Doctoral thesis

Submission, evaluation and approval of the doctoral thesis topic

Each PhD candidate is required to initiate the process for the acceptance of their dissertation topic in a timely manner, ensuring that the University Senate can confirm the thesis topic and supervisor no later than the fifth semester of the program.

The submission of the dissertation topic proposal is conducted using the University's designated form (DR.SC.01). Alongside the proposal, the candidate should include a statement affirming their commitment to conduct original research and confirming that they have not initiated the process for obtaining a doctoral degree with any other academic institution.

The Faculty Council appoints a committee tasked with establishing the criteria for accepting dissertation topic, consisting of three members (with exceptions for five members). To be eligible for membership on the committe, individuals must hold at least the academic title of Assistant Professor or Research Associate. Furthermore, at least one of the board members should come from the pool of scholars who are not affiliated with the Faculty or involved in doctoral studies.
As a part of the dissertation topic approval process, the PhD candidate is required to publicly defend it. This public defense of the dissertation topic takes place at the Faculty, in front of the committee responsible for setting the criteria for topic acceptance. This committee will evaluate the topic and include their assessment in their report.

The Committee, responsible for topic evaluation and for suggesting the mentor, evaluates the proposed dissertation topic based on the original scientific contribution, financial and organizational feasibility of the research, and recommends a suitable supervisor within three months from the date of the application submission (DR. SC. - 02).

The Faculty Council designates a mentor for the candidate once the topic of s/he doctoral thesis has been approved. The endorsement of the thesis evaluation and the selection of the mentor, approved by the Faculty Council, are transmitted through the designated University's form (DR.SC. 03). This Univeristy's council of Technical sciences subsequently recommends both the dissertaion topic and the mentor for approval by the Senate at the University of Zagreb.
A doctoral candidate has the option to propose writing and defending their doctoral dissertation in the English language. In such cases, all forms (DR.SC.01, DR.SC.02, DR.SC.03) are to be completed in both Croatian and English.

Dissertation assesment

Once the PhD candidate accumulates a total of 78 ECTS credits, with a maximum of 14 credits earned through elective forms of work, and subsequently completes and submits the doctoral thesis, the evaluation procedure for the dissertation begins. The Faculty Council appoints an evaluation committee for the dissertation, comprising either three or five members. It is essential that at least one member of this committee is neither involved in teaching within the program nor employed by the Faculty. Additionally, the supervisor cannot be the president of the evaluation committee.

When initiating the procedure for evaluating the dissertation, the doctoral candidate submits an application at least three weeks before the Council meeting at which the Committee is appointed. The candidate attaches at least four copies of the doctoral dissertation in temporary binding to the application. One copy remains in the faculty library for public access, while the others are intended for the members of the doctoral dissertation evaluation committee.

Along with the application for the appointment of the dissertation evaluation committee, the doctoral candidate submits a written consent from the mentor and a statement from the mentor regarding any published or accepted work for publication. If the mentor declines to provide consent, s/he must provide written justification for their decision within 15 days. The doctoral candidate also submits the mentor's explanation regarding the conducted research and the achieved original scientific contribution, which is provided to the members of the evaluation committee and taken into account during the assessment.

Within a period of 2 months following the committee's appointment, the dissertation assessment committee is expected to present a report to the Council, utilizing the designated form (DR.SC.-10). Each member of the committee has the right to submit an individual assessment.

The dissertation evaluation committee may recommend one of the following: acceptance of the dissertation, requiring revisions to the dissertation, followed by a final evaluation, rejection of the dissertation. Based on the committee's report, the Council accepts the doctoral thesis, leading to a decision on the public defense of the dissertation. The accepted doctoral thesis is awarded 80 ECTS credits.
If the Council determines that the evaluation committee's report does not sufficiently support the assessment, it has the option to either augment the committee with new members or appoint an entirely new committee, requesting a fresh report. In such cases, the committee members are required to submit separate reports.
In instances where the committee's report is negative and the Council does not opt to expand the committee or appoint a new one, the Council will proceed to make a decision regarding the unfavorable assessment of the dissertation and will duly inform the candidate about this decision.

Dissertation defense

Upon receiving a positive evaluation for their doctoral dissertation, the Ph.D. candidate is both entitled and obligated to publicly defend it. This defense takes place in front a dissertaion defense committee appointed by the Council.
The committee typically comprises three to five members, with the stipulation that at least one member is not involved in teaching within the program or employed by the Faculty. Importantly, the candidate's mentor cannot be the president of dissertation defense committee.
A minimum of 8 days is set between the Council's decision to appoint the dissertation defense committee and the defense of the doctoral dissertation, although this period can be shortened for valid reasons. During the defense, the PhD candidate is allocated up to 45 minutes for their presentation. The doctoral thesis is defended in the language in which it is written.

Following the candidate's presentation, committee members are allowed to ask questions directly related to the dissertation's theme. Each committee member has the opportunity to pose up to three questions. Alternatively, questions from the audience attending the public defense can be submitted in writing, and the committee chairperson assesses the suitability of these questions before passing them on to the candidate.
Upon successfully addressing the questions, the committee deliberates and makes a determination regarding whether the candidate has defended their thesis. The possible outcomes of this decision include: "rite," "cum laude," "magna cum laude," or "summa cum laude." A successful dissertation defense earns the candidate twelve ECTS credits. A protocol (DR.SC.-11) is maintained for documenting the defense of the doctoral dissertation.
It's important to note that a doctoral dissertation can only be defended once. If a candidate's doctoral dissertation is not accepted or if they fail to defend it, they have the option, as stipulated by the Ordinances, to re-enter the doctoral program.