The curriculum has been designed so that right from the start, students can begin taking courses in the ideal sequence. Sign up for courses via KUSSS, opens an external URL in a new window. Please note the registration deadlines as outlined in KUSSS.

Your Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) is required to supervise your dissertation and monitor your progress in an academic, scientific, and scholarly capacity from the very start.

Your three-person TAC team must include:
 

1. The first supervisor (a member of the Doctoral School who holds a PostDoc/Habilitation);
2. A second supervisor (must hold a PostDoc/Habilitation; if the individual is not associated with the JKU, submit a request, opens a file to the JKU Admissions Office);
3. A third member, selected by the student in consultation with the first supervisor. The third member must hold a subject-related academic doctorate degree and actively work as part of another working group, or at another institute, or at another department along with the first and second supervisor.
    

Once a year, and part of a progress report, the candidate must hold a presentation about his/her progress in regards to the dissertation in front of the Thesis Advisory Committee. Once the progress report is documented and coinfirmed, it will be uploaded to Moodle as part of the Dissertation Colloquium, Interim Report I & II courses and the corresponding Doctoral School members will also have access

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As part of the dissertation colloquium at the start of your studies, you will be required to present a comprehensive dissertation concept. The concept must address the following points:

• The dissertation's objectives
• the current state of science in the context of your dissertation
• the research questions
• the intended applied research methods
• the schedule
• the required financial and/or material resources
• the required availability in regard to the research infrastructure
• Information about the ethics review process
• the members of your Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC)

In general, cumulative dissertations are acceptable. This requires a minimum of three original papers in first or co-authorship (for details, see the curriculum). The dissertation must also include the following aspects in a clear, concise, and comprehensible way:

• An introduction including current state of the science
• The overall research topic for each publication
• A summarizing discussion pertaining to research findings as part of the individual publications
• A reflection on the publications' scientific contribution to the field
• A signature by the first and last author(s) to verify the doctoral candidate's respective share as part of the individual publication(s).

Once your team of supervisors has been confirmed, please notify the JKU's Office of Examinations and Recognition Services (PAS) in regard to the names of your first and second supervisor. Once you have successfully completed the dissertation colloquium by the end of the third semester (at the latest), you are required to finalize a dissertation agreement and submit the agreement to the Office of Examination and Recognition Services. Click here to access the required forms ("Doktorat neu").

Related information, instructions, and notifications are available in the "blackboard" for doctorate degree programs in Moodle. Once you have successfully enrolled, log in to Moodle using your matriculation number and password. The blackboard at the Faculty of Medicine - Medical Sciences, opens an external URL in a new window provides access to important information during your studies.

Courses that include examinations and/or mandatory attendance require advance registration. Use the Faculty of Medicine's electronic attendance system (Cardea) for this purpose (a QR code, or via your mobile phone using the MyJKU app, or by using your student ID card).

See the blackboard at the Faculty of Medicine - Medical Sciences, opens an external URL in a new window for detailed information.

Once you have successfully completed your dissertation and all of the required courses, submit your dissertation to the Office of Examinations and Recognitions Services at the JKU to be graded.

Your dissertation must be reviewed by two faculty members who are not a member of the Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). The  Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs will receive the reviews. You and/or your team of dissertation supervisors can provide the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs with a list of eligible and qualified reviewers.

The dissertation will be reviewed and evaluated as part of a defensio by an examination board consisting of three members:
 

1. Your first or second dissertation supervisor
2. A representative in the subject area (generally one of the reviewers)
3. The spokesperson at your doctoral school, or an appointed representative
    

Your third Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) member may not be a member of the Examination Board.

The defensio is an oral defense of your dissertation as well as an opportunity to examine your ability to independently address scientific issues as part of your dissertation subject. The defensio begins with a 30-45 minute presentation by the candidate in regard to content and the dissertation's key findings. The presentation will be followed by a discussion of the topics covered during the presentation and, if necessary, other aspects as covered by the dissertation. The defensio may not exceed 120 minutes. All of the examination board members are required to be present.

The examination board will grade the dissertation immediately after the defensio is completed. The examination board will render its decision based on:
 

1. a statement by the supervising team
2. the two expert opinions/reviews
3. the candidate's own conclusions following the defensio

Please note that in accordance with Study Law, the dissertation's ECTS credits (140) can only be awarded once after submission.