DOCTORAL PATH

The doctoral programme is designed to provide advanced training and facilitate the progressive development of independent research.

In the first year, PhD students attend courses and begin revising and refining their research proposal in close coordination with their supervisor. The year concludes with a PhD colloquium, where students present their work and receive feedback from faculty members and their peers.

In the second year, students continue with targeted courses, particularly in research methods and transferable skills, and typically begin empirical research and dissertation writing. This culminates in a second colloquium.

Years three and four are dedicated to empirical work and writing the doctoral dissertation.

A six-month research stay abroad is an integral part of the programme and can be completed as one continuous period or in shorter segments, depending on the requirements of the research project.

THE PHD DISSERTATION

The purpose of a doctoral dissertation is to produce a significant and original contribution to existing knowledge within a specific disciplinary field. As a core component of doctoral training, the dissertation must demonstrate the candidate’s ability to conduct innovative, independent research that meets the scholarly standards of the discipline. The final step in obtaining the PhD is the public defense of the dissertation before a committee of expert scholars.

The dissertation may take the form of a monograph or a collection of no fewer than three interrelated articles, organized around a coherent research question or theme, in line with disciplinary norms. The choice between these two formats must be made by the PhD candidate in close consultation with their supervisor, and it is advisable to make this decision as early as possible in the doctoral path to ensure appropriate planning and coherence. Regardless of format, the dissertation must not consist of unrelated studies. A clear and cohesive structure, including an introduction and conclusion, is required.

While originality is a key requirement, the inclusion of previously published work is allowed under certain conditions. In many disciplines—including those within the social sciences—it is customary to incorporate articles that have already been submitted for publication or published. However, this practice is considered an exception rather than the rule. The Academic Board will assess such cases individually, based on a proposal from the candidate’s supervisor. In all cases, published works must be fully integrated into the overall structure of the dissertation.

Attention must be given to copyright considerations. If the candidate retains the copyright or the article is published under a Creative Commons license, no additional permissions are necessary. If, however, the copyright has been transferred to the publisher—as is typical in standard publishing contracts—permission must be obtained to include the published work in the dissertation. Candidates should also assess whether portions of previously published work may qualify under citation exceptions, paying special attention to the proportion of the excerpt in relation to the complete work. If not, publisher permission is required.

Regarding co-authored work, the Academic Board emphasizes that the dissertation serves as a tool for evaluating the candidate’s ability to conduct independent research. For this reason, the inclusion of co-authored material is discouraged. In exceptional cases, where compelling reasons exist, the Board may allow the inclusion of co-authored writings on a case-by-case basis. In such instances, the candidate must clearly state the nature of their contribution at the beginning of the relevant chapter and must inform co-authors in advance of the intention to include jointly authored work. Co-authors may not include the candidate’s supervisor or co-supervisor, nor may they serve on the dissertation defense committee.

Dissertations that include published material will be assessed using the same evaluation criteria as any other doctoral thesis submitted for the PhD.

The University of Bologna allows for an embargo period of up to 36 months during which access to the dissertation is restricted. After the embargo, the dissertation will be made available through open access under the licensing terms selected by the author.