The Doctoral Oath
What is the doctoral oath of scientific integrity?
This is a text that must be recited individually by all new PhD graduates at the end of their thesis defence. This text must be recited in exactly the same way at all institutions. The oath may be taken in French or English.
Doctoral candidates are made aware of the Oath through their institution’s doctoral charter at the time of enrolment or re-enrolment.
En présence de mes pairs. Parvenu(e) à l’issue de mon doctorat en [discipline], et ayant ainsi pratiqué, dans ma quête du savoir, l’exercice d’une recherche scientifique exigeante, en cultivant la rigueur intellectuelle, la réflexivité éthique et dans le respect des principes de l’intégrité scientifique, je m’engage, pour ce qui dépendra de moi, dans la suite de ma carrière professionnelle quel qu’en soit le secteur ou le domaine d’activité, à maintenir une conduite intègre dans mon rapport au savoir, mes méthodes et mes résultats.
- French version
In the presence of my peers. With the completion of my doctorate in [research field], in my quest for knowledge, I have carried out demanding research, demonstrated intellectual rigour, ethical reflection, and respect for the principles of research integrity. As I pursue my professional career, whatever my chosen field, I pledge, to the greatest of my ability, to continue to maintain integrity in my relationship to knowledge, in my methods and in my results.
- English version
Why a scientific integrity oath?
According to (Opens a new window) the arguments put forward by the MPs behind this initiative, the oath serves a dual purpose:
- Enhancing the status of the PhD across all professional sectors: by lending greater solemnity to thesis defences and symbolically welcoming new PhD graduates into the scientific community.
- Promoting the principles of scientific integrity both within and outside the academic sector.
Thus, by emphasising the methodological rigour and intellectual rigour characteristic of the scientific approach, the oath highlights the key skills associated with research-based training and aims to strengthen the credibility of scientific discourse across all fields of activity.
The oath also serves a protective purpose: doctors can invoke their commitment to refuse to bow to pressure, to adopt certain behaviours, or to commit acts or omissions that they consider contrary to the requirements of scientific integrity.
Is taking the oath compulsory?
Taking the oath is compulsory because (Opens a new window) it is laid down in law. Refusal to take the oath amounts to a breach of a legal obligation.
The swearing-in ceremony takes place at the end of the thesis defence. Compliance with or failure to comply with the obligation to take the oath must therefore be recorded in the minutes of the defence.
However, the award of the doctoral degree takes place before the oath is taken and is therefore not conditional upon it. Furthermore, there is no legal penalty directly linked to a failure to take the oath. Indeed, this provision was designed primarily as a tool for promoting scientific integrity which the scientific communities must embrace.
As the Doctoral Oath is very recent (January 2023), it is not possible to identify any other potential implications for PhD graduates of choosing not to take the oath (for example, how a future employer, a recruitment panel, an awards committee, etc. might use this information).
Some useful resources and links to find out more
Doctoral Oath of Scientific Integrity Opens a new window
Documentary resources and practical fact sheet on the doctoral oath, available in the OFIS practical guides
Taking an oath before science: a final step in the doctorate Opens a new window
Article published in "Vie des Sciences" on 25/11/2025
Can the doctoral oath renew the dialogue between science and society? Opens a new window
Article published in "The Conversation" when the doctoral oath came into force.
