Doctoral university studies are organized in the following stages:
- The advanced university training program takes place within the Doctoral School of UTCB based on a curriculum developed by the CSD, approved by the CSUD and approved by the Senate of UTCB. The curriculum includes a semester with a duration of 14 weeks. During this semester, the following are studied: University ethics and three compulsory disciplines (DO1 – Complementary training disciplines, DO2 – General technical training disciplines and DO3 – Special technical training disciplines), which ensure all doctoral students a unitary vision in approaching the specific scientific research of engineering sciences and, respectively, skills in managing scientific research projects. PPUA is finalized by proposing a “Project of the Scientific Research Program” which must be supported within the department of specialty and which groups the intentions of the doctoral student regarding the doctoral program;
- The scientific research program (PCS) is organized individually for each doctoral student by the doctoral supervisor together with the doctoral student and takes place over a period of 7 semesters (year I sem. 2, year II, year III and year IV).
- The doctoral thesis is defended first in the department and later in a public session, followed by the awarding of the title of doctor.
The advanced university training program is developed in the first semester of the doctoral program and consists of studying three compulsory disciplines (DO1 – Complementary training disciplines, DO2 – General technical training disciplines and DO3 – Special technical training disciplines) which provide additional knowledge necessary for doctoral university studies but also a unitary vision and management skills in the development of scientific research programs. The disciplines are chosen by the doctoral student at the recommendation of the doctoral supervisor, to be useful later in the scientific research program. At the end of the advanced university training program, the doctoral student presents a Project of the Scientific Research Program. This groups the intentions and the presumptive mode of development of the scientific research stage, with the presentation of the elective disciplines, the doctoral reports but also the mode of development of the doctoral thesis. The Project of the Scientific Research Program is supported in the department, being evaluated by a specialized committee, after which it is subsequently forwarded to the secretariat of the Doctoral School
The scientific research program is organized individually for each doctoral student over a period of seven semesters and consists of:
- The realization and support by the doctoral student of three research reports indicated by the doctoral supervisor. The research reports can constitute parts of the doctoral thesis and can have, as a guideline, the following subjects (the theme will not be considered imposed, there being no requirement of obligation to respect the indicated titles, but will be adapted to the specifics of each research paper in part); Documentation. The current state at the international level in the analyzed doctoral field; Experimental research;
- The realization and support of the doctoral thesis in the last part of the scientific research program. The research reports are supported in a public department session and are evaluated by a committee consisting of the doctoral supervisor as president and two members from the department of specialty.
- Research report 1 can be equated with a synthesis article on the topic of the doctoral thesis published in WoS Q1/Q2 indexed journals published by the doctoral student at least together with his/her doctoral supervisor. The equivalence will be granted by the Doctoral School based on a reference drawn up by the doctoral supervisor which has attached the proof of publication of the article and the classification of the journal in WoS Q1/Q2 and which attests to the correspondence between the content of the article and the bibliographic synthesis necessary for the elaboration of the thesis doctoral.
- Research reports 2 and 3 can be equated with a scientific article on the topic of the doctoral thesis, comprising the partial results of the doctoral research, published in WoS Q1 / Q2 indexed journals having as authors the doctoral student together with at least his/her doctoral supervisor. The equivalence will be granted by the Doctoral School based on a reference drawn up by the doctoral supervisor which has attached the proof of publication of the article and the classification of the journal in WoS Q1/Q2 and which attests to the correspondence between the content of the article and the content of the research report that is desired to be equated. If the equivalence of a report with an article is accepted, on the website of the UTCB Doctoral School, the announcement for the public defense of the thesis will refer to the respective publication. If the article is published in open access, it can be posted in full; if not, a preprint can be made available.
- The research carried out by doctoral students who carry out research internships abroad or at other research institutions can be included in the scientific research program and implicitly in the doctoral thesis, with the agreement of the doctoral supervisor and presented both in the research reports and in the doctoral thesis.
The doctoral thesis is carried out at the end of the scientific research program and includes the main elements of the documentation and research carried out by the doctoral student under the guidance of the scientific supervisor. The doctoral thesis can also be carried out in co-supervision or co-tutelage based on an agreement of the institutions to which both doctoral supervisors belong.
During the scientific research program, but also throughout the duration of the doctoral university studies, the doctoral student must publish scientific articles in specialized journals, at national and international conferences, in the topic of the doctoral thesis and with affiliation to UTCB.
Doctoral students must comply with the minimum publication requirements established by the Order of the Minister of Education regarding the approval of the minimum standards for awarding the title of doctor, corresponding to the doctoral field.
