Information concerning the Doctoral Graduation Procedure

A Doctoral Graduation at Department 13 is understood as a scientific qualification. Doctoral Students conduct individual research under supervision of a Doctoral Thesis Supervisor. They are not bound by a compulsory study programme.

Please also note that acceptance as a doctoral student does not imply direct employment at the university.

The Doctoral Degrees Regulations of TU Darmstadt (opens in new tab) include all important regulations relevant to the Doctoral Graduation procedures. Doctoral Degrees Regulations are formulated like legislative text. Therefore, please read slowly and carefully and pay attention to the wording. Terms like »müssen (must)« oder »sind zu … (are to be …)« mean mandatory requirements.

Content:

• Regulations concerning the submission of the dissertation
• Regulations for the application for admission to the doctoral graduation procedure
• Regulations concerning the submission of the dissertation
• Designation of consultants
• Composition of the examination board
• Rules for the preparation of expert opinions
• Content and structure of the oral examination (disputation)

The Special Regulations of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (opens in new tab) are to be read in addition to the General Regulations of the Doctoral Degrees Regulations of Technische Universität Darmstadt.

New Doctoral Degrees Regulations at TU Darmstadt in force

The new Doctoral Graduation Regulations will apply from the date of publication (1 March 2018). There is no transition period. Detailed information can be found on the website of Dezernat II – Studies and Teaching, University Law: Doctoral Graduation / Habilitation treatise at TU Darmstadt

The prerequisite for submitting an application for acceptance as a doctoral student at Department 13 is the prior consent of a possible supervisor from the department's professorial groups.

(The terms Erstreferentin/Erstreferent, Betreuerin/Betreuer, Doktormutter/Doktorvater und Mentorin/Mentor are often used as synonyms here).

A second requirement is Online registration.

Enrolment (matriculation) as a doctoral student is only compulsory for external doctoral students in the aptitude assessment procedure, for all others it is voluntary.

Checklist: “Request for acceptance”

• Application Form Acceptance, signed by the mentor
• Printout of the online registration (TUCan or movein)
• Resume (tabular, with picture)
• Copy of the certificate (Master and Bachelor / Diploma)
• Copy of the report (Master and Bachelor / Diploma)
• Digital version (as PDF) and the completed Excel file ("Das Datenblatt ") in a ZIP file by E-Mail

What does the doctoral degrees board check when reviewing an application for acceptance as a doctoral student?

The doctoral degrees board examines the admission of applicants with regard to the fulfilment of the requirements. Depending on this examination, conditions may be imposed. Authoritative are:

• Your overall grade (at least 2.59)
• Your degrees (number of semesters and total CPs)
• Your intended doctoral degree

Aptitude assessment procedure

If you do not meet all the above requirements, you could be accepted as part of an aptitude assessment procedure. The purpose of this procedure is to check whether the applicant is able to acquire sufficient knowledge by fulfilling certain conditions.

Further information on the 5-year period

According to § 10 (5) of the doctoral degrees regulations of Technische Universität Darmstadt, the doctoral graduation procedure should not take longer than five years.

If the 5-year deadline is obviously exceeded, an application for extension should be submitted to the doctoral and habilitation committee of the department before the deadline ends.

The application includes the justification for the extension of the deadline as well as a 2 to 3-page report on the current status of the dissertation and a time schedule until completion with a maximum duration of 2 years. The application form and the schedule must also be signed by your supervisor.

After completion of the dissertation, the doctoral graduation procedure is initiated by the doctoral degrees committee after the doctoral candidate has submitted a complete application to the dean.

Checklist “Application for initiation”

• Dissertation
• Application for initiation (letter)
• Explanations regarding the dissertation
• Resume (tabular, with picture)
• Proposal for the appointment of supervisors and other members of the examination board
• Proposal for a pre-arranged date of the disputation
• Receipt for the doctoral fee

Submission of documents

• Number of printed copies of the dissertation: You need one copy for each member of the examination board. The copy intended for the chairperson is handed in at the dean’s office together with the application.
• Digital version: All above mentioned documents must be sent by e-mail as .pdf files compiled in a ZIP file. Subject: Request for initiation of the doctoral graduation procedure – “name”. If the amount of data is too large, you can also provide the digital version of your dissertation on CD, USB stick or for download.

The time frame prescribed in the doctoral degrees regulations for the dissertation is 5 years.

If the 5-year deadline is obviously exceeded, an application for extension should be submitted to the doctoral and habilitation committee of the department before the deadline ends.

The application includes the justification for the extension of the deadline as well as a 2 to 3-page report on the current status of the dissertation and a time schedule until completion with a maximum duration of 2 years. The application form and the schedule must also be signed by your supervisors.

Arrangement of date

As a rule, the first supervisor coordinates and sets the date for the disputation with all other members of the examination board, subject to the approval of the doctoral degrees board. Please do not forget to specify the room.

It is important to take into account the deadlines stipulated in the General Provisions of the doctoral degrees regulations when determining the date.

• Expert opinion: Only after the initiation of the procedure by the doctoral degrees board will the expert opinions be requested. Please note the time required by each expert to prepare an opinion. The digital version of the expert opinion must be received by the dean's office by e-mail at least three weeks before the date of the dispute.
• Display period: Only when all expert opinions are available can the display be made. The display period is two weeks. However, it can be extended for another two weeks in case of uncertainties.
• Invitation: In accordance with the rules, the invitation to the disputation should be issued after the expiration of the display period. In any case, it must be sent at least one week before the disputation.

Examination board

• Chairman: As a rule, according to his function the dean chairs the examination board. The dean of studies, vice-dean, pre-dean or a professor to be appointed by the dean can act as a substitute.
• First and co-supervisors of the dissertation: one of the supervisors must be a full-time professor at the department.
• At least two examiners must come from the group of professors of FB13.

Release of the dissertation for publication

After a successful disputation, the thesis is released in written form for publication by the first supervisor. Where appropriate, this release shall include a confirmation that the conditions imposed have been fulfilled.

Method of publication

The doctoral degrees regulations stipulates an electronic publication in the central publication service TUPrints of the ULB of TU Darmstadt. It offers authors fast, uncomplicated and free-of-charge Internet publication while maintaining the rights and interests of authors and the scientific community.

However, other types of publication are possible as well.

• In addition to your supervisor (Institute Series), questions related to the method of your publication can be addressed to the University and State Library (ULB). Please refer to the website of the University and State Library (ULB)