Universität Wien

400002 FK Completion Course: The last steps towards completing your doctoral studies (2026S)

Completion course

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 40 - Doktoratsstudium Sozialwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
We 29.04. 09:45-13:30 Seminarraum 11 Vernetzungsraum für Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Wednesday 11.03. 09:45 - 13:30 C0628A Besprechung SoWi, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Wednesday 25.03. 09:45 - 13:30 Seminarraum 11 Vernetzungsraum für Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Wednesday 15.04. 09:45 - 13:30 C0628A Besprechung SoWi, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Wednesday 13.05. 09:45 - 13:30 Seminarraum 11 Vernetzungsraum für Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Wednesday 27.05. 09:45 - 13:00 Seminarraum 11 Vernetzungsraum für Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course is for doctoral students in the final year of their PhD. The aim of this course is twofold. First, to provide information on and strategies for the major steps in the final phase of the PhD. This includes topics such as time management, writing and editing, addressing the question of "what is enough", managing stressful situations, as well as formal requirements for submission, the review process and the defence. Some of these topics will also be discussed with ViDSS graduates and members of the administrative team (Studies Service Center, Faculty, and ViDSS). Second, to help students identify their major milestones on the way to submission and defence of their thesis and reach those milestones over the course of the semester. We offer a supportive environment and help to push PhD projects over the finish line.
The course will include inputs from the course instructors, presentations of major milestones by participants, input from graduates and the administrative team, as well as feedback from the course instructors and peers.
The course is aimed at advanced doctoral students who have finished their data collection and data analysis, and who are in the writing and editing stage of their PhD.
This is a 5 ECTS course, which translates into a total workload of 125 hours this semester.

Assessment and permitted materials

Completing a time plan (50%):
In the first session, participants are invited to give an overview of their PhD project: what’s the current state, the missing elements, and the overall time frame of the project? We will discuss strategies for successful time management and help to identify major milestones that can be reached within 2 to 4 weeks. After the first session, students 1) define five milestones and 2) to develop a time plan to achieve those goals. This time plan is to be submitted before Session 2.
Reports on completed milestones (50%):
In sessions 2 to 6, students give a short (about 5 min) presentation on their last milestone: did they succeed in reaching the milestone? How do they feel about it? The seminar offers a forum to discuss whether students should adapt their time plans, e.g. to make the milestones more realistic or to make the milestones more ambitious. The aim is to provide a healthy, positive work atmosphere to celebrate successes together and to help dealing with failure (and learning from it).

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

A number of rules apply to receive a final grade and thus pass the seminar.
- Participation is obligatory. If students cannot participate for a good reason, they are required to notify the lecturers before the class.
- Students are strongly encouraged to actively participate in discussions.
- Students only present their own work.
- Students complete all assignments.

The final grade consists of three separate grades:
- Completing a time plan (50%) after Session 1
- Reports on completed milestones (50%) Sessions 2-6

Examination topics

see minimum requirements and assessment

Reading list

See the syllabus

Association in the course directory

Last modified: We 18.03.2026 09:48