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Legal basis:

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Act of July 20, 2018 – Law on higher education and science

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Resolution No. 488 of the Senate of the University of Silesia in Katowice of January 23, 2024 on the detailed procedure for awarding a degree doctor

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Resolution No. 490 of the Senate of the University of Silesia in Katowice of January 23, 2024 on the principles of determining the amount of the fee for conducting proceedings regarding awarding doctoral and habilitated doctor degrees and exemption from this fee

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Circular letter No. 3 of the Rector of the University of Silesia in Katowice of February 12 2024 on the method of verifying learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8 in the field of knowledge of a modern foreign language for persons applying for a doctoral degree

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  Necessary requirements when applying for a doctoral degree:

1. having a professional title of master’s degree, master’s degree in engineering or equivalent or having a diploma referred to in Art. 326 section 2 point 2 or art. 327 section 2, giving the right to apply for a doctoral degree in the country in whose higher education system the university that issued it operates;
2. obtaining learning outcomes for qualifications at PQF level 8, where the learning outcomes in the field of knowledge of a modern foreign language are confirmed by a certificate or diploma of completion of studies, confirming knowledge of this language at the level of language proficiency of at least B2;
3. having at least an artistic work of significant importance.

Procedure description: Step 1:

1. A person applying for the award of a doctoral degree in the extramural mode shall, before initiating the procedure, submit to the competent authority an application for the appointment of a supervisor or supervisors, or a supervisor and an auxiliary supervisor – download file
2. A person applying for a doctoral degree in the external mode indicates in the application for the appointment of a supervisor the sources of financing the costs of the proceedings along with his/her own or another entity’s obligation to bear these costs. After appointing a supervisor, an agreement is concluded on the terms described in separate regulations, which specifies the method of financing the costs of the procedure for awarding a doctoral degree;
3. Before adopting a resolution on the appointment of a promoter, the competent authority may conduct an interview with the applicant and the candidate for promoter, or only with the candidate for promoter. The appointment of an auxiliary promoter requires justification. The promoter presents the justification to the body.

Detailed procedure:

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Resolution No. 488 of the Senate of the University of Silesia in Katowice of January 23, 2024 on the detailed procedure for awarding a degree doctor

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List of required documents: The applicant attaches to the application:

1. a copy of a document confirming that she has obtained the appropriate professional title;
2. detailed outline of the doctoral dissertation;
3. information on the course of the doctoral proceedings or doctoral proceedings, if the applicant has already been subject to such proceedings in the past or has initiated a doctoral proceedings; download file
4. information about the discipline or field to which the doctoral dissertation is to qualify;
5. information about the language of the doctoral dissertation and defense;
6. declaration of consent to assume the function of promoter or auxiliary promoter of the person indicated in the application as a candidate for promoter or auxiliary promoter, together with the candidate’s declaration of meeting the statutory requirements to perform this function in accordance with the provisions of Art. 190 section 4 in connection with Art. 190 section 6 and art. 276 section 1 point 4; download file
7. information about joint doctoral proceedings, if such proceedings are to be conducted;
8. a copy of a document confirming the status of a beneficiary of the “Diamentowy Grant” or “Pearls of Science” program, if a participant of this program;
9. information regarding the need to use the infrastructure of the University of Silesia in Katowice – if applicable;
10. information about the subject of the doctoral dissertation being covered by legally protected secrets within the meaning of Art. 188 section 2 of the Act – if applicable.
11. Personal questionnaire. download file

The candidate may apply for verification of learning outcomes at PQF level 8. The application is submitted together with the application for the appointment of a promoter. download file The application must be accompanied by a list of artistic achievements. download file The candidate may apply for a modern foreign language examination at the B2 level. The application is submitted together with the application for the appointment of a promoter. download file   Step 2 – Initiation of proceedings: After meeting all formal requirements and preparing a doctoral dissertation, the applicant submits to the competent authority an application to initiate proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree. download file List of required documents to be attached to the application:

1. doctoral dissertation with a positive opinion of the supervisor or supervisors;
2. a summary of the doctoral dissertation in English, and in the case of a doctoral dissertation prepared in a foreign language, also a summary in Polish. If the doctoral dissertation is not a written work, its description in Polish and English is attached;
3. in accordance with the rules applicable at the University of Silesia for certification of the level of language proficiency, a certificate or diploma certifying knowledge of a modern foreign language at least B2 level, referred to in § 7 section 2, or the report of the examination referred to in § 7 section 3;
4. a document confirming the achievement of learning outcomes for qualifications at the 8PRK level in the doctoral school education mode or in the verification mode referred to in § 6 section 2 – 6;
5. a list of your scientific works, creative professional works or artistic achievements along with a record of these achievements recorded on an electronic medium appropriate to the type of work and documentation of their public presentation, as well as information about activities popularizing science or art;
6. information about having an artistic work of significant importance for the discipline of art – if applicable;
7. subject to § 8 section 3 and 4, a report signed by the supervisor or supervisors on checking the doctoral dissertation using JSA, if the dissertation is a written work.
8. Declaration of the originality of the doctoral thesis – download file
9. GDPR information clause – download file

It is necessary to provide 5 copies of the above-mentioned documents + 5 copies of the work on a digital medium. An agreement is concluded with the candidate, obliging the candidate to pay a fee for the proceedings. Fee details:

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Resolution No. 490 of the Senate of the University of Silesia in Katowice of January 23, 2024 on the principles of determining the amount of the fee for conducting proceedings regarding awarding doctoral and habilitated doctor degrees and exemption from this fee

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Payment of the invoice will be made by transfer to the bank account indicated therein and within twenty-one days from the date of delivery of the invoice. The invoice will be issued within 14 days from the date of concluding the contract with the candidate.   Step 3 – Opening the cable and appointing reviewers: The Scientific Council of the Institute appoints 3 reviewers of the doctoral dissertation. Reviewers prepare reviews of the doctoral dissertation within 2 months from the date of its delivery. After receiving at least 2 positive reviews, a date is set for the doctoral defense.