DPSP consists of the following documents:
- Credit plan (Sisu)
- Research plan
- Supervision plan
- Financing plan
- Career plan
DPSP is a dynamic document that evolves as the doctoral thesis and studies progress. The doctoral student is responsible for maintaining it up-to-date, while the supervising professor monitors and supports its updates.
DPSP is stored in Aalto's information system. Doctoral students save their DPSP to the MyStudies platform. Updated versions are also stored there. The supervising professor can access the saved DPSP via the Student Success Hub.
Confirming and storing your DPSP in MyStudies
MyStudies technical instructions (aalto.fi)
- Prepare the five* parts of the DPSP (see instructions below), discuss them with your supervising professor and revise them if necessary. Please note that some parts of the plan, such as the Supervision plan, require a discussion with both your supervising professor and your thesis advisor(s).
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If you were requested to submit some of the DPSP documents as part of your study right application, you may use the same documents as a basis for your first DPSP.
*BIZ: At the School of Business, students prepare their research plan at the beginning of their second year of study. During the first year, please prepare the four other parts.
*CHEM: At the School of Chemical Engineering, students prepare the parts of their DPSP according to the schedule of their advisory group meetings. At each phase, please submit to MyStudies only those parts of the DPSP which your programme instructs you to submit.
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- Upload the discussed DPSP to as one PDF document for your supervising professor’s confirmation (Task 6 in MyStudies - at CHEM the Task number depends on the student's phase of studies).
- Name the file “DPSP_your_name_date”.
- Mark the Task 6 complete.
- NOTE New students: you will first receive receive an email invitation to start using the MyStudies system for their DPSP. Before receving the invitation you cannot submit your DPSP to the system. If you haven't received the invitation and need to confirm your DPSP, please contact your Doctoral programme's Doctoral education services.
- Email your supervising professor to inform them that your DPSP is ready to be checked and confirmed. The supervising professor will only look at the Task 6 (at CHEM the Task number depends on the student's phase of studies) that includes the final pdf (including all the five parts).
- Alternative: You may also email your DPSP to your supervising professor and request confirmation by email. Remember to attach the whole DPSP document to the email. Please cc the Doctoral education services of your doctoral programme, and ensure that they receive your supervising professor's confirmation as well. Confirmation can also be a signature: in this case upload the documents signed by your supervising professor to MyStudies and inform your Doctoral programme's Doctoral education services.
- Your supervising professor confirms your DPSP in the Student Success Hub (the confirmation is visible for the student in MyStudies). Instructions for supervising professors. Supervising professor confirms the DPSP by saving it to the Notes. If there are any issues, your supervising professor will contact you.
- Alternative: If the supervising professor confirms the DPSP by email or you have uploaded the documents with their signature and informed your Doctoral programme's Doctoral education services, the Doctoral education services will mark the confirmation into the system on behalf of the supervising professor. Please be aware that during busy periods, it may take several days/weeks for the information to be updated to the system. Therefore, the regular confirmation by the supervising professor directly to the system is the most recommended course of action.
- When you update your DPSP in the future, attach the new PDF documents to the same Task 6 (at CHEM the Task number depends on the student's phase of studies). If the updates require confirmation by your supervising professor, repeat steps 3 and 4. See below when will you need a confirmation for your updated DPSP.
NOTE: DPSP is submitted to the Task 6 (at CHEM the Task number depends on the student's phase of studies) in MyStudies, and the Task is marked complete. The completed status is marked by the doctoral student, so it doesn’t indicate whether the supervising professor has confirmed the plan or not. However, the completed status is important for the follow-up.
You may copy and modify this template when you ask your supervising professor to confirm your DPSP.
Hi,
I have updated my DPSP and it is ready for your confirmation. [You can refer here to your discussion on the updates.] I have saved my DPSP to the system on [date], and have also attached the same document to this email. I kindly ask you to confirm my DPSP in the Student Success Hub (see instructions: /en/teachers-handbook/student-success-hub-instructions#23-doctoral-personal-study-plan-instructions), in which case your confirmation will be in effect immediately. Alternatively, you may confirm my DPSP by replying to this message (including Doctoral education services in cc). In this case, Doctoral education services will process the confirmation and the information is updated in the system with a delay.
Best regards,
Updating the DPSP
Update your DPSP when necessary and go through it with your supervising professor at least once a year. However, we recommend that you discuss the topical parts of your DPSP at least once every six months. The doctoral researchers employed by Aalto can do this in connection with the bi-annual MyDialogues. Also note your School’s possible midterm review or advisory board practices related to the DPSP.
In case you make changes to your credit plan (Sisu), please see "Credit plan (Sisu)" below.
Please note that you are asked to update your DPSP regularly, but you don’t have to go through the official confirmation process every time.
When is a confirmed DPSP needed?
You will need an official confirmation for your DSPS at the beginning of your studies. After that, you should confirm your DPSP
- If your supervising professor, advisor(s), research topic or research field changes. (NOTE: in this case you will also need to get the School's official confirmation, see the application instructions and the required form)
- If your funding situation changes significantly.
NOTE: Before you start your pre-examination, get confirmation for your DPSP if your credit plan (Sisu) has changed since the last confirmation by your supervising professor.
Instructions for preparing the 5 parts of DPSP
Making the credit plan (Sisu)
Credit plan is your plan for what kind of courses and individual studies you will include in your degree. You make your credit plan at . Your supervising professor is able to view your credit plan in Sisu, but the confirmation process takes place outside the Sisu system.
Sisu instructions: Credit plan (Sisu) for doctoral students
Choosing courses for your planModel schedule for doctoral studentsMontly Sisu and DPSP clinics for doctoral students
Confirmation or approval?
Confirmation = confirmation of the whole credit plan PDF (by your supervising professor)
Approval = technical approval for the completed modules in Sisu if necessary, done only once at the end of your studies (processed by Doctoral education services based on your supervising professor's confirmation)
Confirming your course selections
After your supervising professor has confirmed your DPSP once at the beginning your studies, you do not have to get an official confirmation if you change the courses you plan to complete at Aalto or change your plans for individual studies. If is enough that you actively discuss your plans with your supervising professor.
Taking courses in other universities / substituting compulsory courses
You will need to ask for official confirmation of your credit plan from your supervising professor if you plan to take studies in other universities or substitute some of the compulsory courses.
Compulsory courses: ask about substituting compulsory courses from your doctoral programme's Doctoral education services.
Ask for confirmation of your credit plan:
- Take a PDF or screen shot of your whole credit plan in Sisu*
- Send it to your supervising professor by email, asking them to confirm it. Please cc your Doctoral programme's Doctoral education services in the email.
*study drafts are not visible on the PDF version of the credit plan
Final confirmation and approval at the end of studies
After all the courses you want to include in your degree are completed and registered:
- Make sure that your credit plan follows the the degree requirements (curriculum) of your doctoral programme and that it has been confirmed by your supervising professor: check the instructions.
- If you need help, you can contact your Doctoral programme's Doctoral education services
- Request for approval for all the modules that Sisu requires approval for (“approval required”)
If you already have previously confirmed old study/credit plan (e.g. PDF) and your Sisu credit plan’s content is exactly the same, you do not need to apply for confirmation outside Sisu, but you do need to request approval for the modules within Sisu.
Before requesting for approval of the modules, please check that
- Each course is included in the correct module (check the curriculum)
- You have added your doctoral thesis code under the module “Doctoral thesis” and it corresponds to your research field.
- There are no courses under Extracurricular studies (if there are, please remove them)
- There are no selections missing or against the rules or other error notifications in red
The research plan usually includes the following elements:
- Title
- Research aim, research questions or objectives
- Theoretical background
- Implementation: Methodology & methods
- Schedule (figure or table for four years if full-time student)
- Publication & dissemination
- References
Template for research plan at Aalto University:
Doctoral student formsMore resources:
Aalto’s guidance and support on research data planning (aalto.fi)
BIZ: Note that in BIZ, students prepare their research plan at the beginning of their second year of study.
The aim of this supervision plan is to decide on the practicalities of the supervision. The supervision plan explains the responsibilities of the supervising professor, thesis advisor(s) and of the doctoral student during the supervision process.
Financing plan is a free format document including the following information:
- Secured funding
- The source of funding
- The amount of funding
- Start and end dates of secured funding
- Plans of securing funding until the end of your studies
- Where from do you plan to apply for more?
- How much is needed?
- For how long do you need more funding?
The career plan is a free-form document. Update your career plan annually and use the instructions and resources listed below to create it.
Support for career design and creating your career plan
Aalto University's Career Design Lab supports doctoral students in creating their individual study and career paths from the beginning of their studies. Learn more about the Career Design Lab's services and other career support available:
Career Design for Doctoral Students
See also:
Prepare for your doctoral career
Talent Expo
Annual career planning
Below you will find tips for creating and updating your career plan in the different phases of your doctoral studies. If you are part-time student (i.e. taking longer to complete your studies), adjust the year-by-year instructions accordingly.
Career plan in your 1st year of doctoral studies
Reflect on your own personality and think about what kind of skills, values and interests you have that affect your career aspirations. What goals and hopes do you have for your future career path? How can you increase your knowledge of the labour market and different career options?
Useful tips:
Career plan in your 2nd year of doctoral studies
Where do you see yourself making a contribution in the future: career in the academia, private sector, public sector, or career as an entrepreneur or freelancer?
Useful tips:
- Career coaching
- (1 cr)
- course (1 cr)
Career plan in your 3rd year of doctoral studies
How can you achieve your career goals? Who are the relevant employers in your field and what kind of skills do they value? How can you build networks with the people in your field?
Useful tips:
- Career coaching
- Learn more about entrepreneurship as a career option
- Take advantage of mentoring and networking
Career plan in your 4th year of doctoral studies
How would you like to make your transition to working life? Are you most interested in an academic career path, the private sector, the public sector, or working as an entrepreneur or freelancer?
Useful tips:
Doctoral courses and curriculum
Find courses for doctoral students & information about individual studies and credit transfer.
Model schedule for doctoral students
Model schedules supports planning your doctoral journey and reaching your targets.
Sisu and DPSP clinics for doctoral students
Online clinic to help you with Sisu and Doctoral Personal Study Plan
