Majors and supervisors

Here you can read about in which subjects you can earn a doctoral degree and find information about degree supervisors and thesis supervisors at Hanken.

Majors

You can earn a doctoral degree at Hanken in the following majors:

Accounting (Helsinki and Vaasa)
Commercial Law (Helsinki and Vaasa)
Economics (Helsinki only)
Entrepreneurship, Management and Organisation (Helsinki only)
Finance, with possible specialisation in Statistics (Helsinki and Vaasa)
Management and Organisation (Helsinki and Vaasa)
Marketing (Helsinki and Vaasa)
Supply Chain Management and Social Responsibility (Helsinki only)

Degree supervisors

When you get admitted to our doctoral programme, the department council will appoint you a degree supervisor.

The degree supervisor

provides advice on matters related to your major subject, which courses should be included in your degree, and how you can finance your studies
decides whether courses completed outside Hanken (or Hanken courses) can be included in your degree
in spring, reviews your study progress for the past academic year and approves your study plan for the upcoming year
recommends one or more thesis supervisors for you, who are then confirmed by the department council
proposes/requests the pre- examination, public defense, opponents, as well as the date of the defense and the approval of your manuscript to the Doctoral Studies Council
usually acts as the custos (chairman), responsible for the practical arrangements related to the defense.

All tenured faculty members in the research track (i.e. all associate professors regardless of their title in Swedish), can serve as degree supervisors to doctoral researchers. You can find the supervisors’ contact details on the departments’ own pages.

Thesis Supervisor

When you start writing your doctoral thesis, the department council appoints one or more thesis supervisors for you. The department council makes its decision based on a proposal from your degree supervisor. It is advisable to start thinking about and discussing with your degree supervisor well in advance who might be suitable as your thesis supervisor.

The person appointed as thesis supervisor does not need to be a professor at Hanken. The main requirement is that they are an expert on your thesis topic, interested in its scientific contribution, and willing to take on the role. Your thesis supervisor will assist you throughout the thesis process and provide tips on courses and materials related to your topic. The thesis supervisor and/or degree supervisor also arrange the licentiate seminar.

Both your degree supervisor and thesis supervisor are appointed by the department. If, for any reason, you wish to change supervisors during your doctoral studies, this is possible. Instructions on how to change supervisors can be found under Changing your supervisor.