Physical Sciences

Candidate profile  

Admission to the Doctoral School is open to candidates who: 

1) hold a Master’s degree, a Master of Engineering degree, or an equivalent qualification, or in exceptional cases, justified by outstanding scientific achievements, a graduate of first-cycle studies or a student who has completed the third year of long-cycle Master’s studies may also be admitted to the Doctoral School, 

2) have not initiated doctoral proceedings or proceedings for the award of a doctoral degree in the scientific discipline in which they are applying for admission to the Doctoral School, 

3) meet the admission requirements established by the University. 

Study at the Doctoral School  

Study at the Doctoral School of the University of Bialystok lasts for 8 semesters. It is based on a curriculum comprising classes conducted by University of Bialystok academic staff (specialists in particular disciplines), the doctoral student’s involvement in scientific research within the selected discipline, and professional training placements. The curriculum includes theoretical issues, places strong emphasis on direct cooperation with the supervisor, and promotes independent scientific research.

Some classes are conducted jointly for all doctoral students of the School. The largest group of courses is closely related to a given field of science and intended for doctoral students pursuing a specific discipline. In addition to compulsory courses within this group, doctoral students may choose specialised seminars.

The Doctoral School provides conditions for acquiring the theoretical competences and practical skills necessary for the preparation and defence of a doctoral dissertation, as well as for the development of teaching competences. Graduates of the Doctoral School acquire advanced theoretical knowledge, broaden and enhance their practical skills, and develop social competences.

The learning objectives of the Doctoral School are: 

-       to provide doctoral students with the knowledge, skills, and competences necessary to conduct scientific research; 

-       to enable doctoral students to obtain significant qualifications required for academic and teaching work both within and outside higher education institutions (in accordance with labour market requirements); 

-       to equip doctoral students with the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain funding for scientific research; 

-       to involve doctoral students in the research activities conducted at the University; 

-      to ensure the achievement of the objectives set out in the doctoral student’s individual research plan, in particular the preparation of the doctoral dissertation.

The ultimate objective of education at the Doctoral School is the preparation of a doctoral dissertation in accordance with the requirements of the procedure for awarding the doctoral degree in the discipline pursued by the doctoral student.

Doctoral education concludes with the submission of the doctoral dissertation, together with the supervisor’s opinion, to the School’s secretariat by the end of the fourth year. The procedure leading to the award of the doctoral degree is conducted by the Scientific Discipline Council and remains outside the jurisdiction of the Doctoral School of the University of Bialystok.

Graduate Profile  

A doctoral student who has completed education at the Doctoral School in the discipline of Physical sciences is prepared to conduct independent scientific research. The graduate is: 

- familiar with research methods used in the discipline of physical sciences and able to apply them effectively, 

- capable of identifying problems, formulating hypotheses, and verifying them using appropriately collected data, 

- familiar with methods used to analyse physical phenomena.

The graduate understands the main principles of knowledge transfer and the commercialisation of research results. The graduate is able to analyse selected scientific concepts within the field of exact and natural sciences and subject them to critical evaluation, as well as to present the results of their research and participating in scholarly discussion concerning the issues under analysis. Graduates of the Doctoral School are qualified to pursue careers as researchers and academic teaching staff at higher education institutions, as well as in other scientific or educational institutions. 

Qualification rules

https://szkoladoktorska.uwb.edu.pl/kandydat/zasady-i-tryb-rekrutacji-do-szkoly-doktorskiej