Doctoral Plan

Dear Doctoral Student The purpose of this document is to help you to write your Doctoral Plan, which you have to submit to your Aptitude Committee within 10 months after provisional admission. The integrated Research Proposal will be the basis for your Aptitude Colloquium, which you need to pass in order to advance to definitive admission as a doctoral student. The Aptitude Colloquium must take place within 12 months after provisional admission. The Doctoral Plan has not the character of a legally binding agreement but is rather a declaration of intent between you and your supervisor. Changes are possible and, in many cases, certainly necessary. Major changes should be documented in the annual progress report and discussed during status conversations. The outline presented here is structured to meet the requirements of the Doctoral Ordinance (Art. 11), the Rector’s Implementation Provisions for the Ordinance on the Doctorate (Item 3) and the department’s Detailed Stipulations regarding the Doctorate (Art. 5)

Basic Information

Student number:

Name Doctoral Student:

Name Supervisor:

Name Second Advisor:

Start date of the doctorate (provisional admission date):

Expected date of thesis submission:

Working title of the doctoral thesis:

Part A: Research Proposal

The doctoral plan should not comprise more than 8 pages (not counting cover page and bibliography) Please use Arial 10 pt and single line spacing.

Abstract (max ½ page)

Present the background of your research project, list its main goals, describe the methods to be used and the expected results as well as their impact for the field and beyond. If you conduct an external research project, please give the reason (max ½ page).

Introduction and Current State of Research in the Field (max 2 pages)

Describe your project in the context of the current state of knowledge in your field. Refer to the most important publications. Describe briefly:

Which previous insights provided the starting point and basis for your project

In which areas research is needed, and why

Goals of the Thesis (max 2 pages)

Describe the research questions you address in your research project and the concrete objectives that you aim to achieve in the period of your doctorate.

Illustrate the expected impacts of your project: how will your proposed research add to existing knowledge in the field? How and where might your results be used? How do you intend to disseminate your research?

Progress to Date (1-2 pages)

Present the research work you have already undertaken in the relevant field, describe the results obtained so far (including publications) as well as the relevance of these preliminary undertakings for your project. Also, describe your “negative results”: if something went wrong, what could you learn from this?

Detailed Work Plan (min ½ page)

Describe the studies or experiments envisaged to reach the set goals. Present your work plan in the form of work packages (WP), each defining the task and describing the methods used and the expected outcome. In general, a work package should describe 3 - 12 months of work. Assess the risks involved for each work package: if the planned research does not work, which other parts of your plan are affected, what other objectives could you follow?

WP 1: …

WP 2: …

Timeline and Milestones (potentially as a visualization) (½ page)

Indicate the tentative timeframe for each work package and mark possible milestones. Your time schedule should be based on the average time of 4 years of a doctorate. Color table cells to show the planned timing.

No.	Description	Year 1 (Start: MM/YY)	Year 2 (Start: MM/YY)	Year 3 (Start: MM/YY)	Year 4 (Start: MM/YY)
1.	WP 1
1.1	Task
1.2	Task
2.	WP 2
2.1	Task
…	…
…	Writing thesis

References

List the sources of all work referred to in the research proposal. Give the full reference, especially the title, source and full author list (use a style commonly adopted in the field of your research).

Part B: Teaching Responsibilities

Describe which teaching tasks you are assigned to and indicate (roughly) how many hours you devote to such activities each week.

Teaching tasks are, e.g., assisting in lectures, practical classes, exercise classes and excursions, correcting students’ reports, supervising undergraduates in semester projects, summers schools, marking /overseeing exams.

Part C: Further Tasks

If relevant, describe which additional tasks you are assigned to, e.g., operation or maintenance of equipment. Indicate (roughly) how many hours you devote to such activities each week.

Part D: Doctoral Studies, Credit Points

If you carry out regular doctoral studies, please complete D1. In case of extended doctoral studies, please complete D2.

D1: Regular doctoral studies

Provide an overview on the 12 ECTS that you have to acquire according to the D-HEST Detailed Stipulations.

D2: Extended doctoral studies

How many ECTS credit points are you obliged to complete in your extended

doctoral studies (additionally to the 12 ECTS credit point of the regular doctoral studies)?

Please add here your individual study plan including a tentative schedule (e.g., by using the learning agreement in mystudies).

Part E: Additional Information (Optional)

List the planned publications and the conferences you will attend.

Indicate collaborations with other research groups (internal and external).

Signatures

______________	______________________	______________________	______________________

Date	Signature doctoral student	Signature supervisor	Signature second advisor