scientific field of the PhD thesis, holding a position in public or private research institutions not playing a role in the implementation of the PhD Programme. Qualification of these experts must be attested by the Academic Board.

The external evaluators express a written, analytical opinion on the thesis and propose the admission to the thesis defense. They can also propose the deferral of the final defense for a period not exceeding six months.

Uploading of the PhD Thesis - PhD candidates who received a positive opinion from the external evaluators

By the given deadline, PhD candidates admitted to the final exam following the positive opinion of the external evaluators, have to carry out the following 4 steps:

  1. upload a unique pdf file of the PhD thesis;
  2. send to the PhD Office by email name.surname@unibo.it and with copy supervisor and coordinator: title page of the thesis and scan of the declaration signed by the PhD student and countersigned by the supervisor.
  3. Forward by email the final version of PhD thesis to the members of the Examination Board, together with referees’ evaluations (available on PhD Thesis Review) and the report on the academic activities carried out during the doctoral path and the list of publications. 
  4. create the ORCID code using the form available in the IRIS Catalogue webpage (even in absence of scientific production) and enter the information concerning the scientific production on the IRIS Catalogue.

Failing to upload the PhD thesis on AMS Tesi di dottorato, by the given deadline will result in the exclusion from the PhD course.

PhD candidates admitted to the final exam, following the positive opinion of the external evaluators, will defend their thesis on the date established by the Academic Board.

Submission of the PhD thesis - PhD candidates who received a negative opinion from the external evaluators

By the given deadline, PhD candidates, whose final defense has been deferred have to upload a revised copy of the PhD thesis, including integrations/amendments requested by the external evaluators and checked by the Supervisor. The thesis has to be written in English. Please, enclose also the abstract of the thesis and the report on the academic activities carried out during the doctoral path and the list of publications, in English.

Failing to perform this task by the given deadline will result in the exclusion from the PhD course.

The external evaluators express a new written, analytical opinion on the PhD thesis, in light of the integrations/amendments included. At this stage, the PhD thesis is admitted to the public defense in any case.

Uploading of the PhD Thesis - PhD candidates whose final exam has been deferred

By the given deadline, PhD candidates whose the final defense has been deferred have to:

  1. upload a unique pdf file of the PhD thesis;
  2. send to the PhD Office by email name.surname@unibo.it and with copy supervisor and coordinator: title page of the thesis and scan of the declaration signed by the PhD student and countersigned by the supervisor.
  3. Forward by email the final version of PhD thesis to the members of the Examination Board, together with referees’ evaluations (available on PhD Thesis Review) and the report on the academic activities carried out during the doctoral path and the list of publications. 
  4. Update (where relevant) the information concerning the scientific production on the IRIS Catalogue.

Failing to upload the PhD thesis on AMS Tesi di dottorato, by the given deadline will result in the exclusion from the PhD course.

PhD candidates admitted to the final exam, following the positive opinion of the external evaluators, will defend their thesis on the date established by the Academic Board. 

Highlights