Program Structure

The PhD programme consists of the following moments that have to be fulfilled by all doctoral students under the guidance of two supervisors with expertise in the subject of research

Development of Thesis plan

After about 1 year of studies a thesis plan is developed and submitted to supervisors. The thesis plan is presented in a seminar where all department employees, doctoral students and researchers linked to the programme are invited to participate.

Compulsory and elective courses

For a PhD degree students need to fulfil max 30 credits of compulsory courses focusing on research methodologies and an introduction to the industrial engineering and management discipline. Additionally 60 credits can be fulfilled by joining elective courses. Courses normally refers to the advanced, subject-specific courses that each doctoral student takes to improve within their individual research specialisation and thereby ensure specialist knowledge as well as their knowledge of specialist methods. These courses are identified in consultation between the doctoral student and their supervisor.

Information about compulsory courses for the PhD programme is available here . Other courses can be offered at KTH campus as well as other universities based in Sweden, Nordic countries, Europe and more. INDEK has established collaboration networks where PhD courses can be found here on External collaboration .

Development of licentiate and doctoral thesis

The thesis report is the focal point of the doctoral education. Students have the possibility to present and obtain a licentiate degree after 2 years of study and the final PhD thesis after 4 years.

Mid-Seminar and Final Seminar

The seminars are respectively given half-way and end of the 4 years studies. Typical 6-12 months before public defence of licentiate and/or doctoral degree. The thesis is presented in a seminar where all department employees, all doctoral students and researchers linked to the programme are invited to participate in these seminars. An external, independent reviewer (preferably docent) who has not previously been involved in the doctoral student’s thesis work is invited to the seminar.

Seminar series

Through a series of seminars, it is ensured that the doctoral student demonstrates the ability to present and discuss research. Doctoral students with departmental duties are also expected to present and discuss research at international conferences.