Criminology

1st year - FORMULATION OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT

By the end of the first year, PhD students will have to deliver: the report of the activities, a research project and a proposal for the first chapter of their doctoral thesis. In particular, they will be asked to define the research topic, a detailed review of the literature, the identification of knowledge gaps and one or more research topics on which to focus.

PhD students will have to defend their research project and the formulation of the argument in front of the Academic Board, which will decide on the admission of candidates to the 2nd year.
 

2nd year - RESEARCH PROJECT AND SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE

The PhD students will continue their research, which will be monitored through the drafting of reports discussed individually or in seminar form every two months. By the end of the 2nd year, candidates will deliver: the activity report, a research project, a draft of the first two chapters of the thesis and a paper published in an international journal (the article should ideally deal with the same topic as the candidate's thesis).

PhD students will have to defend their research project and the paper in front of the Academic Board which will decide on the admission of candidates to the 3rd year.
 

3rd year - COMPLETION OF THE DOCTORAL THESIS

PhD students will complete their research and finalize their doctoral thesis. Progress will be monitored through periodic meetings. By the end of the third year, candidates will have to submit the activity report and a draft of the final doctoral thesis.

Admission to the final discussion follows a procedure aimed at ensuring the high quality of the doctoral thesis and research. The draft of the thesis will be evaluated by the PhD student's tutor and two external reviewers competent on the topic of the thesis. The thesis must reach the standard of a publishable book. Based on the judgment expressed by the tutor and the external supervisors, the Academic Board will suggest to candidates whether to submit the thesis to the Commission to take the final exam.
 

FINAL DISCUSSION

The final discussion will be held in front of a Commission composed of at least three professors from Italian and foreign universities, two of whom are not members of the Academic Board. The discussion, in public and entirely in English, includes the presentation of the research and the results by the candidate followed by questions from the commissioners. The commission will confer the title of Doctor of Criminology to candidates who are authors of innovative and high-quality studies, of international level.

For more information consult the official Brochure.