Advisor Responsibilities
The advisor is responsible for accompanying and guiding the student throughout their studies, and serves to liaise between the student, the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee, and the school on all matters pertaining to studies. Under the direct guidance of the advisor, the student will carry out their research, and it is the advisor’s responsibility to ensure the research is conducted and that the means for such are provided.
Any information passed on to the student by the advisor must be in accordance with the school’s regulations and procedures.
In any case of contradicting information, the school’s regulations and procedures will apply, as they appear on this site.
The advisor must relate to all students’ requests and give their recommendation to the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee after inquiring as to the student’s academic situation as stated in their results sheet.
The advisor oversees the entirety of the student’s studies, including scholarships and graduation stages.
Nature of Research in Thesis Study Track
Research
The purpose of Master’s research is to train the student in research methods, including critical literature survey, conducting limited-scope research, and submitting a thesis. The research may be theoretical or experimental, basic or applied, while emphasizing the scientific analytical approach.
The number of credits for research is twenty.
Comprehensive Engineering Project
The purpose of the project is to train the student in engineering design methods, including critical literature survey, managing a project, and submitting a thesis, while emphasizing the applied engineering approach. The project will be a comprehensive engineering project dedicated to engineering design, theoretical or critical engineering analysis, lab or field experimentation, critical survey of methods or existing knowledge which involve advancing existing understanding, expanding on that which is known, and such.
The number of credits for the project is twenty.
Final Paper
The purpose of the final paper is consolidation of the knowledge acquired by the student through applying theoretical knowledge in applied problem solving, detailed analysis of a research question and means of resolution, including critical literature survey, or by resolution of a limited research question, such as: conducting of and detailed reporting on complex research within the framework of a group study. The final thesis will be theoretical, computational, or experimental.
The number of credits for the final thesis is twelve.
Under justified circumstances, and with the Committee’s recommendation and the school’s authorization, a student’s study track can be changed.
Nature of the Research
The research will be original, theoretical or experimental, basic or applied, while emphasizing the analytical and scientific approach, and with significantly less guidance than that for a Master’s research. The candidates must prove that they are qualified to conduct research, and their ability to conduct original research of value. Additionally, they must prove that they have the initiative, imagination, investigative character, judgement, and diligence necessary for independent research. The research will be considered of value if it is on such a level that it can be published in a reputable international scientific journal, and if it significantly advances the knowledge and understanding of its field.
Registration for study courses is done before the beginning of the semester with the Study Program Proposal Form. The advisor must outline the student’s study program according to their terms of acceptance (prerequisites), the nature of their research thesis and scholarship requirements (if such exist), and subject to the following regulations:
- Expected academic GPA for a student in Graduate School is 75. A student whose academic situation is not as expected will not be able to submit their topic for research or receive study leave
- A passing grade in a study course being taken towards a graduate degree: 65
- In undergraduate study courses and common undergraduate/graduate study courses, a failing grade may be corrected or a retest may be taken to improve the grade
- A failing grade in graduate study courses will require reapplying for the study course in order to correct the failing grade. A failing grade may not remain on a student’s grade sheet
- Prerequisite/transfer study courses may be defined in advance for regular students, which will not be calculated in the general GPA.
The date for submitting research thesis topics:
If there is no other requirement from the academic division by the middle of the program.
A participant requesting or receiving a scholarship will be required to submit a research thesis topic according to the procedures which apply to the recipients as detailed in the section entitled “Scholarships” section, the terms for submitting a research thesis topic:
- Meeting prerequisite requirements (only regular a student will be allowed to submit a research thesis topic)
- Academic GPA of 75
- Completing the requirement for “Research Thesis Ethics”
At the end of every semester, the advisor will evaluate the student’s progress on their research thesis. The grade must reliably reflect the student’s efforts, progress, and achievements, including the composition writing stage. The grade will be an important parameter in evaluating the student’s academic situation.
A delay in submitting the grade on time may harm the student (cessation of scholarship, committee discussion).
After a grade has been given – it cannot be changed.
Following is the grade scale:
A = Excellent
B = Very Good
C = Good
D = Unsatisfactory (fail)
E = Not yet able to assess. This grade may be given only once, to a first semester student, when the value of the work cannot yet be assessed.
S = Finishing stages – this grade will be given when the composition is ready to be submitted and the student has an approved examining committee. This grade can be given only twice.
M = Maternity leave
Appointment of Examining Committee
Before submitting the PhD Research Proposal to the school, one must submit for approval by the Dean of the Jacobs Graduate School a proposal for an examining committee comprised of five members, at least, as follows:
- The advisor
- The partner advisor, if one has been appointed.
- At least four additional examiners from amongst the senior staff members ranked associate professor or higher, or equivalent ranking from the research staff, or other experts on an appropriate level from the field of research. The advisor may be requested to present an updated CV of the proposed examiner.
-> At least one of them will be ranked on the same level as the advisor or higher.
-> At least one of the examiners (an external examiner) will not belong to the same department.
- The head of the committee will be appointed from amongst the members of the examining committee by the chairperson of the Graduate Studies Committee.
The proposal for the examining committee will be submitted using the Proposed PhD Candidacy Exam Committee Form. Approval for the committee by the Dean of the Jacobs Graduate School will be sent with the Examination Report Form. The department will send appointments to the examiners and will see to the coordination of examination dates and to inviting examiners.
The PhD Research Proposal (Pre-Doctorate)
The PhD Research Proposal will serve as the basis for candidacy examination and will be submitted to the committee via the advisor, within eleven months of beginning the program (within 18 months for students on a special study track).
If the PhD Research Proposal is not submitted on time, without prior approval, it will be considered as though the student failed his candidacy examination.
The school’s instructions for submitting PhD Research Proposal:
- The title will appear in English and Hebrew
- Scope of proposal: approx. 25 pages
- Proposal content:
-> A review of the background for the research thesis (including a literary survey)
-> Research objectives
The advisor will be allowed to advise eight participants. In accordance with the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee, the Dean of the Jacobs Graduate School may authorize an exception to this number. In any such event, the recommendation will be accompanied by a statement from the advisor (to be approved by the committee) that the amount of students under their supervision will not present a reason for postponing dates such as duration of studies, submittal of PhD Research Proposals, and such.
The Dean of the Jacobs Graduate School will notify the advisor and the committee of approval of an exception with the above stipulation, and the approval will be included in the participants’ files for follow-up.
A partner advisor contributes to the student’s research thesis on topics in which the responsible advisor does not have expertise. A partner advisor may be appointed upon submitting the topic of research or at a later date. In any event, their part in advising and their contribution to the research must be detailed. If the partner advisor is not a member of the Technion staff, a CV must be attached.
The partner advisor has no duty to supervise the student’s study track and is not required to report to the Jacobs Graduate School regarding the student. In the absence of a responsible advisor, the partner advisor will substitute with regards to supervising the student’s education program at the Technion.
A research consultant’s role will be to consult for the student in his research thesis. The consultant’s contribution will be less than that of the partner advisor and he will serve more as a consultant for work methods. The following may serve as research consultants: a laboratory worker for the responsible advisor or a professional expert in the field of research or an expert in work methods used in the research, who is assisting the student in overcoming obstacles in their research.
A research consultant does not have to participate as an examiner in the candidacy examination or the final examination.
- An advisor who plans to go on sabbatical or leave of absence will notify the Office of Academic Affairs.
- The Office of Academic Affairs will notify the Students’ Progress Office of the date of leave.
- Replacement advisor forms will be sent to the department, which will be requested to appoint a replacement advisor for each of the students being supervised.
- The Students’ Progress Office will conduct the replacement of advisors and release the sabbatical leave.
- If the advisor requests so in advance, his students will return to work under his tutelage automatically upon his return.
- The replacement advisor will serve as a permanent advisor in all respects for the students.
- An advisor going on sabbatical in Israel, who wishes to continue advising, will commit to being available to the students, with everything this entails.
- It is recommended not to accept new students before taking sabbatical leave, mainly PhD students before their candidacy examinations.
- A research consultant is not required to participate as an examiner for candidacy examinations or final examinations.
If an advisor resigns or is unable to fulfill their duties due to illness, absence, sabbatical, or any other reason, the Dean of the Jacobs Graduate School will appoint another advisor as recommended by the committee.
When the student continues with the same research thesis topic, the approval of the previous advisor will be necessary.
If another advisor is not found for the student, they will be required to take a leave which will be no longer than two semesters.
If another advisor is not found during this time, their studies will be stopped.
- Rights to the intellectual property developed in the framework of research will belong to the Technion, unless otherwise agreed upon in advance, as coordinated between the school, the advisor, and the student. Any publication ensuing from the research thesis/project/final thesis requires the consent of the advisor and the student (Regulations 29.12 and 37.12).
- Further details regarding Intellectual Property Regulations can be obtained at the Department of Business Affairs, phone 04-8294851.