Academic career at the UW/H
Doctoral studies and PhD programmes
Your entry into the world of science
If you want to gain further academic qualifications after your studies and advance research in your own department, the UW/H is the right place for you. Our doctoral studies and Ph. D. programmes offer many opportunities to do a doctorate in the fields of business, society or health. For more information on admission requirements and application, please see the information on the individual programmes in the overview below.
All doctoral studies and Ph. D. programmes at a glance
Doctoral programmes in business and society
Dr rer. pol. (doctoral studies)
Doctorate in political science and economics
Dr phil. (doctoral studies)
Doctor:in philosophy
in the fields of political science, sociology or social sciences
Doctoral studies and Ph. D. programmes in health
Dr med. & Dr rer. medic. (doctoral studies)
Doctor:in medicine
Fields: Medicine or nursing science
Dr med dent. (doctoral studies)
Doctor:in dentistry
Fields: Dentistry, oral and maxillofacial medicine
Dr rer. nat. (doctoral studies)
Doctor:in natural sciences
Fields: Biology, chemistry, biochemistry, psychology and psychotherapy
Dr phil. (doctoral studies)
Doctor:in philosophy
Fields: Psychology and psychotherapy, nursing science or medicine
Ph. D. Nursing science
Doctor of Philosophy
Fields: Nursing science
Ph. D. Biomedicine
Doctor of Philosophy
Fields: Medicine, Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, Natural Sciences
Dr. versus Ph. D.: Our doctoral programmes
Ph. D. and Dr.
At Witten/Herdecke University, it is possible to complete either a traditional doctoral programme (title: Dr. - Doktor:in) or a Ph. D. programme (title: Ph. D. - Doctor of Philosophy). In both doctoral programmes, doctoral students work intensively on a topic of their choice and acquire an internationally recognised doctoral degree after successfully completing their PhD thesis and defence.
Our doctoral programmes
In comparison to the Ph. D. programme, the framework in doctoral programmes with the title Doktor:in (Dr.) is less standardised. As a rule, the doctoral student is assigned to an academic supervisor. The doctoral student discusses the topic of the doctoral project with this supervisor and draws up an individual timetable. In doctoral programmes, attendance of accompanying seminars is voluntary. One exception is the Dr. rer. medic. doctoral programme in the field of nursing science. Here, doctoral students attend a structured doctoral programme and take part in the associated seminars and events.
Our Ph. D. programmes
The Ph. D. (Doctor of Philosophy) is one of the most frequently awarded doctoral degrees in the world. Ph. D. programmes are clearly structured; they have a fixed start and end date and follow a specific timetable. Regular events take place in the doctoral programme (including subject-specific in-depth courses, methodological training and exchange of experience) and participants take part in research projects. In addition to the academic supervisors, the doctoral students are supported by other mentors.
Ph. D. and Dr.
At Witten/Herdecke University, it is possible to complete either a traditional doctoral programme (title: Dr. - Doktor:in) or a Ph. D. programme (title: Ph. D. - Doctor of Philosophy). In both doctoral programmes, doctoral students work intensively on a topic of their choice and acquire an internationally recognised doctoral degree after successfully completing their PhD thesis and defence.
Our doctoral programmes
In comparison to the Ph. D. programme, the framework in doctoral programmes with the title Doktor:in (Dr.) is less standardised. As a rule, the doctoral student is assigned to an academic supervisor. The doctoral student discusses the topic of the doctoral project with this supervisor and draws up an individual timetable. In doctoral programmes, attendance of accompanying seminars is voluntary. One exception is the Dr. rer. medic. doctoral programme in the field of nursing science. Here, doctoral students attend a structured doctoral programme and take part in the associated seminars and events.
Our Ph. D. programmes
The Ph. D. (Doctor of Philosophy) is one of the most frequently awarded doctoral degrees in the world. Ph. D. programmes are clearly structured; they have a fixed start and end date and follow a specific timetable. Regular events take place in the doctoral programme (including subject-specific in-depth courses, methodological training and exchange of experience) and participants take part in research projects. In addition to the academic supervisors, the doctoral students are supported by other mentors.
The doctoral students go through our doctoral studies and Ph. D. programmes in these steps
Is there a topic from your studies or appointment that is suitable for an intensive examination? Perhaps there is a professor at Witten/Herdecke University who would be a suitable supervisor for doctoral studies. The Faculty of Health or the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society can be a good first port of call.
A doctoral supervision agreement is drawn up under the guidance of the supervisor. This contains an exposé describing the planned research project (including objectives, anticipated methodology, expected results and timetable).
The doctoral supervision agreement is submitted to the doctoral committee of the doctoral programme together with a curriculum vitae and certificates relevant to the application. The doctoral committee reviews the submitted documents.
If all requirements are met, you will be accepted as a doctoral student. It is now possible to enrol at Witten/Herdecke University.
The PhD thesis summarises the research project and the results in writing. Alternatively, it is possible to submit the thesis as a cumulative dissertation. This means that several scientific articles written by the doctoral candidate and published in journals that have undergone peer review are brought together.
The dissertation is submitted to the doctoral committee. Depending on the doctoral programme, the review is carried out by the supervising professor and by another (external) reviewer. In other programmes, the review is carried out by two people who were not involved in the doctoral process.
On this basis, the doctoral committee prepares a review, which, among other things, provides information on whether the thesis has been passed. In some programmes, a grade is also awarded.
If the PhD thesis is successfully accepted, the thesis is defended in an oral examination. This consists of a lecture on the main results of the PhD thesis followed by a discussion of the content. A decision is then made as to whether the defence has been passed or failed.
After successfully passing the PhD defence, the thesis must still be published. The doctoral certificate is then issued.
How to finance your doctoral studies
This is how much the doctoral programme at the UW/H costs
The following costs are incurred for the doctoral programme at Witten/Herdecke University:
- General administrative fee: one-off € 250
- Enrolment fee: one-off €100
- Social welfare contribution and contribution for the semester ticket (exemption from the semester ticket for participants who do not live in North Rhine-Westphalia is possible).
- In addition, there are doctoral fees Witten/Herdecke University distinguishes between internal and external doctoral students and between the various doctoral programmes.
Doctoral fees for internal doctoral students
Internal doctoral students do not have to bear any doctoral costs.
Internal doctoral students are persons who
- are employed full-time at the UW/H or at an affiliated hospital or
- are doing their doctorate within a clinical chair of medicine or
- are following a new UW/H professor or
- are registered students of the UW/H at the time of registration for doctoral studies or
- submit their PhD thesis within one year of leaving the UW/H.
Costs for external doctoral students
- Doctoral students in economics: a total of €5,000
Exception: External doctoral students who are scholarship holders of a non-profit organisation. - Participants in the Doctoral Programme Nursing Science (Ph. D. Nursing Science, Dr. rer. medic and Dr. phil.): €9,000 over a period of three years. If graduation does not take place within the planned three years, no further fees will be charged.
- Doctoral students of all other departments: € 1,500
Academic staff, appointments and scholarships
There are many ways to finance doctoral studies at Witten/Herdecke University.
Some students work as academic staff at the department where their doctoral studies are being supervised. Witten/Herdecke University and its departments always offer open positions. open positions with different amounts of hours.
Appointments outside the university are also possible. In the Biomedicine Ph. D. programme doctoral studies are integrated into the specialist training programme.
In addition, there is always the opportunity to apply for scholarships from foundations or companies. scholarships applications to foundations or companies.