Duration of program

 For the PhD degree the minimum duration of studies is set to 6 semesters and the maximum to 12 semesters.  

Requirements for obtaining the PhD degree

For the PhD degree 180 ECTSs are required, which are obtained through

• Successfully attending 5 advanced level modules (40 ECTSs).
• Successfully completing applied practice (20 ECTSs).
• Completing a PhD thesis (120 ECTSs). The viva (final presentation) is open to public.

Degree outline

 Requirements for the fulfilment of the PhD degree:

1. Candidates should attend and pass five modules from the PPS master’s program or other master programs, two of which (at least) should concern advanced statistics and research methods. PhD candidates are also required to attend specific seminars organised by the Coordinative Committee.
2. Candidates should publish at least two original research articles in established peer-refereed journals. One of the articles should be published in an international journal. The papers should be a product of the doctoral research.
3. For each student the Teaching Staff General Assembly appoints a thesis committee which consists of 3 members (a supervisor and two advisors) and is responsible for the progress of the candidate. The supervisor can be any member of the department’s academic staff holding the position of Professor, Associate Professor, or Senior Lecturer (Assistant Professor). The two advisors can be members of the teaching staff of the department, or other departments (domestic or international). Advisors should posses a PhD in relevant areas and proven academic records in the area of research.
4. Candidates should submit their research proposal within one year after their registration to the thesis board. Guidelines for proposals are provided in the department’s website. The proposal should be approved by the supervisor and the research ethics committee of the department.
5. During the conduct of the doctoral studies candidates should collect and analyse the relevant data. The rules governing the research procedures are described in the department’s website.
6. Upon completion of the data collection and analysis candidates are required to write-up their thesis. Guidelines for the writing-up process are provided in the department’s website.
7. The doctoral thesis is judged by an examiners committee consisting of 7 members: the supervisor, the two advisors (provided that they are regular academics), and 4 other academics appointed by the Teaching Staff General Assembly, following the recommendation of the Coordinative Committee. These can academics with relevant academic positions from the department, or other departments (law 2083/92, article 12, paragraph 5b).
8. The evaluation of the thesis is made after the candidates have presented publicly their research. The thesis committee judges the originality of the research, and its contribution to knowledge. For the degree to be awarded at least 5 of the 7 members of the thesis committee should consent.  The degree is conferred from the Teaching Staff General Assembly.
9. In case of failure a new evaluation date is set by the Coordinative Committee at least three months after the initial evaluation. In case of second failure the registration of the candidate is terminated.
10. The approved thesis should be submitted to the library in a print copy and an electronic copy.