Doctoral schools
The doctorate: training through research
Presentation
Doctoral programmes are open to graduates with a master's degree or equivalent. They generally last three years and correspond to a eight years of higher educationdegree, the highest level of university qualification. The doctoral programme takes place within a research unit (or laboratory), which is the doctoral student's daily workplace. The laboratory is part of a doctoral school (ED), which is responsible for the smooth running of the doctoral project. The doctoral programme can also be carried out under joint supervision between a French laboratory and a laboratory at a foreign university.
Preparing for a PhD is both research training and professional research experience. Doctoral training consists of personal and original research work carried out in a collective environment within a research unit and a doctoral school. PhD students produce new knowledge using innovative scientific methods and tools and develop an ambitious professional project.
If you hold a master's degree, an engineering degree or a qualification equivalent to these, we invite you to explore our doctoral projects and submit your doctoral application.
Sorbonne University has developed numerous collaborations in the context of international doctoral projects. These take the form of international doctoral programmes and jointly supervised doctoral projects.
Joint supervision of theses promotes doctoral student mobility and scientific cooperation. It allows doctoral students enrolled in their first year of thesis work to conduct research under the supervision of two (or three) thesis supervisors (Sorbonne University - foreign university). Research supervisors must hold a qualification to supervise research (HDR) or equivalent. Thesis supervisors jointly supervise the doctoral student for the entire duration of their thesis. The student is required to study alternately at both institutions.
The joint supervision agreement sets out the administrative aspects of the thesis:
- duration,
- distribution of study periods,
- distribution of tuition fee payments,
- degree title,
- number of members on the examination board,
- location and deadline for the defence.
On the basis of a single defence, the doctoral student will be awarded two degrees by each of the two institutions.
Please note: the joint supervision agreement must be signed before the end of the first year of the thesis.
Once the joint supervision file has been validated by the Doctoral Training Institute (IFD) of Sorbonne University, the joint supervision agreement will be drawn up by the International Mobility Office of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, which will manage the signature process.
Contact us
Joint supervision thesis coordinator: Patricia Zizzo
Email / +33 1 44 27 47 44
International Mobility Office, Directorate of Training, Professional Integration and Student Life (DFIPVE)
Zamansky Tower – 1st floor, office 102
4 place Jussieu 75005 Paris
Closed to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons