PhD
Before you decide to enter this path
Is the PhD the right choice for me and answers to other important questions (by the Graduate Academy TU Dresden)
How to do a PhD in Germany?
In Germany, there are two ways to do your PhD: the "traditional and individual doctoral route" or "structured doctoral programmes". Currently, around 90 per cent of doctoral candidates are following the traditional route to gain their doctoral degree, while some 10 per cent are writing their dissertations as part of structured doctoral programmes.
1. Individual Doctorate
The "traditional" or "individual" path to a PhD/doctorate remains the most common in Germany. An individual doctorate involves the thesis or dissertation being produced under the supervision of a professor. This form of PhD study offers a great deal of flexibility, but demands a high degree of personal initiative and responsibility. A professor supervises a PhD student, who works on his subject in consultation with the professor, but largely independently. How long a traditional individual doctorate takes depends on your own time schedule – or on the duration of your work contract. Three to five years are normal. Doctoral candidates can choose where they would like to conduct their research:
- a university
- a non-university research organisation or
- in a German company
In Germany there is no central admissions or selection office for doctoral students. Therefore, your first step is to find a suitable professor who is willing to be your supervisor. Your contacts to your professors or university could help direct you to a suitable department or potential supervisor in Germany. Another way to find a supervisor is to look for an institute at a university which corresponds to your area of research. The following online search engines might help you find a suitable supervisor:
2. Structured PhD Programs
Structured doctoral programmes differ from traditional doctoral studies. In Germany, structured doctoral programmes are very similar to the PhD programmes in English-speaking countries, in which a team of supervisors look after a group of doctoral students. The duration of your studies is generally limited to three years, and there is usually a fixed curriculum within which you work toward your doctorate and write your dissertation.
- List of the structured PhD Programs in Dresden
Text by Research in Germany (DAAD) where you can find more information on this topic.
PhD at the TU Dresden
TU Dresden offers information and support to PhD candidates. For more information see the websites: Scientific Career and Graduate Academy