PhD Degrees
TOULOUSE INP DOCTORATE
Interested in pursuing research?
Doctoral studies are an opportunity to gain professional experience and delve into a research question. At Toulouse INP, doctoral programmes are offered by 10 doctoral schools.
During three years, the doctoral student is supervised by a thesis director, attached to a doctoral school and works on an original subject with one of the Toulouse INP research laboratories. He must write and defend a thesis in front of a jury to obtain the doctor's degree (PhD). This is the highest diploma issued by the institution.
To obtain a PhD, you must hold a national Master's diploma or another diploma equivalent to the master degree. However, admission is subject to the results obtained, funding and supervision possibilities.
DOCTORAL SCHOOLS
The doctoral schools are accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation under the four-year doctoral contract.
In addition to high-level scientific training, the programmes offer complementary training to prepare students for a job opening in a company or in general for the competitive world economy, as the main objective is to help the future doctor prepare his/her professional future.
THESIS CO-SUPERVISION
DOCTORATE UNDER EUROPEAN LABEL
The European doctoral is in fact a "classical" thesis with also a "European label". It concerns students from European Union member states, extended to other free trade countries (Austria, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Liechtenstein). In addition to the doctorate, the label is awarded when the following three (non-qualitative) conditions are met:
- The composition of the jury will be defined by the texts with at least one member of the jury belonging to a higher education institution of a European state other than the one in which the doctorate is supported
- Part of the defence must be, at least, in a European language other than the national language in which the doctorate is awarded
- The doctorate student must have resided for a minimum of 3-months in a European Union country member
JOINT INTERNATIONAL DOCTORAL THESES
What is the joint international supervision of doctoral theses ?
Joint supervision (or cotutelle) is a mechanism that facilitates doctoral students mobility. It permits to develop the scientific cooperation between foreign and French research teams:
- Cotutelle students work under the direction of a thesis supervisor in both countries concerned. The two thesis supervisors engage themselves to fully exercice the function of tutor with the doctoral student. Their skills are used jointly
- The Master 2 level or equivalent title is required to perform a co-supervision thesis
- The doctoral student must carry out his research in the two joint countries in agreement with a specific convention
- A joint convention is signed between the student and the two concerned universities during the first administrative registration
- A double registration at Toulouse INP and home university is compulsory during the whole time of the thesis
The joint convention must be signed in both establishments by:
- The thesis supervisor
- The research unit supervisor
- The doctoral school supervisor
- The head teacher
