How to defend a PhD degree without a dissertation

Introduction

New Opportunities in Obtaining a PhD Degree

In the modern world, science and education are constantly changing, opening up new opportunities for degree seekers. One of the most discussed issues among Kazakhstani doctoral students is the possibility of defending a PhD without writing a traditional dissertation. We have received many inquiries on this topic, so we decided to consider this issue in detail in this article.

Since 2021, new rules have been introduced in Kazakhstan that allow defending a PhD degree solely on the basis of high-quality scientific publications. These changes were introduced to adapt to international standards and increase the competitiveness of Kazakhstani science. The main goal of the innovation was to stimulate the publication activity of doctoral students in prestigious journals such as Web of Science And Scopus, which, in turn, promotes the integration of Kazakhstani science into the global research community.

This article will help you understand how to take advantage of this opportunity, what requirements you need to meet, and what benefits and challenges await you along the way.

Alternative Path: How to Get a PhD Without a Dissertation in Kazakhstan

The possibility of obtaining a PhD degree without a traditional dissertation has opened a new path for doctoral students in Kazakhstan. However, this format requires compliance with clear criteria and high quality standards, which are the basis of this system. Let's look at the key conditions.

Terms of publication

To defend a PhD without a dissertation, you must prepare and publish the results of your research in international scientific journals. Basic requirements:

Number of articles: It is necessary to have at least three publications: one review article and two research articles.
Log level: Articles must be published in Q1 or Q2 journals in the Web of Science database
Authorship: A doctoral student must be first author or by the corresponding author to confirm the leading role in the research.
Research topics: All publications must be united by a common scientific theme and correspond to the chosen specialty.

What you get when you order:

Writing/auditing a high-quality scientific article with originality from 90%;
Selection of scientific journal Web of Scienc;
Checking an article for plagiarism/AI using the Turnitin system;
Control and guarantee of publication of scientific articles;
Guarantee of indexing of scientific articles in the Web of Science database.

Conditions of protection

Preparation of materials: At the defense, the doctoral student must present his articles and explain their scientific contribution.
Evaluation by the commission: The focus is on the quality of publications, the calibre of the journals in which they are published, and the impact of the research on science.
Requirements for justification: The doctoral candidate must demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic, explain the research methodology and its relevance.
The public nature of the defense: The defense takes place before a commission that includes both national and international experts.

This approach is aimed at integrating Kazakhstani science into the global scientific space, but requires significant efforts, including the preparation of high-quality publications that meet international standards.

Reality or Challenge: What You Should Know Before Choosing This Format

Obtaining a PhD without a traditional dissertation in Kazakhstan opens up new opportunities for doctoral students, but this path is not without its challenges. Although the system of defending a PhD through publications has become available since 2021, in practice the number of people who have chosen this format remains limited.

To date, only a few people in the country have successfully defended their PhD degrees relying solely on scientific publications. This indicates that many doctoral students are still hesitant to choose this format, as it requires not only deep knowledge in their field but also the ability to publish in international journals with high standards.

When choosing this format, candidates should be aware of both the benefits and challenges they may face on their way to obtaining a PhD degree. By weighing the pros and cons, each doctoral student will be able to make an informed decision about their future path in science.

Traditional Dissertation vs. Research Publication: Comparing Approaches

Now we will look at the pros and cons of each approach to obtaining a PhD degree: traditional dissertation and defense based on scientific publications. Let's start with the traditional dissertation.

Traditional Dissertation: Pros and Cons

Pros:

Deep Research: A traditional dissertation allows for a detailed study of the chosen topic, which provides a comprehensive analysis and justification of the results obtained.
Presenting clear results: The prepared dissertation is a visual proof of your scientific work, which allows reviewers to evaluate the depth and quality of the research.
Better understanding of the material: The process of writing a dissertation immerses you in the topic, which helps you gain a deeper understanding of the material and develop critical thinking skills.

Cons:

Lots of time: Preparing a dissertation can take several years, requiring a significant investment of time and effort.
The need for scientific novelty: A dissertation must contain original scientific results, which can be a challenging task to achieve.
Constant edits from the manager: The manager’s requirements may change, which leads to the need for frequent revisions and adaptations of the text, which can delay the process.

Now let's move on to the second approach - protection based on scientific publications.

Scientific Publications: Pros and Cons

Pros:

Less resources and time: Preparing research papers usually requires less time and resources compared to writing a dissertation, making this approach more efficient.
Positive impact on authority: Publications in respectable journals can significantly increase your authority as a scientist, which is an important aspect in your future career.
Lack of constant edits: Unlike a dissertation, the process of preparing articles can be more flexible, without frequent revisions and requirements from the supervisor.

Cons:

High cost of publications: Publishing in top-ranked open access journals can be quite expensive, with costs for a single article starting at $2,000.
Requirements for the level of research: Publishing in prestigious journals requires a high level of research and article quality, which can be challenging.
Uncertainty due to the novelty of the format: Since publication-based defense is a new format and the number of successful defenses is limited, this may create difficulties during the defense.

Conclusion

Several important conclusions emerge from the analysis of approaches to obtaining a PhD degree. The traditional dissertation offers significant advantages, including in-depth research, the ability to clearly demonstrate the results of the work, and a better understanding of the material. However, this path requires a lot of time, effort, and scientific novelty.

At the same time, protection based on scientific publications has its advantages, such as reducing time and resource costs, and a positive impact on the authority of the researcher, but this format does not yet have an established practice in Kazakhstan, which may create difficulties.

In our expert opinion at the Academy of Articles, it is now easier to defend a traditional dissertation. This format has already been well-developed and has more opportunities for successful completion, especially for those who are just starting their path in science. Therefore, when choosing between a dissertation and publications, it is worth considering the individual circumstances and goals of each scientist.