Doctoral student arkistot - Page 6 of 14

Methods of research and statistics

Finnish Social Science Data Archive has published Research Methods Guidebook. Links to self-learning materials on selection of research methods can be found on the Library webpages. Method courses are also offered by some doctoral programmes as a part of their discipline-specific curriculum.

Courses in statistics may be included in the doctoral degree if they comply with the study requirements. You can, for example, select online courses in using tools like R and SPSS. Please check the prerequisites before registering.

In Statistics, consultation is offered on matters of statistical methods and their proper use to researchers who have acquired the basic knowledge of the Statistics studies equivalent to the first-year studies at UEF, and whose own supervisor is unable to help them on the matter. More information about the courses and consultation services is available on SPSS and statistics– page in Kamu.

Guidance on research ethics

Responsible conduct of research

Responsible conduct of research forms a basis for all research activities. Responsible conduct of research means practicing integrity, meticulousness and accuracy in all phases of research, using ethically sustainable methods that fulfill scientific criteria, as well as respectful and responsible conduct towards other researchers. Responsible data management as well as openness in sharing the results and conflicts of interest are in the core of responsible conduct of research.

Commitment to responsible conduct of research is primarily up to you, but also to your supervisor, the whole research team, the head of your research unit and the leadership of the University. In addition to good scientific practice, you must take into account up-to-date legislation. At the University of Eastern Finland, violations of good scientific practice are monitored by the leadership of the University (Rector and Vice Rector for Research).

The National Advisory Board on Research Integrity (Tutkimuseettinen neuvottelukunta, TENK) appointed by the Ministry of Culture and Education has issued research ethics guidelines Responsible Conduct of Research and Procedures for Handling Allegations and Misconduct in Finland (pdf) and
Recommendation for Agreeing on Authorship for Research Publications (pdf).

Universities Finland (UNIFI) and The National Advisory Board on Research Integrity (TENK) have also compiled a recommendation Supervision of Doctoral Dissertations and Their Review Process in Finland with a Special Emphasis on Research Integrity (pdf).

You, just like all doctoral researchers, have to be aware of good scientific practices before starting the doctoral studies.

Ethical review and licenses

The ethical committees assess the ethicality of research project and, if necessary, give statements about them. Responsibility for adhering to the ethical guidelines remains with you despite of a statement issued by the ethical committee. Ethical review protects the subjects and ensures the researcher’s legal protection.

You may also need a permit for your research. The research permit practices vary depending on the discipline and research type.

If you use customer and register data generated in social and health care activities for a purpose other than the primary purpose for which they were originally saved, you must apply for statistical data with a data request and individual-level data with a data permit. More information about Act on the Secondary Use of Health and Social Data.

It is good to reserve time for ethical review and research permit practices in your research plan, since processing occurs via established systems and time-frames.

Research projects and studies in the humanities and social and behavioural sciences

In human sciences, certain research designs require ethical review. The publisher, collaborator, research subject or research funder of the study may also require ethical review. The Committee on Research Ethics of the University of Eastern Finland carries out reviews and issues statements on research projects and studies in the humanities and social and behavioural sciences. The Committee adheres to the guidelines of the National Advisory Board on Research Ethics relating to research in the humanities and social and behavioural sciences. The applicant should familiarise herself/himself with the guidelines. Instructions and forms for making a request for a statement can be found on the university's public website on the public website

A research permit must be sought from the target organisation from which research subjects are recruited. If the ethical statement is needed, it must be sought before the research permit.

More information: The ethical principles of research with human participants and ethical review in the human sciences in Finland. Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK guidelines 2019 (PDF)

Research projects and studies in medicine and health sciences

Scientific research always requires a research permit (at Kuopio University Hospital: an organisation permit). Other permits, statements, and notifications may also be required, depending on the type of research. For example, the Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea must be notified of interventional clinical trials on medicinal products, and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL grants permission to use registers. Research must not be started before all the required permits have been granted.

When a research project or study in Health Sciences or Medicine intervenes with the physical or mental integrity of a person, the project or study is required by law to undergo an ethical review by the ethics committee of the hospital district concerned. Research projects and studies in Medicine and Health Sciences carried out at the University of Eastern Finland are reviewed by the Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Savo Hospital District. The review of the committee adheres to the Medical Research Act (1999/488).

Requests for statement and instructions: Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Savo Wellbeing Services County

More information:

Guidelines and regulations on using laboratory animals

The use of laboratory animals is subject to a licence. The use of animals for experimental purposes is regulated in Finland by the Act on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (497/2013), the Government Decree on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (564/2013) and other legislation on the use of animals for experimental purposes.

Further information is available on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland.

Guidelines and regulations on gene technology

The use of gene technology is regulated by Gene Technology Act (377/1995). The Board for Gene Technology (GTLK), which operates in conjunction with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, is the competent authority in Finland regarding the use of genetically modified organisms in accordance with the Act. The Advisory Board on Biotechnology is a consultative body of experts in issues related to bio- and gene technology.

Authenticity check of manuscripts

Turnitin is a tool for checking the authenticity of the text, which you can utilise when ever you write academic texts. You can, for example, check the manuscripts of the scientific articles before submitting them. The doctoral dissertation must be checked with Turnitin before submitting it to pre-examination. More information on the topic: Permission for public examination and pre-examination of doctoral dissertation.

Using artificial intelligence in research

When using AI, there are many questions related to, for example, research ethics, copyright and processing confidential information. Read carefully through The use of AI in teaching and research webpage in Kamu as well as Artificial intelligence (AI) at the University of Eastern Finland in UEF intranet (requires UEF login).

Learn more

Courses on Research Ethics

On the course Research Ethics – Principles and Practices you will familiarise yourself with ethical thinking and ethical challenges related to different phases of research. See Peppi for courses on research ethics and philosophy of science on the curriculum of the Researcher’s Transferable Skills Studies.

Responsible research

The website Responsible research collects timely information on the topic: good scientific practices, research ethics, responsible publishing and open science.

Entrepreneurship studies in UEF

Note! This page is under construction.

A comprehensive description of the entrepreneurship studies at UEF will be added to this site. Content related to entrepreneurship services has been moved to UEF’s Startup website at https://www.uef.fi/startup/.

The University of Eastern Finland offers a wide range of entrepreneurship courses that allow students to explore entrepreneurship and assess their own interests, skills, and opportunities for becoming entrepreneurs. Courses are available from introductory entrepreneurship studies to topics related to starting and running a business. Free counselling is also offered to help students plan their personal path in entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship Minor

The University of Eastern Finland offers entrepreneurship-related courses open to all students. You can take individual courses based on your interests, or you may complete them as a minor subject module worth at least 25 ECTS credits. The courses are available to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students of all fields on both campuses. These studies are suitable both for those considering entrepreneurship as a career option and for those who wish to develop entrepreneurial skills valued in working life. UEF’s main entrepreneurship lecturer is Helen Reijonen ([email protected], tel. +358 50 435 2408).

Missing something essential from this page? Send feedback to [email protected]!

Methods of completing studies

Education Regulations describe how studies can be completed, and units responsible for courses (in Peppi: course implementations) have the authority to define the ways of completing courses in their curricula, including evaluation of study attainments. Students can complete studies individually or in groups through a variety of written and oral methods, such as lectures and book exams, essays, seminars, practical and laboratory work, online teaching, practical training and the combinations of these. The methods of completing studies are described in the course descriptions of each curriculum. Courses are completed at one go, unless otherwise stated in the curriculum.

If a student has a learning difficulty or disability, s/he has the right to apply for individual arrangements (see Accessibility in studies – aids and facilities) that apply to the ways a course can be completed, for instance.

In addition to traditional contact teaching in class, studies can be completed online or in multiform learning environments. Distance learning/ online studies are carried out in web-based learning environments, whereas multiform learning utilizes a number approaches: independent study and group work, face-to-face activities as well as e-learning where the latest technology is used to enhance learning. One of the latest approaches is “flipping” or “flipped classroom” – an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning – which aims at increasing student engagement and the quality of learning by having students complete readings independently at home, and work on live problem-solving, applying and analyzing in class.

The most typical methods of completing studies are presented below:

Lectures
Lecture is an oral presentation and traditionally a common form of contact teaching at the university. Lectures do not require regular attendance and, in most cases, the number of participants is not limited. However, different practices are used in university teaching and lecturing, and it is a good idea to check the course description in Peppi before the lectures begin. Lectures may be based on pre-distributed material or, in addition to lectures, there may be additional literature for independent study. Lectures are usually followed by an exam. In some cases, a lecture diary may be required.

Exercises
Exercises put in practice data and knowledge obtained during lectures or self-study. Regular presence is required during exercises. Studies can include a wide variety of exercises and/or practical work, the completion of which requires attendance as well as the approved completion of the given assignments.

Seminars
Participants present their seminar work (presentation, thesis, summary, etc.), participate in discussion and act as opponents. Regular attendance is required.

Small group teaching
Small group teaching (i.e. students study in smaller groups) may be part of a course. Dividing a bigger lot into groups usually takes place in advance. There may be exercises, seminars, other types of group work or a teacher-led lecture/ tutorial in a small group.

Book or lecture exam
At the university, tests are called exams. As a rule, there are two types of exams: lecture exams and general exams. A lecture exam is usually at the end of a series of lectures and, in addition to lectures, additional literature may be part of the exam. In general exams, predetermined literature is often taken. In some faculties, one may do exams from other courses in the same general exam. Registrations for general exams should be done 10 days before the exam date
at the latest, and the dates for general exams can be found in the curriculum of your faculty. It is a good idea to check the registration practices and other important details of exams in advance, as they differ from one faculty to another. If required, the student must prove his/her identity before taking the exam.

Exams can also be taken in Moodle and in Exam.

Exam answers are usually essay-type writings. The aim is to test the student’s knowledge and understanding of the topic in question.

Electronic exam system (Exam)
The university utilizes an electronic exam system. An electronic exam can be completed on campus in supervised facilities. The idea is that the student can take an exam according to his/her own schedule. The possibility to take an electronic exam is mentioned in the course description. For more information, please see Electronic exam: instructions for students.

Essay
Essay is a reflective, literature-based article that explores one of the questions given as the subject of an essay. A scientific essay is usually based on several source materials and contains the author’s own reflection as well as critical observations. The topic to be discussed is analyzed, evaluated and compared using different sources followed by a synthesis based on the data as well as student’s own reflection.

Learning diary
The aim of a learning diary is to form one’s own view of the course literature, lectures, seminars, etc. It involves reflecting and asking questions to what has previously been learned, discussed, read and experienced. A learning diary is not merely a paper or a summary of the topics and contents of lectures.

Summary
Summary is a structured paper of the main points of an oral or written presentation. A summary must include the main ideas of the original presentation in the student’s own words, and as structured as possible. The evaluation of a summary draws attention to the style of the text and the formal requirements of the summary, so that the main content, main points and perspectives of the original presentation are revealed. In addition, a summary shall indicate which parts of the text are compiled by the student her/himself, and which are expressed by the original text/teacher. Mechanical summarizing or copying an original presentation is not an academic summary.

Lecture diary
A lecture diary is a summary-like text on the main points of the followed lecture. It must reflect the main ideas expressed in the lecture in a structured and the student’s own way. In addition, a lecture diary must include the student’s own reflections on the topic discussed, as if talking to the lecturer, perhaps questioning the lecturer’s approach or highlighting points that are still unclear. Any material distributed in the lecture should not be copied word by word into the lecture diary. A lecture diary must clearly show which parts of the text are written by the student him/herself, and which were expressed by the original text/teacher.

Learning group
Learning group refers to a form of study in which a freely formed group of students completes a course as group work. The group meets on a regular basis and students take turns in presenting introductions from the course literature. A final written report is produced based on the introductions and discussions in group so that a study attainment may be recorded into the system. Students themselves are responsible for the compilation and meetings of the learning group. A successful learning group requires motivated students with the ability to cooperate and take responsibility.

Learning assignment
According to detailed instructions on the topic announced during the course, a learning assignment is either individual or group work.

Portfolio
The purpose of a portfolio is to present the accumulation of student’s expertise and competence. A portfolio is compiled following the instructions given during a course. UEF has made the Kyvyt.fi ePortfolio service available to its students. This service provides tools for creating and developing one’s own resumé online as well as maintaining a CV. The service also provides opportunities for networking and publishing a portfolio, e.g. for potential employers.

The Kyvyt.fi ePortfolio service can be accessed through the main page of UEF Moodle by going to “Web servers” and clicking on the link to the Kyvyt.fi service. This link will take you to a page where you can create a new username and password for the Kyvyt.fi service, and the username and password you have now created for Kyvyt.fi will be available also after your study right at UEF has expired.

Practical training
Studies may include compulsory or optional practical training. For example, teacher’s pedagogical studies include teaching practice. Other fields of study may also include compulsory practical training. In terms of employability, it may be beneficial for the student to complete an optional practical training (see the Student guidelines on the practices of supported practical training for more details). In some cases, it is also possible to pursue practical training abroad (please see International traineeships for more details).

Thesis
A thesis is required for all university degrees. Theses at UEF include Bachelor’s Thesis, Master’s Thesis, Licentiate Thesis and a Doctoral Dissertation. Take a closer look at theses.

Maturity test
A thesis is an academic paper including a maturity test. For further information, please see Thesis and maturity test.

Travel grants

Many foundations grant funds for traveling. You can search for available travel grants in Pivot RP database (requires UEF login) or Research.fi database. Some faculties and departments also give travel grants.

Travel grants of the Faculty of Health Sciences

The Faculty of Health Sciences grants travel funding for advanced scientific education. The travel funding can be applied for twice a year. Follow announcements on the TT Doctoral Programmes in the Faculty of Health Sciences Viva Engage channel.

Travel grants of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

The departments/schools of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies award travel grants for study, seminar and conference trips for doctoral researchers upon application. These travel grants are intended for doctoral researchers who are not employed by the University of Eastern Finland (including part-time work for grant-funded researchers).

Applications must be accompanied by:

a statement of completion of the studies foreseen in the postgraduate study plan and an individual plan for the timetable for the missing studies
approval from the supervisor to attend the event(s) (e-mail is acceptable)

The travel grants are awarded by the head of department/school. The application period is continuous. Applications will be processed within 1-2 months of receipt (excluding the summer vacation period).

Applications are submitted using the digital application form. See the application form and further information.

Mobility support of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies for staff members

Teaching and research staff employed at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies may apply for a incentive compensation to fund research work abroad for 1-12 months. Read more about YHKA Incentive Compensation (Mobility abroad) in UEF intranet (requires UEF login).

Travel grants of the Philosophical Faculty

FILOTO Doctoral Programme awards travel grants for domestic and international conference and seminar trips upon application. Grants may be applied for by doctoral researchers of the Philosophical Faculty who are registered as present and who are not employed by the university. The application period for 2026 ends on 30 November. Grant applications are reviewed once a month, excluding the summer holiday period. Apply for the grant with this form.

Requirements for and Examination of the Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

NOTE! As of August 1, 2025, preliminary examiners must submit their statement to the faculty no later than thirty (30) days after the thesis has been sent to them. If necessary, the dean may grant an extension.

Requirements for the doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Requirements for the Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

The doctoral dissertation demonstrates the doctoral researcher’s in-depth knowledge of the field of research, related fields and the philosophy of science. Furthermore, the dissertation demonstrates his/her ability to apply the methods of scientific research in practice, both independently, and critically in his/her field of research as well as independently to generate new information.

Forms of the dissertation

One of the following can be accepted as a doctoral dissertation:

a separate piece of research (monograph). A monograph is a work based on the research project by the doctoral researcher. It is a coherent and independent study and should contain the data and methodology and the results as a whole.
an article-based dissertation. An article-based dissertation shall contain at least two peer-reviewed articles accepted for publication and one manuscript accepted for the review process. Peer review refers to an assessment process carried out by the scientific community where an article or part of a collection of articles undergoes an advance assessment by an independent expert. The review must be verifiable. The other articles may be manuscripts to be published. An article electronically pre-published by a scientific series is regarded as published. In case the articles are joint publications, a doctoral candidate must be mainly responsible for at least two of them. If the publications include collaborative work, a doctoral candidate must present a written account of his/her own contribution to those publications when requesting a public examination. A joint publication may be included in a maximum of two different dissertations. We follow the TENK (Finnish National Board on Research Integrity) recommendations on authorship of scientific publications.

In Business Studies, an essay-based dissertation can also be approved. An essay-based dissertation comprises at least three published or unpublished independent manuscripts dealing with the same set of research problems. Some of these manuscripts may be scientific articles or other publications and unpublished essays.

It is recommended to publish in national and/or international scientific journals, series or monographs, which are specialised in publishing scientific research results, have an editorial board comprising experts and hold ISSN or ISBN numbers (e.g. the Finnish JUFO Publication Forum classification levels 1 – 3, see Publication Forum for more information).

In addition to the articles or essays, the dissertation must include an introduction.

The language of the doctoral dissertation is Finnish, English or another language accepted by the Dean responsible for postgraduate education.

There is a separate instruction on publishing the dissertation at Kamu.

Further information
Annikki Honkanen
Anne Korhonen

Examination process of the doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Submitting the manuscript for preliminary examination

After you have assessed, together with your supervisor, that your manuscript is ready for evaluation you may submit it for preliminary examination. Please note that before doing this you must make sure, that your dissertation has been checked for plagiarism in compliance with the instructions of the University of Eastern Finland and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. You should submit the manuscript in pdf-format to the faculty. In addition, you should attach a form requesting for permission to public examination. When necessary, ask the form from the following address: jatko-opinnaytteet.yhka(at)uef.fi. Please, submit the form and the manuscript to [email protected].

If your dissertation includes joint publications, you must present a written account of your own contribution to those publications. This is done with a free-form report describing, e.g. your position as an author (e.g. first author, responsible author), your workload by percentage or which parts/chapters of the publications you have been responsible for. If the articles have not been published yet, also attach acceptance letters.

The Vice Dean appoints the preliminary examiners

The Head of your department and your main supervisor notify [email protected] of the names, academic titles and contact information of the preliminary examiners. The preliminary examiners are chosen from among experts external to the university and they are required to hold the title of docent or be persons with equivalent scientific competence.

Your supervisor or a person who has coauthored publications with you in the topic of the dissertation, or who has been involved in research projects with you during your doctoral studies, may not be chosen as a preliminary examiner. Furthermore, a person who in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act is otherwise disqualified may not be chosen as a preliminary examiner. For more information about disqualification, please get acquainted with university’s disqualification guideline.

The Vice Dean decides on the preliminary examiners, after which an official sends the preliminary examiners a copy of the manuscript and instructions relating to the preliminary examination. You will get a copy of the decision.

The Vice Dean gives permission to defend the dissertation in a public examination

The preliminary examiners are required to deliver their statements to the faculty within 30 days of the date on which the thesis was sent to the preliminary examiners. If necessary, the dean may grant an extension. Once the statements have arrived at the faculty, an official sends them to you in order to express your opinion on the matter. The statements are also delivered to your supervisor. After this, the Vice Dean decides on the public examination of your doctoral dissertation. You will get a copy of this decision with necessary instructions.

Interrupting the thesis assessment process

If the preliminary examiners do not recommend giving a permission for public examination, you should contact [email protected] and your supervisors. You can interrupt the assessment process of the thesis once. The interruption shall be requested in writing.

You may submit your thesis for reassessment after rewriting the thesis, taking into account the content and formal observations of the thesis supervisor and the preliminary examiners. If the thesis is not accepted for assessment, the related decision shall be open to appeal.

Publishing the doctoral dissertation

If you plan to publish your doctoral dissertation in the faculty’s publication series, you should contact the editor of the series after having been given permission to defend the dissertation in a public examination. If the doctoral dissertation is published in some other series than the faculty’s own, the instructions of the series in question should be observed. For more information about publishing, please get acquainted with the publishing instructions.

NB! It is important to reserve enough time for the layout, printing and revision; preferably about two months.

Also, please note that doctoral candidates may apply for a grant from the faculty to cover the printing costs of their dissertations. For instructions and the necessary forms, see the website Publishing Doctoral Dissertations > Dissertation Grant in Kamu.

The Vice Dean Appoints the Opponent and the Custos

The Head of your Department and your supervisor make a proposal on the persons to be appointed as the opponent and the custos. Please, agree on the date of the public examination with them. The proposal will be sent with contact information by email to [email protected] . The Vice Dean decides on the opponent, the custos and the date of the public examination. The decision with necessary instructions is sent to all parties.

The opponent is required hold the title of docent or be a person with equivalent scientific competence and be external to the University of Eastern Finland. The custos must hold a doctorate and the title of docent and must be in service to the University of Eastern Finland. Also, a professor emeritus or emerita can be assigned to custos.

Informing the Media of the Dissertation

The media will be informed of your upcoming dissertation after you have been given a permission for public examination and the date and venue of your public examination have been set. Please, read through the detailed communication instructions in Kamu and fill out the electronic dissertation form.

Public Examination

The public examination should be held on Joensuu or Kuopio campus. Please note that you are responsible for taking care of the practical arrangements of the public examination together with your own department. The instructions relating to the public examination are available in Kamu.

Statement of the opponent and grading of the dissertation

The opponent or opponents shall issue their written statement regarding the doctoral dissertation and its public examination to the faculty within two weeks of the public examination. Also, remarks presented in the public examination shall be delivered in writing to the faculty within two weeks of the public examination. The statement or remark should be delivered to [email protected]. An official will send it to you in order to express your opinion on the matter.

The Faculty Council grades the dissertation after having heard the opinions of the doctoral candidate. Read more about evaluation and grading in the following chapters. After the meeting of the Faculty Council, an official sends you a notification of the decision.

Further Information
Jaana Mäkinen
Annikki Honkanen
Anne Korhonen

Authenticity verification of the doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

All submitted dissertations whether preliminary or final shall undergo an authenticity verification by using the electronic plagiarism detection system Turnitin.

Principles of authenticity verification

The authenticity of the doctoral dissertation shall be verified as follows:

The authenticity of a monograph thesis shall always be verified prior to its submission to the review process. If significant changes are made to it after the preliminary review, the candidate shall be recommended to verify the authenticity again before it is published.
The authenticity of an article- or essay-based dissertation shall be verified during the preliminary review of an article yet to be published.

The doctoral candidate is recommended to verify the authenticity of the dissertation independently during the writing process. You can test your thesis or other written work through the Turnitin’s Moodle course. Get acquainted with the technical instructions of the electronic plagiarism detection tool and sign in.

Steps to take

Before pre-examination the doctoral candidate

Shall submit the manuscript of the dissertation to Turnitin and inform the supervisor about the submission. The Turnitin assignment can belong to a supervisor, department or doctoral programme.
Shall see the authenticity report produced by the Turnitin system.
Shall revise the dissertation on the basis of the report. The revised manuscript can be submitted to the plagiarism detection system only once after the first round.
Shall get another authenticity report that of the dissertation is approved, whereafter the candidate is able to send it for review in accordance with the guidelines of the faculty.

If cheating is suspected on the basis of a report, it the case will be investigated according to the ethical guidelines for teaching and studying > Procedure in cases of suspected fraud.

Please read through also guidance on research ethics.

Support

User support for Turnitin is available from Oppitupa ([email protected]).

Public examination, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Dress code

The correct form of dress code for the doctoral candidates, the custos and the opponent is for females a black dress with long sleeves and for males, full evening dress with black waistcoat. Alternatively, formal suit may be worn. The doctoral candidate decides on the dress code. Where appropriate, participants may wear a doctoral gown. Participants holding Nordic doctorates are to carry their doctor’s hat in their hand while entering and leaving the room. During the public examination the hat is placed upon the table with the lyre facing the audience.

Progress of the public examination

The public examination begins 15 minutes past the hour by which time the audience will have arrived in the room. The doctoral candidate is the first to enter the room, followed by the custos and finally the opponent. The audience will stand up when they enter the room.

The public examination includes the following protocol: 1. Opening of the public examination 2. The candidate’s introductory lecture, lectio praecursoria 3. The opponent’s opening statement 4. Public examination of the doctoral dissertation 5. The opponent’s final statement 6. The candidate’s concluding words 7. Closing of the public examination.

Opening of the public examination
When everyone has taken their seats (the candidate on the left of the custos) the custos will open the public examination by saying: “As the custos appointed by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies of the University of Eastern Finland, I declare this public examination open.” After this the custos and the opponent sit down.
The candidate’s introductory lecture, lectio praecursoria
After the public examination has been opened, the candidate stands up to give a short introductory lecture, lectio praecursoria, in which s/he introduces the background of the dissertation and its connections to scientific or practical problems. The lectio praecursoria may not last more than 20 minutes. The candidate should begin the introductory lecture with the following words: “Mr/Madam custos, Mr/Madam opponent, Ladies and Gentlemen.” The introductory lecture is usually given in the language of the dissertation. In case the language of the lectio praecursoria is different from the language of the public examination, the candidate should issue the opponent a translation of the lectio praecursoria. After the introductory lecture, the candidate says: “I now call upon you, Mr/Madam opponent/Professor/Adjunct Professor/Dr NN as the opponent appointed by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies to present your critical comments on my doctoral dissertation.”
The opponent’s opening statement
The opponent stands up to give his/her opening statement on the dissertation under examination. The opponent then concludes the opening statement and begins to examine the dissertation in detail. After the opponent has given the opening statement, the opponent and the candidate sit down. If there are more than one opponent, the opponents will have to agree on a division of tasks and announce this in their opening statement.
Public examination of the doctoral dissertation
In the actual examination of the dissertation, the opponent first provides a general overview by discussing the choice of the topic, methods and data, and then moves on to a more detailed examination. At the end of the examination, the opponent makes a summary of the results of the dissertation to the discipline in question. The opponent may use approximately four hours for the examination and leave some time for possible questions from the audience. If the examination seems to take long, the custos may announce a break in between.
The opponent’s final statement
After having examined the dissertation, the opponent stands up to deliver the final statement. The candidate also stands up to listen. At the end of the final statement, the opponent announces whether he or she will propose to the faculty that the dissertation be accepted. The opponent then sits down and the candidate remains standing.
The candidate’s concluding words
The candidate thanks the opponent and then faces the audience and says: “If anyone present wishes to make any comments concerning my dissertation, please ask the custos for the floor.”
Conclusion of the public examination
Finally, the custos stands up to announce that the public examination is completed. The public examination of a dissertation may not last more than six hours.

The custos and the opponent hold their doctoral hats in their hands when they leave the room: first the opponent, then the custos and finally the candidate.

The audience should not applaud or cheer during the public examination. Congratulations should be extended to the candidate only after s/he has
left the room and has had the opportunity to thank the opponent and the custos.

Evaluation of doctoral dissertations, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

The main criteria for evaluation of doctoral dissertations are

scientific significance of the research results as well as
contribution of the candidate to the research.

Additionally, the following specific criteria are used:

Starting point of the research

scientific level, formulation and motivation of the research problem
theoretical basis of the research and connection to the previous research
scientific, societal and practical relevance of the research

Research process

command of the research field, knowledge and use of the literature
command, definition and clarity of the concepts
success of the choices and solutions during the research process, and possibility to evaluate them
command and suitability of the methods
quality and carefulness of the research

Research results

new knowledge and the results gained in the research work
sufficiency of the research contribution of the candidate
consistent foundation of the results on the data
coherence, stylistic and linguistic form of the presentation
in an article-based dissertation: quality of the publications
defense in the public examination
Also, the compliance of good scientific practice in the research process and documentation will be taken into account in the evaluation.

Grades

The doctoral dissertations are graded as follows: pass with distinction / pass / fail.

Further information
Annikki Honkanen
Anne Korhonen

Guidance for preliminary examiners, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

University of Eastern Finland
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Guidance for preliminary examiners to evaluate doctoral dissertations

Dear Madam/Sir,

We thank you for your consent to act as a preliminary examiner of a doctoral dissertation.

Doctoral dissertation

A doctoral dissertation is a substantial scientific thesis based on independent scientific work. The dissertation may be a scientific monograph or it may consist of scientific articles published/to be published which deal with the same set of problems and a paper summarising the findings. It is first examined by external reviewers, i.e. preliminary examiners, appointed by the faculty, then published as a doctoral dissertation with the permission of the faculty and finally defended in a public examination. For the public examination of the dissertation, the Faculty Council appoints one or two opponents and a custos. It decides on the approval of the dissertation based on the statement by the opponent(s).

Evaluation Criteria

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies has common evaluation criteria for doctoral dissertations (below) to maintain their quality standard and to ensure equal treatment of the doctoral candidates. We hope that you will write your statement according to them and that the criteria will help you with formulation
of the statement.

The main criteria for evaluation of doctoral dissertations are

scientific significance of the research results as well as
contribution of the candidate to the research.

Additionally, the following specific criteria are used:

Starting point of the research

scientific level, formulation and motivation of the research problem
theoretical basis of the research and connection to the previous research
scientific, societal and practical relevance of the research

Research process

command of the research field, knowledge and use of the literature
command, definition and clarity of the concepts
success of the choices and solutions during the research process, and possibility to evaluate them
command and suitability of the methods
quality and carefulness of the research

Research results

new knowledge and the results gained in the research work
sufficiency of the research contribution of the candidate
consistent foundation of the results on the data
significance of the research results in the own research field
coherence, stylistic and linguistic form of the presentation
in an article-based dissertation: quality of the publications
defense in the public examination
Also, the compliance of good scientific practice in the research process and documentation will be taken into account in the evaluation.

Also, we ask you to observe that the pre-examiner should give a statement on the manuscript sent by the faculty and state whether s/he recommends permission for public examination. Conditional statements should not be given.

The length of the statement is at least two pages and the language of the statement is English.

If you discover in the dissertation so serious deficiencies that you cannot recommend permission for public examination, please, issue your statement to the faculty but also contact the supervisor of a the doctoral candidate.

Please, send your statement to: [email protected].

Fee

We will pay the pre-examiners a fee after we have received the statement. Concerning the payment, you will be contacted by a Personnel Assistant.

For the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies,

Jaana Mäkinen (Ms)
Administrative Secretary

Guidance for opponents, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

University of Eastern Finland
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Guidance for opponents to evaluate doctoral dissertations

Dear Madam/Sir,

We thank you for your consent to act as an opponent in a public examination of a doctoral dissertation.

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies has joint evaluation criteria for the doctoral dissertations to maintain their quality standard and to ensure equal treatment of the doctoral candidates. Please, take them into consideration and write your statement according to them. Also, we ask you to observe that the opponent should suggest a doctoral dissertation a grade. The grading scale is included in the evaluation criteria. If you have doubts about the grade, do not hesitate to discuss with the custos.

The language of the statement is English and the length at least two pages.

Doctoral dissertation

Evaluation criteria

The main criteria for evaluation of doctoral dissertations are scientific significance of the research results as well as contribution of the candidate to the research. Additionally, the following specific criteria are used:

Starting point of the research

scientific level, formulation and motivation of the research problem
theoretical basis of the research and connection to the previous research
scientific, societal and practical relevance of the research

Research process

command of the research field, knowledge and use of the literature
command, definition and clarity of the concepts
success of the choices and solutions during the research process and possibility to evaluate them
command and suitability of the methods
quality and carefulness of the research

Research results

new knowledge and the results gained in the research work
sufficiency of the research contribution of the candidate
consistent foundation of the results on the data
significance of the research results in the own research field
coherence, stylistic and linguistic form of the presentation
in an article-based dissertation: quality of the publications
defense in the public examination

Also, the compliance of good scientific practice in the research process and documentation will be taken into account in the evaluation.

Grades

The doctoral dissertations are graded as follows: pass with distinction / pass / fail

Fee and Travel Costs

We will pay the opponent(s) a fee and travel costs after we have received the statement. Concerning the payment, you will be contacted by a Personnel Assistant.

For the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies,

Jaana Mäkinen (Ms)

Requirements for and Examination of the Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology

Requirements for doctoral dissertation

NOTE! The faculty’s requirements for doctoral dissertations were updated. The new requirements came into effect on August 1, 2025, and they also apply to doctoral candidates whose doctoral study right was granted before that date.

An article-based dissertation may be approved as a doctoral dissertation if it contains a sufficient number of articles on the same research problem and a summary of them, as deemed sufficient by the university. A monograph may also be approved as a doctoral dissertation, which is a scholarly work on the same research problem based on previously unpublished research in the name of the doctoral candidate alone.

Within the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, the structure of an article-based dissertation is as follows:

An article-based dissertation typically comprises three (3) articles, of which at least one
(1) has been published or approved for publication in international scientific peer-review series. If one of the articles is a manuscript, it must have been submitted for review to an international scientific peer-review series before the dissertation is submitted for preliminary examination.
In special cases, a doctoral dissertation of two (2) articles that meet the criteria can be accepted, in which case both articles must have been published or approved for publication.
The doctoral candidate must be the first author or main author of at least two (2) articles. A shared first authorship is interpreted as first authorship. In addition, the doctoral candidate must write a clarification on their contribution to co-authored articles in their dissertation.

For justified reasons, the same article can be used as part of two doctoral dissertations, if both doctoral candidates can be shown to have a sufficient role and contribution to the publication in question. If two doctoral candidates wish to use the same article in their doctoral dissertations, they must prepare a free-form statement together with their main supervisors to indicate the role and contribution of both doctoral candidates in the article in question.

The Faculty has described the competence of doctoral researcher supervisors, preliminary examiners, examiners, opponent and custos as follows.

Preliminary examiners

When the doctoral researcher has completed all the required studies and the supervisors of the doctoral dissertation assess that the study is ready for reviewing, the doctoral candidate submits the work to be reviewed. Before submitting the manuscript of doctoral dissertation, the dissertation manuscript is checked with a plagiarism detection tool. As to language revision, the Faculty requires that the language of the doctoral dissertation is fluent, and the main supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the language of the dissertation meets the requirements for clear scientific language and fulfills academic publishing standards. The main supervisor may require the dissertation undergo a language revision; this will be agreed upon separately. A language revision can be performed before submitting the dissertation for preliminary examination or after the preliminary examination.

The doctoral candidate and the main supervisor agree on which one will fill in the Webropol form used to apply for permission to defend the doctoral dissertation and to propose preliminary examiners. The completed form must be downloaded from Webropol for signatures, following the instructions provided at the end of the form. In addition to the doctoral candidate and the main supervisor, the form must be signed by the Deputy Head (research) of the Department/School. Primarily, the doctoral candidate or the main supervisor is responsible for collecting the required signatures. If downloading the form from Webropol is not successful or if you need assistance with the electronic signatures, please contact the Faculty’s Academic Affairs Specialists at lumetdissertations(at)uef.fi.

The preliminary examiners must come from outside the University of Eastern Finland and hold a professorship, docentship, or a corresponding scientific qualification. If a person holding a docentship is presented as a preliminary examiner, their up-to-date list of publications must be attached to the proposal. The grounds for disqualification determined by the administrative law are considered when appointing the examiners.

The above-mentioned form, the dissertation manuscript, and the articles (both published articles and manuscripts submitted for review), as well as any additional attachments (e.g. the preliminary examiners’ publication lists), must be submitted by email to the Faculty’s Academic Affairs Specialists at lumetdissertations(at)uef.fi. If you need further information, please contact the same email address.

The Dean of the Faculty makes a decision on the preliminary examiners. The Faculty´s officer informs the preliminary examiners about the decision and provides them with a copy of the doctoral dissertation as well as instructions for the preparation of the preliminary examiners’ statement. The preliminary examiners of doctoral dissertations must give their statements within thirty (30) days of the date on which the thesis has been sent to the examiners. If necessary, the Dean may grant an extension.

Instructions the preliminary examiners

Permission for public examination of doctoral dissertation

When the statements arrive at the Faculty, they are forwarded to the doctoral candidate and their main supervisor by email. If the statements are favorable and the doctoral candidate has no objections to them, the Dean grants a permission for the public examination of the dissertation. If the pre-examiner/-s, however, require changes and/or corrections to be made to the dissertation manuscript, the main supervisor submits to the Faculty their statement confirming that the doctoral candidate has made the required modifications. The Dean cannot grant a permission for the public examination prior the Faculty has received the main supervisor’s confirmation. The doctoral candidate does not need to submit a separate application for a permission for the public examination.

The Faculty sends the decision for the information of the doctoral candidate, the main supervisor of the doctoral dissertation, and to the Head of Department or School of the doctoral candidate by email.

Appointment of opponent and custos

The Dean appoints the opponent and the custos. After receiving a permission for public examination, the doctoral candidate and the main supervisor fill in the form proposing an opponent and a custos. According to the Degree Regulations of the University of Eastern Finland, the opponent must come from outside the University of Eastern Finland and be at least a docent or hold a corresponding scientific qualification. The Faculty recommends that the opponent be a person holding a professorship. However, if a person holding a docentship is presented as the opponent, their up-to-date list of publications must be attached to the application. A professor from the faculty operates as the custos (chairperson) of the public examination.

Custos represents the University at the public examination. The Faculty recommends that the custos be a professor or an associate professor at the University of Eastern Finland, but a main supervisor holding a docent’s qualification can also act as a custos.

The doctoral candidate submits a proposal, signed by the Deputy Head (research) of the Department/School, by the main supervisor, and by the doctoral candidate themself, and sends it also to lumetdissertations(at)uef.fi. The Dean appoints the opponent and the custos on the basis of the proposal. The Faculty sends the decision by email to the doctoral candidate, the opponent, the custos, the head and the study secretary of the department or school, as well as the Communications and Media Relations of the University (also to the main supervisor if not appointed as the custos). In the process, the opponent is given the faculty instructions for formulating a written statement regarding the public examination.

Instructions for the opponent

Approval of doctoral dissertation

The opponent should submit their written statement on the doctoral dissertation and on the public examination within two weeks after the public examination to the faculty. In their statement, the opponent should give a well-justified proposal for the grade of the doctoral dissertation, using the scale pass with distinction, pass and fail. The Faculty sends the statement to the doctoral candidate, and if they has no remarks on the statement, the doctoral dissertation is submitted to the Faculty Council for approval. If the opponent proposes the grade ‘pass with distinction’, the preliminary examiners of the doctoral dissertation will be consulted with regard to grading.

Finally, the Faculty Council approves and grades the doctoral dissertation. The final dissertation will be recorded in the study register by Faculty Administration.

The Dean has been delegated the right to approve and grade doctoral dissertations on the basis of the opponents’ statements between the semesters, that is, between the last Faculty Council meeting of an academic semester and the first Faculty Council meeting of next academic semester.

Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology: Instructions for publishing the dissertation

Preparing your dissertation for printing

You are responsible for preparing the dissertation for publication, and the layout in practice. In Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology it is recommended to use the layout template (Word or Latex) from the beginning of the dissertation writing process. Please, note dissertations of forest sciences are published in Dissertationes Forestales using the different layout template. The recommended template for Dissertationes Forestales you may find here (Word). Please, check the printing instructions for the doctoral dissertations of the forest sciences at the website.

An article-based dissertation is published in full only if the original article publishers have given their written consent to republish the articles in the university’s publication series. As an author, you are responsible for acquiring copyrights and publication rights for the articles and other materials in the dissertation. Permission for reprinting is applied from the original publisher of the article(s). Publishers may have a form for applying permission; otherwise, you can use the template for applying preprint permissions. Permission for electronic publishing should be included to the application.

The permission for reprinting must be announced on a separate page at the beginning of each article, in the table of contents and after other possible indexes. E.g. ’Printed with the kind permission of [publisher’s name]’

Publishing your dissertation

After the faculty has given you permission to defend the dissertation, you may publish it. A doctoral dissertation shall be made publicly available on the university’s network as an electronic version no later than seven (7) days before the public examination of the thesis, or as a printed version in the university library, if no electronic version of the doctoral dissertation is available. It is up to you to make sure that the dissertation is available for viewing by the deadline.

The publication permission is applied for from the publication series’ editor. In the appointment with an editor, a publication contract is made, and the number of copies in the first edition is defined. The contract is delivered to the library publication services via email: [email protected]. The Library delivers the contract for signing via UEF Sign system. In case of article-based dissertations, please, deliver also potential copies of the permissions for reprinting to the Library. The time span between having publication permission and dissertation day should be long enough (at least six weeks) to ensure adequate time for editing and printing process.

The doctoral dissertation is usually published in both printed and electronic format. A separate e-publication contract is not needed. It will be possible to delay e-publishing if necessary due to copyright reasons. The electronic dissertations are published in the eRepo-service of the UEF Library.

Dissertations in the fields of science and technology are published in Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Science, Forestry and Technology.

Dissertations in the field of forest sciences are usually published in the national publication series Dissertationes Forestales. The editor decides on the layout according to the Faculty style sheet and publishing instructions.

Editors and distribution of work by units

Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Science, Forestry and Technology:

Editor-in-chief: research director Pertti Pasanen
Chemistry and sustainable technologies: senior researcher Nina Hakulinen
Biology: professor Raine Kortet
Computer science: professor Matti Tedre
Physics and mathematics: professor Pasi Vahimaa
Technical physics: research director Timo Lähivaara

Once the editor has received the dissertation manuscript and the documents associated with the publishing agreement, the editor checks that

the language used in the dissertation manuscript is flawless (the language has been revised if necessary)
the dissertation manuscript is formatted in compliance with the layout model of the series and that it follows the faculty’s publishing instructions
the necessary permissions for reprinting / reusing possible articles in the dissertation have been obtained.

Dissertationes Forestales (for forest sciences):

Dissertations in forest sciences are published in Dissertationes Forestales. The printing instructions for the doctoral dissertations of the forest sciences you may find at the website.

ISBN code and printing

You must request an ISBN code for the dissertation from by using the ISBN request form. Deliver the printing house with the manuscript of the dissertation and the texts and pictures to be printed on the covers. You must also review the proof, which can be obtained in an electronic format (e.g. as a pdf) from the printing house. The verified proof will be printed in its final size and layout.

If the costs are covered by the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology the compensation is available only when printing is ordered from printing house that University has an agreement with (PunaMusta). The thesis can be printed at any printing service when costs are covered by you. Instructions for ordering the thesis you will find in UEF intranet (see Printing Services).

Dissertation printing cost compensation

Compensation is available only when printing is ordered from printing house that University has an agreement with (PunaMusta). If you use other printing house than PunaMusta, you shall pay for printing yourself. In this case, you must also take care of the distribution of dissertation yourself.

The minimum edition of the doctoral dissertation is 30 copies financed by the department or school. Copies exceeding this limit are to be paid for by the doctoral candidate, unless settled otherwise with the department or school.

Distribution of the dissertation

You are responsible for the distribution of the dissertation unless otherwise agreed. You must see that the printing house delivers a printed copy of dissertation to campus library to be available for public. If you use PunaMusta they will mail the copies to be put on display at and archived by the UEF Library. If you use other printing house than PunaMusta, you must take care of the distribution of dissertation yourself.

The University’s agreed printing house will forward the electronic dissertation to the library. If printing is executed in other than University’s agreed printing house, you should remind a printing house about this task. An electronic version will be distributed as an e-mail attachment to: [email protected].

Dissertations in Science, Forestry and Technology: The doctoral candidate shall send the link to electronic dissertation to the Vice Dean of the Faculty (Heli Peltola) and Faculty Administration ([email protected]) as well as prints of dissertation well before the public examination as follows:

1 copy for the opponent
1 copy for the custos
1 copy for each supervisor
1 copy for each pre-examiner
additional copies for distribution at the public defence and for interest groups

The printing press will print and deliver (without an order from the doctoral candidate):

4 copies for the University of Eastern Finland Library (for the collections of the campuses and archives)
6 legal deposit copies (statutory; legal deposit copies must be delivered to the Legal Deposit Office in Helsinki)

Dissertationes Forestales: The doctoral candidate shall send the prints of dissertation well before the public examination as follows.

A doctoral dissertation shall be made publicly available on the Dissertationes Forestales web pages as an electronic version no later than seven (7) days before the public examination of the thesis, or as a printed version in the university library, if no electronic version of the doctoral dissertation is available.

Dissertation news releases and public examinations on UEF’s website

The university’s Communications and Media Relations uses an electronic form to collect all information needed for the creation of a public examination event for the university’s events calendar, and for publishing a news release about the dissertation. Electronic form is available for doctoral candidates in Finnish and English. Read more about the process.

Publishing Doctoral Dissertations, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

After the Faculty Council has given the doctoral candidate permission for public examination, the doctoral dissertation can be published 1) in the publication series of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies “Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Social Sciences and Business Studies” in print and electronically, or 2) in other scientific publication series or by a commercial publisher in accordance with the instructions of the series/publisher.

The doctoral dissertation must be published at least seven days before the public examination, and the dissertation must be available for viewing at the university library and in the faculty by the deadline.

Publishing under the series of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

General instructions

Contact the editor of the series at the latest when you are given permission for public examination. The editor of the series is responsible for the publishing instructions, checking the layout, applying for the ISBN numbers, and granting the permission to publish. The editor‐in‐chief of the dissertation series is University Lecturer Markus Mättö. He is responsible for questions of principle related to the publishing agreement and to publishing.

If you decide to publish your doctoral dissertation in the UEF/faculty series, send the publishing agreement to the library ([email protected],) by using the UEF Sign digital signature service, after which the agreement will be signed electronically in the system. You may get the agreement also from the editor or pick it from UEF intra (requires UEF login). The editor of the series takes care of applying for the ISBN numbers.

We recommend that you use a professional for the layout of the doctoral dissertation. If you are doing the layout yourself, send the layout to the editor for checking before delivering it to the printing house. If you are buying the layout service from the printing house, the proof from the printing house will suffice. You will find the layout template at Kamu or get it from the editor.

Sections of the doctoral dissertation written in a language other than the candidate’s mother tongue must be proofread by a native speaker of the language in question. A doctoral candidate is responsible for correctness of the text. Therefore, revise the text before sending it for editing.

An article‐ or essay‐based doctoral dissertation is published with all the articles or essays and a summary section in both printed and electronic format, unless there is a lawful excuse for not publishing any parts of it. Articles are published subject to the acquired permissions to publish. Only articles for which the original publisher has not granted permission to publish, and articles that are under embargo are omitted from the doctoral dissertation. If required, articles can be modified according to the wishes of the copyright owners.

You must acquire reprinting permissions for your articles for both the printed and the electronic doctoral dissertation. You can find the template for acquiring reprinting permissions at Kamu, along with the other publishing instructions. The reprinting permissions will be attached to the publishing agreement.

If you are not publishing articles or essays in your doctoral dissertation for the above reasons, you must report on the research results presented in the omitted documents in the summary section of the published dissertation or in the appendices.

Please, look at the UEF open access model before completing your doctoral dissertation.

A separate title page with a logo (i.e. a loose leaf) must be included in the doctoral dissertation, indicating that this is a doctoral dissertation approved for public examination by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, and details of the time and venue of the public examination. You can get the title page template from the editor. The template is available in Finnish only.

Allow adequate time for the publishing process, two months is a minimum. When planning the schedule, allow time for sending documents in the post, for the printing process, and for any potential holiday seasons. Our advice is to contact the editor as early as possible, and definitely before setting the date for the public examination.

Read more about printing your dissertation in UEF intranet (requires UEF login).

Number of copies and distribution

1. Printed copies

The minimum number of copies and distribution of Dissertations in Social Sciences and Business Studies series:

The library (the library takes care of the distribution) 5
The faculty (the faculty takes care of the distribution) 6
Copies of the doctoral candidate 20
Free copies for the National Library 6 (delivered directly by the printing house)
Total of 37 copies

You may also have more copies of your doctoral dissertation printed according to your needs.

The library will display one of the copies in the library. The faculty takes care of the distribution to the faculty’s notice board, the opponent, the preliminary examiners and to the Faculty Council for evaluation.

You must distribute copies to the following parties:

the custos
your supervisors (other than the custos)
your own department

Please note that, as a doctoral candidate, you are a customer of the printing house and responsible for dealings with them. You can find the instructions of the university’s contract printing house in UEF intranet (see the link above). You can also ask the series editor for advice.

Please instruct the printing house to deliver the dissertations as follows:

5 copies to the Library of the University of Eastern Finland (Dissertations, Joensuu campus: Joensuun kampuskirjasto, hankinta, Carelia, PL 107, 80101 Joensuu or Dissertations, Kuopio campus: Kuopion kampuskirjasto, hankinta, Snellmania, Yliopistonranta 8, PL 1627, 70211 Kuopio)
6 copies to the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, Laura Pulkka, Kuopio campus, Snellmania (Yliopistonranta 8), P.O. Box 1627, FI‐70211 Kuopio, Finland
6 copies to the National Library of Finland, Legal Deposit Office, P.O. Box 26, FI‐00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
The candidate’s copies (20) are delivered to the address supplied by the candidate

The doctoral dissertations will be published in an electronic format in the database of the University of Eastern Finland. The printing house must deliver the electronic version of the doctoral dissertation to be published directly to the library at [email protected]. The electronic version must also include the articles/essays (in article/essay‐based dissertations) as long as there is no lawful excuse for not publishing them (e.g., the publisher prohibits the publishing; see instructions above).

2. Electronic copy

Additionally, you should deliver an electronic copy of the dissertation to the Vice Dean responsible for research of the faculty (Sari Rissanen). To present the doctoral dissertation, made an appointment with their assistant Jenna Hovinen. An online meeting is also possible.

Dissertation grant
The faculty grants support to cover the printing, layout and proofreading costs of the dissertation. Learn more about the grant from the last part of this accordion, titled "Dissertation grant, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies".

Further Information
Markus Mättö, Editor-in-chief, D.Sc. (Econ.)

Publishing a doctoral dissertation under a series other than the Series of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

If you are publishing your printed dissertation under a series other than that of the faculty, the faculty will purchase a minimum of 20 copies of the dissertation. These copies will be distributed to the opponent, the Custos, the library, to UEF Communications and Media Relations, and to the members of the Faculty Council.
In this case, please contact [email protected] to determine the number of copies required and for invoicing.

At its discretion, the faculty may grant the doctoral candidate the direct costs of printing the dissertation up to the maximum amount of EUR 1,000. This must include the copies delivered to/purchased by the faculty.

Instructions for delivering the copies of your doctoral dissertation to the University of Eastern Finland

Doctoral Dissertations at the Joensuu campus: Executive Assistant Maria Venäläinen, tel. 029 4455322, [email protected]; Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies P.O. Box 111, FI‐80101 Joensuu, Finland
Doctoral Dissertations at the Kuopio campus: Study Secretary Mari Ikonen, [email protected], 050 478 4564; Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies P.O. Box 1627, FI‐70211 Kuopio, Finland

A separate title page (i.e. a loose leaf) with a logo must also be included in doctoral dissertations published under an external series, indicating that this is an academic doctoral dissertation approved for public examination by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, and details of the time and venue of the public examination. You can get the title page template from the editor of the faculty's series. For the rest of the process, you should follow the instructions of the publishing series in question.

Further information
[email protected]

Responsibilities of actors in the publishing process, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

The doctoral candidate

will think about the publishing channel with her/his supervisor during the process and read the instructions of the selected series
will ensure that the content of the doctoral dissertation is accurate and the language is correct (proofreading)
will run the dissertation through the plagiarism detection system (before the pre-examination)
will manage the layout of the dissertation in accordance with the template of the publishing series (by her/himself or as a purchased service)
will contact the editor of the publishing series of her/his choice – at the latest when the permission for public examination is granted
will acquire reprinting permissions for articles in the dissertation for the printed and electronic version (this can be done in advance)
will complete the publishing agreement and deliver it to [email protected] by using the UEF Sign digital signature service, after which the agreement will be signed electronically in the system.
will forward any reprinting permissions to the editor
will select a printing house (and act as the customer) and agree with them on a delivery schedule. Note! Agree on the schedule with the editor at the same time as making the agreement!
will deliver the materials and distribution instructions to the printing house. If the practice in your discipline requires three copies of the doctoral dissertation printed on every other page, ask for them separately. Check with your supervisor whether this is a tradition in your discipline.
will carefully check the proof delivered by the printing house – in the end, the doctoral candidate is always responsible for the content of the work! We recommend you ask for a printed proof
will take care of distribution in accordance with the instructions of the faculty
- to the custos and supervisors
- to the dean
- to your department

Remember that the doctoral dissertation must be finalized seven days in advance – so allow at least two months for the printing process (sending agreements, requesting reprinting permissions, layout, checking, proof, checking, printing, delivery, distribution).

Editor of the series

will advise the candidate on the publishing process as required
will help with determining the publishing schedule (setting the date for the public examination)
will sign the publishing agreement, check the reprinting permissions required for articles (or any prohibitions) and deliver the agreement with appendices to the library
will apply for ISBN numbers for the doctoral dissertation
will check that the organisation of the work complies with the instructions and template of the series and inform the candidate of any corrections required
- if the candidate is doing the layout her/himself or having it done professionally, the editor will check the layout before returning it to the printing house
- if the layout is purchased from the university’s contract printing house, the editor will check the proof supplied by the printers
will check the text on the back cover before proof
will check and approve the print‐ready material supplied by the printing house (the cover, the loose leaf, the inside pages)
- the proof will be checked by the candidate and the editor of the series – both must approve the proof before the doctoral dissertation can be printed!
- in practice, the candidate will check the printed proof and the editor of the series will check the e‐version
- will, if required, advise the printing house on the faculty instructions.

Editor‐in‐Chief

will check the instructions every year with the editor
will take a stand regarding any exceptions related to publishing
- the structure of the work
- omitting articles
- other publishing‐related exceptions to the series template

academic decisions, decisions of principle regarding publishing policy, and statements regarding the series

Printing House

will carry out the layout and/or printing of the dissertation in accordance with the university/series template and as commissioned by the candidate
will deliver the proof for inspection to the candidate and the editor or will not print the dissertation until both parties have given permission to print
will deliver the printed copies as instructed
- will deliver six copies to the National Library
- will deliver the e‐version including all the articles to the library of the University of Eastern Finland

will invoice the candidate. Note! The invoice must be itemised with layout and printing costs separated.

Faculty

will make sure that the copies delivered to the faculty are displayed at the notice board
will deliver the doctoral dissertation to the opponent and the pre-examiners
will deliver the book to the Faculty Council for evaluation.
will, on application with receipts, award a dissertation grant for the cost of publishing the doctoral dissertation (see instructions above)
in case of a doctoral dissertation published under an external series, will manage the distribution of the dissertation within the university

Library

will check the publishing agreement and reprinting permissions and store the agreement in the archives
will issue ISBN numbers on the application of the editor
will display the doctoral dissertation in public in the campus libraries using the copies delivered to them
will archive the dissertation
will publish the e‐version of the doctoral dissertation on the library publishing platform and remove any unauthorised parts of the work

Further Information
Markus Mättö, Editor-in-chief, D.Sc. (Econ.)

Dissertation grant, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

The doctoral candidate may apply for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies for grant to cover the printing and or layout costs and proofreading costs. The faculty determines the amount of aid on an ad hoc basis, within the framework of the annual budget, so that the aid is granted for the costs of printing as a rule.

If the dissertation is published in Faculty series, the grant is up to 1500 € for at least 37 printed copies. If the dissertation is published in non-faculty series, the grant is up to 1000 € for at least 20 printed copies. In both cases, the grant will be awarded on the basis of the application supporting documents (receipt and invoice). The invoices must clearly state which costs were incurred for the printing, and which for the layout and or proofreading. The grant must be applied for no later than two months from the date of the public examination. The candidate should contact Academic Affairs Secretary Laura Pulkka well in advance for further instructions and the application form.

Further information

Laura Pulkka

Study right for doctoral studies and registration

Study right for doctoral studies

When you are granted the right to doctoral studies, instructions for registration and accepting your study place will be enclosed with the decision. The study right will be in force until you graduate, unless you give it up.

The renouncement of the right to study

Registration in the first academic year

For your first registration, fill out the electronic registration form (opens in a new tab). If you are unable to fill out the electronic registration form, fill out and bring or send the Registration form (docx), which you can find in Kamu, to the Student and Learning Services customer service in person, by email or by postal mail. Here you can find the Student and Learning Services’ customer service contact information.

Student Union membership and membership fees

The Student Union membership fee is voluntary for doctoral students, i.e. those studying for a Licentiate or Doctorate, and you can pay the fee when you register. Please, note that by joining the Student Union, you will not become entitled to the same student benefits as undergraduates i.e. you do not receive discounts on bus fares and do not have the right to use the health care services of FSHS. However, you are entitled to a student discount from VR, the national railroad. To get the discount, you need a valid student card with the VR logo. More information on student benefits is available from the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland. If you would like to support the National Union of University Students in Finland’s (SYL) development cooperation activities, you can transfer a sum of your choice to SYL’s fundraising account.

Sykettä sports services are at your disposal after paying the sports fee at the ISYY office or on the SYKETTÄ webpage.

Being present or absent

Students generally register as present because only then you can participate in education and training, take examinations and complete a degree. Read more about annual registration.

According to the Universities Act, first-year students can only register as absent for the first academic year for one of the following reasons:

1) the service provided for in the Conscription Act (1438/2007), Non-Military Service Act (1446/2007) or Act on Women’s Voluntary Military Service (194/1995);

2) maternity, paternity or parental leave due to birth or adoption; or

3) inability to begin studies due to the student’s own illness or injury.

The provisions apply equally to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Students registering as absent are required to provide proof of the legitimacy of their absence. The documents verifying the legitimacy of the absence shall be delivered to Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service by post or by email. Contact the Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service if you want to know how to send encrypted email.

Registration in the following academic years

Students are required to register themselves as present or absent each year. The registration period for enrolled students begins on 1 June and ends on 15 September.

Enrolled doctoral students can register through the Oili registration service. See the registration instructions for annual registration.

Further information

If you forget to register as present or absent, you need to apply for reinstating you study right, see these instructions.

Please contact Student and Learning Services’ Customer Service if you have any questions on registration.

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Responsible conduct of research

Ethical review and licenses

Authenticity check of manuscripts

Using artificial intelligence in research

Learn more

Courses on Research Ethics

Responsible research

Requirements for the Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Forms of the dissertation

Submitting the manuscript for preliminary examination

The Vice Dean appoints the preliminary examiners

The Vice Dean gives permission to defend the dissertation in a public examination

Interrupting the thesis assessment process

Publishing the doctoral dissertation

The Vice Dean Appoints the Opponent and the Custos

Informing the Media of the Dissertation

Public Examination

Statement of the opponent and grading of the dissertation

Principles of authenticity verification

Steps to take

Dress code

Progress of the public examination

Guidance for preliminary examiners to evaluate doctoral dissertations

Doctoral dissertation

Evaluation Criteria

Starting point of the research

Research process

Research results

Fee

Guidance for opponents to evaluate doctoral dissertations

Doctoral dissertation

Evaluation criteria

Research process

Research results

Grades

Fee and Travel Costs

Requirements for doctoral dissertation

Preliminary examiners

Permission for public examination of doctoral dissertation

Appointment of opponent and custos

Approval of doctoral dissertation

Preparing your dissertation for printing

Publishing your dissertation

Editors and distribution of work by units

ISBN code and printing

Dissertation printing cost compensation

Distribution of the dissertation

Dissertation news releases and public examinations on UEF’s website

General instructions

Number of copies and distribution

The doctoral candidate

Editor of the series

Editor‐in‐Chief

Printing House

Faculty

Library

Study right for doctoral studies

Registration in the first academic year

Student Union membership and membership fees

Being present or absent

Registration in the following academic years

Further information