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Paths
to a Doctorate
in Germany
The
best way to find
out which universities
in Germany offer
which doctoral
programmes is
to consult the
following websites:
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The "Master-Apprentice
Model": the classical route to a doctorate
Germany
does not traditionally have a system of Graduate
Schools,
Graduate Centres
or Graduate Colleges that
support and guide students to their
doctorate in a structured programme; nor is
there a
binding
curriculum
that needs to be completed during
the doctoral phase. The production of a doctoral
thesis or
dissertation is the core element of the
doctorate.
Students agree
their topic with a supervising professor
and then produce a thesis or dissertation
as a piece
of independent
research work. Since there is no curriculum,
there is also no set length for doctoral
studies and no
obligation to attend courses. The very
liberal, traditional system has its advantages
and disadvantages. However,
it is always important that the doctoral
student is very independent and personally
motivated and
that
a good and trustful relationship
exists with the academic supervisor.
Further
information
▲
Structured doctoral programmes Recent years
have increasingly seen structured programmes, so-called
Doctoral Programmes, Graduate Schools, Doctoral Colleges,
Graduate Centres or Graduate Colleges develop. Many
of these programmes have an international focus. They
offer doctoral students the following advantages:
- Flexible
admission
for foreign applicants,
e.g.
graduates
holding a
Bachelor's
degree
- English
largely
used in courses and
everyday
work
- Team-based
doctorate,
frequently involving
joint research
projects which
ensures
that a constant process
of
exchange takes
place with
other doctoral
students and supervisors
- Supervision
agreement
between the university
and the
doctoral
student
which allocates
at least two
supervisors to each doctoral
student
- Interdisciplinarity
through
the participation of
several faculties
/ departments
- Research
at the
cutting edge of science
- Intensive
supervision
under the institutional
responsibility
of the university
- Curricular
programmes,
both in core subject
and cross-disciplinary
fields
- Delivery
of key skills,
so-called "soft skills",
such as presentation techniques,
scientific writing
- Extra-departmental
supervision
and guidance, such
as joint
leisure
activities
and assistance with
everyday problems.
▲
What structured doctoral programmes exist?
In
total, Germany's universities
currently offer around 360
programmes, of which around
130 have an
international focus. Some of these programmes are
listed in our database.
International
postgraduate/doctoral programmes of the DAAD and DFG
- Since
2001:
joint
responsibility
for
the
funding
programme
called "Doctorates at Universities
in Germany (PHD)" / "International Postgraduate
Programmes (IPP)", run and managed
by the
DAAD
- Goals:
To
implement
the
relevant
recommendations
made
by
the
German
Science
Council
(WR)
and
the
German
Rectors'
Conference
(HRK)
on
reforming
doctoral
training
- To
increase
the
international
appeal and
competitiveness
of
doctorates
taken
in
Germany
by
highly
qualified
postgraduate
students
from
home
and
abroad
(target
share
of
foreigners:
30%)
by
- clearly
structuring
and
intensifying
the doctoral
studies
- positioning
international
doctoral
programmes
at
centres
of
excellent
research
- limiting
the
time
to
doctorate
and
providing
optimal
supervision
(by firmly
defining
the
university's
institutional
responsibility
for
the
doctoral
student)
- ensuring
the
compatibility
of
international
degrees
- offering
programmes
and
courses
instructed
in
English
- promoting
interdisciplinary
dialogue
- After
four
selection
rounds
a
total
of
50
International
Postgraduate
Programmes
were
receiving
funding.
- NB:
Doctorates
at
Universities
in Germany
(PHD)
is
an
institutional
funding
programme
which
is
not
intended
for
individuals,
but
rather
is
open
for
universities
to
apply
Further information:
↑
DFG
Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs – GKs)
- These are an alternative to the traditional form
of individual doctoral supervision:
Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs -
GK) are temporary and thematically-focused
institutions established at universities
to promote young
graduates
by enabling them to participate in
research (research-oriented integration
of research
and training);
- a
Research Training
Group (GK) is generally
made
up of 10
to 15 university teachers and
up to 30 doctoral students,
of which 12 to
15
receive a DFG
fellowship
- at
present: 297
GKs, including 28 International
Research
Training Groups throughout
Germany
(as per: 2004)
Further information
↑
DFG
Collaborative Research Centres (Sonderforschungsbereiche
- SFBs)
- Collaborative
Research Centres (Sonderforschungsbereiche
– SFB) are
long-term research
facilities at
universities
in which scientists and researchers
collaborate within
the scope of a cross-disciplinary
research
programme
- At
present ( 04/2004):
250 SFBs at a total
of 54 higher
education institutions are
receiving funding,
including 15
Transfer Units
- so-called "Independent Junior Research Groups" work
within the scope of the Collaborative
Research Centres
as an alternative form
of the
programme:
these enable young scientists and
researchers to
spend a time-limited period doing
independent research
(funding requires scientific
excellence)
Further information
↑
International
Max Planck Research Schools
- Centres
of scientific excellence in
selected innovative
and interdisciplinary
research fields
(e.g.:
neurosciences,
molecular biology, computer
science)
- The
doctoral programmes
of the International
Max Planck
Research
Schools offer outstanding training
and research opportunities
for junior scientists
and
researchers
from home and
abroad.
- Clear
scientific
research focuses and
work on joint
topics
promote
close cooperation between the
doctoral students working
in the research team
- Particular
importance attached to international
cooperation (target
share of foreigners:
50%)
- At
present: 37 Max Planck Research Schools throughout Germany
(Stand: 03/2005)
Further
information
↑
Graduate
Schools of Germany's Federal States
Network
of biological and medical PhD programs
- German
network of over ten international PhD
programs in the
biological or medical field
- Founded
in 2002
- Speaker:
at the moment at Hannover Medical
School
- Discussion
of relevant topics in the field
- Implementation
of standards (accreditation)
- Coordination
of selection procedures
- Organization
of „soft skill“ seminars and workshops
Further information
↑
Special
announcements
Graduate Center of Economic and Social Research at
the German Institut of Economic Research (DIW Berlin)
welcomes applications for its structured doctoral
training programm (scholarship).
↑
▲
How do I finance my doctoral studies? At
present, practically all doctoral programmes in Germany
are tuition-free. The DAAD offers a wide range of
funding opportunities with which you can finance your
stay in Germany. For detailed descriptions of these
please go to the DAAD
Scholarship Database.
And you can find a summary of other sources of funding
offered by numerous major scholarship organisations
for foreign graduates in Germany on the Researcher's
Mobility Portal Germany.
▲
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