The doctorate programme consists of courses with a minimum of 24 national credits, two seminar courses, a qualifying examination, a dissertation proposal, and a dissertation. The period allotted for the completion of the Doctorate programmes is normally eight semesters (four years). The seminar course and thesis are non-credit and graded on a pass/fail basis. The total ECTS credit of the programme is 240 ECTS. Students are required to take a mid-term examination and/or complete other assigned projects/homework during the semester and, additionally, are required to take a final examination and/or complete a final project for course evaluation. The final grade is based on the mid-term examination grade, the final examination grade and/or evaluation of final project, with the contributions of 40% and 60%, respectively. In order to pass any course, a PhD student must receive at least 75 out of 100. Students must repeat courses they have failed or may substitute courses the Department accepts as equivalent. The PhD students are required to take the Doctoral Qualifying Examination, after having successfully completed taught courses. The examination consists of written and oral parts. The Doctoral Qualifying Committee determines by absolute majority whether a candidate has passed or failed the examination. Students must register for thesis work and the Specialization Field course offered by his supervisor every semester following the semester, in which the supervisor is appointed. Periodic monitoring of research work by a thesis monitoring committee is required to be awarded the Doctoral degree. A student, who has completed work on the thesis within the time period, must write a thesis, using the data collected, according to the specifications of the Graduate School Thesis Writing Guide. The thesis must be defended in front of a jury. The thesis jury is appointed on the recommendations of the relevant Department Chairperson and with the approval of the Administrative Committee of the Graduate School. A majority vote by the jury members determines the outcome of the thesis or examination. The vote can be for "acceptance", "rejection" or "correction".