phd thesis grading system

• Grade Point Average – A Guide for PhD Students

Written by Sarah Hastings-Woodhouse

Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the most widely used grading systems in the world. Universities in many countries use GPA to assess student attainment, at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level.

If you’re considering doctoral study, your GPA could be an important part of your PhD application . In countries that use GPA, many universities take a student’s Bachelors and/ or Masters GPA into account when deciding whether to accept them for PhD study.

In this guide, we’ll cover what GPA is and when it matters for prospective PhD students. We’ll also compare it to some other international grading systems.

What is GPA?

GPA is a method of assessing student attainment. Its defining feature is that it is continuous . This means that it can fluctuate throughout your programme. If you want to maintain a strong GPA, your grades will need to be consistently high!

Your GPA is calculated by dividing the total sum of your grades by the number of credits you’ve taken. To do this, each letter grade is given a numerical value. In the USA (and in many other countries) GPA is calculated on a 4-point scale:

This will give you a number between 0 and 4, which is your GPA. 4.0 is normally the highest GPA you can achieve, though some ‘weighted’ GPA systems use a 5.0 scale which award students 5 points if they achieve an A in an especially challenging course. If your university uses a weighted system, you could come out with a GPA of higher than 4.0.

Does GPA matter for a PhD application?

If you’re planning to apply for a PhD in a country that uses GPA, your university may calculate a GPA equivalent for you, based on academic transcripts from your previous degree(s). It is common for graduate programmes in the USA to do this.

US universities are unlikely to set a minimum GPA requirement for PhD courses – but this doesn’t mean that your GPA is not an important aspect of your application. As a very general rule, a GPA or 3.0 or higher is considered roughly equivalent to UK 2.1 at undergraduate level, or Merit at Masters level. This is often considered the minimum GPA necessary to demonstrate that you’re capable of academic work at the doctoral level. Though it won’t automatically disqualify you, a GPA lower than 3.0 is likely to be a disadvantage.

If you plan on applying to a more competitive university, such as a member of the famous Ivy League , you may need a higher GPA. At the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering, for example, the average GPA amongst successful PhD applicants in 2021 was 3.8. Stanford University strongly recommends that those applying for a PhD programme have a GPA of at least 3.5.

If you studied more than one subject for your previous degree (may US-based PhD applicants will have graduated from a multidisciplinary undergraduate programme) universities may also be interested in your discipline-specific GPA . For example, a university may accept a 3.0 GPA across your entire degree, but except a 3.5 average in the subject you plan to study for your PhD.

If you do have a lower GPA, don’t worry, you can compensate for this through your personal statement , CV and letters of recommendation . You shouldn’t be discouraged from applying to your dream programme by a less-than-perfect score, especially if you feel you can stand out from the crowd in other ways.

GPA conversions

If you’re planning to study your PhD abroad , working out what your qualifications will be worth in another country can certainly complicate the application process! We’ve put together a rough guide to international grade conversions below, comparing the US 4-point GPA scale to the grading systems used in some popular PhD study abroad destinations.

Please note that these conversions are intended as guidelines only. Each university will calculate international equivalences differently. If you’re not sure whether your grades are sufficient for entry onto a particular PhD programme, it’s best to contact your chosen university directly.

Overall grades for degree programmes in the UK are calculated at the end of your course based on the results of your exams and coursework.

We’ve adapted information supplied by the Fulbright Commission to give you an idea of US/ UK grade conversions for Masters degrees:

Conversions will vary between universities. Many will accept a GPA of 3.7 or more as the equivalent of a distinction grade.

USA vs Australia

Postgraduate students in Australia are awarded grades ranging from ‘High Distinction’ (HD) to ‘Fail’ (F). The table below shows the grading scale used at Monash University, but the exact score range required to achieve each grade varies between universities.

USA vs Canada

Many universities in Canada use the same 4-point GPA scale as in the USA. However, there is considerable variation across the country, and universities in some provinces use scales with up to 9 points.

Some universities will use a 4.3-point scale, where the top score is awarded to the highest-achieving students at the tutor’s discretion:

USA vs Germany

Masters degrees in Germany are normally graded using a 5-point scale, where 1.0 is the highest grade you can achieve and 4.0 is the minimum passing grade:

USA vs the Netherlands

Dutch degrees are graded using a 10-point scale. 10 is the highest mark and 5.5 is usually the minimum needed to pass. It’s very unusual for grades of 9 and 10 to be awarded, which is why a grade of 8 or higher is roughly equivalent to a US GPA of 4.0.

USA vs Norway

Norwegian universities assess students using letter grades from A to F. E is the minimum passing grade. Some institutions translate these letter grades into numerical values between 1 and 5 in order to calculate GPA equivalences.

Grading systems vary hugely between countries and even between universities, so make sure to check the requirements of your chosen university carefully before applying for a PhD. You can find out more about PhD study as an international student in our study abroad section .

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A checklist of the things you'll need to do when making an international PhD application, from meeting the entry requirements to sorting out your visa.

What documents you need for a complete study abroad application, what they are and what they should and should not include.

Our guide explains the best ways to fund international PhD study in the UK, with information on all the main scholarships available to you.

You may need to take a language test to apply for a PhD abroad as an international student. Our guides explain recognised tests in English, German, French and other languages.

Did you know that you can use the FindAPhD search to uncover PhD projects with funding for international students? Here's how.

This guide tells you all about everything you need to apply for a PhD programme in Germany.

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The Thesis Process

The thesis is an opportunity to work independently on a research project of your own design and contribute to the scholarly literature in your field. You emerge from the thesis process with a solid understanding of how original research is executed and how to best communicate research results. Many students have gone on to publish their research in academic or professional journals.

To ensure affordability, the per-credit tuition rate for the 8-credit thesis is the same as our regular course tuition. There are no additional fees (regular per-credit graduate tuition x 8 credits).

Below are the steps that you need to follow to fulfill the thesis requirement. Please know that through each step, you will receive guidance and mentorship.

1. Meet with Your Research Advisor

Upon admission to the program, set up an introductory meeting with your Research Advisor to discuss potential thesis topics as well as course selections that can support your thesis path. 

When you have completed between 24 and 32 credits, you work more intensively with your assigned Research Advisor to determine a specific thesis topic.

Log in to MyDCE , then ALB/ALM Community to schedule an appointment with your assigned Research Advisor via the Degree Candidate Portal.

Failure to work with your Research Advisor initially and then more intensively may result in your Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) Application not being approved (see below) and/or the selection of a different thesis topic.  

Thesis Topic Selection Guidelines

Every effort is made to support research interests that are grounded in your ALM course work, but faculty guidance is not available for all possible projects. Therefore, revision or a change of thesis topic may be necessary.

• The above point about topic selection is particularly pertinent to scientific research (e.g., biology) that is dependent upon laboratory space, project funding, and access to private databases.
• This point is also critical for our candidates in ALM, liberal arts fields (i.e., anthropology, English, government, history, international relations, psychology, and religion) who are required to have Harvard faculty direct their thesis projects. Review Harvard’s course catalog online ( My.Harvard.edu ) to be sure that there are faculty teaching courses related to your thesis topic. If faculty are not available, you will need to choose an alternative topic.
• Your topic choice must be a new area of research for you. You cannot re-purpose prior research. If you want to draw or expand upon your own previously written scholarship for a small portion of your thesis, you need to obtain the explicit permission of your research advisor and cite the work in both the proposal and thesis. Violations of this policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

We’ve put together this guide  to help frame your thinking about thesis topic selection.

While it is natural to follow your interests in selecting a thesis topic, it is important to avoid choosing a topic where your own passions might produce insurmountable biases and assumptions. A thesis is not a piece of advocacy work where you are out to prove something that you already believe. Thesis projects must take a fair and balanced stance by bringing in differing points of view from respected scholars in the field. 

2. Prepare Your Crafting the Thesis Proposal Application

Once you and your Research Advisor have confirmed your thesis topic, the next step in the process is to prepare and submit the CTP Application in order to gain registration approval for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) tutorial or course.

The CTP Application process confirms that you have done enough prior reading and thinking about your thesis topic to generate a pertinent and answerable research question. Pre-CTP preparation is critical as it helps to ensure that you will benefit from and succeed in the CTP.

Application Approvals and Denials. Your Research Advisor will provide feedback on your CTP Application.  If your application is not approved after 3 submissions, your Research Advisor cannot approve your CTP registration. 

If not approved, you’ll need to take additional time for further revisions and submit a new CTP Application during the next CTP submission cycle (if your five-year degree completion date allows).

Application Eligibility Requirements. To be eligible to submit a CTP Application, you need to (1) be in good standing and (2) have completed a minimum of 32 degree-applicable credits, including the research methods/statistics and Engaging in Scholarly Conversation requirement, if required for your field.

Advising Note for Psychology Candidates View More

Students in psychology sometimes face difficulty securing necessary IRB approvals for certain projects. For this reason, Research Advisors will not approve proposals that raise significant concerns about feasibility. Such concerns include cases where projects would require the researcher to possess a level of expertise or experience exceeding documented capabilities, as well as instances where the researcher is unlikely to be able to obtain appropriate faculty supervision for a proposed topic, question, method, or procedure. You must schedule an appointment with your Research Advisor at least three months in advance of the CTP Application deadlines to discuss potential research projects to ensure adequate time for assistance in developing a viable project idea.

Advising Note for Biology and former Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Candidates View More

Thesis projects in these fields are designed to support ongoing scientific research happening in Harvard University, other academic institutions, or life science industry labs and usually these are done under the direction of a principal investigator (PI). Hence, you need to have a thesis director approved by your research advisor  prior  to submitting CTP Application. Your CTP Application is then framed by the lab’s research. Schedule an appointment with your research advisor a few months in advance of the CTP Application deadlines in order to discuss potential research projects and thesis director assignment.

The CTP Application is sent to our central email box:  [email protected] by the following firm deadlines:

• June 1 for fall CTP
• November 1 for spring CTP.  
• September 1 for the three-week January session (ALM sustainability candidates only)
• International sustainability students who need a student visa to attend Harvard Summer School must be officially admitted to the degree program before February 1, must submit the CTP Application on February 1, and must register for the CTP course on March 1 in order to submit timely I-20 paperwork. See international students guidelines for more information.

3. Register and Successfully Complete Crafting the Thesis Proposal

Once your CTP Application is approved, you register for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) tutorial or course as you would any other degree requirement.

The goal of the CTP is to produce a complete, well-written draft of a proposal containing all of the sections required by your Research Advisor. Creating an academically strong thesis proposal sets the foundation for a high-quality thesis and helps garner the attention of a well-respected thesis director.

Thesis proposals typically include approximately 15 to 20 pages of text, in addition to any required reference sections, such as bibliographies and glossary/definition of terms.

Tutorial experience. The fall and spring CTP  tutorials are not courses in the traditional sense. Although there will be assignments for you to complete during the CTP, with due dates, and there will be times when you and your classmates meet as a group with your Research Advisor, there won’t be a regularly scheduled class meeting time for the CTP. 

The main work for the CTP will consist of your working independently on your proposal with your Research Advisor by submitting multiple drafts and scheduling individual appointments.

Grading. You need to make self-directed progress on the proposal without special prompting from the research advisor. You receive a final grade of SAT or UNSAT (failing grade).

You are expected to incorporate all of your Research Advisor’s feedback and be fully committed to producing an academically strong proposal leading to a thesis worthy of a Harvard degree. If you are unable to take advice from your Research Advisor, follow directions, or produce an acceptable proposal, you will not pass the CTP.

The CTP for sustainability is a three-week course in the traditional sense and you receive a letter grade, and it must be B- or higher to receive degree credit for the course.

Academic Integrity. Successful CTP completion also includes a check on the proper use of sources according to our academic integrity guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

Maximum of two attempts . If you don’t pass the CTP, you’ll have — if your five-year, degree-completion date allows — just one more attempt to complete the CTP before being required to withdraw from the program. If you fail the CTP just once and have no more time to complete the degree, your candidacy will automatically expire. Please note that a WD grade counts as an attempt.

If by not passing the CTP you fall into poor academic standing, you will need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the CTP for your second and final time, but only if your five-year, degree-completion date allows. If you have no more time on your five-year clock, you will be required to withdraw from the program.

Human Subjects

If your thesis, regardless of field, will involve the use of human subjects (e.g., interviews, surveys, observations), you will need to have your research vetted by the  Committee on the Use of Human Subjects  (CUHS) of Harvard University. Please review the IRB Lifecycle Guide located on the CUHS website. Your research advisor will help you prepare a draft copy of the project protocol form that you will then finalize with your thesis director to send to the CUHS. 

Given the amount of time that can be required for IRB review, drafting of the required CUHS project protocol forms need to be started with your Research Advisor during the CTP tutorial, before a thesis director has been assigned.

4. Post-CTP Proposal Approval, Thesis Director Assignment, and Registration

Successfully completion of the CTP means you have completed a well-written full draft proposal. Ordinarily, this full draft is not a final accepted proposal. Most students reach the final accepted proposal stage by submitting additional changes and edits to their RA post-CTP.

Post-CTP Changes and Edits Deadline. We expect you to work diligently and quickly with your RA post-CTP to move from full draft to final proposal stage. Indeed, you should have an approved final proposal and be registered in the thesis soon after CTP completion, within weeks, but no later than 3 months. You cannot delay. If you take longer than 3 months after the CTP to register for the thesis, you may be required to retake the CTP.

Thesis Director Assignment. Once your RA has determined that your draft has reached the final proposal stage, you move to the thesis director assignment stage. The Research Advisor places you with a thesis director by sending out your final proposal to prospective Thesis Directors.

Do not approach faculty to ask about directing your thesis.  You may suggest names of any potential Thesis Directors to your Research Advisor, but it must be the Research Advisor who makes contact with them. (If they are eligible/available to direct your thesis, after you have an approved thesis proposal.) You are not permitted to approach faculty to ask them about directing your thesis.

Registration. When a Thesis Director has been identified or the thesis proposal has been fully vetted by the preassigned life science Thesis Director, you will receive a letter of authorization from the Assistant Dean of Academic Programs officially approving your thesis work and providing you with instructions on how to register for the eight-credit master’s thesis. The letter will also have a tentative graduation date as well as four mandatory thesis submission dates (see Thesis Timetable below).

When registering for the thesis, you will have two weeks to pay in full.  This is an eight-credit course, so be sure to have the necessary funds available when you register.

You must be good academic standing to register for the thesis. If not, you’ll need to complete additional courses to bring your GPA up to the 3.0 minimum prior to registration.

Thesis Submission Deadlines and Graduation Timetable

The thesis is a 9-to-12-month project that begins after the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP); when your Research Advisor has approved your proposal and identified a Thesis Director.

The date for the appointment of your Thesis Director determines the graduation cycle that will be automatically assigned to you:

As you can see above, you do not submit your thesis all at once at the end, but in four phases: (1) complete draft to TD, (2) final draft to RA for format review and academic integrity check, (3) format approved draft submitted to TD for grading, and (4) upload your 100% complete graded thesis to ETDs.

Due dates for all phases for your assigned graduation cycle cannot be missed.  You must submit materials by the date indicated by 5 PM EST (even if the date falls on a weekend). If you are late, you will not be able to graduate during your assigned cycle.

If you need additional time to complete your thesis, you need to formally request an extension by emailing that petition to:  [email protected] .  Regardless of when you started, the maximum allotted time to complete your thesis, including any granted extensions of time is 12 months.

Advising Tip to Meet Your Five-Year Deadline: The last possible time you can register for the CTP to meet your five-year deadline date is the fall term two years prior or, if a sustainability student, in the January session one year prior. It is not, however, recommended to wait this long. Indeed, it is vigorously discouraged.

For example, if your five-year deadline is May 2026:

• Complete the CTP in fall 2024 (or in January 2025, if a sustainability student)
• Be assigned a Thesis Director (TD) in March/April 2025
• Begin the 9–12-month thesis project with TD
• Submit a complete draft of your thesis to your TD by February 1, 2026
• Follow through with all other submission deadlines (April 1, April 15 and May 1 — see table above)
• Graduate in May 2026

5. Working with Your Thesis Director

You must work diligently and independently, following the advice of your Thesis Director in a consistent, regular manner equivalent to full-time academic work to complete both the research and the writing phases of your thesis by your required timeline.

You are expected to incorporate all of your Thesis Director’s feedback and be fully committed to producing an academically strong thesis worthy of a Harvard degree. If you are unable to take advice from your Thesis Director, follow directions, or produce an acceptable scholarly thesis product, you will not receive a passing grade.

You are required to produce at least 50 pages of text (not including front matter and appendices). Chapter topics (e.g., introduction, background, methods, findings, conclusion) vary by field.

Once registered in the thesis, we will do a 3-month check-in with you and your Thesis Director to ensure progress is being made. If your Thesis Director reports little to no progress, the Dean of Academic Programs reserves the right to issue a thesis not complete (TNC) grade (see Thesis Grading below).

6. Thesis Template, Format Review, and Academic Integrity Check

All ALM thesis projects must written in Microsoft Word and follow a specific Harvard Extension School format. A properly formatted thesis is an explicit degree requirement; you cannot graduate without it.

You are required to use the Extension School  ALM Thesis Template  or the Extension School ALM Thesis Template for Creative Writing  (specifically designed for creative writing degree candidates). The template has all the mandatory thesis formatting built in.

Besides saving you a considerable amount of time as you write your thesis, the template ensures that your submitted thesis meets the mandatory style guidelines for margins, font, title page, table of contents, and chapter headings. If you use the template, format review should go smoothly, if not, a delayed graduation is highly likely.

Your Research Advisor will complete the format review  prior  to submitting your thesis to your Thesis Director for final grading according to the Thesis Timetable (see above).

Academic Integrity. Format review also includes a check on the proper use of sources according to our  academic integrity  guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

7. Mandatory Thesis Archiving

Once your thesis is finalized, meaning that the required grade has been earned and all edits have been completed, you must upload your thesis to Harvard University’s electronic thesis and dissertation submission system (ETDs).

Uploading your thesis ETDs is an explicit degree requirement; you cannot graduate without completing this step. Furthermore, no changes to the thesis are allowed once it has been graded and archived in ETDs.

The thesis project will be sent to several downstream systems:

• Your work will be preserved using Harvard’s digital repository DASH (Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard).
• Metadata about your work will be sent to HOLLIS (the Harvard Library catalog).
• Your work will be preserved in Harvard Library’s DRS2 (digital preservation repository).

By submitting work through ETDs @ Harvard you will be signing the Harvard Author Agreement. This license does not constrain your rights to publish your work subsequently. You retain all intellectual property rights.

For more information on Harvard’s open access initiatives, we recommend you view the Director of the Office of Scholarly Communication (OSC), Peter Suber’s brief introduction .

Thesis Grading

You need to earn a grade of B- or higher in the thesis. If you fail to complete substantial work on the thesis, you will earn a grade of TNC (thesis not complete). If you have already earned two withdrawal grades, the TNC grade will count as a zero in your cumulative GPA.

If you earn a grade below B-, you will need to petition the Administrative Board for permission to attempt the thesis for a second and final time. The petition process is only available if you are in good academic standing and your five-year, degree-completion date allows for more time. Your candidacy will automatically expire if you do not successfully complete the thesis by your required date.

If approved for a second attempt, you may be required to develop a new proposal on a different topic by re-enrolling in the CTP and being assigned a different thesis director. Tuition for the second attempt is calculated at the current year’s rate.

If by not passing the thesis you fall into poor academic standing, you’ll need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before re-engaging with the thesis process for the second and final time. This is only an option if your five-year, degree-completion date allows for more time.

The Board only reviews cases in which extenuating circumstances prevented the successful completion of the thesis.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Grading the dissertation

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• Public examination and grading

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After the public examination and the submission of the required statements, the Faculty Council will approve and grade the doctoral dissertation on a scale of fail, pass and pass with distinction .   The statements provided by the opponent and the grading committee will be used as the basis for grading. However, the grading decision made by the Faculty Council is not bound by the grading committee statements.

On this page

Grading of doctoral dissertations by the faculty council.

Dissertation grading statements comprise a statement by the opponent and a grade proposal made by the grading committee. Both the opponent’s statement and the grade proposal must comply with the assessment criteria for doctoral dissertations provided by your home faculty. The statements must assess both the quality of the dissertation and your success in defending it at the public examination. Before the public examination, the opponent and members of the grading committee will receive the preliminary examiners’ statements, which they will also take into consideration when assessing the dissertation.

The opponent and the grading committee must submit their statements to the doctoral student services of your home faculty no later than two weeks after the public examination. Faculty's doctoral student services will send the statements to you for your information. You have the right to submit written objections to the statements before the Faculty Council makes a decision on the grade of your dissertation. The doctoral student services automatically take the dissertation to the next possible faculty council meeting for approval, you do not need to separately request the handling of the matter.

The Faculty Council will base its decision on the grading statements, but the decision is made independently from the submitted grade proposal. As a rule, doctoral dissertations approved at the University of Helsinki receive the grade pass . In the case of dissertations that are exceptionally meritorious and ambitious in light of all of the assessment criteria, the grade may be pass with distinction .

You will receive notification of the Faculty Council’s decision after the meeting.

If you are dissatisfied with the grading of your doctoral dissertation, you have the right to appeal in writing to the Academic Appeals Board within 14 days of the receipt of the grading decision (Section 64 of the Regulations on Degrees and the Protection of Students’ Rights at the University of Helsinki).

The dissertation will be registered in Sisu within a few days of the Faculty Council meeting.

Read more about graduation . 

Doctoral thesis awards

The University annually acknowledges doctoral theses of outstanding merit. In addition to scientific merit, the award grounds take into account the impact of the work in the relevant scientific field, as well as its social impact. The awards are each worth 4000 euros. Read more about previous recipients of the awards on the university's external website .

Further information

Instructions and guidelines concerning the examination and grading of doctoral dissertations are based on Rector’s Decision 498/2017 (Preliminary examination and approval of doctoral dissertations as well as general dissertation criteria at the University of Helsinki).

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Committee on Degrees in Social Studies

• Grading and Honors

Social Studies theses are sent to two readers, who provide grades and comments. Graders use a Latin scale, with honors grades ranging from a very rare straight “summa” (the equivalent of an A+) to a “cum minus” (the equivalent of a B-). It is also possible to receive non-honors grades (which revert to a letter grade scale). If the first two grades are more than a Latin grade apart (e.g., “magna plus” and “cum”) the thesis will be sent out for a third reading.

You must pass your thesis and complete both parts of the oral exam in order to graduate with a degree in Social Studies.  Every student in recent memory who has submitted a thesis has passed and graduated.

Social Studies uses a formula to calculate honors recommendations that takes into account course grades, thesis grades, and oral exam grades.  If a thesis has received two readings, both readings will be weighted equally.  If a thesis has received three readings, the median grade will be weighted 50% and the two outliers 25% each.

All courses in our five overlapping social science departments (anthropology, economics, government, history, and sociology) count for concentration credit, whether or not they are part of a student’s focus field. In addition, we will count courses outside of these departments that were successfully petitioned to count towards a focus field.  We only count course grades earned in the first seven semesters, as we do not have access to eighth semester grades when we determine honors.

Our recommendations are “English Honors” and they are necessary but not sufficient for college-wide Latin Honors, which are based on all eight semesters of grades and are subject to college-wide GPA cutoffs. You can learn more about the honors process at the college level by reading the Harvard College Handbook for Students .

Regardless of your Latin Honors outcome, you may list any English Honors you earned in Social Studies on your resume.  

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Assessment criteria and grading scale

The assessment criteria for a doctoral dissertation (thesis) at Åbo Akademi University are as follows:

Choice of subject and research problem

The dissertation must present well-founded, new knowledge, demonstrate innovative approaches and it can also open up an entirely new branch of research. The dissertation must be appropriately defined. Aims, problem-setting, and research questions must be formulated so that they can be answered in a meaningful way.

Conceptual clarity and theoretical mastery of the subject

The work must be conceptually clear and the author must master the underlying theories and be able to conceptualise the research problem. Definitions and conceptualisations must be clearly expressed.

Research methods

The methods must be properly motivated and appropriate, with respect to the research problem. A consistent and insightful application of the research methods is considered a merit.

Material and source criticism

The material must be of a qualitatively high standard and quantitatively adequate with regard to the research problem and the research method. The source material is critically analysed and reliably accounted for by means of correct citations and references.

Presentation of the results

The research results must be presented clearly and logically. The analysis must be consistent and well-founded. The presentation of the results must correspond with the aim and problem-setting.

Conclusions

The conclusions must be systematic, well-founded and drawn from the aim, research problem, material and method.

The work as a whole and linguistic form

The dissertation must be logically organised, the language must be clearly articulated and the graphic layout must be clean and easy to follow. The text must be consistent and logical, focusing on the essential. The argument must be made logically. The author must show proof of critical thinking, originality and independence.

The defence of the doctoral dissertation is also taken into consideration in its assessment.

The grading scale for a doctoral dissertation at Åbo Akademi University is two-graded:

Updated 10.2.2022

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• Classification of theses

Further information

• Examiners assessment criteria

Your thesis will be classified in one of the following ways:

Passed with no requirement for correction or amendments.

Passed subject to minor revisions as indicated in the report and carried out to the satisfaction of the board.

Passed subject to substantive revisions along the lines indicated in the report and carried out to the satisfaction of the board without further reference to the examiners.

R esubmit if it shows some merit and may be sufficiently improved for resubmission.

You will be advised of the further work required and the deadline for re-submission, usually a year. You will be notified in writing of the procedure for resubmission of a thesis.

Resubmitted theses can only be passed or failed .

You are not awarded a degree, and you can not resubmit your thesis in a revised form.

• You, your school or examiners may be asked for more information before the board classifies your thesis.
• If an examiner's report is more than three months overdue, the board may classify the thesis on the recommendation of the reports available.
• The board may also ask you to complete an oral examination of your thesis.

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The German grading scale

How to translate your (foreign) grade into a german one:.

The grades awarded in the German school system range from 1 to 6. The lower the grade, the better it is: a 1 is an excellent grade, whereas 5 and 6 are fail grades. Universities use a slightly modified version, which only goes from 1 to 5. It should also be noted that, in the German notation, the decimal separator is not the period but the comma: the grades are written 1,0; 1,3; 2,5 etc.

Grades awarded in the German education system

The grading scale used at the University of Passau (for all subjects except Law)

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Advice for surviving your PhD dissertation

Tips for each step of researching, writing and refining a PhD dissertation

From initial research and writing to revision, defence and award, the journey to completing a PhD is often described as a marathon. Here, academics offer their insight on each step towards producing an original work of scholarship. Starting with choosing a supervisor and establishing healthy habits, the advice goes on to cover how to structure a PhD dissertation, establish a writing routine, write an abstract, prepare for a viva and beat procrastination when motivation flags.

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Strategies for writing a dissertation: write before you’re ‘ready’

Monique Dufour

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How to navigate the PhD thesis

Luis R. Rojas-Solórzano

Nazarbayev University

How to write a PhD thesis: a step-by-step guide

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How to tackle the PhD dissertation

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Get your PhD thesis beach ready

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Finding supervision and support

Top tips for choosing a PhD Supervisor

Near East University

Buddy system: creating community through writing

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Individual consultations can help PhD students to complete their studies

Szabolcs Várbíró , Judit Réka Hetthéssy, Marianna Török

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Transitioning to a PhD: common struggles and how to overcome them

Camille Bou

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Protect your emotional well-being for a happier writing experience

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Why getting a PhD is like building a Lego duck

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Advice for doing a PhD by publication

Why get a PhD by publication (and other career tips)

James Derounian

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Publication-based doctorate: is it for me?

Northumbria University

Advice for supervising a PhD by published works

Alison Brettle

University of Salford

How to write an abstract for a research paper

Ankitha Shetty

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Read this before you write your abstract

Michael Willis

How to find motivation, keep going and finish your thesis

Practical tips for graduate students undertaking a dissertation

William R. Huckle

Five ways to beat the procrastination monster

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University of Winchester

Bad news, kids (and academics): the magical motivation fairy doesn’t exist

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Rachael Cayley

University of Toronto

How to develop a researcher mindset as a PhD student

Shaif Uddin Ahammed

University of the West of Scotland

Evidence synthesis: what every student (and researcher) should know

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Preparing for the viva or defence of your PhD

‘Augmenting’ the doctoral thesis in preparation for a viva

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How to answer viva questions

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Tips for writing a PhD dissertation: FAQs answered

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If I got 1.0 for Master thesis in Germany, can it be summa cum laude in my CV?

I graduated and got an M.Sc. degree from a German university. I got a grade of 1.0 after my master-thesis defense. In this case, can I use "summa cum laude" on my CV?

• 9 I wouldn't say anything which was not explicitly given without at least putting "equivalent to .... in x system" first. –  la femme cosmique Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 11:30
• 2 It is probably different for each university, but at the TU Munich we have the following system: 1.0-1.2 "passed with high distinction", 1.3-1.5 "passed with distinction", 1.6-2.5 "passed with merit", 2.6-3.5 "satisfactorily passed", 3.6-4.0 "passed". –  Cahn Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 14:00
• 1 I'm not sure about M.Sc., but for a Dr. (PhD) from a German university, 1.0 would typically be "magna cum laude", whereas "summa cum laude" would translate to "1.0 with distinction", a thing that doesn't exist for a Masters degree AFAIK... –  Sabine Commented Jul 22, 2018 at 16:27
• 1 @Sabine Interesting, where is that? I was not aware of numeric grades being given for a doctoral thesis at German universities. –  Konrad Rudolph Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 10:28
• 1 @KonradRudolph Math in Heidelberg has numerical grades for Promotionen. But in general, there is no "German system" - there are as many systems as there are Promotionsordnungen in Germany (should be thousands....). –  Dirk Commented Jul 28, 2018 at 9:28

5 Answers 5

I would think that would be a dangerous move. List what you have the way it was formally granted. If you think it necessary provide a reference to an official definition so that those who don't understand its significance can learn to do so.

But it isn't really the same thing. Summa Cum Laude is usually (often at least) in the US based on grades for coursework.

If you are suspected of trying to mislead, it will be bad for you. Tell it like it is.

• 3 "If you think it necessary" - It probably is necessary, if the OP is creating a resume for a U.S. audience (which it kind of sounds like is the case). The German system is basically the opposite of the US system (low numbers are good, high are bad), so without an explanation a casual U.S. reader might easily (albeit wrongly) conclude "wow, you just barely scraped by there; that's the worst possible result short of a fail". –  aroth Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 7:47
• 1 @aroth the correct comment is "1.0 (highest possible grade)" or "1.0 (on 1.0-5.0, 1.0 being best", if one wants to put it in light for US audience, not creating certificates that don't exist. cum laude etc. have very specific meanings in the German environment. In any case, US audiences know about German grading scheme, no comment should be warranted to begin with. –  FooBar Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 11:08
• 2 @FooBar - "US audiences know about German grading scheme" - I wouldn't rely on that if it was my resume going to a U.S. audience. Source: I've screened my share of resumes, and had no idea what the German system was until I saw this question. I wouldn't gamble a possible job on the assumption that other U.S. interviewers do possess that knowledge. –  aroth Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 12:31
• 1 @aroth, I agree. Some will know but not all, maybe not even many outside the admissions people themselves. Best to provide the background to be safe. –  Buffy Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 12:46

No. (Unless your Prüfungsordnung says that so explicitly.)

The longer answer: The grading scheme in a German Masters Program is usually handled by the Prüfungsordnungen (could be more than one - an general one and a specific one...). Of course, there is a scheme that is used by most universities in Germany (1 - very good, 2 - good ... and so on) but actually, every Prüfungsordnung handles this issue. It may be that your Prüfungsordnung has a paragraph where it says that there a "mit Auszeichnung" (which should be translated as "with distinction") but if there is no such thing, than you should not list anything. The term "summa cum laude" is, as far as I know, only used for the doctoral thesis in Germany. Where I am, the Masterurkunde comes with a Diploma Supplement in English which explains the grading system (and, for that matter, also the German system of education), so if you have a similar thing, you could also look there for a proper translation of your grade.

When I applied to jobs outside of Germany, I listed all grades as given and included a footnote explaining the German grading system:

Grades in Germany are usually awarded on a scale from 1 (best) to 6 (worst).

with a link to the Wikipedia article Academic Grading in Germany . Any implicit conversion could be considered dishonest or would at least be confusing to those familiar with the respective grading system.

A particular problem with listing summa cum laude or similar is this: Some degrees in Germany can be awarded with an additional honours attribute. For example, for one of my degrees, when you got a grade of 1.0 for all modules (coursework and thesis), your thesis would be graded by an external examiner. If this examiner also awarded a grade of 1.0, your degree was equipped with the attribute mit Auszeichnung (with honours). Otherwise, it would usually still be a 1.0. Thus stating your degree as summa cum laude or similar could be understood that you got this kind of a degree – even if your department does not have the corresponding process.

• 1 Actually, then, summa cum laude probably means less than the German "equivalent". Most US universities have a scale from 0.0 to 4.0, with 4.0 the highest. Summa Cum Laude is often awarded on the diploma for an average grade of, say, 3.7 (varies). It doesn't usually require a "perfect 4.0". –  Buffy Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 12:27
• @Buffy: Note that the example I gave is only an example. Other programmes may have different rules. Also, in that example case, the honours attribute was not called summa cum laude. –  Wrzlprmft ♦ Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 15:15
• @Buffy at my University in Germany you had to get 1.3 average in the modules and 1.0 in the thesis for “mit Auszeichnung“ –  DonQuiKong Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 15:22
• 1 Taking the latin, "cum laude" means "with distinction", "magna cum laude" = "with high distinction", "summa cum laude" is stronger than "maxima cum laude" and means "with utmost distinction". Do you think "with utmost distinction" would be honest? –  gnasher729 Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 16:10
• 1 Do they give 6’s at the Hochschule level anywhere in Germany? –  aeismail Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 11:59

No. Schools award honors. One does not give honors to oneself. If the school has not informed you of honors, you can't claim them. You can include your good score on your CV if you want.

If you did not receive mit Auszeichnung recognition for your thesis and general coursework then there is absolutely no validity to a claim of summa cum laude . A 1,0 grade is necessary but not sufficient.

Moreover, you’d need to have some guidance from the university about how the degree can be described. Most likely, the regulations will say that if you did receive such recognition, you would declare it in English as being “with honors,” which is a legitimate translation.

• 1 Perhaps they would even permit "with high honors" or "highest honors". But a translation to the Latin will be misleading. I'm reminded that while traveling north through Germany, a German colleague informed me we were now passing out of the Roman Empire. –  Buffy Commented Jul 22, 2018 at 16:11
• IIRC my 1.0 "mit Auszeichnung" Diplom was translated in the supplement as "with distinction" (TU Dresden, as @Marvin says, this may vary between universities and possibly also with faculty as it is usually the faculty who decide the Prüfungsordnung). –  cbeleites Commented Jul 22, 2018 at 18:29

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PhD in Germany

Tips for foreign students about PhD programs, positions and scholarships in Germany... And a little bit about the life in general...

German grading system

20 comments:.

Do you mean that if I graduated with a cum laude for my PhD (German system), I would never get a Marie Curie or DFG postdoc fellowship? :(

Sorry for the late reply, cum laude will not close you all doors, especially you have a long publication list and a solid proposal.

Please, what does the grade 'ausgezeichnet' means?

Ausgezeichnet means "with distinction" mit Auszeichnung is the best grade you can get...

Really, these quotes are the holistic approach towards mindfulness. In fact, all of your posts are. Proudly saying I’m getting fruitfulness out of it what you write and share. Thank you so much to both of you. Germany Education Consultants in Chennai

If anyone seeking for any type of assistance about PhD writing service in Germany then visit this website for more help.

Many graduates look for the opportunities to advance their studies in Germany. This is because Germany is one of the countries which have a very efficient and well-established education system. Every scholar who is already attached to one of the institutions should know how to add Dissertation References before he or she starts the PhD project.

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Towards efficient analysis, estimation and control of thermal systems

Tomas Meijer defended his PhD thesis at the Department of Mechanical Engineering on June 14th.

In recent years, a wide variety of societally relevant and industrial applications has spurred a growing need for effective thermal control algorithms. Examples of these applications include high-precision mechatronics, where thermally induced mechanical deformations threaten the required accuracy, and in medical applications such as hyperthermia for cancer treatments, where accurate thermal control improves treatment effectiveness as well as patient comfort and safety. In his research, PhD candidate Tomas Meijer has developed systematic and computationally efficient methodologies for the analysis, estimation and (constrained) control of thermal systems. He defended his PhD thesis successfully on June 14th.

Traditionally, many high-precision mechatronic systems relied on passive techniques for limiting the impact of thermally induced deformations. However, passive techniques alone are often no longer capable of keeping up with the ever-increasing demands on these systems. Therefore, active techniques for controlling the temperature are required. Such active thermal control algorithms are also relevant for, e.g., medical applications and nuclear fusion.

Estimation for complex thermal models

Active thermal controllers benefit from knowledge of the temperature throughout the entire spatial domain of the system. Since the temperature can only be measured at a limited number of sensor locations, the temperature in the remainder of the system needs to be accurately estimated using complex large-scale thermal models. In addition, these models often contain unknown physical parameters that further complicate their analysis and control.

To address these challenges, Meijer , who is with the Control Systems Technology section at the department of Mechanical Engineering, presents novel results for analysing the properties of such systems, as well as new methods to jointly estimate both the unknown parameters and states of the system.

Large-scale predictive control

Many active thermal control applications are further complicated by the need to comply with strict actuation and/or safety constraints. As examples, one may think of maximal power limits in the heating actuator (and that one can only heat and not cool with them) and maximal temperature constraints for hyperthermia cancer treatments for the patient’s safety. To deal with these constraints, controllers typically predict the temperature evolution some time into the future, during which they ensure that the constraints remain satisfied. Generating these predictions in real time using the complex large-scale thermal models, however, is computationally expensive and, therefore, intractable. In this thesis, new techniques are presented for constructing simpler models that describe the exact same dynamics for the duration of the predictions. These models can be used to predict the future temperature in real time without sacrificing controller performance.

As said above, in his thesis, Meijer presents new methods for dealing with so-called large-scale parameter-varying and descriptor systems, which are capable of accurately describing the temperature evolution in a wide range of applications. These methods cover many important aspects of thermal control problems, including simultaneous state and parameter estimation, system-theoretic analysis and (constrained) data-driven and optimization-based control. These contributions form an important step towards the development of reliable, effective and tractable thermal control algorithms.

Title of PhD-thesis:  Estimation and Control for Discrete-Time Parameter-Varying and Descriptor Systems . Supervisors: Maurice Heemels , TU/e, Victor Dolk, ASML, and Michelle Chong , TU/e. Other main parties involved: ASML and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

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• Academic Europe
• Posted on: 5 July 2024

PhD Thesis "INNOVATIVE DIGITALISED SERVICES FOR FUTURE HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS"

Job information, offer description.

As  Austria's largest research and technology organisation  for applied research, we are dedicated to make substantial contributions to solving the major challenges of our time, climate change and digitisation. To achieve our goals, we rely on our specific research, development and technology competencies, which are the basis of our commitment to excellence in all areas. With our open culture of innovation and our motivated, international teams, we are working to position AIT as Austria's leading research institution at the highest international level and to make a positive contribution to the economy and society. 

Our  Center for Energy   located in  Vienna  invites applications for a  PhD Thesis  position. At the  Center for Energy  our research unit  Sustainable Thermal Energy Systems  closely works with industrial partners in for design optimisation and operation improvement of heating/cooling systems of buildings including controls, as well as development of  HVAC technologies , namely compression heat pumps for gas boiler replacement, and innovative liquid desiccant dehydration.  

In order to achieve AIT’s goal of providing innovative and sustainable solutions to combat climate change, we have launched a PhD cooperation with Sweden's largest technical university. Hereby, you can apply for a PhD degree at  KTH Royal Institute of Technology , ranked 34 in the 2023 QS World University Rankings. 

Throughout your PhD thesis you will  work together with AIT and KTH  on the collaborative research programme  HEAPNOSYS - HEAt Pumps as the driver of iNtelligent energy SYStems . The research programme aims at fostering  innovation in the building heating sector  by addressing the significant challenges ahead through highly-intertwined PhD and postdoctoral research projects. The project focuses on the exploration of innovative methods to provide digital services for a heat pump system, one of the most promising technologies for decarbonisation of heating sector in Europe. The services in the project particularly target heating installers and service personnel, who play a pivotal role in decision making, installation, operation and maintenance of heat pump systems. The project uses an interdisciplinary and holistic approach through combining physical understanding of the system with data-driven methods and immersive learning principles.

PHD THESIS "INNOVATIVE DIGITALISED SERVICES FOR FUTURE HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS"

In cooperation with KTH Royal Institute of Technology

• For this specific position you work together with an interdisciplinary team from AIT and KTH.
• During this PhD project, a  digital twin will be developed for heat pumps  to assist both installers and service personnel for safe, efficient, and fault-free installation, operation, and maintenance of heat pump (HP) systems.
• The PhD work investigates how  multiple sources of data and information , from  lab measurement to monitoring system  and  digital twins  of the system, can be integrated using a systematic approach.
• The innovative approach, which is to be developed, combines physics informed machine learning, augmented reality, smart fault detection and diagnosis methods to provide educational support and innovative service to millions of new heat pump installations in Europe.
• Within this PhD framework programme, you will have the opportunity to get a  training in scientific work  and to  develop both personally and professionally .
• You will engage in independent  scientific planning , execution and evaluation of studies, scientific preparation of results and publish your research results at conferences and in international journals.
• You benefit from a  highly innovative environment  in the field of sustainable thermal energy systems.

Your qualifications as an Ingenious Partner:

• Completed master’s studies (MSc.) in energy engineering, mechanical engineering, process engineering, physics or a similar field
• Adequate knowledge in heat transfer and thermodynamics
• Knowledge in energy system modelling and simulation, as well as experimental analysis
• High commitment and ability to work in a team as well as willingness to show interest for related topics
• Interested in reading and writing scientific publications and enjoy application-oriented questions from industry
• Very good English skills (spoken & written, equivalent to English B/6) are mandatory; Preferably, also German skills.
• Duration of the PhD project : 4 years
• Start date : ideally 1st, July 2024
• While working in Vienna as part of our AIT research team “Sustainable Thermal Energy Systems” you will have your own AIT supervisor.
• To obtain the PhD degree at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, you will additionally be supervised (remotely) by Assoc. Prof. Hatef Madani, Head of Division of Applied Thermodynamics.
• You will travel to KTH at least once a year for courses and trainings and of course to share ideas and discuss your research study with your academic supervisors and fellow-researchers.

What to expect:  

EUR 37.577,40 gross per year, for 30 h / week for a three-year PhD contract. In addition to numerous events, seminars, networking opportunities and additional company benefits, you will be part of our  AIT PhD community  with around 150 international students. As a research institution, we are familiar with the supervision and execution of PhD theses, and we are looking forward to supporting you accordingly! 

At AIT diversity and inclusion are of great importance. This is why we strive to inspire women to join our teams in the field of technology. We welcome applications from women, who will be given preference in case of equal qualifications after taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances of all applications. 

Please submit your documents including your  CV, cover letter ( ideally one page, including a brief introduction of yourself, an explanation how your previous studies and experience have prepared you for this PhD position, and a motivation why you are interested in this specific position) and your  certificates (Transcript of records) online.

Do not overlook the inclusion of Academic Europe in your application.

Where to apply

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