Doctoral Studies

 

A doctorate is considered proof of an individual's ability to pursue and complete particularly in-depth scientific work and it qualifies individuals for a further academic career or the highly qualified job market in industry or outside academia.

The doctorate is based on

• an independently written scientific paper, the so-called dissertation,
• an oral exam, a broader, comprehensive oral examination (“Rigorosum”), or a thesis defense (“Disputation”),
• and the publication of the dissertation.

The aim is to be awarded the academic degree and title of a Doctor of Philosophy, or Dr. phil. for short.

Structured Doctoral Programs

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities offers a structured doctoral program which, in addition to the subject-specific doctorate (dissertation, oral examination, publication of the dissertation), also includes a supradisciplinary qualification within the framework of the RWTH Doctoral Academy. This places particular emphasis on teaching skills that are important for the doctorate and further professional career.

The doctorate is regulated by the Regulations Governing Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The latest version was published on July 25, 2022.