Thesis Supervision

The Guide for Good Practices  is the common reference for all the doctoral programs in the University of Málaga. This guide, together with the University’s current regulations, encompasses the recommendations for the correct supervision of doctoral students and their thesis. To ensure the proper monitoring of the student, the supervisor is crucial. In this respect, the Program’s Academic Committee is in charge of selecting the thesis supervisor.

The Doctoral Thesis

The doctoral thesis consists of original research work prepared by the PhD candidate on some topic related to the scope of knowledge of the Doctoral Program.

The Tutor

The current Spanish regulation ‘Royal Decree 99/2011’ follows the “Principles of Salzburg” and obliges the University to assign a tutor to every doctoral student. The supervision has to involve not only the tutor, but also the supervisor, the Academic Committee, the student, the research group and the whole institution.

All the duties and the recommended profile for a tutor are listed in the university regulations.

Thesis Supervisor

To ensure the proper monitoring of the student, the supervisor is crucial. That is why the Program’s Academic Committee is in charge of selecting the supervisor. The selection process considers the student’s profile and preferences and the availability of researchers that can act as supervisors.

Every student will have, apart from the tutor, one or two supervisors. If possible, the tutor and the supervisor will be the same person.

At any time, the student (with motives) can apply for a change of supervisor or of the title of the thesis. The Academic Coordinator will be informed of said application and the Academic Committee of the Program will make the final decision.

Co-Supervision of Thesis

Every student will have, apart from the tutor, one or two supervisors. If possible, the tutor and the supervisor will be the same person. According to the strategy of the University, co-supervision is especially interesting in the following cases:

1. When the thesis deals with an interdisciplinary subject that requires the participation of supervisors from different scientific fields.

2. To promote internationalization through co-tutoring by internatonal researchers whenever this is possible and beneficial for the doctoral student.

3. Likewise, with the goal of promoting the interaction between the university and the industry, co-supervision by researchers from a companies or research institutes is recommended.

Co-Tutoring of Thesis

In line with the general strategy of the University of Málaga for academic training in the Doctoral Program, co-tutoring agreements with other international universities will be promoted.

Participation of International Experts

The PhD regulations of the University of Málaga include the possibility that international experts participate in the monitoring committees, drafting preliminary reports and on the Thesis Tribunals. This participation is compulsory in order to obain the International Mention. The PhD Program in Economics and Business will actively promote the participation of international experts, who will it, to participate in the monitoring committees, in co-supervising theses,in drafting preliminary reports and and in the committees for the defense of theses.