For full-time doctoral researchers, the BGTS offers a clear structure where the different steps of doctoral studies are spelled out and monitored along the way to ensure that doctoral researchers receive the support needed to complete their dissertation within three years.

Requirements: Curricular planning

• SCRIPTS course
• Research Design and Research Colloquium
• Statistics or equivalent course in qualitative methods
• Methods workshops
• Transferable skills workshops (during 1^st and 2^nd year)
• Independent thesis research

• Research Colloquium
• Independent thesis research

• Teaching or project work (cooperation with SCRIPTS RUs, projects or SCRIPTS partner institutions) or internship at a think tank (BGTS has cooperation agreements) (during 2nd or 3rd year)

• Transferable skills workshops (during 1^st and 2^nd year)

• Research Colloquium
• Independent thesis research
• Teaching or project work (cooperation with SCRIPTS RUs, projects or SCRIPTS partner institutions) (during 2^nd or 3^rd year)

Monitoring: Milestones and the June Paper

All doctoral researchers must submit a “June Paper” on 30 June every year. Progress review meetings with supervisors are to take place afterwards. In this meeting, the progress of the research project, the work plan, and the supervision situation should be discussed. The progress report form is a guideline for your discussion and should be filled out at the same time. It should help you to review the outcome of the meeting, and enables us to keep track of your progress. A copy of the completed progress report needs to be sent to the Coordination Office via email by 1 August.

The June Paper is an advanced research proposal, which reflects your work during your first year at the BTS. An early version of the June Paper should be presented in the 1^st year colloquium in the summer term.

The equivalent of a June Paper consists of either chapters of your dissertation or papers. The modus of dissertation writing (monograph or cumulative) and format of submission of the June Paper need to be defined together with your supervisor.

In the best possible scenario, the equivalent of the June Paper is the final draft of your thesis. In case this is not possible, you have two options:

1. Agree with your first supervisor on the date of submission of your final draft, the date of submission being no later than 30 August. Your first supervisor needs to send an email to the Coordination Office announcing the new deadline – ideally this email would include the date of the progress review meeting as well. This email has to reach the office by 30 June at the latest.
2. Submit your work in progress as an equivalent of the June Paper following the normal submission procedure (by 30 June), also make sure to hold your progress review meeting and submit the corresponding report (by 1 August). Your progress review should then include an explanation of delay as well as a statement about the further proceedings and agreements made with the supervisor.