Departement of Biology

The path to a doctorate -

a structured guide

Phase 1: Acceptance as a doctoral candidate

Login, registration

Required documents (forms/downloads):

  • Form 3.1 |Application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate|
  • Proof of qualification(Master's certificate and diploma)
  • Curriculum vitae (incl. educational background) with photo

Deadlines to be observed:

  • Application within four weeks of starting work
  • Submission of documents to the Dean's office > approx. 10 days before the next Faculty Council meeting (the respective submission deadlines are noted in the dates of the Faculty Council meetings)

Non-subject-related degree or > 2.0:

Acceptance at the department:

  • Acceptance by the faculty council
  • Following the meeting, the doctoral candidate receives two letters of confirmation (for their own documents/registration with the SSC)

  • Registration at the Student Service Center (SSC) is mandatory for doctoral students at RPTU!
  • Additional enrollment is possible, but not mandatory

Phase 2: Submission of the dissertation

Submission, formation of doctoral committee

Required documents (forms/downloads):

  • Form 3.2 |Admission to doctoral examination|
  • 4 printed copies of the dissertation - each copy must include
    • correct wording on the title page (sample: title page 1)
    • Curriculum vitae in tabular form (without photograph)
    • Summary of 1-2 pages (if dissertation is written in English, then additional German supplement of the same length)
    • Declaration of own contribution and all aids and assistance used ( Sample: Declaration of own contribution and all aids and assistance)
    • Declaration with the following contents (sample: declaration template):
      • Paper has not yet been submitted as an examination paper elsewhere
      • Thesis has not yet been submitted as a dissertation elsewhere
      • Statement of own contribution
  • separately digital (via SeaFile): 1) dissertation, 2) curriculum vitae, 3) abstract
  • Proof of payment of the doctoral fee paid

Deadlines to be observed:

All documents must be submitted to the Dean's office at least 10 days before the following departmental council meeting.

Admission to the doctoral examination:

  • by the faculty council

The appointment of the doctoral committee must be proposed at the same time as step 1.

The deadline of 10 days before the next departmental council meeting also applies here.

Required documents (additional documents and information):

  • Form 3.3 |Appointment of doctoral committee|

Composition of the doctoral committee:

  • is made by the Faculty Council
  • Following its meeting, the doctoral candidate will be informed of the composition of the committee

Phase 3: Review process

Expert opinion, inspection, oral examination

Copies of the dissertation are sent to the examiners after the departmental council meeting.

Deadlines:
  • 4 weeks (reviews 1 and 2)
  • possibly 4 additional weeks for 3rd report

Period: 2 weeks (after receipt of the reports)

Authorized to view the reviews:
  • Doctoral candidate
  • Members of the faculty council
  • All professors, junior professors and habilitated professors in the department
Authorized to inspect the dissertation:
  • All members of the department

Acceptance of the dissertation / notification of grades to the doctoral candidate:

  • Acceptance after inspection without objection
  • Then notification of grades to the doctoral candidate by the Dean's office

Deadline:
  • Determination in consultation between doctoral committee and doctoral candidate
  • Coordination of time/room booking with the Dean's office and subsequent university-public announcement
Examination:
  • in German or English language possible
  • Duration of the presentation: 30 min
  • Duration of the subsequent examination: 30-60 min

Phase 4: Completion of the doctorate

Printing, publication, certificate

Necessary information and documents before printing/publication (to be submitted to the Dean's office ):

  • Declaration of consent to electronic publication |Form 2.2.|
  • Final print version in electronic form
  • ATTENTION: The title page of the library copies contains different information than the reviewed version (sample: title page 2)!

The dissertation must be submitted to the University Library within one year:

  • 40 copies
  • 5 copies if the main results have been published
  • 5 copies if dissemination via the book trade
  • 5 copies + electronic publication (KLUEDO)

The doctoral procedure is completed with the award of the certificate. Only then may the doctoral degree be awarded.

Requirements for the transfer:

  • Checklist |Form 1.1.|
  • Confirmation from the library (sent directly to the Dean's office)

Forms / Applications

to the forms and applications

Please note that this is only a guide to the doctoral procedure at the Department of Biology at RPTU.

The legal basis is the doctoral degree regulations of the Department of Biology at RPTU dated 27.11.2018.