Individual study plans and the ISP system
An individual study plan must be drawn up for each doctoral student. The doctoral studies is individual and therefore the content of the education can be different for individual doctoral students, even when studying within the same subject.
The individual study plan is established and revised by the principal supervisor and the doctoral student, reviewed and approved by the examiner (Director of doctoral studies), and finalized by the Head of Department.
The ISP system
The ISP system is a web-based system for managing the individual study plans.
Doctoral students can log in after the supervisor has created an individual study plan in the system. The authorisation for supervisors, Directors of studies and Heads of department to access the system is established by the ISP administrator at each department.
Log in to the ISP system
Internal users: log in to the ISP system with your Lucat ID
External users: log in to the ISP system with your ISP-password
User guides
- ISP user manual - for doctoral students and supervisors (PDF 1 MB, new tab)
- Create a study plan - for principal supervisors (PDF 707 kB, new tab)
- Revise the study plan - for principal supervisors (PDF 301 kB, new tab)
- Revise the study plan - for doctoral students (PDF 236 kB, new tab)
Regulations and rules
The Higher Education Ordinance (HEO Chapter 6 Section 29) states that:
“An individual study plan shall be drawn up for each doctoral student. This plan shall contain the undertakings made by the doctoral student and the higher education institution and a timetable for the doctoral student's study programme. The plan shall be adopted after consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisors.”
Lund University has decided that the individual study plan is to include:
- name and personal identity number
- research studies subject and the general syllabus for the intended degree
- date of admission and date of decision and any amendments
- intended degree with title
- general annual schedule for the programme, courses completed, thesis work completed, estimated date for the public defence of the thesis, departmental duties
- maintenance plan for the estimated period of study
- details of the supervisor and assistant supervisor(s) as well as the extent of the supervision
The Faculty Board has ultimate responsibility for research studies and the head of department takes the final decision on the individual study plan in case of disagreement.
Contact and support
Elin Hermansson
Faculty Coordinator
ISP-support [at] sam [dot] lu [dot] se
Department administrators
The links below go to contact information at the Staff pages.
Communication and Media - Linda Troein
Gender Studies - Josefin Larsson
Human Geography - Alla Shylova
LUCSUS - Cecilia Kardum Smith
Political Science - Helen Fogelin
Psychology - Anita Lennerstedt
School of Social Work - Sandra Jeppsson
Service Management and Service Studies - Veronica Åberg
Sociology - Susanne Lindberg
Sociology of Law - Helena Edberg
Strategic Communication - linda [dot] troein [at] kom [dot] lu [dot] se (Linda Troein)