PhD at the Faculty of Engineering

PhD in Germany

In Germany, PhD studies work somewhat differently. As a doctoral student, you are no longer just a student, but instead involved over a period of about three to five years in writing a high-level scientific dissertation, which you will have to defend at an examination board.

At a technical faculty, you are usually employed as a research assistant during this period, working on a research project and supervising students. The research project is often closely related to your dissertation. An application for a doctorate is therefore almost always accompanied by an application for a job as a research assistant. Professors usually select these candidates from their Master's students. Without the offer of supervision by a professor, a doctorate is not possible.

See the Doctoral Degree Regulation (Rules) of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering at Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel of August 2018 for more details.

See here section 22 as well for information on the fast-track doctoral degree, which combines a Master's program with a PhD program for outstanding B.Sc. students.