Your main supervisor is responsible for the academic supervision of your doctoral studies. The main supervisor must be chosen from among the professors of the Faculty of Behavioural Sciences and Psychology.

As part of the application (see next section), a supervision agreement is required. The agreement must be completed and signed by you and your main supervisor. In the supervision agreement, you should also propose a suitable second supervisor. The second supervisor may come from another faculty or university.

You may also choose to involve a mentor. If applicable, the name of the mentor should also be included in the supervision agreement

Application for the doctoral programme takes place via Uniportal.

The required application documents are listed on the registration page. The signed supervision agreement (see previous section on supervision) must also be included.

The following deadlines apply:

• August 31 for the coming autumn semester.
• January 31 for the coming spring semester.

The admission requirements can be found in the regulations (doctoral regulations and guidelines).

The admission decision will be communicated by e-mail. Once admitted, you must enrol for the doctoral programme. Enrolment is mandatory for the entire duration of your doctoral studies.

The doctoral programme typically lasts three to four years. The maximum duration is five years. This time frame also applies to part-time doctorates. The period begins with the first semester of enrolment and ends on the date the doctoral thesis is submitted. 

A good command of English is required. Knowledge of German is not a prerequisite.

The requirements to complete the doctoral programme consist of:

• Academic achievements (at least 18 ECTS points)
• Doctoral thesis
• Oral defence
• Publication of the thesis

Details can be found in the regulations (doctoral regulations and guidelines).

The selection and determination of academic achievements (at least 18 ECTS points) is made in consultation with your main supervisor and should reflect your individual needs and skills for your doctoral studies. The planned and completed academic achievements must be documented in the supervision agreement.

Further information and guidelines can be found in the Leaflet on Academic Achievements.

At least once a year, the main supervisor must hold an evaluation meeting with the doctoral student to review progress on the doctoral thesis. This involves assessing the development of the research and the student's academic performance against the goals set for the current year. Objectives for the following year(s) are also agreed on. The supervision agreement is reviewed and updated if necessary. The other supervisors either participate in the meeting or are at least informed of its content. 

Submission of the thesis (Application for the opening of the doctoral procedure)

Once all academic achievements have been completed and the thesis has been finalised, the doctoral student may submit an application to initiate the doctoral procedure.

Defence

The date of the defence is set by mutual agreement between all parties involved and organised by the Dean's Office. The defence lasts 60 minutes in total and consists of a presentation (20 minutes) followed by a discussion (40 minutes). The defence is open to the public and will be announced on the faculty website.

Publication

After having successfully defended the thesis, the final step before graduation is the publication of the thesis. Usually, the version of the thesis approved by the examiners is published. The introductory chapter is published on LORY (Lucerne Open Repository) as a first publication. The individual articles are published on LORY, subject to copyright and their status at the time of submission of the thesis.

Title

Following publication of your thesis, the academic title of Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. phil. / Ph.D.) is awarded. A diploma will be issued accordingly.

• Doctoral Regulations (in German)
• Guidelines to the Doctoral Regulations (in German)
• Supervision Agreement
• Leaflet on Academic Achievements

What types of doctorates exist?

Essentially, there are two types of doctorates: those with and those without employment. The suitable type depends largely on the primary motivation for pursuing a doctorate, the desired career path, and the available opportunities. For instance, completing a doctorate with close ties to the university increases the chances of pursuing an academic career. However, if an academic career is not the goal, an independent doctorate alongside employment in a meaningful field outside the university may be more suitable.

Doctorate with employment (research assistants)
Research assistants are employed by a professor through third-party or university funding. They are involved in the research and teaching of the professor’s research group and the faculty. The positions are advertised on the university's job portal. Employment is usually for four years.

Doctorate without employment (individual doctorate)
An individual doctorate means that the doctoral programme is completed without being employed by the University of Lucerne. Enrolment as a doctoral student establishes an affiliation with the university. The amount of time invested in employment and/or other activities outside of the doctoral programme should be discussed with the main supervisor from the outset, stated in the supervision agreement, and renegotiated if circumstances change.

How much time must I devote to my doctorate?

The doctoral programme is usually undertaken on a full-time basis.

At the University of Lucerne, it is common for doctoral students to be employed at a level of 50%. The percentage may be higher for doctoral students employed via third-party funding. In either case, and unless there is an explicit agreement for part-time employment, it is expected that the remaining time is dedicated to the doctoral project.

During your working hours, you are entitled to a so-called “research third,” meaning that tasks unrelated to your academic qualification may not exceed two-thirds of your total working hours.

Further general information on your employment can be found in the university’s official information brochure. 

What costs can I expect during my doctorate?

An overview of the registration, tuition, and examination fees can be found on the website of the study services.

More information on general financial questions (budget advice, etc.) can be found on website of the student advisors.

Romina Theiler
Coordinator Doctoral Programme Psychology
phd-vpf@unilu.ch