Doctoral programmes consist of 240 credit units where at least 60 credit units concern the teaching part of the programme and at least 120 credit units  concern the purely research part of the programme. The rest of the workload concerns the comprehensive examination, the elaboration and presentation of the research proposal and the drafting of the Doctoral Dissertation.   

Doctoral student being in a research or PhD dissertation in a given academic semester, is considered to have a workload equivalent to 30 credit units for that particular academic semester. The student has to enroll in one of these stages.

The following are required for obtaining the Doctoral Degree:

1. Successful completion of at least 60 credit units in postgraduate modules. Holding a Masters Degree or an equivalent degree exempts the student partially or completely, at the discretion of the Department, from this requirement.

2. The required modules of Doctoral Programmes can include up to two undergraduate modules from any Department.

3. Success in comprehensive examination from the third to the sixth academic semester of study.    The nature and process of conducting and evaluating as well as the nature and content of the comprehensive examination are regulated in the Department's curriculum and the specific rules of each Department.

• The Department is responsible for planning its comprehensive examinations.
• It is understood that the Department should offer the possibility of a comprehensive examination at least once in the academic year so that each student has at least two opportunities up to the sixth academic year semester of his/her studies.
• The three-member Supervisory Committee (see 10.3.4 below) of each student is responsible for conducting the student's comprehensive examination.
• The general content of the comprehensive examination is specified in the curricula and the more specific subject material of the comprehensive examination is announced by the Postgraduate Studies Committee.
• In the case of an oral examination, the examination board should be the three-member Supervisory Committee and a record should be kept and submitted to the Council of the Department and registered in the Student Register kept by the Academic Affairs and Student Welfare Service.
• For all written comprehensive examinations, everything stated in paragraph 1.11 of the General Rules on Attendance is applicable,
• Comprehensive examination is marked with Success or Failure. Each doctoral student has two opportunities for comprehensive examination, provided that they take place up to the sixth academic semester of study. It is understood that in the case of a second failure in a comprehensive examination or not taking a comprehensive examination at the specified time, the doctoral student is deleted.   
• An incomplete mark is not applicable for a comprehensive examination.

4. Presentation to the 3-member Supervisory Committee of the PhD Dissertation Proposal. The presentation of the proposal can be prepared within up to four academic semesters after the success of the comprehensive examination. The 3-member Supervisory Committee is appointed by the Council of the Department upon recommendation of the Postgraduate Studies Committee of the Department and the Research Advisor of the student, who chairs the Committee and consists of:   

• The student's Research Advisor (Chair of the Committee). It is understood that in the case of two research advisors, this provision concerns the principal supervisor. It is further understood that the second research advisor is allowed to participate in the Supervisory Committee as a member.
• Two members from the academic staff of the Department or from another Department of the University in a related field of study or from another University or Research Center. It is understood that members from another University or Research Center are invited if, at the discretion of the Department, there are no members from the academic staff of the Department or from another Department of the University who are related to the subject matter.
• The PhD dissertation proposal is marked with Success or Failure. Each student has two opportunities to present their proposal. An incomplete mark is not applicable for a proposal.   

5.  Elaboration of an original dissertation that significantly contributes to the subject. The quality assurance of the Doctoral Dissertations is achieved by satisfying basic requirements (see Annex 2  of these Rules).

6. Submission of a Doctoral Dissertation and then public presentation of the student's dissertation can be completed at the earliest during the 6th academic semester from the student's enrollment in the Doctoral Programme.

7. Defense of the dissertation before an Examination Board, consisting of 3 members. This Committee is appointed by the Council of the Department upon recommendation of the Postgraduate Studies Committee of the Department and the Research Advisor and consists of:

• A member being the student's Research Advisor. It is understood that in the case of two research advisors, this provision concerns the principal supervisor. It is also understood that the second Research Advisor cannot be a member of the Examination Board.
• A member of the academic staff of the University from a related field of study at the academic rank of Professor or Associate Professor. In case there is no academic staff from a related field, a member can be an Associate Professor or Professor affiliated with a field from another University or a University Research Center.
• A member from another University or University Research Center of relevant field at any academic level.

8. The Chair of the Examination Board is appointed by the Research Advisor.  

9. A Visiting Professor in the Department from a related subject may be appointed as a Member of an Examination Board. In this case this member is considered to come from the members of the Department.

10. The external members of the Committees must have specializations relevant to the subject of the student's dissertation.

11. It should be ensured that there is no conflict of interest between the student and his assessors in accordance with Annex 2

12. The external members of the Committees must serve as academic staff at another University either in Cyprus or abroad or at University Research Centers.

13. The participation of external members not serving as academic staff at a university is permitted, provided that the members are actively engaged in the subject of the doctoral candidate, that being documented by recent publications, participation in research programmes, etc. Participation of these members is possible only upon approval of the Council of the relevant School after submitting a complete substantiated request from the student's Research Advisor through the Council of the Department.

14. The Ph.D. dissertation defense process consists of three stages:

• Presentation of the Ph.D dissertation in an open lecture, in a way defined by internal rules.
• Discussion and clarification of the dissertation at a face-to-face meeting with the members of the Committee.
• Committee meeting and formulation of dissertation’s final proposal.

Upon the end of the dissertation defense, the Committee submits a written proposal to the President of the Department with possible suggestions to the PhD candidate. The President promotes the Commission's suggestions to the Senate for approval through the Dean of the relevant School. 

In case the suggestion the Examination Board is not unanimous, the Senate may refer it back to the Department and ask the Council of the Department to appoint two (2) other external judges who will be asked to provide their views on the dissertation. The suggestions of the two (2) new external judges are submitted to the President of the Department. The President promotes their suggestions to the Council of the Department and then to the Senate for final approval.  

15. In case the Examination Board recommends changes or improvements, the Senate's final approval for the awarding of the title is given after the Research Advisor assures in writing that the recommendations of the Examination Board have been implemented. It is understood that improvements and written assurances will be submitted to the Senate within eight (8) academic years (sixteen semesters), which is the maximum attendance duration of a PhD student.

16. If the Doctoral Dissertation is rejected, the Examination Board may ask the repetition of process once again. The conditions for re-submission are determined in writing by the Examination Board. It is understood that the re-submission of the dissertation should take place within eight (8) academic years (sixteen semesters), which is the maximum attendance duration of a PhD student..           

17. The President of the Department sends to the Dean of the School, the Examination Board’s report together with the other supporting documents, the Document for supporting documents submission for Ph.D title award, the Doctoral Dissertation Receipt from the University Library and a copy of the dissertation. A summary of the dissertation is presented in the Chamber of the Senate during the discussion of the Committee report. The Dean of the School, having verified that all the required documents have been submitted and that the correct procedure has been followed, submits to the Senate a summary proposal for final approval on the Ph.D title award, including the suggestion of the Examination Board.

It is possible to award the Master’s Title to PhD programme students, who for special reasons, either interrupt their studies in PhD programme or do not meet the requirements of the doctoral degree programme, provided that a relevant request has been submitted by the student and all Department’s requirements for the award of the Master’s title are met.   

The total time for obtaining a Doctoral Degree cannot exceed eight (8) academic years.

AUTOMATIC TERMINATION OF PhD STUDENT ATTENDANCE

A doctoral student’s attendance who has not fully met the requirements of the curriculum he/she attends is automatically terminated without the Ph.D. degree being awarded if:

• The student has completed a total of sixteen semesters of study.
• It is understood that within the sixteen semesters of study, the semesters during which the student’s attendance has been suspended or interrupted, are not calculated.
• The student has completed six academic semesters of study and has not taken or did not succeed the comprehensive examination after one or two attempts provided by his/her curriculum. 
• It is understood that within the six semesters of attendance, the semesters during which the student’s attendance has been suspended or interrupted, are not calculated. 
• The student has failed for a second time to successfully defend his/her Doctoral dissertation.
• The student has failed for a second time to successfully present the proposal of the Doctoral Dissertation. 
• The student has not enrolled in two academic semesters and written attempts to communicate with him/her on behalf of the University have no results.