Dual Degree – Doctorate

The dual (or multiple) degree in Doctorate is an international partnership between the Law School of the University of Sao Paulo and a foreign institution. The aim is to foster international scientific cooperation, building institutional relations between research teams from FDUSP and teams from abroad. The dual degree Doctorate stablishes a postgraduate co-orientation regime, which will have a valid and recognized title by the partner institutions. For general information about the formalization procedures about the dual degree, access the page of the Pro-Rectory of the Post-Graduation of USP. 

1. Where to find the rules from USP about the Dual Degree? 

The principal rules on the dual degree are set out in the articles 116 to 123 of the Rules of Procedures of the Post-Graduation of USP (Resolution 7493, dated March 21, 2018. It is important to carefully read the provisions, before starting the process of evaluation of the dual degree, with the FDUSP. 

There are drafts in different languages, previously provided by USP. These drafts facilitate, significantly, the procedure for dual degree, since its clauses were elaborated and adapted by the competent instances of the University. However, they do not exempt the processing of the dual title application. An analysis of the merit of the agreement will necessarily be made by the FDUSP.  

It is important to highlight that the FDUSP only accepts de dual title for Doctorate. Thus, the possibility of requests for the master’s dual degree is excluded.

2. What is the procedure for formalizing a dual title with the FDUSP? 

The procedure for this type of agreement begins at the Secretariat of the FDUSP Post-Graduation. 

The referred Secretariat responds to doubts about the dual title procedures through the following email: interposfd@usp.br.

The Secretariat will receive all documentation and will make a previous assessment of the agreement. Adjustments will be proposed in order to adapt to the main rules of USP, in case the draft is not standard, and then, the negotiation with the partner university will start. If the standard draft is accepted in its entirety by the partner university, the secretariat’s assessment tends to be reduced. However, it is necessary to make it clear that, at this stage, the agreement of the partner University to the clauses must have already been obtained by the professor responsible for the negotiation. This will allow the FDUSP instances to begin the analysis of the merit of the partnership, based on the documentation previously agreed between the parties. To avoid delays in the processing, before filing the documentation with the secretariat, it is necessary to pay attention to what is stated in items 3 and 4, below:  

After this first formal assessment with the Secretariat and once the documentation is registered in the USP system, the agreement will have a process number. 

The agreement will then be analyzed from the point of view of its merit by the Commission of Post-Graduation (CPG) and by the Congregation of FDUSP. After receiving the favorable opinion, in both committees, the last step is the formal analysis of the USP Pro-Rectory of Post-Graduation, which will then forward the documentation to be signed by the Rector. 

From that moment on, the student will be able to start activities abroad (if the university of origin is USP) or in the Country – Brazil – (if the university of origin is the foreign entity).  

3. What are the documents that I must deposit with the Secretariat of Post-Graduation of FDUSP, in order to start the assessment procedure for the dual degree? 

  1. Entry form to apply for the dual degree, signed by the student 
  2. Documentation:
    • Two copies of the international academic agreement, in Portuguese (general or individual agreement), without signatures and without staples. If the general agreement has already come into effect, the student must present only the copy of the document, duly signed by USP;  
    • Two copies of the international academic agreement, in the language of the foreign institution or in English (general or individual agreement), without signatures and without staples. If the general agreement has already come into effect, the student must present only the copy of the document, duly signed by USP; 
    • Two copies of the student’s individual commitment term, in Portuguese. If the agreement is individual, such document is not necessary; 
    • Two copies of the student’s individual commitment term, in the language of the foreign partner university, or in English – if the agreement is individual, such document is not necessary;
    • Letter of acceptance, from the FDUSP’s adviser, duly signed;
    • Letter of acceptance, from the adviser of the partner university, duly signed; 
    • Complete and updated curriculum from the adviser abroad; 
    • Work plan and schedule of the execution of the research to be carried out by the student in Brazil and abroad; 
    • For FDUSP post-graduating students: a copy of the student’s records in the Janus System; 
    • For post-graduating students from abroad: a copy of the personal documents (Social Security number /Passport, or any other ID document (if any), and a copy of the registration form and active (current) registration with the institution; 
    • Copy of the undergraduate diploma or certificate of completion, if the student is not a post-graduate student from USP. 
    • Copy of Master’s degree (if any).
  1. What are the points of attention in each document? What are the formal orientations from USP concerning both the negotiation of the agreement clauses and the Work plan?  

In case the partner University does not adopt the draft concerning the dual degree pre-approved by USP, the agreement proposed clauses must comply with the minimum requirements of Brazilian University rules. The reciprocity shall be the idea that permeates the negotiation of the contractual instruments. 

With regard to the agreement (general or specific/individual), some clauses must have special attention during the negotiation with the partner university. These issues need to be resolved prior to the start of the dual degree assessment process by the FDUSP and must already be included in the documents to be deposited with the Secretariat of Post-graduation Studies. They are: 

  • Agreement Coordinators
    • In addition to the co-advisers, one coordinator must be designated in the agreement for each partner institution (FDUSP and foreign entity). In case the agreement is a specific one, it is recommended that the co-adviser be also the coordinator designated in the document. If the agreement is general, it is necessary to contact the Post-Graduation Secretariat in advance so that a FDUSP professor can be appointed, specifically for this agreement.  
  • Minimum period of research abroad for post-graduation students of FDUSP, or in Brazil for Post-Graduation Students from abroad: 
    • For USP, this period must be at least 6 (six) months, either for researches abroad (FDUSP is the University of origin), or for researches in the Country (Partner entity is the university of origin). 
    • Nevertheless, the universities can negotiate a longer term in the agreement, which must be fully respected by the post-graduation student. In the schedule for the work plan, this period must be specified in a more detailed form and must be consistent with the clause of the agreement. For the agreement, it is only required its definition in a very precise way. 
  • Language used for writing the thesis and the abstract and for the defense. 
    • These three items must be necessarily specified in the agreement.
    • The definition of the language for writing the thesis and the abstract must comply with the provisions of article 122, paragraph 3, combined with article 84 of the Rules of the Post-Graduation of USP, that is, the thesis in co-advice can be written in Portuguese, English or another language, complemented by title and abstract in the foreign language and in Portuguese. There is nothing against multiple languages. For example, the thesis can be written in Portuguese, but it can have the abstract written in English, French and Portuguese.  
    • As to the language of the thesis defense, USP recommends, in its standard-drafts, that the thesis defended in the language which it was written, be completed by the presentation of an oral summary in the other language (there is no requirement for a simultaneous translation).
  • Defense Board Members
    • The agreement must specify the precise number of members of the Board, since the beginning of the evaluation process of dual degree by the FDUSP. For Example, the general clauses that propose “4 to 8 members” for the board, to be defined by mutual agreement by the universities, at a later time, will not be accepted.
    • There is no requirement as to the minimum or maximum number, on the part of USP. 
    • If the number of members of the Board is not odd, a tiebreaker clause must already have been provided for in the agreement.
  • Defense location: if the FDUSP is the home University, there must necessarily be a defense in the country (Brazil). Nevertheless, there is nothing to hinder another defense from being made also abroad, if the partner university so determines. If FDUSP is not the home University, the defense can be made abroad and it is recognized by USP (University of Sao Paulo), in Brazil. 
  • Financial engagement of both USP and its Units
    • There can be no clause of financial engagement on the part of USP (University of São Paulo).
    • To foresee any financial engagement by the Law School, or by its Post-Graduation program, a prior consultation must be forward to the president of CPG. (Post-Graduation Commission).  
    • Attention! The student cannot finance the arrival of members of the defense board with his own resources. This type of clause is not allowed in the agreement. He must seek external resources, or from the FDUSP itself. However, he can finance himself, during the exchange, at the partner institution.
  • Duration and validity of the agreement 
    • This clause must, necessarily, be included in the agreement.
    • The validity of the agreement is different from the time of writing and defending the thesis. The latter can last for a shorter time.  
    • USP (The University of São Paulo) can sign agreements that are valid for up to 5 (five) years.  
  • Payment of registration fees and enrollment  
    • It must be clearly stated in the agreement that there is free registration and enrollment of post-graduation students in dual titles with the USP, including those coming from the partner university. 
    • Any clause that might possibly infer the collection of fees should be excluded from the agreement. 
  • The signature of the document, by USP 
    • The Rector of USP has the responsibility to sign the agreement. However, it can be delegated to the Pro-Rector. This has been the practice of the University.  
    • If the partner university eventually requires the signature of the Rector himself, there will be a longer process and this must be informed at the beginning of the dual title registration process, with the Secretariat of the FDUSP Post-Graduation.

Regarding the work plan, the post-graduation student must pay attention to the following questions:

  •  The work plan is not the research project of the thesis.
  • It is recommended that a document must be written, up to 2 (two) pages, in which the post-graduation student specifies, in a precise, objective and serious manner:
  • The research time (that is, the schedule), abroad (for post-graduation student from FDUSP), or in the country (for post-graduation student from abroad), consistent with the clause provided for in the agreement – that is, the exact time of the agreement must be complied with. For example, vague references such as “university year” will not be accepted.
  • Activities to be developed abroad (For post-graduation students from the FDUSP) or in the country – Brazil, (for post-graduation students from abroad).
  • Attention! The activities must be precisely specified and consistent with the research project of the post-graduation student. The use of expressions such as “bibliographic survey”, “survey of jurisprudence”, among others , does not reveal what the post-graduation student will do and how the activity relates to his work. The post-graduation student must make clear, in the work plan, the way the partner institution allows the scientific development of his work. For example, he must identify in which seminars he will eventually participate, which subjects he intends to take, interviews he intends to conduct at the institution or in the country of the institution, which theme and object will be analyzed with access to books in the library or specific collection, etc.