Key features
- Qualification: Doktora diploms
- Qualification in English: Doctor’s degree
- EQF level: 8
- Cycle: Third cycle
- Thesis required: Doctoral thesis. Amount of credits is not regulated./li>
- Nominal length: 3-4 years or 180 ECTS
- Access requirement: Professional or academic Master’s degree or second level professional higher education (long-cycle programmes, e.g. medicine)
- Access to further study: n.a.
Doctoral studies
One type of scientific degree is awarded (since 1.1.2000): a Doctor’s degree (doktora grāds). A Doctor’s degree is awarded to a person, who has successfully passed the examinations in the chosen field of research and who has elaborated under the guidance of an experienced research advisor and publicly defended a doctoral thesis, which contains the results of original research and new insights in the respective branch of science.
The doctoral thesis may be elaborated within the period of 3-4 years during the doctoral studies in a HEI or after carrying out an appropriate amount of independent research. The doctoral thesis can be a dissertation, a set of anonymously reviewed thematically united publications or a monograph.
Doctor’s degree is awarded by the Doctoral Council according to the procedure stipulated by the Law on Scientific Activity (in force 19.05.2005):
The awarding of a Doctor’s degree is supervised by the National Commission for Scientific Qualification established by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Degree titles
- Latvian: [Science field] doktora zinātnisko grādu [science sub-field] + [international designation]
- English: Doctoral scientific degree + [science field] + [science sub-field] + [international designation]
Examples: socioloģijas doktora zinātnisko grādu lietišķajā socioloģijā (dr. sc. soc.) (doctoral scientific degree of sociology in applied sociology (dr. sc. soc.)), ekonomikas doktora zinātnisko grādu reģionālajā ekonomikā (dr. oec.) (doctoral scientific degree of economics in regional economics (dr. oec.)), mākslas zinātņu doktora zinātnisko grādu muzikoloģijā (dr. art.) (doctoral scientific degree of art sciences in musicology (dr. art.)).
Learning outcomes
Knowledge (knowledge and comprehension)
- Able to demonstrate that has knowledge of and understands most topical scientific theories and insights, has mastered research methodology and contemporary research methods in the concrete branch of science or professional field and in the interface of various fields
Skills (ability to apply knowledge, communication, general skills)
- Able to assess and select independently appropriate methods for scientific research, has contributed to the expansion of the limits of knowledge or given new understanding of the existing knowledge and its use in practice, by carrying out an original research of major scope, part of which is on the level of internationally cited publications
- Able to communicate both orally and in writing about one’s own field of scientific activity (one’s own branch) with wider research community and the general public
- Able to improve one’s scientific qualification independently, by implementing scientific projects, attaining achievements meeting the international criteria of the branch of science, to manage research or development tasks in companies, institutions and organisations, requiring extensive research knowledge and skills
Competence (analysis, synthesis and assessment)
- Able, by performing independent critical analysis, synthesis and assessment, to solve significant research or innovation tasks, to set independently research idea, to plan, structure and manage large-scale scientific projects, including projects in international context