The programme consists of a coursework part of a minimum of 30 ECTS credits and a doctoral thesis. The thesis may consist of a monograph or a collocation of several smaller works.

The coursework and the work on the thesis are carried out in parallel. It is recommended, however, that the coursework be completed early in the course of study. All the coursework must have been completed and approved before you submit the thesis.

The coursework can be taken at other faculties at NTNU or at other higher education institutions that provide doctoral education. You must have taken the final exam or received another form of assessment for all subjects included in the coursework.

You decide on the courses in agreement with your supervisor. The courses are adapted to the subject matter of your thesis.

The coursework:

• must contain the professional and methodical training and be a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 45 credits.
• must include the course PD8300 Topics in design research
• must contain a minimum of 20 credits of study-scheduled PhD subjects.
• may contain 10 credits of individual reading syllabus or courses at master's level.
• Cannot contain courses like information search or scientific publication within the minimum requirement of 30 credits.

Approval of coursework and external courses

The coursework must be proposed in consultation with the supervisor and approved by the doctoral committee.

If you wish to change the coursework, you must apply for it with an academic justification. The doctoral committee processes the application.

For more information on the coursework and on the approval of courses, see:

• §8 of the Regulations for the PhD degree at NTNU 
• Courses offered by the Department of Design
• Courses offered by the Faculty of Architecture and Design

The doctoral thesis

The research leads to a scientific thesis which you must defend publicly at the end of your studies. It must also be approved by an assessment committee set up by the faculty. The thesis can be written as a monograph or as several smaller works that together form a whole, a collection of articles.

Find everything about the doctoral degree on the page PhD 1-2-3 For NTNU's PhD Candidates.

All candidates who complete their PhD degree are invited to a doctoral awards ceremony.