On this page you can get information about the different ways of obtaining a PhD at the Kaiserslautern University of Technology. Basically there are two ways of gaining a doctorate / PhD in Germany.

1. Independent Research under supervision of a "Doktorvater" or "Doktormutter"

The typical German way of obtaining a PhD is conducting individual research. The writing of a doctoral thesis or dissertation is the core element of the doctorate and usually takes 3 - 5 years. Students agree their topic with a supervising professor (Doktorvater or Doktormutter) and then write a thesis or dissertation as a piece of independent research work. The main steps involved in this area:

1. Finding a supervisor from the website of the educational institution or from publications by the professor that you came across in the relevant field that matched your interest.
2. Contact your future supervisor by E-Mail or formal letter and provide him/her with your CV/Resume elaborating on your background, relevant work-experience and skills in addition to your planned research project.

If you follow this way of gaining your PhD you have to pay attention to financing your studies. You`ll normally have to fund your individual research yourself/with a grant. There is also a possibility of working at a department of the University as a research assistant ("wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter") and writing your thesis on your work. For this option it is an advantage to speak German. If you are interested in such a position, you should look at the website if there are any open positions in the respective departments.

2. Structured PhD-Programs, Graduate Schools or Research Centers

Structured PhD-Programs or IPP`s (International Postgraduate Programs) are a fairly recent development in German higher education. They include a curricular program in your research field and interdisciplinary subjects. They offer doctoral students the following advantages:

• Flexible admission for foreign applicants, e.g. graduates holding a Bachelor`s degree
• Including financial support /grants and scholarships
• English largely used in courses and everyday work
• Team-based doctorate, frequently involving joint research projects which ensures that a constant process of exchange takes place with other doctoral students and supervisors

For an overview on all existing structured PhD-Programs at the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau see here.

3. PhD in Graduate Schools, Research Training Groups, Collaborative Research Centres and Networks of Excellence

1. (International) Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs der DFG - GKs) and Networks (EU Marie Curie International Graduate Colleges)

   These are an alternative to the traditional form of individual doctoral supervision: Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs-GK) are temporary and thematically-focused institutions established at universities to promote young graduates by enabling them to participate in research (research-oriented integration of research and training). A Research Training Group (GK) is generally made up of 10 to 15 university teachers and up to 30 doctoral students, of which 12 to 15 receive a DFG fellowship. All existing Research Training Networks at the University of Kaiserslautern can be found here

2. Collaborative Research Centres

   Collaborative Research Centres (Sonderforschungsbereiche - SFB) are long-term research facilities at universities in which scientists and researchers colaborate within the scope of a cross-disciplinary research program. They are supported by the DFG, the German Research Foundation. The so-called "Independent Junior Research Groups" work within the scope of the collaborative Research Centres as an alternative form of the programme, enabling young scientists and researchers to spend a limited time period doing independent research (funding requires scientific excellence). All existing Collaborative Research Centres at the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau can be found here.

3. Graduate Schools of Germany`s Federal States

   These promote highly qualified scientists and researchers from home and abroad under optimal conditions in accordance with the Anglo-American model. The Graduate Schools offer structured doctoral training in the form of (research-focused) doctoral studies, intensive individual supervision of doctoral thesis / dissertation projects as well as preparing doctoral students for positions in interdisciplinary and international research contexts. Interdisciplinary collaboration among several faculties and an international orientation (largely English-instructed courses) are its features. Graduate Schools, in contrast to the Research Training Groups, (Graduiertenkollegs = temporary institutions) aim to become a firm part of the respective university an so to make a sustainable contribution to structure-building in research and teaching.

4. Networks of Exellence

   A Network of Excellence (NoE) is a concept encompassing technology transfer, research coordination and training. A NoE is a grouping of industrial and academic research teams with common long-term technological goals, closely coordinating their research and training policies. Collectively, such research networks posses:
   1. A critical mass of top-level experts
   2. Skills in all relevant disciplines needed to meet the goals
   3. A state-of-the-art infrastructure The participants of NoE offer doctorate programs to students, but were not implemented for this purpose. All existing NoE at the University of Kaiserslautern can be found here.

© ISGS, Jan 2012