Education

The doctoral programme is comprised of a required and an optional supplementary component.

The four required components are:
– the writing of a scientific text which is published or is accepted for publication: this may be a book, a contribution to a book or a journal article (ranking by VABB-HSW, ISI or ERIH Phil 2007 should be the level of aspiration with regard to publishing quality).
– active participation (including a paper or exam) in at least one major seminar from the MPhil programme. Students with an MPhil degree are exempted from this requirement.
– to give at least one lecture or oral presentation at an international conference.
– the submission of progress reports as described below (written report each year, two seminars).

The supplementary component is comprised of additional activities in function of doctoral research and/or as preparation for functioning professionally within or outside the university. Although these supplementary activities are not obligatory, they are registered on your transcript after completion of the Doctoral Programme and can become part of your curriculum vitae. The supplementary activities fall under four domains:
– attending doctoral seminars at the Institute of Philosophy or other faculties of KU Leuven, or at another university;
– additional education. such as language courses and the ‘academic writing’ course;
– research activities. such as taking part in study days and conferences;
– obtaining experience in teaching. such as training in pedagogy, organising an ‘undergraduate seminar’ or teaching part of a course.

The doctoral student registers his/her activities on a registration form which has to be submitted twice; once after the second year of his/her research, and a second time one month (at the latest) before submitting the doctoral dissertation.

Profile

To be admitted to the doctoral programme a student must meet the general admission requirements, must already have been awarded the diploma of the advanced Master of Philosophy (MPhil) from KU Leuven and must have distinguished him/herself in his/her studies. The one-year Master of Philosophy (MPhil) offers an excellent opportunity to develop competency in independent research in philosophy and counts as a pre-doctoral examination evaluating the candidate’s maturity of research. To be admitted to the doctoral programme, a candidate is required to have passed the MPhil with at least distinction and 2 x 15/20 for the Master’s thesis.

A pre-doctoral examination is not required if the candidate:
– has, in addition to the diploma of Master of Philosophy from KU Leuven (or a diploma that the doctoral commission considers to be its equivalent), been awarded a second Master’s diploma in another area of study, can demonstrate his/her aptitude for scientific research and has distinguished him/herself in his/her philosophical studies. In this case the candidate is required to have passed the Master of Philosophy (or its equivalent) with at least distinction and 2 x 15/20 for the Master’s thesis.
– has obtained an FWO scholarship.
– is a scientific assistant or a doctoral scholarship student who, on the basis of his/her expertise, is recruited within the framework of a funded research project.

These scholarship candidates must have a Master of Philosophy diploma from KU Leuven and must have passed with at least distinction and 2 x 15/20 for the Master’s thesis, or they must have a diploma which the doctoral commission considers to be an equivalent, taking into account the specific objectives of the research project.
– has obtained the diploma Master of Philosophy from KU Leuven and has an appointment as an AAP at KU Leuven.
– will take his or her doctor’s degree as a common doctorate and has already been admitted to the doctoral programme at the university with which KU Leuven will be co-operating.

Even if the candidate is not required to take the MPhil in order to be admitted to the doctoral programme, he/she is still recommended to do so. Completion of the MPhil counts for part of the doctoral programme.

To be admitted to the doctoral programme, a candidate is required to have adequate knowledge of the language in which the primary literature of his/her doctoral subject is written.

For specific admission requirements, click on the desired programme in the ‘Choose your courses of study’ section.

Objectives

The doctoral student prepares a doctoral dissertation and participates actively in the scientific research of the Institute. The aim of the Doctoral Education Programme is to structure this participation and to certify it. Doctoral students record their own educational activities on a form and submit a progress report each year. The Doctoral Education Programme is completed when all the requirements are fulfilled and approved by the doctoral commission. The Institute provides within the MPhil programme an extensive number of doctoral seminars.

Contact

Institute of Philosophy
Kardinaal Mercierplein 2 box 3200
3000 LEUVEN, Belgium
tel. + 32 16 32 63 00
fax + 32 16 32 63 22
doctcom@hiw.kuleuven.be

All the information about the content of the doctoral programme, admission requirements and the doctoral examination can be found in the doctoral programme regulations. Administrative procedures are explained on the webpage of the doctoral programme .

Admission requirements