The thesis
About the language, format and content of a doctoral or licentiate thesis at INDEK.
Doctoral thesis
The thesis should demonstrate the doctoral student’s ability to make an independent contribution to research and the scientific community.
Format
The thesis can be written as a monograph or as a compilation of scientific articles. In the latter case, the thesis must include a specially written summary (a so called cover essay).
A monograph shall normally be 150 to 200 pages long.
A compilation thesis shall, in addition to a cover essay of approximately 50 pages, comprise at least four publishable scientific articles (the international standard in the field). The doctoral student shall normally be the responsible first author of at least one article and the sole author of at least one article. At the time of thesis defence, at least two articles should preferably have been accepted for publication in internationally recognised, peer-reviewed scientific journals.
The thesis is assessed as a whole, regardless of its format.
Language
The thesis should normally be written in English or Swedish (special permission from KTH is required for Swedish-language theses).
Content and quality level
For the Degree of Doctor, the thesis shall contain new theoretical or empirical research results within the chosen subject area that the doctoral student has developed through theoretical or empirical research. It must also include an overview of previous research in the chosen subject area, and position the doctoral student's contribution in relation to previous research.
When presented as a monograph or a compilation of scientific articles, the doctoral thesis must be of such quality that it is deemed to correspond to at least four articles published in internationally recognised, peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Licentiate thesis
The thesis should demonstrate the doctoral student’s ability to make an independent contribution to research and the scientific community.
Format
The licentiate thesis can be written as a monograph or as a compilation of scientific articles. In the latter case, the thesis must include a specially written summary (a so called cover essay).
At the time of thesis defence, at least one article should preferably have been accepted for publication in internationally recognised, peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Language
The thesis should normally be written in English or Swedish (special permission from KTH is required for Swedish-language theses).
Content and quality level
A licentiate thesis shall contain an application of existing scientific knowledge in an area that the student has developed through theoretical or empirical research. It should also include an overview of previous research in the chosen subject area, and position the doctoral student's contribution in relation to previous research.
When presented as a monograph or a compilation of scientific articles, the licentiate thesis must be of such quality that it is deemed to correspond to at least two articles published in internationally recognised, peer-reviewed scientific journals. In the case of a compilation thesis, the doctoral student should be the sole author of at least one article.
After approval by the principal supervisor, the thesis is presented at a public seminar in accordance with KTH's regulations.