The possession of a scientific degree affects prestige, such a person is spoken of as a highly qualified specialist. In addition, it helps to climb the career ladder faster. Today in Russia there are two levels of postgraduate education - graduate school and doctoral studies. Admission to postgraduate study is carried out after graduation from a master's or specialty, and to doctoral studies after graduation dissertations.
Doctoral studies in Russia
According to the Federal Law “On Education in the Russian Federation” that has entered into force, doctoral studies have ceased to be a form of training scientific personnel in higher educational institutions. Now it belongs to the scientific field. In accordance with Federal Law No. 185-ФЗ dated July 2, 2013, the provisions on writing a work for the degree of Doctor of Science can be found in the law “On Science and State Scientific and Technical Policy”.
The task of doctoral studies is to create the conditions for conducting and effectively completing research, on the basis of which the dissertation will be further defended. A prerequisite is that the applicant obtains research results that are significant for science. The doctoral student's activity is manifested at conferences, congresses, in the publication of various kinds of publications (in the light of recent changes, it is especially important to do this in systems such as WOS, Scopus) and so on.
Scientists are trained in accordance with the list of scientific specialties. This document was developed by the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC).
Doctoral students can only be taught by higher education institutions that are licensed to carry out the relevant educational activities.
Admission
Documents for doctoral studies are accepted within the deadlines established by order of the rector, as a rule, this happens annually in June-July. Acceptance figures are set depending on appropriations from the federal budget and according to agreements on the provision of paid educational services.
Persons enrolled in a doctoral program to write a dissertation for the degree are called doctoral students.
Admission is possible only for applicants with a Ph.D. degree and numerous published scientific papers (monographs, articles, various publications, patents, inventions and other materials of value for the development of science). All this together will constitute theoretical and experimental theses for writing a doctoral dissertation.
Admission to doctoral studies is carried out on a competitive basis, the deadlines for selection can be changed. Entrance examinations for applicants are not held.
Documents for admission
For admission to doctoral studies, the following documents are required:
- copy of passport;
- 3 x 4 photos (3 pcs.);
- the original diploma of the degree of candidate of sciences (or recognized in the Russian Federation analogue of a scientific degree obtained in another country);
- copies of diplomas of higher education and candidate;
- autobiography;
- list of published works, obtained patents, certificates of state registration of inventions, etc .;
- copies of all turns of the work book;
- recommendations and characteristics from the place of work;
- plan for preparing a dissertation;
- copies of the minutes of the meeting of the faculty council and the meeting of the profiling department with permission to be admitted to the competition for the post of applicant for the degree of Doctor of Sciences;
- The act of recording an interview with a prospective scientific adviser.
Each university has the right to expand this list in accordance with its internal rules and regulations.
Training
Enrollment is carried out after the order of the rector. Three years is the maximum period of study in doctoral studies. This time the doctoral student devotes to preparing for the defense of the dissertation. According to the labor legislation of the Russian Federation, persons enrolled in doctoral studies can be relieved of their posts at will. The time of study in doctoral studies is counted in the official scientific and pedagogical work experience, which is recorded in the work book. Education takes place only in full-time.
During the preparation period, a doctoral candidate compiles an individual work plan, which is approved by the faculty council. Each semester, he passes approval to obtain admission to subsequent work.
To provide scientific and methodological support and assistance when working on dissertation research, a scientific adviser can be appointed by the order of the rector, a highly qualified scientific worker, professor, doctor of science. The presence of two consultants is not allowed. Doctoral study programs are accepted and established by each university independently. All this is carried out according to the list of directions and specialized programs.
During training, a doctoral student is required to:
- Complete all items of an individual plan.
- Prepare a dissertation, completing all studies, and provide it for verification at the place of implementation.
Attendance at seminars of the department and conferences is an indispensable duty of doctoral students.
Financing
During the training, scholarships are provided for doctoral studies, which accrues from the day of admission. The federal budget has planned the possibility of allocating money in the amount of two scholarships for the purchase of scientific literature. By order of the rector, an allowance for the current scholarship may be established.
The payment of business trips of doctoral students studying on a budgetary basis to research centers and educational institutions both in Russia and abroad is funded through the Federal Agency for Education.
Conditions for preparing a doctoral dissertation
In the process of training, the following assets of the department, faculty and university are at the disposal of doctoral students:
- scientific laboratories and all laboratory equipment;
- university libraries;
- research centers;
- current research projects;
- collective use centers;
- University scientific schools;
- information resources of the faculty;
- joint scientific advice.
Cost of education
Education can be funded not only from the state budget, but also by concluding an agreement for receiving education on a paid basis in doctoral studies. This opportunity is used by various research institutes and other organizations, sending their employees to prepare and write dissertations. The cost of such training is from 20 to 200 thousand rubles per year.
Doctoral students from other cities are provided with a hostel.
Certification of doctoral students
It takes place annually, and confirmation is the report on the implementation of the individual work plan for the past period. Certification is carried out in the following form:
- Presentation of a detailed report at a meeting of the relevant department.
- Entering into the minutes of the meeting of the council of the department a conclusion on the extension of research next year.
- Speech with the results of the work at a meeting of the academic council of the faculty.
- Providing extracts from the minutes of the faculty council meeting to the university certification committee.
- Summary of the report to the certification committee.
According to the results of the report, the academic council of the university certifies the doctoral candidate and makes a decision on his further stay in doctoral studies, which is approved by order of the rector. Persons who do not fulfill an individual plan are expelled. All conclusions are issued to the doctoral candidate and the organization that sent him (if any).
If the individual plan is completed on time and without comment, the doctoral candidate has received all admissions, then he has the right to perform additional paid work.
Completion of training
After completing the full course of study, doctoral students who receive the recommendation of the relevant department to defend a dissertation are expelled for this reason: "in connection with the presentation for defense." If such a recommendation is not received, then the deduction occurs for another reason, namely, "in connection with the end of the training period."
Deduction to doctoral studies is a rare case. If it occurs before the end of the training period, then the doctoral candidate has the right to recover by order of the rector to an empty seat (if any).