Doctoral programmes

A number of faculties offer programmes within the framework of Doctoral Schools. Some of these programmes are highly structured and are a prerequisite for presenting a doctoral thesis and obtaining the degree of Doctor. This is the case for the following Schools:

• Doctoral School of the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC)
  See also: Règlement de l'école doctorale

• Doctoral School of the Faculty of Biology and Medicine, which offers the following thematic programmes:
  • Life Sciences - without thematic programme
  • Life Sciences - Cancer and Immunology
    
  • Life Sciences - Cardiovascular and Metabolism
    
  • Life Sciences - Integrated Experimental and Computational Biology
  • Life Sciences - Ecology and Evolution (CUSO)
  • Life Sciences - Microbial Sciences (CUSO)

See also: Règlement de l'école doctorale

Other programmes are optional and offer doctoral students additional training in research methodology, group and individual supervision, conferences and meetings encouraging the exchange of ideas and interdisciplinarity. This is the case for the following programme:

• Interdisciplinary Doctoral Training in Arts (FDI)

These programmes are organised under the aegis of the University Conference of Western Switzerland and are common to two or more universities. They generally run for three years. Each programme has its own registration conditions in accordance with very open provisions. Indeed the aim of the CUSO is to allow any doctoral student regardless of their research field to have access to at least one programme.

Participation in a doctoral programme is not compulsory to defend a doctoral thesis and obtain the degree of Doctor. This is why CUSO programmes are not governed by regulations. However, faculty regulations sometimes stipulate the acquisition of credits as part of these programmes.

The following doctoral programmes are offered at the present time:

• Anthropology and Ethnology
• Plant Molecular Biology
• Ecology and Evolution
  
• Gender Studies
• Geography
• Modern History
  
• Information Systems
• German Language and Literature
  
• English Language and Literatures
• Microbial Sciences
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Political Science
• Sciences of Antiquity (EDOCSA)
• Earth Surface Processes & Paleobiosphere
• Sciences of Education
  
• Mineral Sciences
  
• Sciences of Language
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Statistics and Applied Probability
• Sociology
• StarOmics (Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics, and Large Scale Data Analysis Techniques)
• Theology

More information: University Conference of Western Switzerland (CUSO)

Some doctoral programmes are also organised within the framework of a National Research Programme (NRP) or based on inter-university cooperation not adhering to a predetermined framework.

The UNIL is leading house for the National Research Programme NCCR LIVES and co-leading house (with the EPFL and the University of Geneva) for the National Research Programme "Synaptic Mechanisms of Mental Disorders".

The UNIL takes part in other NRPs. For more information, consult the SNSF website.

The UNIL participates in the following inter-institutional programmes:

• Social Psychology (UNIL-UNIGE)
• Lemanic Neuroscience Doctoral School (UNIL-UNIGE)

These programmes are supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Rectors’ Conference of Swiss Universities (CRUS). They are run by an appointed professor who may recruit a particular number of doctoral students. The latter will then be remunerated by the SNSF. Doctoral students wishing to become involved in this type of programme must apply to the relevant professors.

These programmes will gradually cease to run from 2012.

More information: SNSF website and CRUS website