Latest revised on date of decision 2021-06-29, registration number CSE 2021-0123-02.
This syllabus applies to doctoral students admitted as of 2021-06-29.
Regarding older syllabus, please contact the first vice/vice head of department.
Transitional regulations:
A doctoral student admitted to an older syllabus may earn a degree in accordance with this, provided that the current Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes and current Local Qualifications Framework – third cycle qualifications are followed.
Doctoral students admitted to an older syllabus of graduate school Computer Science and Engineering can, however, change to the current syllabus by an application to the Deputy/Vice Head of Department. The change must be documented in the individual study plan.
The graduate school is regulated by the Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes and the Local Qualifications Framework for Chalmers University of Technology - third cycle qualifications and is described in the syllabus for the graduate school. In the event of any conflict between the documents, the Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes and the Local Qualifications Framework for Chalmers University of Technology - third cycle qualifications are governing. For the most recent version of all regulatory documents referenced in this syllabus, see Chalmers’s internal website.
1. Subject description
Description of subject
The aim of the graduate research education is to give the student a general understanding of the area of Computer Science and Engineering, and a broad understanding of current research issues and practical applications, with in-depth insight into one or more fields, and skills in research methodology.
The fields included in the computer science and engineering research education are broad and span a large spectrum that includes theoretical underpinning of computer science, the development of applied systems, the design of computer hardware, the design of software languages, the processes, practices and methods of real-world software engineering and realistic drawing of images in computer games and films.
Description of specializations
The subject of computer science and engineering covers the following specializations:
- Bioinformatics studies algorithms for handling, analysing, structuring and/or visualising biological data.
- Computer engineering studies the behaviour of computer systems’ hardware and software, in particular modelling and analysis of their non-functional behaviour (e.g., energy consumption, reliability, security, critical timing or realism in computer graphics).
- Computer science studies logical-mathematical modelling of computation with applications to algorithms, data, software languages and machine learning.
- Interaction Design studies designing computer-based products and systems with central focus on usage.
- Natural Language Processing studies the development of computer programs for analysing, understanding or generating human languages.
- Software engineering studies systematic, disciplined and quantifiable approaches to design, development and maintenance of software in practice.
2. Objectives of the doctoral program
Objectives
The national objectives for third cycle degrees (licentiate and doctoral degree) and local requirements are stated in the Local Qualifications Framework for Chalmers University of Technology – third cycle qualifications.
3. Entry requirements
General entry requirements
To be qualified for admission in Computer Science and Engineering the student must have earned a degree at the second-cycle level. The orientation of the student’s degree shall also have a sufficiently close connection to the subject of the doctoral programme. Equivalent requirements apply to individuals who have taken their first degree in a country other than Sweden. The examiner, in consultation with the principal supervisor, shall assess whether the applicant has the requisite capacity to successfully complete the doctoral programme. Other requirements for general entry are regulated in Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes.
Admission
Regulations regarding admission are stated in Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes.
4. Curriculum
The study programme towards a doctoral degree encompasses 240 higher education credits. The study programme towards a licentiate degree encompasses at least 120 higher education credits. One year of full-time studies equals 60 credits.
For the licentiate degree programme, the credits are distributed between courses and thesis work as follows: courses at least 30 credits and thesis at least 90 credits.
For the doctoral degree programme, the credits are distributed between courses and thesis work as follows: courses at least 60 credits and thesis at least 180 credits.
Courses
Courses within the graduate school include general courses that cover all doctoral programmes at Chalmers as well as courses specific for the graduate school.
General courses in Chalmers’s doctoral programmes
The general course requirements for doctoral programmes at Chalmers are regulated in Local Qualifications Framework for Chalmers University of Technology – third cycle qualifications.
Licentiate thesis
A licentiate thesis shall be written in English. In exceptional cases it can be written in Swedish; in such cases it shall contain a summary in English.
The purpose of the licentiate thesis is to account for the relevant scientific results that have been attained during the thesis work and describe these in a way that is accessible outside of the scientific inner circle of researchers. A licentiate thesis can either be written as a compilation thesis or as a monograph. If the licentiate thesis is a compilation thesis it should begin with an introduction, a summarizing text, followed by the included scientific articles. The purpose of the summarizing text is to put the studies in context, and to present relevant results that for various reasons are not described within the articles.
Other regulations concerning the licentiate thesis are stated in Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes.
Doctoral thesis
A doctoral thesis shall be written in English. In exceptional cases it can be written in Swedish; in such cases it shall contain a summary in English.
The purpose of the doctoral thesis is to account for the relevant scientific results that have been attained during the thesis work and describe these in a way that is accessible outside of the scientific inner circle of researchers. A doctoral thesis can either be written as a compilation thesis or as a monograph. If the doctoral thesis is a compilation thesis it should begin with an introduction, a summarizing text, followed by the included scientific articles. The purpose of the summarizing text is to put the studies in context, and to present relevant results that for various reasons are not described within the articles.
Other regulations concerning the doctoral thesis are stated in Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes.
Supervision
The Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes states that for each doctoral student at least two supervisors shall be appointed. One of them shall be appointed principal supervisor. The doctoral student has the right to supervision during the studies unless the Head of Department decides otherwise.
Other regulations concerning supervision are stated in Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes.
5. Examination
After completion of a doctoral programme a doctoral degree is awarded. A licentiate degree can be an intermediate stage in a doctoral degree. If a licentiate degree is not a part of the studies, a midway seminar shall be held to denote that licentiate level has been reached.
Examination, licentiate degree
For a licentiate degree to be awarded, the doctoral student must have received a grade of pass for the licentiate thesis and its presentation and must also have passed the other elements that are included in the programme.
Examination, doctoral degree
For a doctoral degree to be awarded, the doctoral student must have had a doctoral thesis and its defence approved and must also have passed the other elements that are included in the programme.
Other regulations regarding examination are stated in:
- Appointment regulation for doctoral programmes
- Local Qualifications Framework for Chalmers University of Technology – third cycle qualifications
6. Title of degree
The title of qualification is Teknologie doktorsexamen i Data- och Informationsteknik or Filosofie doktorsexamen i Data- och Informationsteknik. The English translation of the title of the qualification is Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science and Engineering.
For a licentiate degree the title of the qualification is Teknologie licentiatexamen i Data- och Informationsteknik or Filosofie licentiatexamen i Data- och Informationsteknik. The English translation of the title of qualification is Degree of Licentiate of Engineering in Computer Science and Engineering or Degree of Licentiate of Philosophy in Computer Science and Engineering.
The degree is given a title corresponding to the name of the faculty within which the undergraduate degree was earned. The title is determined by the Head of Department in connection with admission.
Any decision regarding exemption from use of the defined title is made by the Head of Department. In some individual cases, it is possible to use a title that does not correspond to the name of the faculty within which the undergraduate degree was earned.
7. Additional instructions
Doctoral students shall be given the opportunity to participate in the educational tasks of the department in line with the national degree ordinance learning outcomes. The exact arrangement regarding the scope of participation is part of the admission process and impacts the length of contract of the research education.