Prospective doctoral candidates and doctoral students can find information here about the doctoral process at the University of Passau, including general conditions, supervision, qualification opportunities, and advisory and support structures.
The doctorate serves as proof of the ability to conduct in-depth scientific work in a subject area represented by a professor at the University of Passau and is based on an independently conveyed academic work (dissertation) and an oral examination (rigorosum or disputation).
A dissertation can be completed either as individual doctorate or as part of a structured doctoral programme.
The path into and through academic research can vary greatly depending on your subject area! Please discuss any specific details with your designated supervisor.
In general, however, the following phases can be broadly distinguished, each involving specific tasks:
Admission as a doctoral candidate requires a relevant degree. The following information on final grades may serve as a guide:
| Faculties | Diploma, Master, State exam | Master | Bachelor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Law | "fully satisfactory" (10-12 points) | - | - |
| Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems | 2.3 (changes may be made upon written request from the supervisor) | 2.3 | not possible |
| Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences | 2.5 (upon written request from the supervisor, the mark may be reduced by 0.3) | 2.5 | 1.3 |
Faculty of Humanities and Cultural Studies | 2.5 (upon written request from the supervisor, the mark may be reduced by 0.3) | 2.5 | 1.3 |
| Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics | 2,5** (changes may be made upon written request from the supervisor) | 2,5 | not possible |
*Teacher education students: A PhD may be undertaken following successful completion of the First Examination or First State Examination, provided that, as part of the teacher training programme, the candidate has submitted the dissertation required for admission to the First Examination or First State Examination for a teaching post at state schools – as required under the relevant provisions of the teacher training examination regulations applicable to the candidate – have been completed in the intended doctoral subject and awarded a mark of at least ‘good’.
**Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards may waive the requirement for an above-average degree if the candidate has achieved above-average results in computer science or mathematics since graduating, and two professors from the faculty recommend their admission.
Additional admission requirements may be set out in the subject-specific doctoral regulations. Only the provisions contained in the currently valid version of the relevant doctoral regulations are binding!
The University of Passau does not currently offer its own structured doctoral programme. Consequently, at the University of Passau, students can generally only pursue an individual Doctorate, in which the research topic, the search for a supervisor, the timetable and the funding must all be organised independently. However, international and collaborative doctoral programmes are available (see below).
Particularly in the case of an individual Doctorate, careful consideration should be given to where the research is to be carried out. On the one hand, it is possible to undertake the Doctorate through close affiliation with a chair or professorship – for example, as part of a research assistant or project position, and thus internally. On the other hand, the Doctorate can also be carried out in a company, from home without close university affiliation or further involvement with other organisations – and thus externally. Dissertations can therefore also be written in private-sector companies, for example – provided they are additionally supervised by supervisors at a German university who are authorised to supervise doctoral candidates.
The doctoral regulations set out who is considered an authorised supervisor.
When looking for a supervisor, it is advisable to start by working out what your own expectations of the supervisor are. Once you are clear about this, you can begin your search. Please bear in mind that your prospective supervisor is also a person and has their own expectations and interests...
Possible ways to find a supervisor could include:
Once you have found a supervisor who seems to meet your expectations, you should try to get to know him or her better. To do this, attend his or her seminars and drop in during his or her office hours. The supervisor must also be enthusiastic about your topic and be convinced by you. Ultimately, it is important that you get on well with your supervisor, as you will be working very closely together in future.
You may wish to check in advance whether a particular person is authorised to supervise you. You can find further details on this in the PhD regulations (German version, English translation available).
The Representative Council for Academic and Artistic Staff is your first point of contact for any questions you may have regarding your status group at the University. The Representative Council represents early career researchers and scholars at the University, i.e. lecturers, graduate research and teaching assistants and assistant professors (the Akademischer Mittelbau). You will find further information on the Representative Council website. They also issued an Onboarding guide for new members at the University of Passau.
