PhD

What is the doctorate?

The Research Doctorate is the third level of university education, the highest level of specialization offered by the University. Its objective is to provide the skills necessary to carry out highly qualified research activities at universities, public bodies or private entities, also for the purposes of access to careers in public administrations and the integration of highly innovative professional paths. The Doctorate Courses are divided into cycles, lasting no less than three years, including periods of study and internships carried out in other locations in Italy and abroad.

The activities of each academic year of the three-year PhD courses generally begin on November 1st and end on October 31st of the following year.

General obligations

Admission to the Doctoral Program involves an exclusive and full-time commitment. Public employees admitted to a doctoral program benefit, for the normal duration of the program, from the leave of absence provided for by collective bargaining or, if employed under public law, from extraordinary leave for study reasons. 

PhD students, with or without a scholarship, are required to attend, in the manner and at the times established by the Teaching Board, all the teaching and training activities provided for by the PhD program for its entire duration, earning within this period all the credits provided for by the training plan prepared by the Board. The PhD student cannot be simultaneously enrolled in another PhD program. 

At the end of each year of the Course, PhD students are required to present a detailed report on the training and research activities carried out, on the basis of which the Teaching Board will recognize the effective acquisition of credits foreseen by the training plan and will express an evaluation of merit, arranging for admission to the following year.

At the end of the third year of the Course, PhD students are required to present a detailed report on the training and research activities carried out during the three-year period and the draft of the thesis, on the basis of which the Teaching Board recognizes the effective acquisition of the credits required by the training plan and expresses an evaluation of merit, arranging for the submission of the thesis to the Evaluators.

Insufficient credits acquired and/or a negative evaluation will result in dismissal from the Doctoral Course with loss of any scholarship and refund of the installments received in the current year.