Examination Office of the Faculty of Humanities

Doctoral Studies: The Examination Board (Prüfungskommission)


  • Reviewers: Proposal on acceptance, rejection or recommendation to return for revision of the thesis within three months after submission. [§ 14 I 1 doctoral degree regulations (PromO)]
  • Reviewers: Preparation of a final review of the dissertation in text form within six months of submission. [§ 14 I 2 PromO] In case of acceptance: proposal of a grade. [§ 14 III PromO]
  • If the reviewers do not agree on acceptance or rejection, or if the proposed grades differ by more than one grade level, the examination board makes a final decision on acceptance and grade, rejection or return of the dissertation for revision on the basis of a further review. [§ 14 V 1 PromO]
  • Setting a deadline for a revision of the dissertation. [§ 14 VI PromO]
  • Checking the dissertation using plagiarism detection software. [§ 14 II PromO]
  • Dissertation and oral examination: All members of the examination board must be proficient in the examination language to the required extent. [§§ 11 III 5, 17 II 4 PromO]
  • For cumulative theses: Submission of at least three thematically independent scientific contributions belonging to the same research area that were accepted or considered capable for publication according to an external scientific review procedure can also apply as a thesis, provided this is governed for a research area by Appendix I of the doctoral degree regulations. The reviewers shall decide on suitability for publication in this case. [§ 11 VI 1-2 PromO]
  • Decision on the university public at the oral defence: The examination board is entitled to allow questions to be put to the doctoral candidate from the university public. Upon application of the doctoral candidate, the university public may be excluded, provided there is an important reason. Ruling thereon is passed by the examination board. [§ 18 IV-V PromO]
  • Taking minutes during the oral examination. [§ 17 IV PromO]
  • Decision on passing the entire examination following the oral examination. [§ 20 I PromO] The chairperson of the examination board informs the doctoral candidate of the result and points out that the doctoral degree, including "Dr. des.", may not be used before completion of the doctorate. [§ 20 V PromO]
  • Conducting an oral examination as a retake due to a failed first attempt. [§ 21 III PromO]
  • First examiner: Provided that all conditions are fulfilled, approval of the final version of the dissertation intended for publication by signing the revision certificate. [§ 24 II PromO]
    • (§ 24 II PromO)
  • Entire examination board: Decision in the event of differences between the doctoral candidate and the reviewers with regard to the fulfilment of the requirements for the publication of the thesis. [§ 24 II PromO]
  • Decisions on early awarding of the doctoral degree on the basis of a publishing contract. [§ 24 VIII PromO]

  • The members, including the chairperson, are appointed by the doctoral committee. [§§ 10 III 2, 12 III 4 PromO]
  • At least two members must have examination authorisation in the subject areas of the dissertation or closely related subject areas; otherwise, examination authorisation in another subject area of the humanities is sufficient, provided that the expertise required for the examination procedure is given in each case. [§ 12 III 3-4 PromO]
  • The doctoral candidate has a right of proposal, which does not constitute a legal claim. [§§ 10 II e), 12 II 5 PromO]

  • The examination board consists of at least three people. This includes the authorised first academic advisor / reviewer („doctoral supervisor“), the authorised second reviewer / advisor and all other authorised examiners who are members of the thesis committee. [§ 12 II 2 PromO]
  • If other authorised examiners were included in the course of the procedure, e.g. due to the preparation of a third-party expert opinion in accordance with §§ 14 V 1-2, 15 II PromO, these persons also become members of the examination board.
  • The authorised examiners of the Faculty of Humanities.

  • Abstentions are not permitted in rulings by the examination board. [§ 12 V PromO]
  • The assessment “summa cum laude” may be awarded only if it is recommended unanimously by the reviewers. [§ 14 V 4 PromO]
  • At oral defence (disputation): At least two thirds of the members of the examination board must in attendance, including at least two reviewers of the dissertation. [§ 18 IV PromO]
  • At doctoral viva (rigorosum): At least two thirds of the members of the examination board, and no fewer than three members, must be in attendance, including at least one authorised examiner in each of the selected examination research areas, respectively. [§ 19 III PromO]
  • Decision on the result or grade of the oral examination. [§ 20 II PromO] In the case of a disputation: decision by resolution. [§ 20 III PromO] In the case of doctoral viva (rigorosum): grade results from the arithmetic mean of the individual grades. [§ 20 IV PromO)