General syllabus - Innovation and Design

• Reg.no: 2024/1539
• Decision maker: The Faculty Board (until 2025-12-31) thereafter The Dean of faculty
  
• Date of descision: 2024-06-11
• Date of entry into force: 2024-07-01
• Responsible for review and revision: Head of Department, Department of Health Sciences, Innovation and Design

This is a translation of the Swedish version. In the event of discrepancies, the Swedish version will take precedence.

The third-cycle subject area Innovation and Design

Innovation and Design is a subject with an interdisciplinary focus on development processes based on the needs of individuals and groups in different situations and contexts. It concerns societal development to meet current and future needs for change in organisations, companies and public authorities. Examples of applications can be communication processes, information processes, and innovation, which are relevant to society at large and with a people-centred focus. In the Innovation and Design subject, aspects of information design and innovation technology are included. Creative approaches are practised in the subject as facilitators to combine different perspectives and skills in the creation of artefacts and services, as well as in processes and systems, based on the individuals who are involved. It is common to apply collaborative user-centred methods that engage different levels of stakeholders in the design and innovation processes.

Purpose and objective of the third-cycle studies

The purpose of third-cycle studies is that the doctoral student will develop knowledge, generic skills and an approach that is needed in order to independently plan, implement and report scholarly studies in the third-cycle subject area innovation and design both orally and in writing.

Third-cycle courses and study programmes can lead to two different qualifications; Degree of Doctor (240 credits equivalent to full-time study of four years) and Degree of Licentiate (at least 120 credits equivalent to full-time study of two years).

Through active participation in courses and work with the thesis, as well as active participation in seminar activities conducted in each third-cycle subject, the following qualitative targets are supported at third-cycle studies level in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, Appendix 2 (SFS 1993:100):

Degree of Licenatiate

Goals – knowledge and understanding

For the Degree of Licentiate the doctoral student shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the field of research including current specialist knowledge in a limited area of this field as well as specialised knowledge of research methodology in general and the methods of the specific field of research in particular.

Goals – competence and skills

For the Degree of Licentiate the doctoral student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues with scholarly precision critically, autonomously and creatively, and to plan and use appropriate methods to undertake a limited piece of research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames in order to contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as to evaluate this work.
• demonstrate the ability in both national and international contexts to present and discuss research and research findings in speech and writing and in dialogue with the academic community and society in general, and
• demonstrate the skills required to participate autonomously in research and development work and to work autonomously in some other qualified capacity.

Goals – Judgement and approach

For the Degree of Licentiate, the doctoral student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments of ethical aspects of his or her own research.
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

Degree of Doctor

Goals – Knowledge and understanding

For the Degree of Doctor, the doctoral student shall:

• demonstrate broad knowledge and systematic understanding of the research field as well as advanced and up-to-date specialised knowledge in a limited area of this field, and
• demonstrate familiarity with research methodology in general and the methods of the specific field of research in particular.

Goals – Competence and skills

For the Degree of Doctor, the doctoral student shall:

• demonstrate the capacity for scholarly analysis and synthesis as well as to review and assess new and complex phenomena, issues and situations autonomously and critically
• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues with scholarly precision critically, autonomously and creatively, and to plan and use appropriate methods to undertake research and other qualified tasks within predetermined time frames and to review and evaluate such work
• demonstrate through a dissertation the ability to make a significant contribution to the formation of knowledge through his or her own research
• demonstrate the ability in both national and international contexts to present and discuss research and research findings authoritatively in speech and writing and in dialogue with the academic community and society in general
• demonstrate the ability to identify the need for further knowledge and
• demonstrate the capacity to contribute to social development and support the learning of others both through research and education and in some other qualified professional capacity.

Goals – Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Doctor the doctoral student shall:

• demonstrate intellectual autonomy and disciplinary rectitude as well as the ability to make assessments of research ethics, and
• demonstrate specialised insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used.

Structure of third-cycle studies

Individual study plan

For each doctoral student, an individual study plan must be drawn up in accordance with Chapter 6, Section 29 of the Higher Education Ordinance. The individual study plan must clarify the commitments of each party (the University and doctoral student) and the timetable for the education, as well as specific goals for the doctoral student. The individual study plan must define activities that provide prerequisites to reach the national as well as subject-specific qualitative targets.

The individual study plan shall be reviewed regularly and after consultation with the doctoral student and their supervisor may be changed by the University to the required extent.

Courses

An important aspect of third-cycle education in Innovation and Design is arequirement to take courses. Courses are selected in consultation with the principal supervisor and are documented in the individual study plan and can be taken at the University or another higher education institution.

For a Degree of Doctor in Innovation and Design, a course component of at least 75 credits is included, of which the below courses comprising 14 credits are compulsory.

Compulsory courses, 14 higher education credits

• Introduction to Innovation and Design (5 credits)
  
• Research Ethics and Practice (2.5 credits) or the equivalent
  
• Introductory course in qualitative methodologies and methods (4 credits) or the equivalent
  
• Sustainable Society (2.5 credits)
  

For the Degree of Licentiate in Innovation and Design, a course component of at least 37.5 credits is included, of which the following courses of 11.5 credits are compulsory.

Compulsory courses, 11.5 credits

• Introduction to Innovation and Design (5 credits)
  
• Research Ethics and Practice (2.5 credits) or the equivalent
  
• Introductory course in qualitative methodologies and methods (4 credits) or the equivalent

Other credit-bearing components

The doctoral student also has the opportunity within the scope of third-cycle education at MDU to include credit-bearing components. In the area of Innovation and Design, the following components are included that can earn credits.

• Higher seminars (2.5 credits)

Review of ongoing studies

Within the framework of doctoral education at MDU, the doctoral student must present the ongoing doctoral studies internally but also at public seminars/reviews to give the research community and the public insight into the research being conducted at the University. The reviews allow the doctoral student to discuss the ongoing work and have it reviewed by internal and external senior researchers.

At MDU there are two mandatory review sessions where the doctoral student must present their results at (with aim for a Degree of Doctor):

• Mid-way review/seminar, does not apply to doctoral students who will complete a Degree of Licentiate
  
• Final review/preview

Doctoral thesis

A doctoral thesis in Innovation and Design must be formulated as a compilation thesis or a monograph and can be written in English or Swedish.

A compilation thesis consists of papers and a compilation part (introductory chapter of a compilation thesis – known as a kappa in Swedish). The papers must meet the quality requirements for publication in international peerreviewed journals. When the thesis is presented for the defence in Innovation and Design, there must be at least 4 papers, of which at least 2 must be published or accepted. At least 2 of the remaining papers must be in the form of complete article manuscripts.

The compilation part must highlight the various papers, how they are connected and what joint knowledge they have generated. The thesis, regardless of whether it is written in Swedish or English, must include summaries in both Swedish and English.

Licentiate thesis

A licentiate thesis in Innovation and Design must be written as a compilation thesis or a monograph and can be written in English or Swedish.

A licentiate thesis written as a compilation thesis consists of papers and a compilation part. The papers must meet the quality requirements for publication in international peer-reviewed journals. When the licentiate thesis is submitted for the licentiate seminar in Innovation and Design, at least 2 of the papers must have been published or accepted. At least 1 of the remaining papers must be in the shape of a complete article manuscript.

The compilation part must highlight the various papers, how they are connected and what joint knowledge they have generated. The licentiate thesis, regardless of whether it is written in Swedish or English, must include summaries in both Swedish and English.

Examination

Third-cycle courses and study programmes are concluded with a Degree of Doctor or a Degree of Licentiate. The doctoral student who has a doctoral degree as their goal has the right, but no obligation, to graduate with a licentiate degree as a stage in the third-cycle education.

Degree of Doctor

For a Degree of Doctor, a total of 240 completed higher education credits are required, consisting of:

• completed courses with a pass grade and other credit-bearing components of 75 credits
  
• a pass grade on a doctoral thesis where the scope corresponds to studies of 165 higher education credits

Public defence

The doctoral student must independently defend their doctoral thesis orally at a public defence.

The thesis is examined by an examining committee, who will decide a grade of Pass or Fail.

Degree of Licentiate

For a Degree of Licentiate, a total of 120 completed higher education credits are required, consisting of:

• completed courses with a pass grade and other credit-bearing components of 37.5 credits
  
• a pass grade on a licentiate thesis where the scope corresponds to studies of 82.5 credits

Licentiate seminar

The doctoral student must independently defend their licentiate thesis at a seminar where the public can attend.

The licentiate thesis is assessed by an examining committee, who award a grade of Pass or Fail.

Title of degree

For a doctoral degree:
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

For a licentiate degree:
Degree of Licentiate

Additional information

Further information can be found in Mälardalen University's Guidelines for third-Cycle studies. Information is also available on the University's website.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

A person meets the general entry requirements to third-cycle studies, according to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 7, Section 39, if they:

1. have been awarded a qualification at second cycle,
2. have fulfilled course requirements comprising at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 were awarded in the second cycle, or
3. have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in or outside Sweden.

The University may grant an exemption from the general entry requirements for an individual applicant if there are particular grounds, according to Chapter 7, Section 39 of the Higher Education Ordinance.

Specific entry requirements

Specific entry requirements must be met to be admitted to Innovation and Design for those who have

1. a Master's (60 credits) or Degree of Master (120 credits) or 60 credits at the second cycle level in a main subject/area relevant to the current doctoral education project.

Selection

In selecting between applicants who fulfil the entry requirements, an assessment is conducted of the applicant’s ability to benefit from the programme.

• relevant prerequisites for the current research project,
  
• cooperation skills and drive,
• an ability to express oneself in writing.

Coming into effect and interim regulations

The existing syllabus will come into effect on 1 July 2024.

Doctoral students admitted before this date have the right to follow the syllabus and examination requirements which were valid when the doctoral student was admitted. If the doctoral student requests it and it is suitable it may be decided, in the individual study plan, that the doctoral student will transfer to the education following the new syllabus.