During your PhD

You will find all learning resources here

All PhD students must register for the semester at the beginning of each semester. Externally funded students must have paid a semester fee in order to register for the semester.

• Spring semester registration opens around mid-December and the deadline is February 15.
• The fall semester opens for registration in August and the deadline is September 15.
• Registration is done in Studentweb. Read more about logging in to Studentweb.
• Registration on the PhD courses' individual course pages is only for external participants.

During semester registration you can perform the following operations:

Registration for PhD courses

During the registration period, you can register for PhD courses that are organized the following semester. You must register for both classes and exams to be registered for a PhD course. Note that some courses may have separate deadlines for registration if the course is scheduled early in the semester. Both PhD courses at the Center for Mission and Global Studies and the Center for Diakonia and Professional Practice will be available for registration.

Procedure in Studentweb:

• Click on the three lines at the top of the page to bring up the menu. Go to the tab "my active courses".
• Search for "PhD" in the "course code" field. You will see that all courses at PhD level at VID will appear.
• Register for both classes and exams.
• Update personal data.

Update personal data

You can update your postal address and email address under the tab called "profile", under your name.

Errors and omissions

If you are missing an education plan, you will not be able to register for courses. Please contact the PhD advisor at your research center.

If you have problems logging in to Studentweb or Feide, please contact IT support.

All externally funded PhD students pay tuition fees. The invoice can be found in Studentweb, in the same period as the semester registration. The payment must be completed before you can register for classes and exams. VID may redirect the invoice to a third party. This may be your employer, NAV or others who will pay your invoice. See how to do this on VID's pages for semester and tuition fees.

You must submit an annual progress report and a progression plan for the following year.

The deadline for reporting is 1 February annually.

You and your main supervisor must each submit a separate report.

You submit your progress report via Nettskjema. Your PhD Adviser will distribute the link to this year's Nettskjema well in advance on the submission deadline.

PhD on Track is a quality resource for PhD students who are beginning their research career. PhD on track provides information on searching for information and literature, and on how to publish research. The different topics within each module are made based on a study performed at several university libraries, and presented in PhD candidates and the research process: The library’s contribution. PhD on Track is a collaborative project with partners for the library at NHH – The Norwegian School of Economics and the university libraries in Oslo, Bergen and Aalborg.

Operating budget

PhD fellows employed at VID are allocated an operating budget for the entire agreed scholarship period (currently NOK 90,000).
The fellow must keep track of how much is spent, but Tatiana Lund can be contacted to get an overview of the remaining funds.
The operating budget is linked to a separate cost center number (project number). Fellows are provided with this cost center number by the PhD advisor at the start of the project. All expenses must be marked with this cost center number when entered into Visma for approval by the supervisor.

We recommend that you make a plan for the use of your budget. If you will need to have your thesis proofread, it is important to set aside sufficient funds for this.

Use of funds

The operating budget can be used until the submission of the thesis. If the thesis is revised, the operating budget can be reactivated until the new submission.
The operating budget is supposed to be used to purchase what is necessary for the completion of the PhD research.

The funds can be used for a number of expenses, such as (the list is not exhaustive)
- books
- special software that VID does not purchase centrally
- participation in conferences
- research trips, conference participation and research stays
- relevant membership fees
- research assistance
- purchase of technical equipment for fieldwork
- proofreading

The funds are not salary, therefore VID is the owner of purchased equipment and books.

The funds can NOT be used for:
- to cover the dissertation defense dinner
- purchase of a laptop computer
- mobile phone
- tablets
- home office equipment (desk, bookshelves, office chair or similar)

Appointment of a third party

When hiring a third party to work on your doctoral degree, you must follow VID's guidelines for temporary employment.
All temporary employees must have an employment contract, and they must sign a confidentiality agreement.
You are personal responsible for all data processed by a third party in accordance with Norwegian data protection legislation, Personal Data Act and the Research Ethics Act.

Courses

You must participate in obligatory and elective courses during your doctoral degree education (30 ECTS). The programme description contains an overview of all courses for both ph.d. programmes. The presentation of our PhD programme will indicate which courses are currently active.

Application for recognition of external courses

If you want to replace one of the courses in the study plan with external courses, you must apply for specific recognition ahead of time. Your application must be sent to the adviser at your PhD Centre.

Presentation

In addition to the courses, you must give a presentation and respond to another student’s presentation at least once during each year of the study programme. The presentation should be given in a research group or a seminar arranged by the Centre of Diaconia and Professional Practice or the Centre of Mission and Global Studies. Presentations in another academic setting can be recognised by agreement. Students are responsible for documenting that they have given a presentation and received feedback from a respondent.

International conferences and stays abroad

We expect you to participate in international research conferences and to join international research networks and research collaborations. You are responsible for documenting participation in international research conferences.

We also recommend visits to relevant international research institutions.

Generic research skills courses

VID offers generic courses to all PhD students at VID Specialized University. The purpose of the generic courses is that they can be useful to the students in their work on the dissertation or as part of their career development.

The courses do not give credits, and the length of the courses varies. Most of the courses are conducted on Zoom while some are conducted as physical meetings. The courses aim at being practical and develop skills that are useful to the students. Most of the courses are in English.

All generic courses are placed in Canvas in the course module «Ph.D. Generic courses». There, PhD students will have an overview of which generic courses it is possible to sign up for.

Shut up & write!

Shut up & write are monthly writing workshops organised by the research centres. PhD students meet up for a full day of writing with social breaks. The concept is simple, you sit together with your fellow students, write nonstop for 45 minutes with 15-minute breaks for socialising and the opportunity to share thoughts.

Every workshop is introduced by a plenary session where each participant tell about today’s aims and expectations before the 45/15 intervals begin.

Writing collectively (yet individually) enhances concentration, it is social and efficient. With the shut up & write model, writing your PhD becomes a bit less of a solitary process.

Shut up & write is organised as a hybrid event, meaning that the students can participate either physically or digitally. Working language for shut up & write is English (given that there are English speaking participants present).

Each PhD student will normally be appointed a main supervisor and a co-supervisor. You are expected to fully engage in the supervision as it forms an important part of your academic development. Use the time to get feedback on dissertation drafts and other academic work. The supervisors have guidelines for reponsetime. As an example, the response time expected for a full extended introduction ('kappe') is up to two weeks. You can see the other responsetime guidelines in Guidelines and additional provision, Part 3, 1b)

A total of 210 hours of supervision is allocated to each supervisory team and allocated between the supervisors over the period of admission. As an example, a main supervisor will be allocated 47 hrs per year for 3 years. The allocation includes time for preparation and follow up as well as the supervision itself.

If you don't complete in the prescribed time, it may be possible to apply for additional supervision. An application can only be submitted once. You must submit your request at the latest on the last day of the prescribed period of study for your application to be considered. You application must be submitted to the Centre Director and include a recommendation from your supervision. Contact your PhD Adviser for more information about the application process.

Stay Abroad Grants

PhD candidates are encouraged to have a stay abroad during the PhD period. Stay Abroad grants are announced annually for Research Fellows at the Centre for Diaconia and Professional Practice,the Centre for the Study of World Christianity and Religion, and the Centre for Health Sciences. The grant applies to a longer stay at an academic institution abroad.

Priority is given to visits of minimum 3 months duration However, it is also possible to apply for a grant for a minimum stay of one month. These are only awarded if funds are still available. The rates for the Stay Abroad grant are, as for today, NOK 10,000 per month, and NOK 15,000 per month if you travel with family. You need to upload documentation for your stay as part of the application. The Visiting Scholar Agreement may be used.

80% of the grant will be made available by the Finance department on receipt of the award letter, (remember cost number/project number). The remaining grant is released after the stay is completed and receipts submitted.

The annual application deadline for research stays abroad is 01 March. Information about the application process is provided by the PhD centre heads, Daniela Lucia Rapisarda (CWCR), James McGuirk (CDP), and Karen Synne Groven (CHS).

Erasmus + Travel Grant

PhD fellows can apply for Erasmus+ grants both as students and within the staff category. Read more about international mobility.

Reminder:
You are advised to speak to IT support on your campus before departure for expert advice on IT access and reduced risks during your stay abroad.

You can write your doctoral thesis either as a monograph or as an article based thesis. For both types of thesis, please refer to the document Guidelines and additional provisions for the PhD Programmes at VID, which you find under Regulations for PhD. For article-based theses, VID has its own guidelines for the extended abstract (synopsis).

Guidelines to structuring your doctoral thesis

Templates

VID has developed templates that can be used for monography and extended abstract thesis.

Body text, margins and text size

• The body text is the text called ’normal’ in the word processing program. Be careful with highlighting, italics, underlining, and so on.
• Point size: the most common is 11 for modern fonts such as Calibri, or 12 in a traditional fonts like Times New Roman.
• Line spacing is usually one and a half (1.5)
• Left-justified text with a floating right margin (not block-justified) provides the best readability.
• Top and bottom margins must be at least 2.5 cm.
• In tables, figures, footnotes and reference lists, you can use a smaller point size and single line spacing, as long as it is readable.
• There should never be more than one space after each word or character. If you need larger spaces (indents), use the tab key.
• Further guidance available on Søk & skriv

The thesis is printed in black and white, so avoid using colours in headings, diagrams etc. to ensure readability.

All PhD students must pass a midterm evaluation. The midterm evaluation takes place when you are about halfway through your PhD study.

• VID's guidelines for midterm evaluations.
• Self-assessment report

In “Guidelines and additional provisions for the PhD Programmes at VID Specialized University”, the following is stated about the final evaluation:

The doctoral student is offered a final evaluation 2-3 months before the thesis is expected to be submitted, in the form of a final seminar, alternatively a final reading, with one (1) evaluator.

Based on a draft of the thesis text, the student must be given an assessment of an advisory nature for the remaining work on the thesis. The main supervisor, in consultation with the doctoral student, is responsible for arranging the final evaluation. The evaluator of the final evaluation cannot be a member of the committee for assessment of the PhD thesis.

Purpose
The main purpose is an evaluation of the scientific quality of the thesis when it is close to completion (so-called 90% evaluation).

The final evaluation is in the form of a final seminar or a final reading.

A final seminar is an oral assessment of the thesis which engages the candidate in a critical dialogue about elements in the thesis that must be addressed to be able to complete and submit it for formal assessment.

A final seminar can either be an

1. open digital, physical or hybrid seminar that is announced on VID's websites der
   or a

2. closed digital, physical or hybrid seminar with invited participants

A final reading is a written assessment of the draft of the dissertation, giving advice on the remaining work. It should make clear to the student what the current status of the dissertation is and the work required to be able to complete it and submit it for formal assessment.

A final reading consists of:

• Written feedback in the thesis text as well as an overall note that is sent to the student, principal supervisor and center manager.

The main supervisor clarifies with the PhD student whether the person concerned wishes to have a final evaluation in the form of a final reading, in accordance with the provision in VID's supplementary guidelines and regulations.

Speak to your main supervisor if you wish to complete a final evaluation of your thesis.

Research Fellows: In accordance with Regulation on employment conditions for positions as postdoctoral fellow, research fellow, scientific assistant, and specialist candidate § 2-3, in cases of approved sick leave, leave of absence, and other specific circumstances, the employment period for research fellows will be extended accordingly.

• Research fellows must register sick leave and leave of absence in "My Visma". HR will calculate a new end date on April 15th and October 15th based on the information in VISMA.
• Extensions related to student representation duties, will be handled by HR upon confirmation of completed duties from the Center Director.
• Extensions that require an application must be sent by April 15th and October 15th each year. Further information can be found in the personnel handbook or contact your PhD Adviser.

Externally funded PhD candidates (including public (offentlig-) and industrial (nærings-) PhDs): Externally funded PhD candidates who have been absent from the PhD program (illness, parental leave, etc.) can apply for a new end date from their employer.

• The employer must provide a written confirmation of the extension of the PhD period and new end date.
• PhD students who do not have an employer, but are funded by e.g. scholarships, must attach other documentation of the absence, such as a medical certificate.
• The documentation must be sent to the PhD advisor by email.
• If you currently have a VID e-mail and want continued access, you must attach a new application for temporary access to keep it.

CDP: SDP-PHD-support@vid.no CWCR: smg-phd-support@vid.no
CHS: kari.voll@vid.no

PhD students can apply for extended study time in the doctoral program. Applications can be granted for one (1) year at a time. Multiple applications for extensions may be submitted within the maximum time limit of the programme (the initial project period plus four years).

The application must

• Contain a progress plan.
• Be recommended by the doctoral student's main supervisor.

To retain access to VIDs e-mail and VID's systems, you must fill in an “Temporary affiliation and access agreement” and upload it with the application. (Does not apply if you are a permanent employee at VID in another position). The document “Temporary affiliation and access agreement” and “Temporary affiliation and access agreement with digital signature” can be found here.

• PhD-student at Senter for diakoni og profesjonell praksis, apply here
• PhD-student at Centre for the Study of World Christianity and Religion, apply here

The application must be submitted no later than three months before the current period expires.

For more information on extended time in the doctoral program, please see additional guidelines

For more information, contact your PhD-advisor:
CDP: SDP-PHD-support@vid.no 
CWCR: smg-phd-support@vid.no
CHS: kari.voll@vid.no

The student representative is an important role and provides the opportunity to influence and improve the PhD qualifications and experience of all PhD students at VID.

• The student representatives represent all PhD students, raise concerns and suggestions on behalf of fellow students and have the opportunity to put forward own suggestions in communication with the leadership at VID.
• The student representatives participate in committee work, recruitment panels and meet regularly with the Centre management.
• The student representatives arrange regular PhD forums.
• Elections are held yearly and the role is held for one calendar year (Jan - Dec).
• A student can only be elected once for the role.
• It is expected that the two elected student representative divide the workload evenly between themselves.
• The role is voluntary and is compensated with a two week time allowance.

For more information, please contact the head of the research centre.

The PhD student forum is the PhD students' own arena for exchange of experience. The forum takes place as meetings for all PhD students twice a semester. The meetings are scheduled at the beginning of each semester and the student representative at each centre is responsible for inviting all students. The forum has its own funding, which can be used for food and drinks, external speakers, etc.

Your mental health matters! Doing a PhD can be a stressful experience. It is a challenge to manage the balance between demands of research progress and daily life and at the same time maintain good mental and physical health. If you are stuggling at the moment, talk to someone and seek help. Here is an overview of mental health support.

• Is it an emergency? Call 113
• Contact your GP
• Information about mental health support in your local authority:
  • Oslo
  • Stavanger
  • Bergen
• Low threshold (non-emergency) support for mental health in your local authority.
  • Oslo
  • Stavanger
  • Bergen
• Bedriftshelsetjenesten / Occupational Health can support you with you are experiencing issues with the work environment. They are bound by confidentiality
• Mental helse (Mental Health Norway) offer support if you need to talk to someone. Call 116 123 (helpline) There are also local branches that organise events close to where you live. More information available on their website.
• Ph.d. -podden is a podcast for ph.d. candidates in Norway, focusing on life as a PhD, careers, practical information and mental health. Produced by University of Oslo.
• Your union may have courses that cover managing stress and support for mental health. Check the union website for more information.
• Managing your mental health during your PhD: A survival guide by Zoe Ayres. The book is available from the library and there is more support and information on her website.
• You can find supporting communities on line, check out #phdchat, #academicchat and others
• Contact your manager, or Trine Powell in the Research Office, for a confidential chat.