PhD Thesis Project

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The student work is supervised individually by the supervisor or supervisors, and the contact times and procedures for preparation of the work are the ones that the student and the supervisor deem appropriate for each aspect of the research that is being planned.

The report, a result of this course, after being validated by the coordination and by an opinion of an outside expert is submitted to the Faculty Scientific Council for approval and registration of the dissertation topic. There are five assessment levels for the quality of the report: 1st the student, 2nd the supervisor, 3rd the program coordinators, 4th an external expert; 5th the Scientific Council of the Faculty. In each of these levels the report may be returned to the student with advice and suggestions for reformulation.

The final evaluation results from a meeting where opinions of the supervisor and of the coordinators are taken into account, as well as the other opinions gathered during this process.

Learning Outcomes

This course aims to produce a report that constitutes a project of a doctoral dissertation in the field of Management Science. It is a dissertation proposal, made by the student under the supervision of a faculty member who is appointed by the coordination taking into account the scientific interests of both the student and the professor. In general, this professor will later become the supervisor of the dissertation. This cu represents a step in to achieving independent scientific research and it is an important preliminary assessment of the students’ skills for scientific research production.

This course is optional in the program structure but in reality it is mandatory for anyone wanting to make a dissertation and get the PhD degree. It is given as an option in order to allow a student to finish the lectures section of the program and get a Diploma of Specialized Studies in Management Sciences, even if s/he no longer wants to complete the dissertation and to get the PhD degree.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

A first step will be to choose and define the dissertation subject. Then the student must prepare a plan of the scientific research work to be undertaken.

The final report (Thesis Project) should address the following points:

- Title or subject / participants

- Abstract in English and Portuguese

- Introduction: Presentation of the theme starting with the general aspects and going on to specific ones;

Objectives (general and specific); Expected results; Relevance or importance; Motivation.

- State of the art: Updated bibliography demonstrating the originality of the contribution and the mastery of the subject by the student.

- Materials and methods: What to do and what is needed to achieve the objectives / outcomes.

- Feasibility: Expected time; Financing; Structures, etc..

- Timeline

- Conclusive Summary

- References

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria João Teixeira Gomes Alves

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Research work: 100.0%

Bibliography

Não aplicável / Not applicable.