Doctoral Programme in Business Economics

This document specifies the FEB particulars of Art 15 and Art 16 of the doctoral regulations.

PhD students in Business Economics need to earn 60 credits (60 ECTS) through a combination of truncus
communis (mandatory modules) and supplementary part (elective modules), as outlined below.

After successful completion of all required steps and after gathering at least 60 ECTS, the student
obtains the certificate of doctoral education.

Exemptions are only possible for the course component (see programme details below).

1. Truncus communis

a) Coursework

Total ECTS: minimum 21, no maximum

Timing: Can be spread across first 2 years, at least 15 ECTS in first year

Which courses?

Students follow the coursework of his/her research group, as approved by the FDOC. Details about this
coursework is summarized here.

This group-specific coursework applies following general principles:

Advanced courses:
o Courses at PhD or Advanced Masters (MaNaMa) level, either at KU Leuven or at
another university.
Courses are considered to be at Advanced Masters level when the course is
part of an Advanced Masters program, provided that it is not taught at initial
masters level and is not meant to cover a knowledge gap for students entering
the Advanced Masters program.
Only exceptions to this rule are courses that are part of a research major or pre-
doctoral major at Initial Masters level, and which are research-oriented. These
are considered to be of Advanced level.
o Advanced courses on the PhD course list (see below: PhD course list).
Initial-level courses:
o All Master courses that do not meet the criteria defined above are considered to be at
Initial Masters level. Courses at Initial Master level can be taken for max. 9 ECTS, and
need to be motivated by supervisor (except when they are on the PhD course list: see
below)
Only courses with formal exam/evaluation are accepted

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 Summer Schools are allowed under the same conditions as courses (Phd or Advanced Masters
level, indication of workload/ECTS, formal evaluation required).

Phd course list:

This list contains courses that are commonly taken as courses for the PhD programme, and that have
been approved as such by the PhD commission of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB). The goal
of this list is to streamline the approval of the PhD programme proposals. PhD students can choose
among these courses, but are not obliged to do so.

The list contains 2 sections:

Approved courses at Advanced level

Approved courses at Initial level: these require no further motivation when proposed in a
students course program.

Each research group can request/motivate the addition of Advanced courses to this list (e.g., when an
Advanced Master course ceases to exist and the courses naturally become part of an Initial Master).
Each group can also request/motivate the addition of a number of Initial Master courses, which are
relevant and frequently taken by their PhD students. The request needs to be motivated by the research
group, and will be decided upon by the PhD Commission of the FEB.

Final score:

Student needs to obtain at least 14/20 on average, and at least 10/20 for each course
individually, for the courses that are effectively taken. The score on courses for which the
student obtained exemption does not count in the final score.
Courses or summer schools that are graded using a pass/fail mark: pass means 14/20, fail
means score below 10/20.

Retake:
There is a 2nd examination opportunity for students that failed a course (mandatory retake) or obtained
between 10/20 and 13/20 (optional). The 1st and 2nd examination opportunity need to take place in the
same academic year.

Exemptions?
Exemptions can be granted for courses at Advanced level (see Which courses? above),
provided at least 14/20 was obtained for the course.
Courses that belong to the PhD course list qualify for exemption when minimum score of 14/20
is obtained. These courses are considered to be of Advanced level (Section 1) or Initial Masters
level (Section 2).
The supervisor needs to approve all requests for exemption.

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b) Comprehensive exam or literature review

Total ECTS: 6

Timing: At the latest 18 months after start of PhD program

Which comprehensive exam or literature review?

Students follow the comprehensive exam or literature review of his/her research group, as approved by
the FDOC. Details about this coursework is summarized here.

This group-specific exam or review applies following general principles:

Depending on the research-group involved, the student either:

completes a formal comprehensive exam: in this case, the group decides on the literature that
is part of the exam material. The final score (possibly pass/fail) for the exam is determined by
the professors of the group.
writes a literature review paper. This paper needs to be formally presented at a seminar. The
final score (possibly pass/fail) is determined by the professors of the group.
completes a reading course. Only reading courses with formal evaluation of the workload are
accepted. The deadline (18 months after the start of the program) can be postponed if
necessary for reading courses, e.g., in case these take place biannually.

c) Doctoral Proposal

Timing: At the latest 18 months after start of PhD program

d) Seminar on Scientific integrity for starting PhDs

For a link to course details see here

Total ECTS: 1

Timing: free

Lecture organized by the Research Coordination Office on Research Integrity (3 hours). Information on
times and locations will be sent by email.

e) Doctoral seminars

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At the doctoral seminar(s), the student presents the current state of the PhD research to the members
of the supervisory board (supervisory committee), resulting in a pass/fail mark. The doctoral student and
supervisor/co-supervisors draw up a written report giving an overview of changes that need to be
made. This report needs to be approved by the members of the examination committee.

First doctoral seminar

Total ECTS: 4

Timing: Indicative: At the latest 2 years after start of the PhD program

Second doctoral seminar

Total ECTS: 4

Timing: Indicative: At the latest 3 years after start of the PhD program

f) Conference participation

Total ECTS: max. 6 (3 ECTS per participation)

Timing: free

At least 2 active participations (i.e., student needs to present) in an international conference (not twice
the same paper) ( 3 ECTS per participation). Participations in doctoral colloquia/workshops and poster
presentations also qualify.

g) International publication

Total ECTS: 6 ECTS

Timing: free

International journal publication with impact factor (Web of Science) or book chapter published by
recognized scientific publisher (VABB list: see http://www.ecoom.be/en/vabb for list of accepted
publishers).

2. Supplementary part

a) Skill courses

Total ECTS: 1 ECTS per 6 hours of course, Max. 6 ECTS in total

Timing: free

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These courses either contain a research component, or soft skills:

Academic English for junior researchers (ILTS)

Courses offered by Doctoral Schools
(http://ghum.kuleuven.be/phd/practical_students/youreca_dshss.html)
Software courses by ICTS (e.g. Matlab)

b) Additional seminars

Total ECTS: 3 ECTS per seminar, Max. 6 ECTS in total

Timing: free

Presentations in seminars or workshops at KU Leuven or other universities

c) Review skills

Total ECTS: 2 ECTS per reviewed paper; Min. 4, max. 6 ECTS in total

Timing: free

Students review at least 2, max. 3 scientific papers written by fellow PhD students of the same group (2
points per review), or journal papers for which they have been asked to act as reviewer. Reviews of
papers by invited speakers also qualify. Supervisor of PhD student checks the review and determines on
pass/fail.

d) Teaching

Total ECTS: 9 ECTS in total

Timing: free

Min 12 hours teaching in bachelor or master program (e.g. 4 hours of teaching, repeated during 3
consecutive years). Course teacher (titularis) decides on pass/fail. Only class teaching qualifies,
supervision of master theses does not qualify.

e) Publication

Total ECTS: 6 in total

Timing: free

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The PhD student needs to have at least two official FEB working papers, published with consent of the
supervisor.

f) Conference proceedings or journal paper without impact factor

Total ECTS: 3 ECTS

Timing: free

Conference proceeding (international conference, full paper published in proceedings) or publication in

journal without impact factor.