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Defense of the Thesis

Disputation / Defense Image Credit: Marion Kuka

If the dissertation is recommended for acceptance, the doctoral candidate will be requested to make an appointment with the doctoral committee members. The doctoral candidate organises the defense in consultation with the chairperson of the doctoral committee.

Information on the different formats of the disputation (pure presence, hybrid, pure video format) and the requirements to be fulfilled in each case can be obtained from the doctoral office. Disputations generally take place in public, but the doctoral candidate also has the option to exclude the public so that only the doctoral candidate and the doctoral committee may attend the disputation.

Please first clarify possible appointments with the two reviewers because the two reviewers must participate at the disputation in any case. Individual members of the doctoral committee can be exchanged if no date can be found with the appointed members. Please note that the date should also be coordinated with the alternate members, as the disputation will only be valid if the doctoral committee (consisting of four university lecturers and one postdoctoral academic employee) is complete. The alternate members should also keep the date free, so that they can stand in at short notice if one of the main members should spontaneously drop out. It is advisable for each doctoral candidate to contact each member of the doctoral committee in order to enquire whether they would be interested in a copy or an PDF of the thesis.

As soon as the date, time and format of the disputation are fixed, please send an e-mail to the doctoral office to book a suitable room.

The doctoral office sends out the official invitation for defense to the doctoral candidate and to all doctoral committee members approx. 14 days before the date of the disputation and also announces the disputation on the FU's website (so far as the disputation takes place open to the public). The doctoral candidate confirms the date bindingly to all doctoral committee members in advance.

The doctoral committee meets 15 minutes before the defense to jointly evaluate the dissertation and sets the written grade. The defense begins with a lecture of approx. 30 minutes, in which the doctoral candidate presents and discusses the results of his/her thesis in the context of the field as a whole. The doctoral candidate then defends the dissertation by responding to the doctoral committee members' criticism and questions. The discussion must take at least 30 minutes but no longer than 60 minutes. The use of additionally prepared slides during the defense (following the presentation) is not permitted. Only slides that have already been used in the presentation may be used. The recording of the disputation is expressly prohibited.

When determining the grade to be awarded, the outcome of the discussion is in principal more important than priority against the presentation. But the dissertation is also taken primarily in principal into account for determining the overall grade.

You can find an overview of current defenses here .

Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) can be found here.

Read on for the next topic ' Publication of the Thesis '.

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How to Apply for a PhD in Germany: Programs, Funding, & FAQs

Germany is an excellent destination for both young and experienced researchers. 

The European country is third behind the U.S. and China for research & development expenditure . Plus, it is home to some of the most prestigious (and affordable!) research universities in the world.

If you’re considering doing a PhD in Germany, you will need to follow these steps:

The main steps to doing a PhD in Germany:

• Find a PhD Program and a Supervisor
• Decide Between Individual and Structured PhD Programs
• Meet All Requirements & Prepare Your Application
• Apply for Doctoral Studies
• Secure Funding
• Get a Student Visa or Resident Permit
• Arrive in Germany and Begin Your PhD Program

[Infographic Below]

Why Pursue a PhD in Germany?

If you’re not yet sure if you should choose Germany for your PhD studies, here are some compelling reasons why you should consider it:

Important Tip: To Maximize Your Chances of Getting Your German Student Visa You Should Use a Blocked Account as Proof of Financial Resources.

A blocked account is a special type of bank account , to prove you have enough funds to live in Germany for one year.

As of 2024, as a foreigner in Germany you need a minimum of €992 euros per month for living expenses. So, you are required to have a total of €11,904 in your bank account before you apply for a German internship visa.

Click here to learn more about the German Blocked Account

• Top-tier universities. Four German universities are ranked in the top 100 global universities, and many more are in the top 200.
• Large international student community. Germany welcomes a diverse and thriving international student community. Over 458,210 international students are currently studying in the country.
• Quality research institutions. There are over a thousand publicly funded research institutions (universities, universities of applied sciences, research institutes, businesses, and government bodies) that you can choose from in Germany.
• High investment in research and development. Germany’s public expenditure in the research and development sector reached a record high of 112.6 billion euros in 2021.
• Strong economy. Germany is known for its strong and stable economy. After completing your PhD, there are plenty of employment opportunities in the academic, business, and research sectors.

How to Apply for a PhD in Germany

From finding the perfect program for you to submitting your application and starting your PhD, here are all the steps you need to take:

1. Find a PhD Program and a Supervisor

After all the years of studying leading up to this step, you most likely have a few areas of interest you want to do your research in.

This is the first important step: define your research focus by considering your interests and academic background. If you need more help, you can consult online resources from research universities. Or, even better, you can discuss your decision to pursue a PhD with academic communities online or offline and seek advice from current PhD students in Germany who can tell you more about their individual experiences.

If you already know what your research direction is, you can begin searching for suitable programs right ahead. 

• The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has an extensive list of current opportunities, which you can look up at the  DAAD PhD Database . 
• Another option is to research universities in Germany individually to find the newest opportunities and offerings at each institution.

You will also have to find a supervisor. The best way to do this is to go to university websites and find faculty directories with profiles of professors and their research fields/current projects. Contact professors whose work aligns with your interests via email to inquire about supervision opportunities.

> Search PhD programs from 31,000 research institutions listed on the GERiT database .

Types of PhD Programs in Germany

There are two different paths you can take when pursuing a PhD: individual PhD programs and structured PhD programs. Each comes with its own set of advantages and requirements.

2. Verify That You Meet All Requirements & Prepare the Application

Requirements and application documents to apply for a PhD in Germany are specific to the institution and research area you’re applying to. But, as a general guideline, you should prepare the following:

• Academic degree recognized in Germany. You need a master’s degree or a German state examination (Staatsexamen) in a field relevant to the PhD program to qualify.
• Copy of master’s thesis. Submit a copy of your master’s thesis. The work should demonstrate your research skills and the depth of your academic work.
• Research proposal. Craft a clear and detailed research proposal that includes your intended research topic, objectives, methodology, and significance. 
• Statement of purpose. Write a statement of purpose why you want to do a PhD in your chosen field, your academic and career goals, and how this program aligns with them.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV). Prepare a detailed CV highlighting your academic achievements, research experience, relevant coursework, publications, and any other qualifications.
• Proof of language proficiency. Depending on the language of instruction, you may have to provide proof of language proficiency in English and/or German. You can do this with certificates like TestDaF and DSH for German or TOEFL and IELTS for English. Proof of previous studies in the language is also sufficient.
• Academic references. Provide contact information or recommendation letters from professors/ academic advisors who can attest to your academic abilities and potential.
• Predoctoral examination. Some programs ask that you pass a predoctoral examination as part of the application process.

3. Apply for Doctoral Studies

After finding a suitable PhD program and mentor, and making sure your academic qualifications are recognized, you can send in your application.

You can send in your application online or by post, depending on the hosting institution’s preferences. To make sure, check their guidelines and specifications. Admission committees are selective, so you may also have to attend an interview soon in the application process.

4. Secure Funding

You must demonstrate access to a minimum of €992 per month (€11,908 per year) to meet visa requirements and live comfortably while you’re in Germany. You can prove this through an admission agreement or relevant PhD contract, or you can open a blocked account with individual funds.

There are many ways to support yourself financially while pursuing a PhD in Germany:

• PhD scholarships. DAAD offers the highest number of doctoral scholarships. PhD students get an average monthly stipend of €1,139. 
• Paid PhD positions. Many universities and research institutions offer paid PhD positions in Germany. You will work on specific research projects on a contract and receive a salary.
• Research associate positions. You can also work as a research associate in a university, research institution, or company and receive a salary as compensation.
• Part-time jobs. Some PhD students/researchers work part-time jobs that are not related to their studies for extra income.

> Read more about the costs of studying in Germany.

> Discover PhD scholarships in Germany.

5. Get a Student Visa or Resident Permit

If the institution confirms your place in the PhD program, next in line is applying for a student visa or residence permit. The requirements for a German PhD visa or permit can vary depending on your nationality and circumstances: 

Visa Requirements

If you’re a citizen of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland, you don’t need a special permit or visa for a PhD in Germany. You can enter the country for research and work purposes with a valid passport or ID card.

Otherwise, you will need a visa and/or a residence permit to do your PhD in Germany. Nationals of some countries, including the United States, Australia, Israel, Japan, and Korea, don’t need a visa but must apply for a residence permit.

Depending on the circumstances, you need one of the following visas:

• Study visa. If you’re pursuing a full-time doctoral program.
• Research visa. If your focus is on research and you have a formal affiliation with a research institution in Germany.
• EU Blue Card. If your PhD contract pays a gross annual salary of at least €45,300 (or €41,041.80 in certain professions), you can apply for an EU Blue Card . This is a special residence title for international academics and other professionals.

Residence Permit Requirements

If you come to Germany on a visa, you will need to apply for a residence permit within three months of arrival. This also applies to nationals of countries outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who are exempt from the visa requirement.

You can apply for one of the following residence permits:

• Study permit. If you’re accepted into a PhD program at a German university, apply for a study-based residence permit. It lasts up to two years, extendable.
• Research permit. If you’re a researcher with the right qualifications for doctoral programs, apply for a research permit. This requires a contract with a research institution for your project.
• EU Blue Card. With a PhD offer that has a minimum salary of €45,300 per year, or €41,041.80 for some bottleneck professions , you may be eligible for the EU Blue Card. Apply for this permit if you meet the criteria.

> For more specific information tailored to your situation, we recommend contacting the German embassy or consulate in your home country. You can also use this visa navigator.

6. Arrive in Germany and Begin Your PhD Program

The most exciting step of all is near—time to unpack your bags and begin your life as a PhD student or researcher in Germany. Once you’re settled in, there are some formalities you need to take care of.

The international office at the university or another representative can guide you best on this. However, here are some of the main things you need to do once you arrive in Germany:

Register Your Residence

Shortly after your arrival, you must register your residence at the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt or Bürgeramt). This is mandatory, and you typically have a window of two weeks to complete this process. 

Get Health Insurance

Everyone in Germany is required by law to have health insurance coverage. This includes international PhD students. Depending on the source of your funding, you are eligible for one of the following health insurance coverages: 

• Doctoral candidates with an employment contract are automatically insured with a state-regulated health insurance provider (Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung-GKV) in most cases.
• Doctoral candidates without an employment contract (with a fellowship or private funding) can choose between:
• Voluntary health insurance coverage with a state-regulated provider.
• Coverage with a private health insurance company.

There are some exceptions in which you can use your insurance from your home country. These apply to students from a European Union (EU) country or other countries with social security agreements with Germany.

Open a Bank Account 

You should open a German bank account as soon as possible. Most financial transactions in Germany, including receiving your stipend or salary, are done through a German bank account.

Enroll at the University

If your PhD program is part of a university degree, you need to enroll as a student at the university. Follow your university’s instructions to submit the necessary documents to the enrollment office. These usually include your admission letter, passport, proof of health insurance, and semester fee.

After you complete this process, you will receive an Enrollment Certificate (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung). This is a very important document that you most likely need in the future.

How to Apply for a PhD in Germany [Infographic]

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There’s a lot of planning involved if you’re considering doing a PhD, especially if it’s in a foreign country. We’re sure you’ve got more questions, and we’re here to help.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in Germany?

A PhD in Germany usually takes between three to six years to complete. Just like in other countries, it can take longer or shorter than expected, depending on several factors. The type of PhD you choose (structured programs can be more rigid), your subject area, and individual progress can all make a difference in the time it takes to get a PhD in Germany.

Are PhD Programs in Germany Tuition-Free?

The majority of PhD programs in Germany are tuition-free, at least for the first six semesters. However, if need to enroll at a university for your PhD, there is a small semester fee you need to cover. The fee can be higher or lower depending on the university, but it usually falls within the range of €100 to €350.

Is German Mandatory to Pursue a PhD in Germany?

You don’t necessarily have to know German to do a PhD in Germany. In fact, most PhD programs in Germany are in English, especially in fields such as science, engineering, and humanities. In these programs, you can both write your thesis and communicate with your advisor and peers in English.

There is of course the chance that the program you’ve chosen is in German or requires knowledge of German (in most cases, in addition to English). In this case, you have to prove your proficiency through a recognized language certificate or proof of previous studies in German.

Even if German isn’t mandatory, we strongly encourage you to learn the basics. They will be super helpful in daily interactions and getting accustomed to life in Germany.

How Much Does a PhD Student Earn in Germany?

Most PhD candidates in Germany receive financial support in the form of a salary or grant. This includes candidates affiliated with universities, research institutes, or company collaborations.

The majority of doctoral positions are structured under either the Collective Agreement for Civil Service TVöD (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst or the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service of Individual Federal States TV-L (Tarifvertrag der Länder). Since universities are funded by their respective federal government, if your PhD is affiliated with one, your salary will be structured under the TV-L.

Doctoral positions fall within the TV-L 13 category, with a salary range spanning from €4,188 (Tier 1) to €6,037 (Tier 6). The difference between the tiers (Stufe) depends on prior experience in the field. If you don’t have any research experience, you will fall under Tier 1 and progress to the other tiers throughout your PhD.

Your salary will ultimately be determined based on a wage agreement that specifies the contract tier (Stufe) and working hours (percentage-based). Many entry-level PhD students start with tier 1 contracts that are not full-time. For example, if your contract places you in Pay Group E-13 Tier 1 of the TV-L and you work at 75% capacity, your monthly gross salary will be €3,141.

> Learn more about pay ranges for PhD students using this convenient calculator .

Can I Work While Pursuing a PhD in Germany?

Part-time work is an option in most cases unless it’s strictly stated otherwise in your contract. Whether or not you are allowed to work on the side as a PhD in Germany depends on the working hours stated in your PhD contract, supervisor, and other specific circumstances. 

However, since the PhD is considered a job in itself, it’s usually frowned upon to have a side hustle. Even if you have a 50% contract, a PhD is demanding and requires long hours of work and research. If you choose to work on the side, make sure to find the right balance between work and your PhD commitments. To be on the safe side, it’s best to talk to your supervisor and go over all the legal and contractual obligations related to your PhD.

What Is the Process for Defending a PhD Thesis in Germany?

Here are the main steps to defending your PhD thesis in Germany:

• Submit your thesis. The first step is submitting submit your thesis and supporting documents in adherence to all the formal requirements. A commission will be formed, and in some cases, you can suggest reviewers.
• Oral defense. The next step is preparing and undergoing an oral defense, which can take between 30 minutes to 2 hours. During this time, you will present your research and discuss it with the committee. The defense can be either public or private.
• Receive the title and publish your work. The outcome of the discussion determines your final grade, to be received after the defense. If everything goes well, you’re granted the Ph.D. title and have about two years to publish your dissertation.

What Are the Career Prospects Like After Doing a PhD in Germany?

Career prospects after a PhD in Germany are quite promising. 

The most common paths for PhD holders in Germany are either in academia as professors or post-doctorate researchers or in industry positions. 

Technology, healthcare, and finance, in particular, are some of the most in-demand industries in Germany. The country’s strong economy and research-oriented environment make it an attractive place to develop your career.

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Doctoral Studies

The conferral of a doctorate represents the termination of the doctoral procedure and allows to bear the academic title "Dr.".

The procedure will be accompanied by a supervisor of the university and consists of the submission of an own research contribution in form of a dissertation project. An oral defense of your work (in form of a disputation) as well as the publication of your dissertation project, and therefore the introduction to the research community, are prerequisites in order to bear the academic title "Dr.". You decide in consultation with your supervisor on the topic of your dissertation project. For your part, a thorough preliminary consideration for a suitable topic is useful. You can get support from the graduate centres (see below).

All faculties of JLU offer a doctorate. Generelly, the prerequisite for embarking on doctoral studies is a successfully completed university degree (e.g. Master, Magister, Diplom, State Examination). Special rules apply for applicants with a completed degree from a University of Applied Science or holding a first State Examination for a teaching degree for primary schools or lower-secondary education. Please see the code of regulations for doctoral degrees for details. Your first contact person for all questions on formalities is always the respective deanery of the faculty. Having been conferred a doctorate, you are allowed to bear the title "Dr.".

At JLU, you will be supported by different graduate centres for your dissertation project. Additionally, faculty 10 and 11 offer the possibility of a Ph.D programme. The academic title of "Ph.D." (= Doctor of Philosophy) can be gained by completing a Ph.D-degree course. Precondition: a degree in medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine (state examination or equivalent Master degree), biology, chemistry, or another course of study in the natural sciences (Diplom or Master degree).

You can gain the title of Dr. at JLU Giessen in the following areas:

• Dr. agr. (Agrarwissenschaften/Agriculture)
• Dr. oec. troph. (Haushalts- und Ernährungswissenschaften/Nutritional Science and Home Economics)
• Dr. phil. (Geisteswissenschaften/Humanities)
• Dr. rer. nat. (Naturwissenschaften/Natural Sciences)
• Dr. rer. soc. (Sozialwissenschaften/Social Sciences)
• Dr. rer. pol. (Wirtschaftswissenschaften/Economics)
• Dr. jur. (Rechtswissenschaften/Law)
• Dr. med. / Dr. hum. biol. (Medizin/Medicine)
• Dr. med. vet. (Veterinärmedizin/Veterinary Medicine)
• Dr. med. dent. (Zahnmedizin/Dentistry)
• Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Doctoral Studies after Master degree (or equivalent) at JLU

If you wish to continue your studies at JLU as a doctoral student, you have to hand in a certificate of the respective doctoral committee proving that you have been accepted as a doctoral student upon re-matriculation. A certificate of your doctoral supervisor does not suffice.

Information about enrolment as a doctoral student

Further information

Post-graduate programmes and graduate centres at JLU Ph.D.-code of regulations

For the preconditions for admission to doctoral studies at JLU please see the respecti ve code of regulations for doctoral studies F urther information and advice, especially for international students: please see doing your doctorate in Giessen

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Doctoral studies at HHU

There are several ways to earn a doctorate depending on the faculties, the individual research fields as well as on the type of doctorate. It can be completed within a structured programme or quite independently under the supervision of a professor. Over a period of about three to four years, doctoral students conduct independent research, write a dissertation and usually defend it through an oral examination. The starting date is not bound to the university semesters, but rather depends on the available funding options for the individual research projects.

At HHU, doctoral candidates are individually supervised and supported in order to advance their careers. The following applies to all faculties of HHU:

• the regulations for doctoral studies stipulate that doctoral theses must be overseen by two supervisors; i.e. a second supervisor may be added to the PhD advisory committee
• the course "Good Scientific Practice" is mandatory for all doctoral candidates
• the doctoral research is conducted within a structured doctoral programme or, alternatively, can be completed within the framework of a structured curriculum at the respective faculties' graduate academies
• international junior researchers receive advice and support from the Junior Scientist and International Research Center (JUNO) regarding their stay in Germany and at HHU
• the faculties' graduate academies offer a broad qualification programme for doctoral students and a comprehensive counseling service
• the  Heine Research Academies and the graduate academies of the  Faculty of Medicine (MedRSD) , the  Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences (iGRAD)  and the  Faculty of Arts and Humanities (PhilGRAD) provide a common framework of support and structured education for all doctoral researchers.

In Germany and at HHU, the most common PhD track is completing an individual doctorate under the supervision of a professor and thereby conducting research largely independently on one's own research topic. This offers a great deal of flexibility but also demands a high degree of personal initiative and responsibility. To start such a doctoral project, you first need to find a supervisor at HHU. The supervision of a doctoral thesis is an individual agreement between the doctoral researcher and the supervisor. In some faculties at HHU (e.g. Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences) an additional supervising professor is mandatory. 

Doctoral students conducting an indivual doctorate may be employed by the supervisor's institute, which often requires them to work on a specific project or to participate in the teaching requirements of the institute. Vacancies for this path to a doctorate are often advertised on the research institute's website or can be found at the HeRA job portal . Doctoral researchers who are not employed by the institute are advised to organise funding for their dissertation project , for example by a scholarship.

How long it takes to complete an individual doctorate depends mainly on one's own time schedule. Three to four years are within in the normal range.

Find further information on how to apply for an individual doctorate here .

In structured doctoral programmes, doctoral students and their research topics are integrated into a larger scientific framework in which the students work on a common research focus or methodology. These programmes are often interdisciplinary and/or have a strong international orientation with English as the team language. In general, they offer a subject-specific curriculum as well as opportunities to acquire transferable skills and additional qualifications. Doctoral students are generally supervised by a thesis advisory committee, i.e. in teams of several professors participating in the programme. 

At HHU you have a broad spectrum of structured doctoral programmes in research training groups and graduate schools funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Excellence Initiative, the federal state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and HHU itself. Sometimes they include collaborations with other universities, non-university research institutes such as the Helmholtz Association or the International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRS) as well as other international partners.

Programme specific scholarships or job offers for doctoral candidates usually provide funding for at least three years. Find further information on available scholarships or job offers at the graduate programmes' websites or and the HeRA job portal . Click here  for details on how to apply for a graduate programme.

Steps to a doctorate

Application

Re-Registration of doctoral students for a new semester

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You can earn a doctorate after successfully completing a university degree (e.g. master's, Magister, Diplom, Staatsexamen). Special conditions apply, which are specified in the doctoral regulations, for applicants with a degree from a university of applied sciences, a first state examination for a teaching degree for primary schools, special-needs schools or secondary schools, or for those with a bachelor's degree.  

For all formal questions, the first point of contact is always the relevant dean's office or doctoral studies office of the related faculty. It is also recommended that you consult with the responsible academic advisor. The doctorate is awarded upon successful completion of the doctoral program.  

The prerequisite for enrollment is the certificate of acceptance as a doctoral candidate from the doctoral committee of the faculty.

Please note:  On the GRADE webpages, you will find a clear 3-step guide on how best to proceed in your search for a doctoral thesis. For a doctorate in a humanities or social-science field, contact the examination office for humanities, cultural and sport sciences ; for a doctorate in a field of the natural sciences, contact the doctoral studies office for the natural sciences ; and for a doctorate in a medical field, contact the doctoral studies office of the faculty of medicine . Further information on the doctoral procedure can be obtained from the doctoral committee of the respective faculty.

Supporting documents:  For doctoral studies, acceptance as a doctoral candidate must be submitted at the time of enrollment by the doctoral committee of the relevant faculty. 

Application

The application is a two-step process. Please register first as a doctoral student via the Goethe-Campus portal and submit the required documents to the relevant dean's office or doctoral studies office. Upon successful acceptance as a doctoral student, you will receive an acceptance letter. If you would also like to enroll as a doctoral student, please submit once again an electronic application for doctoral studies via the Goethe-Campus portal. You should then submit the documents required for enrollment. Enrollment as a student is not always mandatory.

Exception: Medical students in Faculty 16 first go through a separate application procedure and only then register electronically as doctoral students via the Goethe-Campus portal. You can find more information on the Faculty 16 website .

Note for prospective international students

Application and enrollment for international doctoral students.

You can enroll as a doctoral student if you already have an official "acceptance as a doctoral student" (Annahme als Doktorand*in). The Enrollment is not mandatory. Those candidates working in German must present a certified DSH-2 certificate (or equivalent) upon enrollment (see German language skills ).

Enrollment deadlines: Summer semester: April 30 Winter semester: October 31

Enrollment is a two-step process:

1. Submission and review of documents by the “Studium Lehre Internationales” department (if not yet done). 

Please send the originals of the following documents as a PDF by e-mail to: [email protected] :

• all transcripts with overview of subjects and grades entitling you to pursue a doctorate 
• translations of the transcripts by a sworn translator (this is not necessary if the originals are in English)
• notification of acceptance as a doctoral student
• proof of language skills (if required)

Please note : If your transcripts have already been reviewed by the "Studium Lehre Internationales" department for doctoral studies via the respective faculty, you do not need to resubmit your transcripts. In this case, please follow only the second step.

2. Enrollment via online form 

Enrollment takes place via the online form for enrollment in a doctoral studies program

You will require the following documents:

• signed application for enrollment
• copy of passport/identity card
• curriculum vitae (if applicable)

Please send these documents by e-mail after completing the online enrollment process: [email protected] Alternatively, you can send your documents by regular mail: Goethe-Universität Studium Lehre Internationales First-Level Support 60629 Frankfurt am Main

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Completing a Doctorate at Faculty V – Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems

Ellison institute of technology oxford: ellison scholarship.

The graduate Ellison scholarship fully funds DPhil (PhD) study at the University of Oxford.

Application deadline: 30.09.2024

proMotion training program for female doctoral researchers, Application deadline: September 15, 2024.

The proMotion training program for female doctoral researchers starts again in the winter term 24/25

The application deadline is September 15, 2024.

Graduation ceremony also for doctoral graduates

The Vabene graduation ceremony of Faculty V will take place on 29 November 2024 at 3 pm. This year, doctoral graduates will also be honoured for the first time.

Change in the doctoral regulations

The first change to the doctoral regulations from June 25th, 2021 will come into force from now on. The document can be viewed under "Regulations, Rulings and Forms".

Doctoral Procedure

General information.

You can complete one of the following doctorates at our faculty:

• Doctor of Engineering Sciences (Dr.-Ing.)
• Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. Rer. nat.)
• Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Phil)

provided that your doctorate is supervised by a professor at our faculty. If you are interested, please contact the professor/academic chair for the relevant subject area.

The formal legal bases for the various stages of a doctorate are provided for in the Doctoral Regulations of 25.06.2021 . We recommend that you indicate your planned doctoral project in advance by submitting a declaration of intent to pursue a doctorate. We also recommend that you complete a supervision agreement with your supervisor.

Once you have completed your dissertation and are ready to submit it for assessment, you first need to submit an application for admission to the doctoral procedure. Your dissertation will then be assessed by the reviewers. If your dissertation receives a positive assessment from the majority of the reviewers, you will be invited to defend your dissertation.

If your scientific defense is also successful, you are required to publish your dissertation via the University Library Dissertation Service. Your certificate will then be issued to you.

Below you can find more detailed information about the various stages of completing a doctorate as well as the relevant regulations, rulings and forms.

If you are interested in doing a doctorate at our faculty, please contact our Doctoral Office.

Declaration of Intent to Pursue a Doctorate

We recommend that you inform us of your intent to pursue a doctorate before starting. We will then check to see if you meet the requirements for completing a doctorate at our faculty. We strongly urge the following groups of candidates to submit a declaration of intent to pursue a doctorate:

• Doctoral candidates with non-German university degrees
• Doctoral candidates wishing to pursue a doctorate in an area unrelated to their degrees
• Doctoral candidates with a Diplom from a university of applied sciences

To register your declaration of intent, please use the form "Declaration of Intent to Pursue a Doctorate" and submit all necessary paperwork.

Your supervisor also has to provide their consent by signing the form. You further need to submit all relevant documents relating to your degrees. You can submit either certified copies of your certificates, or simple copies if your prefer, provided you also present the originals. Once you have submitted your declaration of intent to the faculty dean, you need to enroll as a doctoral candidate with the Office of Student Affairs . If you are employed at Technische Universität Berlin, you are not required to enroll. The Office of Student Affairs will help with enrollment.

If you are planning to do a doctorate by publication (kumulative Dissertation), please refer to the faculty’s implementing regulations .

Admission to the Doctoral Procedure

Once you have completed your dissertation and are ready to submit it for assessment, you first need to submit an application for admission to the doctoral procedure. Please use the form for applying for admission to the doctoral procedure and include all necessary documents.

Once the dean has approved your application, you will be admitted to the doctoral procedure. Your dissertation will then be forwarded to the reviewers for assessment.

Scientific Defense

If the majority of reviewers provide a positive evaluation for your dissertation, you will be invited to defend your dissertation. A date for the scientific defense is decided on by the candidate and the members of the doctoral committee (chair and all members of the committee). The Doctoral Office must be informed of the date well in advance.

This means the following documents must be submitted to the Doctoral Office at least 3 weeks prior to the date agreed for the defense:

• All evaluations
• Information about the day, time and room for the defense
• The format for the defense and the documents required

Invitations are sent by the Doctoral Office at least 15 days before the scheduled date.

According to the doctoral regulations of 2021, §8 subsection 2, external reviewers may take part in the defense via video conference tool in duly justified cases. If you should consider this option for your scientific defense, please contact us.

If you successfully defend your dissertation, you will be issued a temporary certificate showing the result.

Publishing the Dissertation and Awarding of the Doctoral Certificate

After the scientific defense, you are obliged to make the version approved by the doctoral committee (including any adaptations requested by the doctoral committee) available to the scientific public within twelve months (extension only in exceptional cases on request, please contact us with sufficient lead time).

Find out about the three possible forms of publication on the website of the University Library Dissertation Service : - 1 printed copy + online publication on DepositOnce or - 15 printed copies in dissertation print or - 3 publisher copies

Choose one of these and follow the steps in the respective checklist. If you have any questions, please contact the Dissertation Service directly: dissertationen(at)ub.tu-berlin.de .

If it is a cumulative dissertation, further information , including copyright, must be observed.

You will receive a certificate of receipt from the Dissertation Service after publication has been completed. This is usually also sent directly to the faculty administration and is a prerequisite for receiving the doctoral certificate.

Once we have received this confirmation, we will send your certificate by mail or you can make an appointment to collect it from us in person. Before issuing the certificate, we also require a summary of your dissertation in German and English.

Contact and Office Hours

PhD - Admission Office

[email protected]

+49 30 314-28017

• Current Doctoral Regulations (25.06.2021) (pdf, 320 kB)
• Implementing Regulations for Dissertations by Publication (pdf, 177 kB)
• Submitting a Declaration of Intent to Pursue a Doctorate (pdf, 223 kB)
• Application for Admission to the Doctoral Procedure (pdf, 311 kB)
• Participation of external reviewers (pdf, 396 kB)
• Dissertation Sample Title Page
• Supervision Agreement
• Information on Publication of the final dissertation (pdf, 181 kB)

Dates for Scientific Defenses at our Faculty

Ombudsperson for doctoral candidates at our faculty.

If you are unhappy with any aspects of completing a doctorate at our faculty, please contact our onmbudsperson for doctoral candidates Prof. Dr.- Ing. Andreas Bardenhagen for advice and support. Your case can be treated confidentially if you prefer.

Prof. Dr.-Ing.

Bardenhagen Andreas

+49 30 314 28538

What Do I Need to Do if I Wish to Complete a Doctorate at Faculty V?

You need to find a supervisor at the faculty. You also need to ensure that you meet the requirements for completing a doctorate. We will check this for you. Please get in touch with us for advice.

What Do I Need to Consider if my Degrees Are from Abroad?

All university degrees obtained abroad need to be checked for equivalence with German university degrees by the Department of International Affairs at TU Berlin. You also need to submit the relevant documents relating to your university degrees. These need to be provided in German or English. If the documents were issued in another language, you need to provide a certified translation in German or English.

Can I Complete a Doctorate at Faculty V with a Diplom Degree from a University of Applied Sciences?

Yes, this is possible if your overall grade was “good” or better. You also need to pass three additional assessment tests, see Section 3 (3) of the Doctoral Regulations.

How Do I Submit my Documents?

Via a link which we will provide you in an email. Please upload all necessary documents for an initial check. We will then inform you about submitting your documents as hard copies.

Please do not send any documents to us by mail without first being requested to do so.

Do I Need to Enroll?

If you are not employed on a contract at TU Berlin, you need to enroll as a doctoral student. You can find information, relevant documents and contact persons at the Office of Student Affairs, Graduate Admissions .

What Is the Doctoral Database?

The Berlin-Brandenburg Office of Statistics collects data about doctoral candidates from all Berlin universities once a year. This data is used for planning purposes.

When you register your intent to pursue a doctorate with us, your data will be recored in a database (= doctoral database). You can access your data using a link, which we will send to you by email. Please check this data and complete as necessary so we can forward it to the Berlin-Brandenburg Office of Statistics.

I Would Like to Complete a Dissertation by Publication (kumulative Dissertation). What Do I Need to Do?

Please refer to the faculty implementing regulations for dissertations by publication. Your supervisor also has to provide their consent for you to complete a dissertation by publication.

Publications can be co-authored. As part of the admission process, doctoral candidates must describe their own contribution to each publication and the co-authors must confirm this with their signature. We therefore recommend that you retain long-term contact data for co-authors.

How Many Bound Copies of my Dissertation Am I Required to Submit?

This depends on the number of reviewers.

One copy must be provided for the faculty Doctoral Office and one copy for the chair of the doctoral committee. Each reviewer receives one copy.

You also need to provide the Doctoral Office a copy of your dissertation in PDF format.

What Do I Need to Consider When Publishing my Dissertation?

You can find all relevant information about publication formats as well as guidelines and contact persons on the website of the Dissertation Service of Technische Universität Berlin .

How Do I Get my Doctoral Certificate?

You will receive your certificate once you have provided us with the following:

• Proof of publication of your dissertation from the University Library Dissertation Service. This will be sent to you and the Doctoral Office once your dissertation has been published.
• German and English abstract of your published dissertation as PDF

You can collect your certificate in person or we can send it to you by mail.

Further Information

Office of student affairs.

Responsible for enrollment, re-registration and exmatriculation

Center for Junior Scholars

University library dissertation service.

Responsible for publishing dissertations

'Promotion', PhD and MD

Differences between 'Promotion' (Germany), PhD (English-speaking countries) and MD.

Globalisation means that we are increasingly coming across various titles in an academic context. We have therefore listed the three most common titles and explained the differences between them below.

A doctorate in Germany, known as ‘Promotion’

In German-speaking countries, the term ‘Promotion’ refers to achieving a doctoral degree in a specific subject and the right to use the term ‘Dr.’, confirmed by a doctoral degree certificate. It documents the ability of the person awarded the doctoral degree to conduct in-depth academic work.

In this case, a doctoral degree is achieved not via a structured programme of study with lectures and examinations but takes the form of independent academic research on a topic chosen by the doctoral candidate and conducted under the mentorship of a supervising professor. The following doctoral degrees are awarded at FAU depending on the faculty and subject: Dr. phil., Dr. theol., Dr. rer. pol., Dr. jur., Dr. med., Dr. med. dent., Dr. rer. biol. hum., Dr. rer.nat. and Dr.-Ing.

These doctoral degrees consist of two parts:

• The doctoral thesis which documents independent research
• The oral examination (known in Germany as the ‘Rigorosum’ or ‘Disputation’ and often referred to as the defence or viva in English-speaking countries).

People looking to study at this level and whose intention and suitability has been acknowledged by the Office of Doctoral Affairs at FAU are described as doctoral candidates (‘Doktoranden’, ‘Doktorandinnen’, ‘Promovierende’ in German). To be admitted to a doctoral degree, candidates need to hold a Master’s degree or an equivalent qualification. You cannot apply for admission to a doctoral degree at a central office. The path to a doctoral degree requires the candidate to first find a supervisor AND a topic. Doctoral degrees at FAU can take the form of an individual doctoral degree or a structured doctoral degree programme (see below).

How to use the title

The doctoral title is written before the name, as in ‘Dr. Franziska Mustermann’, with the subject specification (such as phil.) often omitted.

In many countries, and in English-speaking countries in particular, doctoral studies are completed as a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). Unlike doctoral degrees in German-speaking countries (see above), PhD programmes often take the form of a specific study programme, the PhD programme, that requires the candidate to attend specific lectures and examinations and has a standard duration of three to five years (depending on the admission requirements, see below). In Bavaria, you have to study a formalised course of studies to achieve a PhD. At FAU, there is such a program in Advanced ImmunoMedicine .

Despite the name, a PhD is usually not a doctorate in philosophy, but is the standard form of doctoral degree awarded for most subjects. The subject is normally appended to the title, e.g. ‘PhD in Economics’.

A PhD consists of three parts:

• Attending specialist courses on a regular basis and acquiring specialist skills
• Writing a doctoral thesis on independent academic research

In English-speaking countries, a PhD is the doctoral degree awarded in virtually all subjects and is the highest postgraduate qualification that can be obtained. In these countries, postgraduate study begins after students have obtained their Bachelor’s degree. After completing a Bachelor’s degree programme, students can choose to study for a Master’s degree, before then deciding whether to stop after completing their Master’s degree or to carry on and obtain a PhD. Providing admission requirements are met, students can move on smoothly from one stage to the next. To be admitted to a PhD programme, candidates require a Bachelor’s degree and usually also a Master’s degree or need to have successfully completed a four to five year Bachelor with Honours course with a cum laude distinction.

In general, PhD programmes that continue on from Master’s degree programmes involve a higher proportion of taught courses and seminars compared to the individual doctoral degrees that are the standard in Germany. In English-speaking countries, it usually takes at least five years to complete the consecutive Master’s and PhD degree programmes.

The period of study following on from a Master’s degree required to obtain a PhD is similar to that of a structured doctoral degree programme at FAU, which is normally completed after three to four years. The shorter period of time required in Germany is due to the differences in the educational systems. In Germany, the specialisation courses that have to be attended to obtain a PhD are usually already included in the Master’s degree programmes. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a doctoral degree in Germany and at FAU through a shorter structured programme. This represents a viable alternative to the more common individual doctoral degree and is also fairly widespread.

The PhD title is written after the name, as in ‘Franziska Mustermann, PhD.’ In line with standard academic conventions, a PhD graduate is addressed as Dr.

Using the title Dr. with a PhD Using the title Dr. with a PhD

Holders of a PhD may carry the title ‘Dr.’ without any restrictions. However, for doctoral degrees gained in the USA, the university at which the title was obtained must be on one of the two Carnegie list s ‘Doctoral Universities – Highest activity’ and ‘Doctoral Universities – Higher research activity’. Researchers who have been awarded a doctoral degree in Australia, Israel, Canada or Russia may only carry the German title ‘Dr.’ with an addition.

The statement of the Max-Planck Society provides a good summary of the topic.

Whether the ‘Dr.’ title can be used with an international doctoral degree in Germany or if a doctoral degree gained in Germany can use the title commonly used in the other country depends on whether both countries have an equivalency agreement. The ANABIN database from the Central Office for Foreign Education is a useful place to start researching.

The title MD (Doctor of Medicine) is an academic degree title, which is referred to as a professional degree in some countries. Professional degrees are doctoral degrees that are awarded, for example, in the USA, Austria and in some other countries on completion of a degree programme without a thesis. This is not common practice in Germany. In the USA, the title of MD is awarded as a degree qualifying the holder for the medical profession (professional degree) after completion of a degree (exam) without an additional thesis.

Professional degrees cannot be equated with the more research-based doctoral degree (Dr.). Professional degrees such as these are roughly equivalent to the Staatsexamen (state examination) in medicine. The holder of a professional degree in medicine may only use the title in the original form in which it was granted. The title Dr. , Dr. med. , or any other alternative German translation may not be used as the holder has not completed a doctoral thesis.

The MD title is written after the name, as in ‘Franziska Mustermann, MD.’

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How to Find Your PhD Position in Germany

Are you looking for a doctoral position in Germany? In the DAAD databases, you can find open PhD positions in all fields and all over Germany. When you have found an offer that matches your interests you can apply online at the offering university.

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Prospective international PhD students

You are a postgraduate, have earned a university degree from an international higher education institution, and plan to do your doctoral studies at the faculty of law at universität hamburg..

To obtain a doctorate, students at the Faculty of Law conduct independent research and present their work in a doctoral dissertation. At the end of their studies, doctoral students must defend their doctoral dissertation in an oral examination. Generally, doctoral students can either create an individual plan or pursue studies within a structured program. General information on doctoral opportunities offered at Universität Hamburg can be found here .

Individual doctoral studies continue to be the most common form of obtaining a doctorate in Germany and at the Faculty of Law at Universität Hamburg. In this model, doctoral students work largely independently on their dissertation topic under the supervision of a professor. This allows for a great deal of freedom and flexibility, but also requires a significant degree of personal initiative and responsibility. Before beginning their studies, doctoral students first look for a supervising professor for their dissertation topic. Supervision is based on an individual agreement between the doctoral student and professor.

At the Faculty of Law at Universität Hamburg, students may also obtain a doctorate in a structured doctoral program. In these programs, the doctoral students and their research are integrated into a wider academic framework. These doctoral degree programs at the Faculty of Law at Universität Hamburg have an interdisciplinary and in some cases an international focus. They offer a framework for doctoral students to discuss their research and a broad range of opportunities for students to acquire additional qualifications in the field. Doctoral students in structured programs are often supervised by teams made up of several professors involved in the program.

The Albrecht Mendelssohn Bartholdy Graduate School (AMBSL) developed its curriculum based on the Faculty's two key research areas (research area 1: National and international market economy and governance—legal regulation under the conditions of economization and globalization; research area 2: The limits of law—the legal challenges of social and technological change). Research projects within structured doctoral training are not limited to the Faculty's key research areas, but may focus on any areas within law and its subdisciplines. The AMBSL helps applicants find suitable supervisors for their research project.

For more information about the Albrecht Mendelssohn Bartholdy Graduate School of Law and funding opportunities, please visit their website .

The European Doctorate in Law and Economics (EDLE) is an international doctoral program offered jointly by Universität Hamburg, the University of Bologna, and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The objective of the program is to train doctoral students at the highest academic level in the field of law and economics. Prospective doctors of law will be in the position to competently participate in academic discourse in this research field. More information about the European Doctorate in Law and Economics can be found here . ( http://www.edle-phd.eu/ )

The research training group The Economics of the Internationalisation of the Law focuses on the application of methods and concepts of economic analysis to international law and the way this interacts with national legal norms. More information on The Economics of the Internationalisation of the Law research training group can be found here (in German only).

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Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Science

Office hours.

Dr. Sarah Müller Monday - Thursday, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (no appointment neccessary) (Auf der Morgenstelle 8, B-Building, 10th floor, room 10A38) and by appointment (29- 75955 ).

Dr. Elaine Huggenberger Monday - Thursday, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (no appointment neccessary) (Auf der Morgenstelle 8, B-Building, 10th floor, room 10A23) and by appointment (29- 72751 ).

Sebastian Schlemender Monday - Thursday, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (no appointment neccessary) (Auf der Morgenstelle 8, B-Building, 10th floor, room 10R38) and by appointment (29- 76853 ) .

  Feel free to contact us, if you have any further questions. However, we recommend reading the information sheet first, as it usually resolves most of the questions.

Areas of Responsibilities

Dr. Sarah Müller

Applications for acceptance as a doctoral student

Ongoing doctoral procedures (Chemistry, Pharmaceutics, Biochemistry, Psychology)

Verification and confirmation of doctoral degrees

Information about doctoral guidelines of the Faculty of Science

Cotutelle agreements

Dr. Elaine Huggenberger

Ongoing doctoral procedures (Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Mathematics, Physics)

State Postgraduate Fellowship Programme (Landesgraduiertenförderung)

Sebastian Schlemender

Submission/Acceptance of doctoral dissertations

Doctoral procedures (Biology and Geosciences)

Annette Goller

PhD Certificates

Doctoral Subjects

At the Faculty of Science, you can pursue a doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat.) in the following fields:

Archaeological Sciences and Human Evolution

Biochemistry

Bioinformatics

Cognitive Science

Computer Science

Environmental Sciences

Geosciences

Mathematics

Medical Informatics

Pharmaceutics

Prehistory and Early History

Supervision of Doctoral Candidates

In general, all persons with professorship and all persons with a Habilitation are allowed to supervise doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Science.

Scientists without professorship and Habilitation have the possibility to apply for the supervision of doctoral candidates provided the funding of these candidates is provided by the scientists themselves.

Please submit the following application at the PhD office:

• Application for supervision (German) word |  pdf
• Application for supervision (English) word | pdf

Scientists from abroad are allowed to supervise doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Science provided they have this right at the relevant university abroad.

Code of Conduct for the Doctoral Phase

Doctoral Convention of the Faculty of Science

The Doctoral Covention of the Faculty of Science represents the interests of doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Science. Further information and contact persons can be found here .

Graduate Academy MNF

The University's Graduate Academy is the central coordination centre for all interdisciplinary advisory, further education and support services for doctoral candidates. It is the umbrella organisation for the faculties' graduate academies and also integrates the university's structured doctoral programs and doctoral networks. The central aim of the Graduate Academy is to improve the quality of supervision and training for early career researchers.

Doctoral Days

Information on the upcoming doctoral days can be found here .

Structured Doctoral Programs

In addition to the individual doctorate, which is not tied to a structured training program, there are various forms of structured doctoral programs at the MNF. These aim to make the doctoral phase transparent, offer good supervision and complete the doctoral thesis within a manageable time frame. Some programs also offer special interdisciplinary training, international networking and an accompanying program of specialist and interdisciplinary courses. Information on structural doctoral programs can be found on the pages of the respective departments.

State Postgraduate Fellowship Program - "Landesgraduiertenförderung"

State postgraduate fellowship program - "landesgraduiertenförderung".

There is currently no ongoing call for tenders for the federal state subsidy. The next call for proposals in 2025, with funding starting in April 2025, is expected to begin in autumn 2024.

Further information (on how to apply) can be found at the following link:

Information on State Postgraduate Fellowship Program (Landesgraduiertenförderung)

Downloads and Helpful Information

Information.

Information Sheet for Doctoral Candidates: pdf

PromO-Rules and Guidelines for Doctoral Studies 2015: pdf   (This is a courtesy translation. The sole legally binding regulations are the Promotionsordnung der Mathematisch Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Tübingen, in der Fassung vom 24. April 2015 pdf )

Recommendations for Cumulative Dissertations: pdf

Recommendations for Dissertations including Scientific Manuscripts with Co-Authors pdf

Information on "systematic reviews" pdf

Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Scientific Practice

Guidelines for Using Generative AI Tools

Library Info Sheet Concerning Online Publication pdf

Postgraduate Affairs Board

Forms and Policies

Application for acceptance.

Application for Acceptance as Doctoral Candidate and Supervision Agreement: pdf

Please be aware that incomplete applications cannot be processed. We need all required certificates and documents, the filled out supervision agreement, and the signatures of the docotral candidate and both supervisors.

According to German university law (LHG §38 (5)) PhD candidates must be enrolled as students (until date of oral exam). You can register as student at the Student Administration with the acceptance letter of the PhD Office.

Exceptions:

• Doctoral students accepted by their faculty prior to 30 March 2018 may enroll but are not compelled to do so.
• Employees of the university of Tübingen can apply for an exception of this compulsory duty (application on webpage of Student Administration).

 Admission to the Doctoral Examination Procedure

Application for Admission to the Doctoral Examination Procedure: pdf

Declaration Colaborative Publications: word | pdf

Please be aware that incomplete applications cannot be processed.

Registration Form Oral Exam: word | pdf

Abstract (Please hand in pdf file): word | pdf

Information on online exam: pdf

Self certification for online exam: word | pdf

Publishing Procedure

Declaration of Changes: pdf

• Template Title Page (for oral exams from April 1st, 2021): word | pdf  

Remark: In case of English titles, please capitalize the first word and all the principal words, i.e. not the articles, prepositions and conjuctions.

Please do not use double titles. Language of title should correspond to language of thesis.

Please use the German spelling of the place of birth.

Please do not use the university logo on the title page. For more information check the webpages of the Corporate Design .

Supervisors' Approval for Online Publication: pdf

Link to Dissertation Center of the University Library

Checking plagiarism

The ZDV offers the possiblity of conduction a similarity analysis for free by the software "Turnitiin". We recommend to make use of this offer before submitting the thesis. More information can be found under Link .

Please contact your supervisor if you do not have the authorization for using "Turnitin" yourself.

Advice and Help

The ombudsperson assists the doctoral students in settling conflicts or solving problems. All matters are treated as strictly confidential and neutral. Ombudsperson is the Dean of the Faculty, the Vice Dean for Research and the Dean of Studies ( Contact).

First Points of Contact within each Department

Confidental Representatives - Good Scientific Practice

Psychosocial Counseling Service for University Employees

Psychotherapeutic Counselling of the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim

Legal Advice of the Studierendenwerks Tübingen-Hohenheim

Family Office - Advice Concerning Work/Life Balance

Advice on sexual harassment/mobbing

Dissertation Center of the University Library

Doctoral Studies at the University of Tuebingen

Welcome Center for Visiting Researches & Scholars

International Doctoral Candidates

Career Service: Consulting and Coaching on Career Entry

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Information about PhD studies

Table of contents, 1. what are phd studies, 2. advantages of enrolling as a doctoral student, 3. support in research and doctoral studies, 4. temporary enrolment in doctoral studies (with student id), 5. deadlines for applying for enrolment, 6. extension of student status in doctoral studies, 7. applicants with international certificates, 8. further interesting links.

In general, doctoral degrees (PhD) at TU Dresden are possible in all available fields of study, whereby doctoral studies in Germany are generally regarded as an individual research project. You must first find a professor who is interested in your research topic and who can supervise your doctoral studies. When making initial contact, you should submit your curriculum vitae and, if possible, a brief exposé on the topic you are considering. Find out more about the requirements of the individual faculties and their doctoral regulations ! In order to qualify for a doctoral degree from TU Dresden, you must be officially accepted as a doctoral candidate by the respective faculty, i.e. confirmed by the Doctoral Committee . As a rule, a doctoral project at the TU Dresden is possible independently of enrolment. If you are considering the possibility of temporary enrolment, you can find out more about the application process in the section below.

• Periods of study (including doctoral studies) will count towards your pension ; proof of this is provided in the form of your enrollment certificate.
• You can travel throughout Germany with the affordable Deutschlandticket (EUR 29.40 instead of EUR 49.00/month). This also allows you to significantly reduce your costs for participation in scientific conferences, exchange meetings or research stays outside the university campus.
• The use of MOBIbike is subsidized in several ways. 
• By using the services of the Studentenwerk , you will benefit from attractive meal prices in canteens and cafeterias, social and cultural activities, advisory services and childcare facilities as well as reduced admission to student clubs. You are also welcome to consult TUD's social coun-seling service.
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PhD Defenses around the world: a defense in Germany

• October 3, 2017
• evalantsoght_uw8lmy
• Uncategorized

Bioinformatics is an astonishing and developing science that it is becoming really important in molecular biology and medicine due to amazing novel technologies like Next Generation Sequencing, where a lot of data analysis is required to understand the functionality of genome, transcriptome and proteome. After finishing my bioinformatics Master in Novosibirsk State University in Russia I decided to search for a PhD position in this area as well. I performed several visits to research institutes in Europe, and decided to do my PhD in the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Infection Biology in Berlin. Since this institute is focused on research only and has no direct connection to education, an additional important step for me was also to find a university. My choice was Freie Universität Berlin. After registering there as a “Doktorand” I started my PhD in 2011.

As far as I know universities in Germany have slightly various requirements for finishing the PhD. My first step was to write a PhD thesis. This task was started in 2015. In general, the thesis materials were based on one published manuscript and one work in progress along with detailed introduction. Creating this first introductory chapter was a really interesting task since it was an effective short combination of all research aspects in the area. Basically, it consists only of 20 pages, but includes summarized information from more than 50 manuscripts in the area. Further chapters were based on performed work and there was also a final discussion chapter describing possible novel directions.

An important step closer to finishing the thesis was to find the reviewers for the assessment. The main assessor was my official supervisor Prof. Knut Reinert. However, I also had to find an external assessor and this was an interesting task, similar to searching for a possible reviewer of a manuscript. I was super glad to get a positive confirmation for external assessment from Prof. Steven Salzberg (a well-known and highly cited scientist in the bioinformatics area). Finally, during my work in Max Planck Institute I also had my direct supervisor in research Dr. Fernando Garcia-Alcalde, and he was also allowed to be an assessor.

The assessment time was about 2 months after submitting the thesis. During this period the next requirement for me was to find a committee and select the defense day. Basically, there was a list of Profs from Freie University, and I was writing them e-mails asking about the participation, possible defense time etc. Finally, everything was established and the defense date was adjusted! Also, one day before the defense I was allowed to read the assessment and prepare for possible remarks from the committee.

In my case the defense was consisting of two parts. The first part was a basic overview of the research area starting from theory (~20 min). Next step was a detailed focus on a certain problem (~10 min). During both steps there were questions from the committee. One really nice permission was “openness” i.e. everyone interested was allowed to be present during the defense and also ask questions. Therefore, my friends and MPI colleagues were also there. In the beginning of the defense I was a bit nervous, but already after getting the first questions from the committee I forgot about this and was really excited to discuss my research topic. In the end my final mark was “Magna Cum Laude” and the thesis is officially available online for everyone.

Of course, already a year before my defense I started to think about a future PostDoc position. I guess this can be an additional big story. The PhD is an amazing period of life that has many interesting and exciting moments, but after the defense nothing stops and being a PhD opens a giant majority of possible ways to continue the adventure.

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PhD thesis defense in German: Rigorosum, Disputation, Kolloquium, or Verteidigung?

In order to finish a PhD and obtain the title of doctor, the candidate must present their thesis and do a defense, that is, roughly speaking, to discuss the thesis and answer questions from the jury.

In English, we call it thesis defense , and in French it is called soutenance .

I would like to know how to say that in German. It seems (but of course, I am not sure) that one could say it as

• Verteidigung
• Disputation

Could someone tell me if all these four words are synonyms and if they are really equivalent to thesis defense in English? If they mean the same, are some of them more formal than others? And is there another way to say it?

• translation
• english-to-german

• Note that this is not restricted to a PhD, but Bachelor and Master theses as well. –  infinitezero Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 17:10
• A Google search for "Promotionsordnung" gives you many hits. It seems that Disputation occurs most frequently, but also Kolloqium and (öffentliche) Verteidigung occur. It depends on the university. See also hochschulkompass.de/promotion/promotionsphase/… . –  Paul Frost Commented Sep 29, 2020 at 22:45

2 Answers 2

First beware that this is a typical case of academia varies more than you think it does . There is no general rule on how doctoral exams are done; instead, this is decided by the faculty. As a consequence, doctoral exams vary widely between universities and faculties. I know of two universities which have a joint graduate school for one field and even there doctoral exams differs extremely between the two universities.

This also applies to the terminology. So, the same term may mean something considerably different at a different faculty, in particular when it comes to official procedure. Therefore, in the following I can only write about how these terms are generally understood:

Verteidigung is arguably the most general term and the most frequently used term. Every¹ doctoral examination has at least one component in which the candidate has to face questions from the examiners and Verteidigung covers it. Official rules that are not specific to universities usually use this term when necessary. E.g., the date of the doctoral exam is usually referred to as Datum der Verteidigung.

While Disputation is just a Latin word for Verteidigung, it is used much more rarely and usually refers to a specific format of the exam, where the defendant faces questions from the examiners in public, possibly in a strict format. It can also be used in a more general sense, synonymously to Verteidigung, but at least in my experience that is rather rare.

A Rigorosum is a specific kind of doctoral exam that is characterised by featuring questions on the entire field of the candidate. It is usually not public. Many faculties do not perform this kind of exam.

A Kolloquium is a general term for a public talk, usually with questions from the audience. In the context of a doctoral exam, the candidate gives a talk on their thesis, which is usually public but may be restricted to members of the university or similar in special cases.

For example, my own doctoral exam consisted of a Kolloquium, where I talked about my thesis on dynamical systems, and was followed by a Rigorosum, where I was asked questions on my thesis but also on particle physics and solid-state physics. The entire thing was referred to as Verteidigung.

In conclusion , I strongly recommend Verteidigung unless you want to specify the mode of exam.

Finally note that the above primarily reflects the situation in Germany and the usage of these terms is somewhat different in Austria. For example, Rigorosum has a broader scope .

¹ At least as far as I know. As I said academia varies more than I think it does.

• 2 Excellent answer. I would have considered Verteidigung and Disputation synonyms, with the latter perhaps becoming less common. I can be wrong, though. –  Carsten S Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 10:07
• @CarstenS: Disputation can be used synonymously with Verteidigung, but at least in my experience that’s very rare and reason enough not to use the term when you want to avoid confusion (also see my edit). –  Wrzlprmft ♦ Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 11:16
• 1 @Olafant: Please see my edit. –  Wrzlprmft ♦ Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 11:16
• Thank you very much for such a complete answer! Rigorosum was not clear to me probably because the PhD programs that I am used to do not have this evaluation step and the questions from the jury are, in general, only about the thesis. –  Hilder Vitor Lima Pereira Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 11:53
• Actually, "Vortrag"/"Abschlussvortrag" and "[mündliche] Prüfung" are two more terms in use, sometimes in combination. –  O. R. Mapper Commented Sep 23, 2020 at 17:38

I have heard this being refered to as Verteidigung, Disputation and Rigorosum. These are all in use. Which one is used depends on university and faculty tradition I'd say, but they're all understood.

I haven't heard Kolloquium being directly used for this kind of event, Kolloquium is a broader term that refers to all kinds of meetings and discussion events with an academic topic. A disputation can be seen as a special kind of Kolloquium.

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Structured Doctoral Programs

Each of our structured doctoral programs offers a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary curriculum designed to help you realize your full potential and prepare for a successful career. The programs include innovative, personalized advising with regular progress checks, as well as extensive opportunities to broaden your research network and connect with peers in your field.

The University of Bonn offers a wide range of funding opportunities, which have been summarized for you on this page, divided into the following categories:

Bonn International Graduate Schools (BIGS)

Phd programs within our cluster of excellence.

• Structured Doctoral Programs by Discipline 

Third-Party Funded Programs

Doctoral education at the highest level: BIGS enable doctoral studies in outstanding research contexts with attractive international collaborations and a qualification program tailored to the needs of graduate students.

Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics and supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative, BIGS-M  is home to all of the University’s doctoral candidates in mathematics and contributes to Bonn’s excellent international reputation in the field.

BGSE offers a structured program that is tailored to the needs of doctoral candidates, including an internationally recognized research network.

Supported by Germany’s Excellence Initiative and jointly administered by the renowned Physics Institutes at the Universities of Bonn and Cologne, BCGS  offers doctoral studies through an integrated honors program.

Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS 6 6 is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

BIGS-OAS offers a wide range of courses within a research context, focused on the cultures and societies of Asia and Asia Minor.

BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

BIGS CPS's interdisciplinary approach combines medical, agricultural and pharmaceutical research.

BIGS Chemistry 10 doctoral candidates enjoy an exceptional and ambitious program covering all fields of chemistry.

This three-year doctoral program  is offered in conjunction with the University’s ImmunoSensation Cluster, which is funded by Germany’s Excellence Initiative.

Part of the University of Bonn’s Center for Development Research, BIGS-DR   trains students for an international career in development cooperation, policy or research through a combination of academic study and intensive tutorship.

The BIGS Land and Food combines the research at the agricultural Faculty with an interdisciplinary study program.

BIGS-LIMES offers a graduate program for doctoral students in Bonn specializing in biochemistry, life sciences and biomedicine.

Clusters of Excellence stand for international and interdisciplinary elite research and offer young scientists excellent funding and career conditions. The University of Bonn currently has six clusters of excellence, more than any other university in Germany, and thus opens up a broad spectrum of possible research topics to doctoral candidates. Here you will find an overview of the university's clusters of excellence.

PhD Programs within our Excellence Cluster

The goal of the Hausdorff Center of Mathematics is to identify and address mathematical challenges of the 21st century, to advance groundbreaking fundamental mathematical research worldwide, and to develop the mathematical methods and tools required by science and society.

Part of the Hausdorff Center is also a graduate school: The Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) hosts all doctoral students of mathematics and contributes to the outstanding international reputation of the university in this field. The duration of the program is usually 3 years, and the doctorate (Dr. rer nat.) can be earned as a degree.

More information: https://www.bigs-math.uni-bonn.de/de/studies/ 14 15 15

ImmunoSensation2 aims to continue the success story of the existing ImmunoSensation cluster. While the emphasis so far has been on fundamental research in particular of the innate immune system, now the mechanisms of immune intelligence are to be uncovered, i.e. the question of how the body succeeds in adapting immune responses to specific situations and then remembers this in order to be optimally prepared for similar challenges in the future. The cluster's graduate school, the Bonn International Graduate School Immunosciences and Infection offers a structured, three-year doctoral program.

You can find further information about this program here: 

https://www.immunosensation.de/opportunities/young-scientists

Until today, dependency studies has almost exclusively dealt with slavery on the American continent or in antiquity. The Cluster of Excellence "Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS)" aims to broaden this perspective in terms of content, space and time. Within the framework of the cluster, a structured doctoral program with a duration of 4 years is offered.

Further information can be found at:  https://www.dependency.uni-bonn.de/en 15 16

Over the last few decades, computer hardware has become smaller and smaller, but their technology remains more or less the same. Slowly, this development is reaching its limits.Thus, we need new technologies that satisfy our growing hunger for even more powerful hardware.

Quantum physics could be a solution.

Together with the University of Cologne and the RWTH Aachen, Bonn researchers want to work on making this new technology usable. To achieve this, quantum bits or even qubits - the quantum counterpart to our previous bits - quantum communication channels that build networks and error correction methods have to be explored from the ground up. As part of the Excellence Initiative, the Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy (BCGS) offers a doctoral program with an integrated honors program.

Further information can be found at:  http://www.gradschool.physics.uni-bonn.de/. 4 4

The ECONtribute researches the functioning of markets as well as reasons for their failure. In doing so, the cluster goes beyond traditional analyses by systematically combining model-based theoretical approaches and behavioral explanatory models while incorporating legal and political frameworks. Within the cluster, the Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) offers doctoral students a tailored structured doctoral program that includes an internationally recognized research network.

Further information can be found at:  https://www.bgse.uni-bonn.de. 3 3

Increasing agricultural production despite limited land while reducing the ecological footprint of agriculture - this is one of the challenges of our time. For this reason, the University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich are jointly developing methods and new technologies to observe, analyze, better understand and more specifically treat plants. The cluster's graduate school, the Theodor Brinkmann Graduate School, offers an interdisciplinary study program to master's students and doctoral candidates at the Faculty of Agriculture.

More information: https://www.phenorob.de/ .

The Third-Party Funded Programs at the University of Bonn offer structured doctoral studies on selected research topics. They enable close networking among doctoral students conducting research on related topics.

Bonn International Graduate School of Mathematics (BIGS-M) 2 17 18 18 Located at the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, BIGS-M provides an umbrella for all Bonn PhD students in mathematics. Thus, the BIGS-M contributes to the excellent national and international reputation of mathematics at Bonn.

Bonn International Graduate School Immunosciences and Infection The BIGS Immunosciences and Infection is a structured 3-year PhD program in conjunction with the ImmunoSensation Cluster/Bonn. The ImmunoSensation Cluster is part of the Excellence Strategy.

DFG Research Training Group "Gegenwart/Literatur. Geschichte, Theorie und Praxeologie eines Verhältnisses" (GRK 2291) [only in German] The Research Training group supported by the DFG  aims at the exploration and analysis of the constitutive dimensions of the concept of contemporary literature.  

DFG international Research Training Group "Myeloid antigen presenting cells and the induction of adaptive immunity" GRK (2168) 19 19 19 19 The DFG-funded project is a cooperation of the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne. The principal research focus is the intersection between innate and adaptive immunity in the context of infection.

DFG Research Training Group "Template-designed Organic Electronics (TIDE)" (GRK 2591) 21 21 21 The Graduate Program 'Template-Designed Optoelectronic Devices' (TIDE) aims to provide comprehensive doctoral education in the field of Organic Electronics (OE) to meet the requirements of highly qualified and multidisciplinary professionals. 

DFG Research Training Group "Tools and Drugs of the Future - Innovative Methods and New Modalities in Medicinal Chemistry" (GRK 2873) The goal of the RTG " Tools and Drugs of the Future" is to modernize medicinal chemistry and train a new generation of medicinal chemists and researchers at the interface with interconnected disciplines. In addition, the projects are intended to contribute to the development of new drug substances.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease" (SFB 1089) 22 22 27 27 Located at the newly inaugurated SFB 1089 on neuronal networks, the Integrated Research Training Group offers a structured graduate program for all doctoral researchers at the Centre.

Integrated Research Training Group at theDFG Collaborative Research Centre "Future Rural Africa" (SFB/TRR 228) The integrated research group is investigating the relationship between land use change and shaping the future in rural Africa in a total of 14 subprojects.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Open System Control of Atomic and Photonic Matter" (SFB/TRR 185) 24 The collaborative research centre Oscar will explore the physics of open systems.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Aortic Diseases" (SFB/TRR 259) 25 The aim of this research initiative is to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of resident and non-resident cells in aortic diseases.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Regional Climate Change: Disentangling the Role of Land Use and Water Management" (SFB 1502) The SFB combines the strengths of the University of Bonn and its project partners to answer one of the most difficult questions in understanding climate change.

Integrated Research Training Group at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre "Brown and Beige Fat - Organ Crosstalk, Signaling and Energetics (BATenergy)" (SFB/TRR 333) The CRC investigates metabolism/diabetes and focusses on brown adipose tissue. 

One Health and Urban Transformation

The NRW Forschungskolleg One Health and Urban Transformation is a transdisciplinary graduate school that aims to find interventions to achieve optimal health for humans, animals, plants and the environment with a special focus on developments in NRW, Saõ Paulo, Accra and Ahmedabad.

International Max Planck Research School Moduli Spaces 27 27 In cooperation with the University of Bonn, the renowned Bonn Max-Planck-Institute for Mathematics offers a PhD program with a special focus on the study of moduli.

International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Astrophysics 28 28 In cooperation between the Max-Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and the Universities of Bonn and of Cologne, the Research School facilitates 3 years of PhD studies with a curriculum tailored to the individual student.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior 29 The IMPRS for Brain & Behavior is a cooperation between the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior - caesar, the University of Bonn and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn

International Max Planck Research School - Recharge IMPRS-RECHARGE focuses on interdisciplinary research between chemistry and physics with an emphasis on catalytic mechanisms, physical-chemical analysis and energy topics. Scientific challenges shall be looked at from different angles. Furthermore the combination of theory and practice is a vital aim of the IMPRS-RECHARGE.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "Macro and Microplastic in Agricultural Soil Systems“ (SOPLAS) The SOPLAS project will assemble a multidisciplinary team to study the nexus of plastic–agriculture–soil. It will also train a new generation of leading experts. The project aims to identify the plastic cycle within agricultural soil systems and support the development of environmental policies related to mitigating the impact of plastics. The findings will advance our knowledge about the sustainable use of plastics in European agriculture.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network "Early Stage Researchers EDUCational Program on Factor VIII Immunogenicity“ (EDUC8 ) 32 37 The EDUC8 program is a multidisciplinary training program with exposure of the enrolled ESRs to a core common educational package and development of individual PhD researchprojects dedicated to decreasing the societal burden associated with the development of anti-FVIII antibodies in Europe.

Tools4Teams - "Research Training to Design and Implement Tools Supporting Safe Teamwork in Healthcare"

The Tools4Teams research project will prepare the next generation of teamwork experts to contribute new insights and smart technologies for safe and effective care. Tools4Teams brings together expertise from social and technical sciences, human-centered design, education, and clinical specialties.

Trinational Graduate College "Mass and Integration in Antique Societies" [in German/French] Supported by the Deutsch-Französische Hochschule since 2011, the tri-national Graduate School in Ancient History offers curriculum events in Bonn, Berne, and Strasbourg.

Structured Doctoral Programs by Discipline

Find the right structured doctoral program at the University of Bonn in your discipline here:

• Cross-Disciplinary Options
• Medicine and Life Sciences
• Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Agriculture

Faculties at the University of Bonn work together to design interdisciplinary programs that combine key perspectives and offer unique insights.

Cross-Disciplinary Programs

Bonn International Graduate School for Development Research (BIGS-DR) 42 Unique in Europe, BIGS-DR links perspectives from the Faculties of Philosophy, Agriculture, and Law and Economics – with an international focus.

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) 8 8 A collaboration between the University’s Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, as well as external partners, BIGS Neuroscience offers a medical program alongside five research areas in medicine.

SciMed Doctoral College 43 42 The Doctoral College offers scientific training for students in medicine and dental medicine, leading to a dual Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. degree.

Researchers at the University of Bonn explore a wide variety of issues in economics, including game theory, applied microeconomics, monetary and international macroeconomics, contract theory, labor economics and finance.

Economics Programs

Bonn Graduate School of Economics (BGSE) BGSE offers a structured program that is tailored to the needs of doctoral candidates, including an internationally recognized research network.

Law Programs

Graduate School of Law and Political Science Department of Law The Graduate School of the Faculty of Law and Political Science was founded in the summer semester of 2018 and supports the doctoral students in preparing their doctoral studies.

The University of Bonn’s Faculty of Medicine offers doctoral programs in medical biochemistry, neurosciences and pharmacology. With the exception of the SciMed Doctoral College, all programs are administered in cooperation with the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

Cross-Disciplinary Program

SciMed Doctoral College The Doctoral College offers scientific training for students in medicine and dental medicine, leading to a dual Dr. med. and Dr. med. dent. degree.

Neuroscience

Bonn International Graduate School of Neuroscience (BIGS Neuroscience) BIGS Neuroscience provides a top-level, internationally competitive program in this rapidly growing field.

Synaptic Micronetworks in Health and Disease (SFB 1089) Supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG) collaborative research centers, this integrated research training group works to identify fundamental rules that govern neuronal behavior at the network level and translate network dynamics to mammalian and human behavior.

International Max Planck Research School for Brain and Behavior A joint venture of the University of Bonn, the Max-Planck-associated Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, and Florida Atlantic University, this graduate school offers a complete doctoral and research program in the neurosciences.

Pharma Research

Bonn International Graduate School of Drug Sciences (BIGS DrugS) Home to an international community of talented biomedical scientists, BIGS DrugS is the hub for doctoral candidates from pharma research institutes within the University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Medicine.

Bonn International Graduate School of Immunosciences and Infection

This three-year doctoral program is offered in conjunction with the University's ImmunoSensation Cluster , which is funded by Germany’s Excellence Initiative.

DFG Research Training Group "Myeloid antigen presenting cells and the induction of adaptive immunity" GRK (2168) The DFG-funded project is a cooperation of the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne.

At the University of Bonn’s Faculty of Arts, you’ll find a highly international environment with students and researchers in a wide range of fields.

German Studies, Comparative Literature and Culture 

Structured Doctoral Program in German Studies (SPP) [website in German] Taught in German, the SPP supports doctoral candidates’ initiatives within the Institute for German, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies.

German-Italian Doctoral College [website in German] Taught in German, this three-year grant program provides structured doctoral studies for researchers in German and Italian, with time in both Bonn and Florence.

History and Ancient History 

Mass and Integration in Antique Societies [website in German and French] Supported by Franco-German University and taught in German and French, this trinational doctoral program includes study in Bonn; Berne, Switzerland; and Strasbourg, France.

Oriental and Asian Studies Bonn

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Simply the best? Determinants of achieving the highest grade in a doctoral degree in Germany

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• Published: 15 June 2022
• Volume 85 , pages 1161–1180, ( 2023 )

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• Susanne de Vogel 1  

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In Germany, the final grade of a doctorate is significant for careers inside and outside the academic labor market. Particularly important is the highest grade— summa cum laude . At the same time, doctoral grades are constantly subject to criticism. Thus far, however, neither German nor international studies have examined the determinants of doctoral grades. Drawing on Hu’s model of college grades, this study develops a conceptual framework for explaining doctoral grades and investigates the impact of doctorate holders’, reviewers’, and environmental context characteristics on the probability of doctoral candidates graduating with the highest grade, summa cum laude . Using logistic regression analyses on data from the German PhD Panel Study, the study confirms that high-performing individuals are more likely to achieve the highest doctoral grade. A learning environment that is characterized by supervision security, high expectations to participate in scientific discourse, and strong support in network integration also increases the chances of graduating with a summa cum laude degree. In contrast, being female, having a highly respected reviewer, studying natural sciences, medical studies or engineering, completing an external doctorate, and studying within a learning environment characterized by rigid time constraints are negatively related to the probability of receiving a summa cum laude grade. This study is the first to lend empirical evidence to the critical discussion of doctoral grades and offers insights to ensure the validity of doctoral grades.

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Introduction

Alongside the trend of the massification of higher education over the last decades, there has also been a worldwide expansion of doctoral education (Auriol, 2010 ). Doctoral degrees are particularly on the rise in Germany, accompanied by an increasing search for differentiation, which is reflected, for example, in the establishment of structured doctoral programs. At the same time, the doctorate holds a special significance in Germany, as it is considered a requirement not only for academic careers but also for attaining elite positions outside academia. Thus, an increasing number of doctorate holders compete for very few but very coveted positions (Rogge, 2017 ).

In Germany, the quality of the doctorate is assessed via a final grade, which is awarded upon a candidate’s successful completion of the doctorate. The final grade of a doctorate should reflect the individual quality of the doctorate in a concise and, as far as possible, comparable manner. Occupying the highest position on the grading scale, a grade of summa cum laude should be awarded only to candidates exhibiting outstanding academic achievements. Recent research shows, that doctoral grades, in turn, play a crucial role in shaping the doctoral holders’ future career opportunities. A summa cum laude can, in particular, foster academic careers. Doctoral holders with a summa cum laude degree are more likely to remain in academia after graduation (Jaksztat et al., 2017 ), and a summa cum laude is often a prerequisite for obtaining a professorship. But even outside academia, a summa cum laude degree increases the chances of achieving a leadership position (de Vogel, 2020 ). The declining exclusivity of a doctorate may consequently have led to the doctoral grade becoming a new “employability signal”, thus replacing the doctoral degree as an access key to the highest occupational positions. Doctoral grades therefore may, in turn, reinforce or generate new social inequalities.

Despite—or perhaps because of—the importance of doctoral grades, the grading practices for doctorates have been the subject of ongoing critical discussion. As the summa cum laude degree is awarded with increasing frequency (Consortium for the National Report on Junior Scholars 2017 : 215ff), the quality of the degree is called into question (German Science Council, 2011 ), and doctoral grades are often addressed in the context of grade inflation (Hornbostel & Johann, 2017 ). Moreover, the proportion of doctoral holders granted summa cum laude degrees varies significantly between subjects and higher education institutions (HEIs) (ibid). This also casts doubt on the comparability of doctoral grades. Lastly, the objectivity of doctoral grades is questioned because candidates’ supervisors are usually also the reviewers (German Science Council, 2011 ).

Against this background, an important question becomes “What factors influence the probability of completing the doctorate with the highest grade, summa cum laude ?” Much research has recently been conducted on the determinants of study grades (e.g., Gaens, 2018 ; Grözinger, 2015 ). To date, however, no firm evidence has identified the factors influencing doctoral grades. Studies exploring doctoral success have thus far examined completion (Visser et al., 2007 ; Wright & Cochrane, 2000 ), candidates’ dropout intentions (Alfermann et al., 2020 ) and actual dropout (Jaksztat et al., 2021 ; Wollast et al., 2018 ), time-to-degree (Kim & Otts, 2010 ; Skopek et al., 2020 ; Stock et al., 2011 ), and research productivity outcomes (e.g., publications) during the doctoral phase (Jaksztat, 2017 ). Regarding doctoral grades, the extant literature has thus far identified differences by subject, HEIs, social origin, and gender. However, the existing findings are based solely on descriptive analyses (Enders & Bornmann, 2001 ) or limited to certain subjects, scholarship programs, or HEIs (Enders & Kottmann, 2009 ; Lachmann et al., 2018 ; Röbbecke & Simon, 2001 ). More recent studies investigating doctoral grades in Germany with representative data are not yet available. I am also not aware of any international studies on this topic to date, which may certainly be due to the fact that only a few countries—besides Germany, for example, Austria, Switzerland, France, and Spain (Kupfer & Moes, 2004 )—award doctorates with final grades. The present study aims to fill this research gap by examining the determinants of final doctoral grades in Germany.

To introduce the topic, I first offer an overview of the existing evaluation practices of doctorates in Germany. I then create a conceptual framework that can be used to derive possible factors influencing final doctoral grades. My analyses are based on data from a German PhD Panel Study. Using a multivariate analysis approach, I present findings that extend existing descriptive observations. Thus, the current study can add sound evidence to discussions regarding the value of doctoral grades.

Doctoral degree evaluation practices in Germany

To successfully complete a doctorate in Germany, doctoral candidates must prove their ability to conduct independent research (German Science Council, 2002 ) in two exams: a doctoral thesis and an oral examination. The doctoral thesis may be submitted as either a monograph or a cumulative dissertation. The oral examination usually takes the form of a disputation or, less commonly, a viva voce (“Rigorosum”). The examination committee consists of the dissertation reviewers (typically, two professors) and additional faculty members.

To evaluate the doctoral thesis, at least two reviewers prepare written reports, which include a request for acceptance or rejection of the dissertation and the recommended grade. The overall grade of the dissertation is calculated from the proposed individual grades. The evaluation of the oral examination takes place immediately after the disputation in a meeting of the examination board. After the candidate passes the oral examination, the final doctoral grade is computed from the grades for the dissertation and the oral examination.

Reviewers often hold further roles during the doctoral process. Most commonly, the reviewers are also involved in the supervision of the doctoral project (Jaksztat et al., 2012 ). In case the doctorate is pursued within a research assistant position, the reviewer may furthermore be also the doctoral candidate’s professional superior.

The grading scheme for doctorates is usually defined in the faculties’ doctoral regulations. This alone makes comparability difficult because the grading schemes applied differ between HEIs and even between faculties’ within a HEI. In general, the best possible grade is summa cum laude (Latin for “with highest praise”). This is usually followed by magna cum laude (Latin for “with high praise”), cum laude (Latin for “with praise”), satis bene (Latin for “satisfactory”), and/or rite (Latin for “sufficient”). Failures are graded as non sufficit or non-rite . Around half of all doctorates in Germany are awarded the grade of magna cum laude (German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies 2021 ). However, summa cum laude grades are awarded with increasing frequency.

A conceptual framework for explaining doctoral grades

Just as hardly any empirical studies have examined doctoral grades thus far, the literature also lacks theoretical concepts for explaining doctoral grades. Still, Hu ( 2005 ) has established a theoretical framework for college grades, and other German studies examining course and exam grades in higher education (e.g., Grözinger, 2015 ) have referred to this framework. Unlike the majority of studies on college grading, the multicausal model combines theoretical approaches from economics, sociology, psychology, and education. Therefore, this paper adapts Hu’s model to identify possible determinants of doctoral grades. Consistently, I postulate that doctoral candidates’ , reviewers’ , and environmental context characteristics influence the doctoral grade.

Figure  1 illustrates the conceptual framework I developed to identify determinants of doctoral grades based on existing theories and empirical findings. However, my selection of possible determinants was also driven by data availability. Thus, the model does not claim to be exhaustive, and additional factors might be crucial for explaining doctoral grades. Moreover, the determinants should not be considered in isolation; rather, they should be understood to interact with each other. Footnote 1

Conceptual framework for explaining final doctoral grades

Characteristics of the doctoral candidates

First, I argue that doctoral candidates commence their studies with pre-entry attributes (Kuh et al., 2006 ) that are related to their academic performance and/or impact their reviewers’ evaluations of their doctoral theses. Numerous studies have shown that demographic characteristics , such as gender, parental education, and migration experience, are associated with academic success. The negative effects of having parents without a higher education degree are consistently evident in all educational transitions and success indicators between study enrollment and the doctoral level (Lörz & Schindler, 2016 ). Theoretically, this can be explained by these individuals’ low habitual fit (Bourdieu, 1988 ) with the higher education system, which might make it more difficult for them to meet the (implicit) requirements of academia. They are furthermore less likely to attend well-reputed HEIs (Duta et al., 2021 ) and might therefore be less trained in the practical skills and knowledge required for a successful doctorate. Within the life sciences, Lachmann et al. ( 2018 ) documented a small effect of social origin on the final doctoral grade. Accordingly, I assume that individuals whose parents have a higher education degree are more likely to complete their doctorates with the grade of summa cum laude (hypothesis H1 ). Similar arguments are used to explain why individuals with migration experience face unequal opportunities in higher education attainment (Hinz & Thielemann, 2013 ; Lörz, 2020 ). International doctoral candidates face additional acculturation challenges during their doctorate, which, in turn, can even result in dropout of a doctoral program (Laufer & Gorup, 2019 ). Hence, I expect a candidate’s migration experience to produce a negative effect ( H2 ). With regard to gender, studies show that females, on average, achieve higher study grades (Sonnert & Fox, 2012 ) than do males. In the subsequent course of their careers, however, the gender effect appears to reverse. Females are significantly less likely to pursue a doctorate after graduation (de Vogel, 2017 ) and drop out more often (Jaksztat et al., 2021 ) than do males. First, this may be because even in relationships among academics, the division of household tasks mostly follows traditional role patterns (Rusconi, 2013 ) and females take on more housework and care duties than males. Due to the additional workload, female doctoral candidates presumably have less time to dedicate to a doctorate. Another reason may be because females perceive fewer opportunities for promotion and lower levels of support during their doctoral studies than do males (Jaksztat, 2017 ). At the same time, women in science are subject to an evaluation bias and are rated as less competent than men (Moss-Racusin et al., 2012 ). I assume that these biases may also impact grading practices and, therefore, that female doctoral candidates graduate less often with summa cum laude grades than do males ( H3 ).

Prior school and academic performance can be seen as an indicator of cognitive ability, knowledge, and effort. As Hambrick ( 2003 ) argues, prior knowledge helps an individual to acquire future knowledge. Furthermore, past successes motivate students to work hard in the future (Marsh & Martin, 2011 ). In Germany, therefore, HEI admission processes have always used school performance as a selection criterion, and students’ prior performance has proven to validly predict academic success (Schneider & Preckel, 2017 ). Individuals with good academic performance are more likely to pursue doctoral studies (de Vogel, 2017 ) and successfully complete their doctorates (Wright & Cochrane, 2000 ). Accordingly, I argue that a history of strong academic performance increases the probability that an individual will graduate with the grade of summa cum laude ( H4 ).

Characteristics of the reviewers

Second, previous research suggests that reviewers’ characteristics affect doctoral evaluations (Grözinger, 2015 ). In case doctoral reviewers supervise the same dissertations they review, the reviewers can, during the writing process, direct the progress of the dissertation toward their quality demands. This dual role further implies that the reviewers implicitly evaluate their own performance as doctoral supervisors. Consequently, reviewers who have also served as supervisors likely might not grade objectively and prefer to award the doctorate the highest rating possible. Doctoral candidates whose supervisors were also their reviewers are, therefore, more likely to achieve summa cum laude degrees ( H5 ).

Previous research finds that the reputations of the awarding HEIs or departments play an important role in grading practices (Lombardi & Ghellini, 2019 ). In Germany, however, not the entire faculty but only individual lecturers are involved in the grading process. Gaens ( 2018 ) suspects that examiners with an already strong scientific reputation are more inclined to apply more stringent selection standards; thus, doctoral candidates who complete their doctorates with highly respected reviewers must meet particularly high performance standards to achieve outstanding doctoral grades. Consequently, I assume that a reviewer with a strong academic reputation in his or her scientific community reduces the probability of a candidate obtaining a summa cum laude degree ( H6 ).

A final reviewer characteristic relevant for doctoral grading may be the gender constellation of reviewers and doctoral candidate s. Studies have disproved that a same-gender teacher is advantageous in terms of students’ school grades (e.g., Neugebauer et al., 2011 ). However, research on academic success shows that a same-gender doctoral reviewer increases the probability that the candidate will successfully complete the doctorate (Main, 2014 ) and remain in academia (Gaule & Piacentini, 2018 ). Dissertations supervised by a same-gender lecturer achieve a higher scientific impact (Bu et al., 2020 ). According to Allen et al. ( 2005 ), the positive impact of a same-gender constellation in mentoring relationships can be attributed to the higher level of interpersonal comfort mentees feel in relationships with mentors of the same gender. This, in turn, increases the quality of the mentoring relationship and the support the mentee receives. Furthermore, gender homophily in academia (Kegen, 2013 ; Kwiek & Roszka, 2021 ) can also manifest in reviewers perceiving doctoral candidates of the same gender as more capable and productive and, therefore, awarding them better grades than those of the opposite gender. Therefore, I propose that same-gender reviewers increase the probability that candidates will graduate from their doctoral programs with a summa cum laude degree ( H7 ).

Characteristics of the environmental context of the doctorate

Third, I refer to the environmental context of a candidate’s doctoral education and expect the subject area to impact doctoral grades. Examining the distribution of doctoral grades by subject reveals that summa cum laude degrees are awarded very frequently in some subjects, while hardly at all in other subjects (German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies 2021 ). In the natural sciences, a summa cum laude degree is much rarer than, for example, in economics. In medical studies, moreover, the top grade is hardly ever awarded. Researchers have yet to uncover the mechanisms behind these subject-cultural awarding patterns. I assume that in disciplines, where a doctoral degree is almost the standard qualification, the grade rather than the degree may function as a signal for distinguishing particularly talented graduates. Consequently, I suspect that doctoral candidates in subjects with high doctoral rates receive a summa cum laude degree less often than do doctoral graduates in other disciplines ( H8 ).

The formal doctoral context can also be relevant to doctoral grades for a variety of reasons. On the one hand, doctorates within research assistant positions, Footnote 2 external doctorates, scholarship programs, and structured doctorates differ in their recruiting practices. In structured doctorates and scholarship programs, the selection of doctoral candidates is largely based on standardized procedures and objective, performance-based criteria (Lachmann et al., 2020 ). This is why particularly talented doctoral students may often be found in such contexts (de Vogel, 2017 ). On the other hand, research assistant positions and structured doctoral programs offer particularly beneficial learning and development conditions (de Vogel, 2020 ; Lachmann et al., 2020 ). Furthermore, research assistant positions may be advantageous because the department heads often also assume the roles of supervisor and reviewer, and reviewers may want to reward their staff with high grades. External doctorates stand in stark contrast to other doctoral contexts. External doctoral candidates complete the requirements of the doctorate, usually alongside employment in the non-academic labor market, in their leisure time and cannot benefit from close professional relationships with their reviewers. Access to the doctorate is not formalized, and external doctoral candidates experience the least supportive learning and development conditions (de Vogel, 2020 ). For the life sciences, it has already been demonstrated that employment outside academia during doctoral studies has a negative effect on the doctoral grade (Lachmann et al., 2018 ). Consequently, I conclude that summa cum laude degrees are less likely in external doctorates than in other formal doctoral contexts ( H9 ).

Finally, educational psychologists argue that the learning environment is a significant factor in students’ educational success. First, scholars have identified the supervision of the doctoral project as a crucial environmental aspect for doctoral candidates’ success (Alfermann et al., 2020 ; Castelló et al., 2017 ; Jaksztat et al., 2021 ; Skopek et al., 2020 ). Indeed, the presence of an experienced scientist at one’s side offering professional support and advice throughout the research and writing process is crucial for candidates to successfully complete a doctoral project. Accordingly, the German Science Council ( 2011 ) asserts that secure supervision is essential to ensure the quality of a candidate’s doctoral project. In contrast, doctoral candidates who are left on their own for parts of the doctoral phase or who must seek a new supervisor during the course of their studies may struggle to achieve excellent academic performance. Thus, I assume that a secure supervision increases the probability of graduating with a summa cum laude degree ( H10 ). In addition to formal supervision of the doctoral project, the quality of the doctorate can benefit further from evaluation by other peer researchers. Publication-based dissertations already capitalize on this further quality assurance mechanism. Learning environments that place great emphasis on exposing the doctoral project to academic discourse—e.g., through participation in conferences—may, therefore, increase the likelihood of a candidate graduating with a summa cum laude degree ( H11 ). Studies of academic success also emphasize the importance of academic integration. Jaksztat et al. ( 2021 ) demonstrate that doctoral candidates who engage in frequent exchanges with other doctoral candidates are less likely to drop out of their doctoral programs. Contacts in the scientific community may also be relevant for academic achievement because they increase candidates’ identification with the academic profession and thus enhance their motivation to perform to the best of their ability. Furthermore, well-integrated doctoral candidates may be more likely to acquire (tacit) knowledge regarding the (implicit) quality requirements that apply in academia. Hence, learning environments that offer support in developing scientific networks should increase the likelihood that candidates will complete their doctorates with summa cum laude degrees ( H12 ). Existing research consistently finds that completion rates are higher when funding is secure (Kim & Otts, 2010 ; Skopek et al., 2020 ; Stock et al., 2011 ; Visser et al., 2007 ; Wollast et al., 2018 ). Doctoral candidates with secure funding are probably better able to focus on their doctoral studies than are those who must constantly seek new income sources or who must pursue side jobs along with their studies. Therefore, more secure funding should also increase the probability of a doctoral candidate receiving a summa cum laude degree ( H13 ). By contrast, I expect rigid time regulations to have a negative effect on doctoral achievement. Although Stock et al. ( 2011 ) find no influence for the length of the doctorate on candidates’ success, I believe that doctoral researchers whose program is clearly time-limited are likely to feel strong pressure to finish within the time allotted, and this pressure may have a detrimental impact on the quality of the doctoral project. Thus, I suspect that rigid time constraints reduce the probability of candidates completing their doctorates with the grade of summa cum laude ( H14 ).

Data and methods

The dzhw phd panel study.

To examine the determinants of candidates achieving the top doctoral grade, I employed data from a German PhD Panel Study (10.21249/DZHW:phd2014:4.0.0), which is being conducted by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW) and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The target group comprised all doctorate holders who had completed their doctorate at a German higher education institution (HEI) with the right to award doctorates in 2014. The initial survey was conducted in 2015 (about one year after completion of the doctorate) using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Subsequently, annual follow-up surveys continue online. The study focuses primarily on the doctorate holders’ activities and further career paths within and outside of academia. The initial survey retrospectively requested information on each doctoral graduate’s doctoral phase and previous educational history.

The study was designed as a full survey. However, data protection requirements prevented the project team from communicating directly with the doctorate holders; therefore, the team relied on participating HEIs to contact the doctoral candidates. Of the 146 HEIs that had the right to award doctorates in 2014, 80 HEIs fully supported the survey, and 32 HEIs partially supported it (i.e., single faculties or subjects participated) by forwarding the questionnaires to their doctorate holders. Nineteen HEIs had no completed doctorates during the relevant period. Of the 28,147 individuals in the basic population (Federal Statistical Office 2020 ), the team was able to contact 19,916 (70.8%) via the participating HEIs. Of these, 5,408 doctoral graduates took part in the survey, which corresponds to a response rate of 27%. As an item-nonresponse analysis did not reveal any noticeable missing value patterns, I assume that using complete cases only, at least for the present research question, may not lead to biased results. Subtracting individuals with missing values on the variables relevant to the analyses, my sample thus consists of n  = 3,899 doctorate holders. No systematic biases could be identified at the HEI level—due to non-participation by HEIs—with respect to the type of HEI (e.g., university, university of education, theological university, art academy), number of doctorates, or state. To correct for biases in the sample with respect to the doctorate holders’ gender, field of study, and region (East/West), post-stratification-weights provided in the scientific-use-file were included in the analyses. Footnote 3

Table 1 presents the operationalization of the variables that are the focus of this work and their distributions. The dependent variable is the final grade with which the doctorate holders completed their doctorates. The information was recoded into a variable with two categories, which indicate whether each doctorate was completed with the highest grade ( summa cum laude ) or a lower grade ( magna cum laude , cum laude , satis bene , rite , or other/no grade awarded ).

The doctoral candidates’ characteristics consist of the following demographic information: gender , migration experience , and parental education. Prior academic performance is measured via final school and study grades . The reviewers’ characteristics include variables that indicate whether the main supervisor was also a reviewer , the perceived main reviewer reputation in the scientific community of his or her subject, and the gender constellation between the doctoral holder and all his or her reviewers. The environmental characteristics account for the subject area , the formal doctoral context , and the perceived conditions in the learning environment . The instrument measuring the perceived learning environment conditions in the doctoral phase includes scales to measure the subjective supervision security , perceived expectations to participate in scientific discourse during doctoral research, and experienced support in network integration (de Vogel et al., 2017 ), as well as funding security and rigidity of time constraints .

As a control variable, I calculated the proportion of summa cum laude doctorates per subject in the respective HEI . For this purpose, I used information from the Federal Statistical Office on the final grades of completed doctorates by subject per HEI. Footnote 4 In some cases, very few doctorates were completed per year by subject/HEI. Hence, I computed the proportion of the completed doctorates from 2012 to 2014.

Analytical approach

To test the hypotheses, I perform a multivariate logistic regression analysis to estimate the probability of completing a doctorate with the grade of summa cum laude . Initially, I calculate three separate models displaying the effects of (1) the doctoral graduates’ characteristics, (2) the reviewers’ characteristics, and (3) the environmental context characteristics. This facilitates conclusions about the explanatory power of the three characteristic groups. Computing an overall model, I then examine whether the effects observed in the individual models also persist when all other covariates are taken into account. All four models control for the proportion of summa cum laude doctorates per subject/HEI. To increase the comparability of the variable effects between models (Mood, 2010 ), I report average marginal effects (AME). The changes shown represent average predictions for the impact on probabilities to graduate with a summa cum laude degree. Because I use weighted data, I calculate robust standard errors. As a robustness check, I repeated the analyses with unweighted data and yield stable results. To assess the goodness of fit of the logistic regression model, I report the McFadden pseudo- R 2 . A higher value corresponds to a better model fit. Lastly, I assessed the basic assumptions underlying logistic regression analyses, which are the absence of multicollinearity and influential outliers in the data, and linearity in the relationship between the continuous predictor variables and the logit. The results verified that prerequisites are met.

In a second step, I use the findings from the logistic regression analysis to define profile groups of doctorate holders with high and low risk of obtaining a summa cum laude degree. I calculate predictive margins to show how cumulative advantages and disadvantages translate into different probabilities for graduating with the highest grade.

Determinants of a summa cum laude degree

The results of the logistic regression analysis used to estimate the probability of completing the doctorate with the grade of summa cum laude are displayed in Table 2 . Considering, first, the impact of the doctorate candidates’ characteristics reveals mixed evidence for the effect of demographic characteristics. Contrary to H1 , parental education does not have a significant effect. The overall model also yields no significant impact for migration experience ( H2 ). However, the likelihood of receiving a summa cum laude degree is an average of 5% lower for migrants compared to doctorate holders without migration experience when only the doctoral candidates’ characteristics are included. Further analyses reveal that the significant impact occurs when performance indicators are controlled. Footnote 5 This suggests that doctorate holders with migration experience are a selective, high-performing group whose migration experience proves to be detrimental when performance is held constant. Supporting H3 , women have an average of 6% lower probability of obtaining a summa cum laude doctorate than do men. Compared to the first model, the gender effect in the overall model decreases by 2 percentage points, indicating that gender differences in the characteristics of the reviewers and the context may contribute to the disadvantage of women. As expected, a history of higher GPAs also exerts a positive effect on the likelihood of a candidate receiving a summa cum laude degree ( H4 ). Effect sizes remain fairly stable across models.

According to my theoretical assumptions, the characteristics of the reviewers also influence the probability of obtaining a doctorate with a grade of summa cum laude. The reviewer’s scientific reputation has a small negative effect when controlling for all covariates in the overall model only ( H6 ), indicating that the representation of reputed reviewers may not be homogenous across all disciplinary fields. The assumed effects of a supervisor who is also reviewer ( H5 ) and of the gender constellation between reviewers and doctoral holders ( H7 ), however, do not prove significant in the overall model. Because they show significant effects in model 2, it is reasonable to assume that the reviewers’ characteristics are related to the characteristics of the doctoral candidates or the environmental context. Bivariate analyses indicate, for example, that there are subject-specific differences. 5

Finally, the results support the expectation that the environmental context also determines the probability of a candidate receiving a summa cum laude degree. Consistent with H8 , the chances of obtaining a summa cum laude degree differ between subject areas. As expected, the probability of receiving a summa cum laude degree is significantly lower in subjects with high doctorate rates (natural sciences 7 percentage points, medicine 10 percentage points) than in economics and the social sciences, where doctorates are less common. However, candidates in the field of engineering are also less likely to earn a summa cum laude degree (7 percentage points). In addition, significant differences exist between the formal doctoral contexts ( H9 ). The likelihood of receiving a summa cum laude degree within external doctoral programs is, on average, 13 percentage points lower than in internally funded research assistant positions. Finally, the learning environment plays a significant role in explaining doctoral grades. As expected, a learning environment that offers a secure supervision ( H10 ) and promotes discourse participation ( H11 ) and network integration ( H12 ) increases a candidate’s chances of graduating with a summa cum laude degree. However, the findings do not support the hypothesized positive impact of financial security ( H13 ). The expected detrimental effect of rigid time constraints is confirmed ( H14 ). Overall, the effect sizes of the contextual factors remain relatively stable with and without controlling for doctoral candidates’ and supervisors’ characteristics.

The McFadden’s pseudo- R 2 of 0.19 indicates a good fit of the overall model. Environmental influences appear to play the most important role in achieving a summa cum laude degree.

High and low probability profiles

Findings from the logistic regression analysis indicate which factors are beneficial or detrimental to achieving a summa cum laude degree. I use this information to compare the chances of graduating with the highest degree between groups with a high respective low probability profile. Figure  2 illustrates the predictive margins for the high and low probability profile groups in the subject areas economics/social sciences —a subject area where doctoral rates are low—and the natural sciences , where doctoral degrees are very common. I stepwise compose the high probability group as follows: male, high prior academic performance, doctorate within an internally funded research assistant position, and good learning environment conditions during the doctoral phase. The low probability profile is defined as being female, exhibiting low prior academic performance, obtaining an external doctorate, and having a poor learning environment during the doctoral phase.

Predictive margins in high and low probability groups. Predictive margins based on model 4 in Table 2 ; academic performance: school and study GPAs (high 80th percentile, low 20th percentile); learning environment: secure supervision, discourse participation, network integration (good 80th percentile, poor 20th percentile), rigidity of time constraints (good 20th percentile, poor 80th percentile); unlisted covariates were set to mean values. DZHW PhD Panel Study, n  = 3,899; weighted data

In the high probability profile group, the probability of males graduating with summa cum laude is 25% in economics and social sciences and 14% in natural sciences. If being male is combined with good prior academic performance, the chances increase to 42% respectively 25%. In case the doctorate is furthermore obtained within an internally funded research assistant position, the probability to receive a summa cum laude rises to 50% in economics and social sciences and 32% in natural sciences. With a good learning environment during the doctoral phase, the chances of achieving the highest grade ultimately amount to 74% respectively 58%.

Regarding the low-risk probability profile, in both disciplines, women are less likely than men to earn a summa cum laude (17% in economic/social sciences, 9% in natural sciences). The probability of receiving the highest grade in a doctorate decreases even further to 10% respectively 5% if they were comparably low performing in school and previous studies. An external doctorate, accompanied by a poor learning environment during the doctoral phase, makes it almost impossible to achieve a summa cum laude in both disciplines.

As this comparison illustrates, the accumulation of (dis-)advantageous factors produces strong differences in the individual probability to graduate with summa cum laude .

The present study investigated the determinants of doctoral grades in Germany. Its aim was to identify factors influencing the achievement of the highest grade, summa cum laude . The conceptual framework was based on Hu’s ( 2005 ) model for explaining college grades, which I adapted to explain doctoral grades using additional theories and research findings on academic success. My analyses of a nationally representative sample of doctoral graduates show that doctoral grades are the result of an interplay between the characteristics of the doctoral candidates, the reviewers, and their environmental context. More precisely, the findings suggest that individuals with a history of strong school and study performance are more likely to achieve summa cum laude degrees. A learning environment that is characterized by supervision security, high expectations to participate in scientific discourse, and strong support for network integration also increases the chances of a summa cum laude degree. In contrast, being female; having a highly respected reviewer; studying the natural sciences, medicine, or engineering; completing an external doctorate; and studying in a learning environment with rigid time constraints are negatively related to the probability of receiving a summa cum laude grade.

This study is the first to provide representative findings on the determinants of doctoral grades in Germany that extend beyond descriptive analyses. Its results demonstrate that the prior academic performance of the doctoral researchers is a greatly significant predictor. Indeed, summa cum laude doctorates are more often awarded to high-performing doctorate holders. In this respect, doctoral grades appear valid after all. Nevertheless, the often criticized subject-specific practices of awarding grades do prove to be a major factor in explaining summa cum laude doctorates. This study also confirms the impact of the reviewers’ reputations. Consequently, my results support the ongoing debate about the lack of objectivity and comparability of doctoral grades.

In the context of higher education massification, the present findings are in particular significant if final doctoral grades are understood as a new selection criterion for access to the highest occupational positions (de Vogel, 2020 ; Jaksztat et al., 2017 ). Research assistant positions offer the best chances to obtain a summa cum laude , but a rising number of doctoral candidates enroll in structured doctoral programs. Along the increasing differentiation of the doctoral landscape, a growing number of doctoral candidates embark on doctorates in many different contexts, which apparently do not provide equal starting conditions for their subsequent careers. Since the choice of formal doctoral context also depends on gender and parental education (de Vogel, 2017 ), this may be a possible mechanism for reproducing social inequalities.

Even beyond formal doctoral context choices, doctoral grades seem to contribute to gender inequalities to the disadvantage of women and could thus add to the lower participation of women at later academic career stages (Lörz & Mühleck, 2019 ). Just like migration experience, the study could not find an effect of parental education. One possible reason may be that social disparities primarily emerge at educational transitions (Lörz & Schindler, 2016 ), such as doctoral enrollment.

However, this study also offers initial guidance on measures that may contribute to a fair grading process and possibly help doctoral candidates to excel. To ensure a more objective assessment of doctoral candidates, it may help to separate the roles of reviewers and supervisors, as recommended by the German Science Council ( 2011 ) and already implemented in many structured doctoral programs and other countries. Furthermore, to prevent discrimination—e.g., by gender or migration experience, grading could be completed via anonymous peer-review procedures, such as those applied to the publication of journal articles. Finally, the results suggest that positive learning environment conditions contribute to doctoral success. Ensuring stable supervision and institutionalizing discourse participation and network integration in the doctoral phase may thus improve the quality of doctorates. External doctoral candidates could particularly benefit from this support. Apparently, problems with funding manifest not in decreased performance but in prolonged time-to-doctorate or dropouts (Skopek et al., 2020 ). Employment contracts and scholarships should therefore be sufficiently long and provide adequate financial resources to enable doctoral candidates to focus on their doctorate.

A major limitation of this work lies in its selection of factors to examine, which was restricted by data availability. As a multi-topic survey on doctorates, the DZHW PhD Panel Study collects information on many (potentially) relevant influencing factors. Still, some information that could be relevant for explaining doctoral grades, such as science-related self-efficacy beliefs or the main reviewer’s gender, is missing. Another shortcoming is that the DZHW PhD Panel Study begins its survey after the participants have completed their doctorates. On the one hand, this implies that the survey gathers some information, such as the perception of the learning environment during the doctoral phase, retrospectively. Consequently, these data may be affected by the candidates’ doctoral outcomes. For this reason, the analyses also omitted information regarding the candidates’ personality traits or initial motives for pursuing the doctorate. On the other hand, the respondents to this survey represent a selective group that includes only successful graduates. Doctoral candidates who experienced poor learning environment conditions, for example, may have dropped out of their doctoral programs and were, therefore, not included in the sample. Uncovering any (potential) bias in this regard would require panel studies that commence with the beginning of participants’ doctoral studies. Once it has gathered sufficient longitudinal observations of successful graduates, the DZHW National Academics Panel Survey (NACAPS) will enable causal analyses of doctoral success.

Because doctoral grades are so significant for careers in Germany and are, at the same time, always subject to criticism, it is essential to further investigate the factors influencing doctoral grades. Important are efforts to uncover the reasons behind women’s poorer chances of receiving a summa cum laude degree. Findings here could contribute significantly to the discussion of gender inequalities in (academic) careers. It would, moreover, be interesting to know what role the reviewers’ attributes play in this regard and whether or not they contribute to unequal opportunities for women. The findings of this study suggest that doctoral grades may also be affected by the gender constellations between reviewers and doctoral candidates, his/her scientific reputation, and by the reviewer’s simultaneous (or not) position as supervisor. However, these effects appear related—e.g., through moderation or mediation—to the characteristics of the doctoral candidates themselves and/or to the characteristics of the environmental context. Future studies may illustrate the relationships between predictors through structural equation modeling, e.g., multi-group analyses by subject area. In the light of massification and differentiation, path analyses could also be used to investigate the extent to which subjects and formal doctoral contexts exert a direct and indirect effect on doctoral grades and subsequent career success—and thus produce social inequalities. Against the backdrop of increasing proportions of summa cum laude grades, there is a need for longitudinal analyses to investigate how these proportions develop and to explore which determinants become more or less important over time. To draw implications beyond Germany, finally, future research should investigate whether these findings can be reproduced in other doctoral grade awarding countries. Particular interesting would be studies carried out in countries where doctorates are less popular and/or have little significance outside the academic world.

Data availability

The dataset analyzed during the current study is available at the Research Data Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (FDZ-DZHW) in the form of a scientific use file (10.21249/DZHW:phd2014:4.0.0). The Stata/SE 17 code is available upon request at FDZ-DZHW.

Subject area and prior academic performance, for example, have been found to impact the choice of doctoral context (de Vogel 2020 ). The doctoral candidates’ attributes and the environmental context in turn may influence how the reviewers are comprised. Recent research on social inequality in higher education suggests that there may be an interaction effect between social origin, gender, and migration experience (e.g., Lörz 2020 ).

In Germany, there is no proper distinction between teaching and research assistant positions, since research assistants are often also involved in teaching.

The post-stratification-weights were calculated using the iterative proportional fitting (IPF) raking procedure, which adjusts the marginal distributions of the characteristics gender, field of study, and region in the sample to those in the population. For a detailed description of the weighting procedure, see Brandt et al. ( 2020 ).

The official data on final doctoral grades provided by the Federal Statistical Office were compiled by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (2021) and are accessible at http://www.forschungsinfo.de/promotionsnoten/

Results are available upon request to the author.

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Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. This work was supported by an internal research funding by the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (DZHW, Deutsches Zentrum für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung). The data utilized—the German PhD Panel Study—were collected as part of the project “Careers of PhD Holders—doctorate conditions, career entry and career development of doctorate holders from the 2014 examination cohort” funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) under grant 16FWN014 and 16FWN017.

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de Vogel, S. Simply the best? Determinants of achieving the highest grade in a doctoral degree in Germany. High Educ 85 , 1161–1180 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00883-z

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Does cum laude mean the end of an academic career in Germany

I have recieved the grades for my PhD, and the defense is yet to be done. I have a magna cum laude for the course work, and a cum laude for my dissertation. Do I have an academic career in Germany if I end up with a cum laude for the PhD? Is there any way I can salvage a magna cum laude? The defense remains. Neither of my supervisors read any of my drafts. They said that I should submit, and then gave me cum laude, which is the second-to-lowest in Germany. (There is rite, cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude.)

• 1 Is your profile (papers) otherwise good and do you get support from them? It's imo unlikely anyone cares. –  user111388 Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 15:28
• 4 "cum laude" is generally not the lowest in Germany ("rite" exists), but it's not good either. I know that some job openings have a dissertation with at least "magna" as an explicit requirement. The details will depend on your field and could change within years, as universities are in an ongoing process of becoming more internationalized, leading to a greater role of publications instead of the PhD grade. –  lighthouse keeper Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 15:34
• 7 What's up with grade inflation? I thought cum laude was exceptionally hard to get. –  gerrit Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 17:11
• 7 @gerrit Perhaps another country. In Germany, "cum laude" is traditionally the third-best of four possible grades and indicates a rather mediocre thesis. –  lighthouse keeper Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 18:35
• 2 This was at least partially addressed here . –  Wrzlprmft ♦ Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 19:04

2 Answers 2

Well, yes, but also no.

Permanent academic positions that are not professorships are relatively rare in Germany. Since most researchers want to eventually have a permanent position, it is in the interest of all long-term researchers to eventually become "berufungsfähig" (suitable for becoming a tenured associate or full professor).

The vast majority of the universities are public in Germany, and hence the laws of the respective state regulate hiring in the universities. All(?) "Landeshochschulgesetze" (law on higher education) list mandatory requirements for candidates for professor positions.

For instance, the respective law of the state of North-Rhine Westfalia (that has the largest population) states as a requirement:

besondere Befähigung zu wissenschaftlicher Arbeit, die in der Regel durch die Qualität einer Promotion nachgewiesen wird;

In English, this means that the candidate must show a substantial/remarkable/special ability to research work, which is normally indicated by the quality of the PhD. Given that PhDs are thesis-only in Germany (while the defense may also include more general questions about the field of work), this means that the PhD thesis should be particularly good and have a corresponding grade. The state of Lower Saxony has in their law that the PhD should be above average, and given that there are four passing grades, "cum laude" is probably below average.

Now what does should mean concretely? It means that if a hiring committee wants to hire somebody with a bad PhD thesis, they risk the overall hiring process being delayed or even canceled. There may be objections, candidates not snatching the precious professorship may sue, or the respective ministry of education may intervene or simply refuse to send the offer letter to the successful candidate. There have surely been cases of pea counting as far as the formalities of candidates to be hired are concerned in the past, and this adds to the risk. Hiring committees and universities will probably take the risk if there is a very good and demonstratable reason for why the candidate is excellent despite a bad PhD thesis, depending on their legal interpretation of the should and how much they are willing to risk it. In any case, certainly, those candidates with a good PhD thesis have a substantial head-start, and it's quite hard to catch up for candidates with a grade lower than "Magna Cum Laude".

Having said this, there are also other permanent academic positions, such as in Fraunhofer or Max Planck institutes that may or may not have similar requirement. So a Cum Laude may not be a big deal if they want you for a different reason.

• 1 Thank you so much for that detailed answer. I have 1.3 in my course work. Is there anyway I can get a magna through my defense. Neither of my professors ever read a draft. They said submit and I did, now this. –  user78397 Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 22:46
• 4 @user78397 I overlooked that you have course work in your PhD studies. This is rather unusual. Please see your PhD regulations to determine how the final grade is derived - there are substantial differences between the departments and universities in this respect. For instance, getting a Summa cum Laude may require a higher number of reviewers than other grades. Most likely the coursework grade doesn't matter, but for certainty, reading the regulations is a necessity. –  DCTLib Commented Nov 20, 2020 at 9:39
• @DCTLib These days, course work is becoming more and more usual. However, it will usually not enter the grade, it will just be a prerequisite to have obtained a certain number of ECTS points. –  user151413 Commented Nov 21, 2020 at 21:45

I don't know the specifics of Germany, but in general an academic career doesn't depend that much on the PhD, let alone on the level of honor given to the degree.

If you apply for postdoc positions at the international level, people are unlikely to even look at the level of honor because these differ a lot by country so they do not provide a standard objective indication. Traditionally the publication track record is considered more important, and of course how well your profile fits the specifics of the job.

If you get a postdoc position and do a good job during the postdoc, nobody will care about the PhD level of honor.

• 11 "I don't know the specifics of Germany" Then it's, unfortunately, essentially a non-answer, since Germany tends to have very custom/archaic rules in this department. –  lighthouse keeper Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 16:40
• 4 @lighthousekeeper I think I interpreted the question as "does cum laude in Germany mean the end of one's academic career?" as opposed to "can one have an academic career in Germany with cum laude?". I realize now that I was probably wrong indeed. –  Erwan Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 16:58
• so does it mean that I cannot find a job or post doc in Germany with this grade? –  user78397 Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 17:13
• 1 In Germany it depends on the field. I heard that in management/ business administration the thesis grade is still the dominant hiring criterion. In economics, publications in top journals and your home institution are important. –  user Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 17:16
• 4 "If you get a postdoc position and do a good job during the postdoc, nobody will care about the PhD level of honor." - The problem is not at the postdoc level, it is when trying to snatch a professorship later. Then the PhD grade will suddenly become important again despite the postdoc performance being more recent. –  DCTLib Commented Nov 19, 2020 at 21:53

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Finding PhD positions in Germany

The  German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)  highlights how to find doctoral positions and other research opportunities in Germany . Check out the numerous EURAXESS and other resources below, along with DAAD's PHDGermany database .

• EURAXESS Germany
• EURAXESS Jobs Board (matches in Germany)
• EURAXESS Funding Board (matches in Germany)
• EURAXESS Hosting Board (matches in Germany)
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) USA
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Canada
• German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) New York
• German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH) San Francisco
• Research in Germany
• German Research Foundation (DFG) North America

You can also learn more about Germany's research landscape in our Virtual Coffee Chat with a Science Diplomat interview of the German Science Counselor to the U.S.  (the page includes a list of additional resources) as well as our Q4 2020 quarterly newsletter spotlighting Germany (page 3).

See DAAD's brief introductory video here .

• Public PhD defence by Sophie Leemans: "Rewiring the lifelines. Investigating the role of infrastructures to address collective challenges in the dispersed territory. The case of the Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai"
• https://arch.kuleuven.be/english/news-calendar/calendar/public-phd-defence-sophie-leemans
• 2024-10-01T16:00:00+02:00
• 2024-10-01T18:00:00+02:00

Oct 01, 2024 from 04:00 PM to 06:00 PM (Europe/Brussels / UTC200)

The KU Leuven kindly invites you for the public PhD defence of Sophie Leemans .

Rewiring the lifelines. Investigating the role of infrastructures to address collective challenges in the dispersed territory. The case of the Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai

Dispersed territories, characterised by fragmented urban development, are increasingly confronted with complex collective challenges such as flooding, drought, pollution, biodiversity loss and growing social inequalities. While considerable attention has been given to these challenges, it remains unclear how to effectively tackle these without dismantling the existing built environment to implement a compact city model.

This dissertation proposes an alternative approach by exploring the concept of “lifelines”—understood as multilayered infrastructures that are crucial in shaping urban development. Lifelines are defined by two main functions: they catalyse spatial transformations and they generate an urban condition by providing access to resources, services, or destinations. By examining dispersed territories through the lens of lifelines as underlying systems, this research suggests a new way to approach their future.

Using the Eurometropolis Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai as a case study, this research-by-design investigates the role of infrastructures in its spatial development for the past, present, and future through mappings. The study uncovers how infrastructures historically influenced the region’s development, assesses the current state of its lifelines, and explores their design potential to shape the future of this territory.

This study positions the critical challenge of ageing infrastructure as an opportunity to rethink this territory though its lifelines. It argues that infrastructure interventions should be approached as urban design projects to generate socio-economic and environmental benefits beyond their technical purpose. Additionally, it proposes a design strategy of small-scale networked interventions that respond to local needs rather than rigid, standardised infrastructure designs.

The insights from this research are particularly useful for policymakers and (urban) designers, raising awareness on the potential strategic socio-spatial impact of infrastructure interventions. Ultimately, this research highlights the need to rethink infrastructure in an explorative way, adapted to the changing needs of our urban environments.

Prof. dr. Maarten Gheysen (supervisor - KU Leuven) Prof. dr. Erik Van Daele (co-supervisor - KU Leuven) Prof. dr. Yves Schoonjans (assessor - KU Leuven) Dr. Julie Marin (assessor - KU Leuven) Prof. dr. Chiara Cavalieri (assessor - UC Louvain (UCL)) Prof. dr. Maarten Van Acker (additional member - University of Antwerp (UA)) Prof. dr. Nancy Odendaal (additional member - University of Cape Town (UCT) - University of Basel) Prof. dr. Arnaud Hendrickx (chair - KU Leuven)

Date, location & timing

• Tuesday 1 October 2024, 16h
• KAST 01.07 - Aula Arenbergkasteel, Kasteelpark Arenberg 1, 3001 Heverlee
• Link to livestream: https://livestream.kuleuven.be/?pin=881007
• Followed by a reception.

Meet the Jury seminar

The defence is preceded by a Meet the Jury seminar titled “Pedagogical Urbanism and the art of augmented storytelling: how civil society organisations use hybrid technologies to shape spaces” by prof. dr. Nancy Odendaal (African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town - University of Basel). The seminar takes place at 14h in the same location as the defence (KAST 01.07 – Aula Arenbergkasteel).

Registration

• Please confirm your attendance here .

If you have questions about accessibility, please contact us via [email protected] .

Select language

PhD Defense: Implementation of biomarkers in the management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Phd defense of ruud duijkers.

Chapter 1: We developed a real-time PCR test to detect pneumococci. The test was accurate both in vitro and  oropharyngeal patient samples. It showed good reliability and has a detection threshold of 1-10 DNA copies per reaction, with a very low chance of false positive results.

Chapter 2: We assessed a prediction score for identifying Legionella pneumonia at hospital admission. The score uses six variables: high fever, dry cough, low sodium, high LDH, high CRP, and low platelet count. The score was quite accurate, with an AUC of 0.89. A score of 4 or more showed a sensitivity of 58.8%  and specificity of 93.1%. This score could help initiating Legionella specific antibiotic treatment 

Chapter 3: We investigated how levels of cytokines could discriminate between viral, pneumococcal, and mixed pneumonia. We found that specific cytokine patterns could predict viral pneumonia with high accuracy (AUC=0.911). This method shows promising results, but more prospective studies are needed.

Chapter 4: We tested whether using a procalcitonin (PCT) and CRP algorithm could reduce the days on antibiotic treatment in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Patients guided by CRP or PCT had fewer days on antibiotics (4 and 5.5 days) than those receiving standard care (7 days). This approach can reduce antibiotic use by 30%.

Chapter 5: We checked if MR-proADM levels could predict short-term problems like treatment failure or re-admission in CAP patients. MR-proADM levels did not show clear differences related to these outcomes, making it not very useful for predicting short-term risks.

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