The graduate school is organised within the Department of Industrial and Materials Science.
Director of Graduate Studies: Göran Gustafsson
Syllabus
Established by the First Vice President on 2005-05-17, registration number C 2005/604.
Latest revised on 2021-06-24, registration number IMS 2021-0111.
This syllabus applies to doctoral students admitted as of 2021-08-01.
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 Product and production development 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 research within the subject Product and Production Development deals with methods for the development and realization of products, manufacturing techniques and production systems in, among others, automotive and engineering industries. The research often focuses on mechanical engineering but also covers other areas such as the process and food industry. The graduate school has three specializations, which together cover methods and working procedures all the way from idea to finished product. After fulfilment of the education, the doctoral student shall be well prepared for continuing independent and high-quality academic or industrial research, development and teaching activities in the subject area, both nationally and internationally.
Description of specializations
The graduate school has three specializations: product development, manufacturing processes and production systems. Together, they cover methods and working procedures all the way from idea to finished product.
Product Development
The specialization focuses on the development of working procedures, methods and tools for product development and design, as well as techniques for integration and rationalization of the product development process. In this context, information technology is important as well as necessary, and both analysis and synthesis are emphasized.
Manufacturing Processes
The specialization focuses on research related to manufacturing processes used in the manufacture of fabricated metal products, machine tools and transportation equipment. Forming and machining processes (including grinding) are included. Special research focus is on process modelling and surface integrity aspects.
Production Systems
The specialization focuses on the development of models as well as methods and tools for modelling, simulation, visualization and design of production systems, and in particular takes a system view on the development, operation and maintenance of partially automated production systems.
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.
For each specialization, the learning objectives are described below:
- Product Development: The objective is to provide an understanding of how to develop system products based on the criteria of an industrial product development process. "Systems Engineering", PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) and robust design and geometry assurance are important thematic areas.
- Manufacturing Processes: The objective is to provide an understanding of essential mechanics of processes and machines applied to the manufacture of engineering components via cutting, (additive) layer processes and deformation processes.
- Production Systems: The objective is to give an understanding of how the combination and design of all components in a production system (i.e., machines, people, robots, information systems and transport systems) affect the whole in terms of robustness, automation level, efficiency etc.
3. Entry requirements
General entry requirements
To be qualified for admission in Product and Production Development 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 course work 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.
Courses specific for the Graduate school
For the Product Development and Production Systems specializations, it is mandatory to take courses in product and production development corresponding to 7.5 credits.
For the specialization in Manufacturing Processes, it is compulsory to take courses in the subject of manufacturing technology corresponding to 7.5 credits.
In addition, for all three specializations, it is compulsory to take courses in science theory and research methodology corresponding to 7.5 credits.
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.
The licentiate thesis should correspond to 2-3 articles that are published at international conferences and/or in international journals. The individual articles may have been written together with other persons, including the main supervisor and assistant supervisors, but the doctoral student should be the first author of most of them. All articles must be peer reviewed and either already published or submitted for publication to conferences and/or journals covered by the database used by Chalmers. At least one article must have been submitted to an international journal.
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.
The individual articles may have been written together with other persons, including the main supervisor and assistant supervisors, but the doctoral student should be the first author of most of them. All articles must be peer reviewed and either already published or submitted for publication to conferences and/or journals covered by the database used by Chalmers.
The dissertation should comprise the equivalent of 4-5 internationally publishable articles, of which at least two should be already approved for publication in international journals.
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 individual study plan, a midway seminar shall be held to denote that licentiate level has been reached.
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 received a grade of pass for the other elements that are included in the programme.
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 Produkt- och produktionsutveckling or Filosofie doktorsexamen i Produkt- och produktionsutveckling. The English translation of the title of the qualification is Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Product and Production Development.
For a licentiate degree the title of the qualification is Teknologie licentiatexamen i Produkt- och produktionsutveckling or Filosofie licentiatexamen i Produkt- och produktionsutveckling. The English translation of the title of qualification is Degree of Licentiate of Engineering in Product and Production Development or Degree of Licentiate of Philosophy in Product and Production Development.
In addition, one of the three specializations should be stated in the title of the degree. The specialization is determined by the examiner.
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 in the graduate subject Product and Production Development belong to the Chalmers graduate school with the same name. In addition, they can also belong to a national, a Nordic or other international graduate schools.