Launch of the Doctoral Examination Process
Flowchart of the doctoral examination process according to PO 2016
The path marked green illustrates the (ideal) course of the doctoral examination procedure, provided that no special incidents occur during the assessment (e.g. rejection of the dissertation by the reviewers, return of the dissertation for revision, strongly divergent gradings of the dissertation; see § 9 (3) of PO 2016) or the (2–4 week) inspection period of the dissertation and the reviews. In case an extended assessment procedure and/or a discussion and decision by the Doctoral Examination Committee are required in accordance with § 9 (3) and (4) of PO 2016 (see magenta rhombi), considerable delays in the doctoral examination procedure will be caused.
Application for the launch of the doctoral examination procedure
After the research work on the doctoral project has been completed and the final version of the dissertation has been prepared and approved for submission by the supervisors, a written application can be made to start the doctoral examination procedure. A checklist shows all the documents which must be attached to the application in accordance with § 7 (1) of PO 2016. Sample templates or PDF forms in English are available for the documents marked red in the checklist (see also below).
Once the doctoral candidate has been admitted to the doctoral examination procedure, the Doctoral Examination Committee appoints a first and a second reviewer to assess the thesis. The first reviewer is usually the responsible supervisor of the thesis (§ 9 (1) of PO 2016). The doctoral candidate then submits a copy of his/her dissertation in printed and bound form to each of the reviewers.
Further steps
The reviewers examine whether the submitted dissertation can be accepted as a doctoral thesis, must be rejected or must be returned for revision. They assess the academic performance in their written, reasoned reviews, which must be submitted to the PhD Office usually within four months after appointment as a reviewer (see § 9 (2) of PO 2016).
Once all reviews have been received, the thesis and the reviews are to be made available for inspection by the members of the Doctoral Examination Committee. The inspection period lasts at least two weeks during the lecture period or at least three weeks during the lecture-free period (see § 9 (4) PO 2016). The oral examination (defense) can only take place after the end of the inspection period and after the expiry of a further period of one week (see § 10 (1)3 of PO 2016).
Please note: If the grades are to be determined at the subsequent meeting of the Doctoral Examination Committee, it is essential that the oral examination takes place at least three working days before the date of the meeting.
Relevant forms for the launch of the doctoral examination process
- Checklist of the documents to be submitted for the launch of the doctoral examination process according to § 7 of PO 2016 (PDF file)
- Cover page of the dissertation (sample template, MS Word file)
(German language version / English language version)
Instructions on formatting the cover page of the dissertation (PDF file)
(German language version / English language version) - Application for the launch of the doctoral examination process (template) (MS Word file / PDF file)
- Abstract of the dissertation in German and English (MS Word file / PDF file)
- Declaration of any prior or current attempts to obtain a doctoral degree according toaccording to § 7 (1)3 No. 6 of PO 2016 (PDF file)
- Statutory declaration in accordance with § 7 (1)3 No. 8 of PO 2016.
Please note that this English translation of the "Eidesstattliche Versicherung gem. § 7 (1) Satz 3 Nr. 8" of PO 2016 is for your courtesy only. Please fill and sign the German form "Eidesstattliche Versicherung gem. § 7 (1) Satz 3 Nr. 8" of PO 2016 for your application. - Instruction on the significance and legal consequences of making a statutory declaration according to § 7 (1)3 No. 9 of PO 2016 (PDF form)
- Statement on the doctoral supervision agreement according to § 7 (1)3 Nos. 12 and 13 of PO 2016 (PDF file) (German language version / English language version)
Meeting Dates of the Doctoral Examination Committee