Doctoral State Exam and Dissertation Defence
The procedures related to doctoral state examination and dissertation defence are based on the specific criteria of each doctoral study programme.
State examination
The requirements, conditions, and format of the doctoral state examination are defined by the AVU Methodological Guidelines. The doctoral state examination is typically taken in the third year of the doctoral studies. Successful completion of the examination is a pre-condition for the admission to the defence of the doctoral thesis.
Dissertation thesis
The dissertation is an individual, original work authored by the doctoral student. In practice-based doctoral studies, it typically consists of a combination of theoretical reflection and the realization of complex artistic or architectural work or a restoration project. In the Theory and History of Contemporary Art program, the dissertation is an original theoretical investigation in the field of contemporary art.
The dissertation is developed through ongoing consultations with the thesis supervisor and appointed consultants. For the Architectural Practice and Artworks Restoration programmes, the recommended minimum length of the written dissertation is 80 standard pages. In the Theory and History of Contemporary Art programme, the expected length of the submitted dissertation is at least 120 standard pages. In the Fine Arts programme, the extent of the written component—if it forms a meaningful part of the doctoral project—is determined by the student in consultation with their supervisor, based on the nature of the work and the overall research project.
The dissertation, or parts of it, may also be submitted through AVU’s institutional portal on the Research Catalogue platform. Instructions for submitting the dissertation or its components via Research Catalogue are provided below.