Ph.D. Program
The doctoral regulations of the Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, which are detailed in this document, are subject to the University of Haifa’s doctoral regulations policy, which are available in the website of the Graduate Studies Authority of the University.
Terms of Acceptance
Criteria for doctoral studies – outstanding students with a master’s degree with an average overall score of at least 85, and with Thesis score of at least 86 (very good).
Candidates who meet the admissions criteria will be required to continue as follows:
A Contact a potential supervisor
B Send Registration Kit to the Dept. office by e-amil(each document separetly):
1 CV (please see format in the GSA website)
2 Photocopies of BSc Diploma as well as
Certified grade transcripts
3. Photocopies of MSc Diploma as well as
4. A declaration of intent by the applicant in regard the topic of the proposed research, approved by the intended dissertation supervisor/s
5. A letter of recommendation from the supervisor/s , must include research subject as well as The importance and innovation of the research.
5 Two letters of recommendation from members of an academic faculty. Please note , One should be from the M.A. thesis advisor. (Recommendation can be sent directly to Dept. office by email.)
6 Abstract of the MSc thesis and a photocopy of MSc thesis first page with supervisor/s signature/s .
7. Int, candidates, please send copy of your passport
3 An online interview which be conducted by the PhD committee
Study Program
The official duration of the doctoral studies in the regular track (see below) is 4 years. After this period, an extension of 1-2 years may be granted with the approval of the supervisor and the departmental doctorate committee. After six years from the start of studies, the studies will be paused, and this pause may last for a maximum duration of four years, during which the student will be able to stop this pause for submitting his/her thesis and completing his/her studies. If ten years have elapsed since the beginning of the doctoral studies and the thesis has not yet been submitted, the studies will be terminated.
The doctoral studies are divided into two stages:
Stage A – Prior to the submission of the research proposal. This stage will last up to one year from the start of the studies. The research proposal will be submitted at the end of this stage.
Stage B – After approval of the research proposal by the student’s Ph.D. committee. This period will continue until the completion of the degree, subject to the conditions mentioned below.
Student Ph.D. Committee
Each student will have an accompanying committee consisting of the direct supervisor and two other members who are experts in the subject of the student’s research. The committee will be responsible for controlling the progress of the research and the achievement of the doctoral research goals. The committee will also assist in guiding the student in addition to the supervisor.
Meeting of the student’s Ph.D. committee
The committee will hold at least 3 joint meetings with the student.
- In the first year – discussion and approval of the research proposal and the course plan of the student.
- After a year and a half from the date of the first meeting – an examination of the progress of the research.
- Towards the end of the doctoral studies – approval that the work is appropriate in scope and scientific merit for a doctoral thesis and approval for writing the thesis by the student.
Formal requirements of students enrolled in Ph.D. in the department
- An interview by the departmental doctoral committee before the beginning of the studies.
- Presentation of the research proposal to the students’ forum of the department.
- Completing courses with a total of 8 credits points (with the approval of the Ph.D. committee), including a mandatory course of scientific writing.
- Participation in 30 departmental seminars as of Oct. 2020 – 60.
- Annual submission of a progress report on the appropriate form at the beginning of each academic year.
- Presentation of the thesis results in the student forum / departmental seminar.
Duties of the Ph.D. supervisor
- Guidance throughout the studies from the planning to the publication of the research.
- Supply of infrastructure / equipment / reference material / advertising platforms for the purpose of conducting the research.
- Responsibility for determining the timing of the meetings of the student’s Ph.D. committee, the annual progress report, and the contact with the department’s secretary.
- Granting a scholarship of at least 5,000 NIS per month for a period of 4 years.
Thesis types
Monograph – can consist of several chapters or one comprehensive chapter. Includes an expanded general introduction to the subject and an expanded general discussion.
- Manuscripts thesis – consists at least 3 chapters that constitute scientific articles. Includes a brief general introduction and general discussion. Requires the formal consent of the co-authors.
Terms for doctoral studies discontinuation
- No submission of the student’s research proposal, progress reports and thesis, according to the times set by the Graduate Studies Authority and the Departmental Doctoral Committee. It should be noted that if there is a need to extend the submission of the research proposal and the period of study until the submission of the thesis (in accordance with the above-mentioned time frames), a request must be made in advance.
- The supervisor’s reasoned decision on termination of the student’s studies.
Doctoral study tracks
- Regular track (after completing a M.Sc. degree)
- Direct track (without completing a M.Sc. degree)
- It is important to note the differences in the requirements of each study track before the start of the Ph.D. studies.
Direct PhD track
This track can be selected by students after completing their B.Sc. with honors. In addition, students who completed their first year of study in their M.Sc. studies with distinction (an average score of at least 90 points in courses of at least 14 credit points), and whose research topic is defined and approved by the supervisor. The departmental doctoral committee will discuss these applications to the direct Ph.D. track. In each case, students, whether they completed a B.Sc. degree and began the direct track or completed one year of their M.Sc. studies, must complete the courses of the department’s M.Sc. program with a minimum of 28 credits points. The duration of the direct-track doctoral degree is 5 years for students who started the program after completing their B.Sc. degree, or 4 years for students who began their direct doctorate after their first year of M.Sc. degree.
Administrative issues
Any request by a student to the Graduate Studies Authority or the Departmental Doctorate Committee for administrative matters will be made by the supervisor to the department’s secretary. If there are more than a single supervisor, the correspondence will be made by the supervisor who is a faculty member and not by an external supervisor. The department secretary will transfer the relevant request to the department’s doctoral committee and, if necessary, to the Graduate Studies Authority.
Forms
Annual Progress Report
Request for Extension
Academic Leave of Absence
Dissertation Depositing in the University Library