Procedures Dissertation

Dissertation

According to the Italian law, the PhD Degree awarding is a two-step procedure: external review and final defence.

External review

At the end of the third year, the PhD Program Committee will appoint two External Reviewers per each PhD Candidate. The External Reviewers will receive the dissertation and the PhD Candidate presentation by the PhD Program Committee. The External Reviewers will evaluate the dissertation and send back their evaluation (form docx form) within 60 days. There are four possible outcomes:

1. no revisions: the dissertation can be submitted directly for the final defence
2. minor revisions: after making the minor revisions, and having received a positive assessment by the Supervisor, the dissertation can be submitted for the final defence
3. major revisions: the PhD has up to six months extra time for implementing the revisions; after revision the dissertation is resubmitted to the two External Reviewers who will decide whether it can be submitted for the final defence or not
4. rejection: the dissertation is not worthy of public defence and no PhD Degree will be granted

Final defence

The PhD Program Committee will appoint an External Evaluation Committee of at least three members for the final defence. The External Committee, which had previously received the PhD Candidate’s presentation by the PhD Program Committee as well as the two External Reviewer Evaluation Reports along with the dissertation, will examine the PhD Candidate in a final examination session. If the PhD Candidate will successfully defend his/her dissertation, the PhD Degree will be granted.