Detailed Guidelines for the PhD Education in Logistics

Section 3  Responsibility for the PhD education

The PhD education in logistics is managed by the Faculty of logistics. The programme's Doctoral Degree Committee is responsible for the admission of candidates, execution of the programme, approval of the programme curriculum and course description, and preparing detailed guidelines for the programme.

Section 5-1 Conditions of admission and application requirements

1. For admission to the PhD Logistics program, the applicant is required to hold a 5 year Master’s degree or equivalent, in accordance with descriptions in the second cycle of the Qualifications Framework.
2. An average ECTS-grade B or better for the second cycle modules is normally required. For applicants with other grading scales, a corresponding requirement will apply.
3. The educational background must be relevant to the PhD Logistics program.
4. The education belonging to the second cycle must contain an independent piece of student work. This would normally mean a Master’s thesis, but other forms of independent student work may also qualify.
5. The application for admission to the program must contain the following elements:
   1. Certified documentation of the educational background (diplomas, transcripts of records).
   2. The Master’s thesis, or other independent piece of student work belonging to the second cycle education, must be provided in full text. If this document is written in a non-Scandinavian or English language, a certified English language translation of the abstract must also be submitted.
   3. A preliminary plan for the doctoral project, including tentative formulations of the research problem or research questions, links to the existing research literature and relevant elements of theory and methodology.
   4. A progress plan, including a tentative course plan.
   5. Documentation of financing in the form of, or, on par with, PhD scholarships offered by Molde University College.
   6. A preliminary assessment of potential issues related to intellectual property rights and ethical issues, including an assessment of the need for registration/approval by relevant bodies related to data protection regulations, ethical committees etc.
6. The application to the program may also include:
   1. Other academic publications that you have contributed to
   2. A motivation letter
   3. Recommendations from professors, tutors or work affiliations
   4. A list of character references with contact details
   5. Preferred tutor(s) for the PhD project
   6. Tentative plans for a research stays abroad
   7. If the candidate wants to write a thesis in a language other than the ones mentioned in the regulations §10-1, the application must specifically mention this.

Section 5-7 Involuntary termination in the event of delay or lack of progress

Decision on involuntary termination is made by the Faculty after recommendation by the Doctoral Degree Committee.

Section 7-1 Appointment of academic supervisors

The main supervisor should normally be employed at Molde University College.

A person can be appointed as main supervisor for a maximum of 4 candidates at the same time. As co-supervisor for a maximum of 5 candidates at the same time. A single supervisor cannot hold more than 6 supervisorships (main and secondary supervisorship combined) at the same time.

Section  8-1 Purpose, content and scope 

The coursework for PhD in logistics must consist of at least 30 credits.  The approval of modules is limited to courses at PhD level.

The 30 ECTS course plan must comprise:

1. The obligatory DRL005 Philosophy of Science (5 ECTS)
2. At least 5 ECTS of courses with an explicit content related to logistics, supply chain management or transport economics.
3. At least 5 ECTS of courses within relevant research methodology

Changes in the approved study plan must be approved by the Doctoral Degree Committee.

For PhD modules to be approved, a grade recognized as a "pass" by the institution offering the module, must be achieved. 

In special situations full or partial exemption can be granted if other training or research activities give the required competence and can be documented.

The PhD student normally spends at least one semester at a recognized foreign academic or research institution, where it is possible to continue the research work for the thesis. If this is not possible or desirable, an approved Norwegian institution can be selected. Other arrangements can be made to ensure that the student obtains insight into alternative research methods and different approaches to the subject.  

Section 9-2 Midway evaluation

A mandatory midtway evaluation will be carried out within 2/3 of the stipulated study period. Guidelines and evaluation form for midway evaluation for the PhD programme in logistics are avalable.

Section 10-1 Thesis requirements

If the thesis consists mainly of papers/articles, it should normally comprise at least three articles, publishable in refereed journals with a high scientific quality. The required number of articles will depend on the scope, quality and degree of co-authorship. The candidate must be sole author of one paper, or first author of at least two of the papers constituting the thesis

Section 14 Appointment of the evaluation committee

When the supervisor assesses that the handling in of the thesis is 3-6 months ahead, the supervisor notifies the Doctoral Degree Committee, which appoints an evaluation committee. The Doctoral Degree Committee appoints the administrator of the evaluation committee, normally the local member.

There should not be joint publications between the main supervisor and the external members of the committee for the last five years.

An opponent can only be appointed for maximum two candidates from the same main supervisor within a five year period.

None of the suggested member can have family relations, supervision relations or joint publications with the candidate, and cannot have contributed to the thesis in any other way.