The Path to Doctoral Studies

How do you put your dreams of researching as part of a doctoral degree into practice? From settling on a topic to finding funding for doctoral studies: Here you’ll find all the information you need to get you going.

There is three-step process for admission to a doctoral degree:

01

Finding a topic

Before you formally begin a doctoral project, the most important phase is the selection of a topic and the determining of its parameters. The topic should set a viable question that leads to its own scientific research output. Subject professors at HWR Berlin can advise you on finding your topic and also assist in the search for suitable supervisors.

02

Obtaining a supervisor

In order to begin doctoral studies, candidates obtain the agreement of a professor at the university stipulating that he or she is willing to supervise. HWR Berlin can assist graduates in this search.

03

Admission to doctoral studies

As a rule, an application must be submitted to the relevant department at the university. The conditions for admission to doctoral studies vary depending on university and faculty. When registering the thesis, in most cases it is necessary to submit a synopsis, a time schedule, and a document confirming a supervisor’s willingness to oversee the project. Further information on this can be found in the doctoral studies regulations of individual faculties.

How do I finance doctoral studies?

Most providers of scholarships and fellowships also run funding scholarship competitions for putative doctoral candidates. The Federal Ministry for Education and Research’s scholarship guide can provide valuable assistance when searching for suitable awarders of scholarships. Their database supplies important information on financing options for dissertations.

Where can I find structured doctoral programmes?

There is an internet site that provides an overview of all structured doctoral programmes in the Berlin region. On the English language website www.doctoral-programs.de, young researchers can search for suitable programmes in their specialist fields. More than 100 programmes are on offer. The website is a joint initiative of the Berlin universities, the University of Potsdam and the University of Potsdam and the Einstein Foundation.

Contact

Research Support Services
Dr. Michael Ebert
Research advisor

Campus Schöneberg
Building A, Room A 2.06
Badensche Straße 52
10825 Berlin

Dr. Katharina Maak-Castro

Campus Schöneberg
Building A, Room A 2.06
Badensche Straße 52
10825 Berlin