Göttinger Graduiertenschule Gesellschaftswissenschaften

Doing a PhD at the Social Sciences Faculties at Göttingen Universität (FAQ)

First of all, we cordially like to welcome you! As Graduate School of Social Sciences (GGG) we will accompany you during your PhD studies and support you to the best of our abilities.

Here you can find important information on the procedure of doing a PhD. Even though mainly intended for newcomers, this column contains information relevant to experienced PhD students, too.

Preliminaries (supervision and financing)

In order to take up PhD studies at Göttingen University, you first need to find a professor willing to supervise your thesis, and sign a supervision agreement with them (see below).

Please keep in mind that an admission to PhD studies at Göttingen University does NOT include financing. You should clarify financing early on, e.g. with your supervisor. GGG also offers competent support with the PhD-funding Guidance.

Admission

If you obtained your university entrance qualification in Germany, you have to get in touch with three different institutions at the beginning of your PhD studies. These are

  • The faculty at which you do your PhD studies, where you apply for admission (once you found a professor willing to supervise you) and which accepts you as a PhD candidate. The faculty acknowledges your program achievements during your PhD studies (qualification courses etc.), initiates your PhD examination procedure and finally issues your PhD certificate
  • The Registrar’s Office, where you enroll (further information on enrollment can be found here)
  • The GGG, where you register as soon as you are accepted by your faculty. After registration you have access to GGG’s offers such as qualification courses, funding measures and counseling offers

For international PhD students, who obtained their university entrance qualification outside Germany, the process is slightly different. You will also have contact with three institutions:

  • The faculty at which you do your PhD studies, where you apply for admission (once you found a professor willing to supervise you) and which accepts you as a PhD candidate. The faculty acknowledges your program achievements during your PhD studies (qualification courses etc.), initiates your PhD examination procedure and finally issues your PhD certificate
  • The International Student Office at Göttingen International, who will support you with enrollment after your admission by the faculty (further information on enrollment can be found here)
  • The GGG, where you register as soon as you are accepted by your faculty. After registration you have access to GGG’s offers such as qualification courses, funding measures and counseling offers

PhD studies

There are three ways to obtain a PhD degree at the social sciences’ faculties at Göttingen University:

JuraFor the individual doctoral degree at the Faculty of Law, you write your dissertation with your professor at the Faculty of Law. In order to be able to submit your thesis and graduate, you will have to present a certificate of attendance of a qualification course (following the new doctoral regulations).

In the PhD programs at the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Economic Sciences, you undergo a structured study program next to writing your dissertation or your scientific papers (cumulative PhD). You attend courses on methods and key competences as well as colloquia for usually 20 credits. An individual doctorate is no longer possible at these faculties.

WiwiSowi

A PhD program (e.g. a research training group) brings together PhD-students doing research on a specific topic. These groups work interdisciplinary and cross-institutional and often have their own qualification programs. You can find the current programs which are members of the GGG online.

Supervision of your PhD

It is mandatory for admission as a PhD candidate that you sign a supervision agreement with your supervisor which defines the beginning, topic and the involved parties of your PhD. Most PhD regulations demand you to regularly discuss the progressBetreuungsvereinbarung of your work with your supervisor, at least once a year. Whether or not you are obliged to have these meetings, we highly recommend to discuss and document the progress of your PhD regularly with your supervisor, as this will protect you, if there are problems in a later stage of your PhD.

During your PhD studies, you will not only be accompanied by one person but by a thesis committee. This committee comprises at least two, usually three PhD supervisors. In regularly held meetings you should discuss the progress of your PhD and jointly look for solutions in case of difficulties.

Good scientific practice

The PhD thesis is a piece of scientific work. Therefore compliance with good scientific practice in line with the academic self-commitment is essential. To prevent scientific misconduct, Göttingen University and the German Research Foundation DFG have published a collection of recommendations (see in particular: safeguarding Good Scientific Practice).

Support by GGG

You automatically become a member of GGG as soon as you are admitted to PhD studies at the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Social Sciences or the Faculty of Economic Sciences, or in one of the PhD programs.

We kindly ask you to send this questionnaire to GGG and to update it when needed to ensure we can contact you. These data will be kept confidential and will only be used within the GGG.

There are no additional obligations associated with your membership. On the contrary, you have access to:

You will find an overview of the GGG team, our offers and application deadlines on the GGG homepage and in the newsletter.