Examination Office of the Faculty of Humanities

Doctoral Studies: The doctoral programme Behavior and Cognition


"The doctoral programme Behavior and Cognition is a joint study programme of the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Biology and Psychology with the participation of the German Primate Centre for the training of young scientists in the field of the fundamentals and evolution of the behaviour of non-human primates and humans. The doctoral programme is aimed at graduates of relevant humanities degree courses. The Faculty of Biology and Psychology offers a doctoral programme of the same name, which allows students to work on research projects with a focus on the natural sciences. Both programmes share an interdisciplinary modularised doctoral programme under the leadership of the Faculty of Biology and Psychology.” [§ 1 Regulations for the doctoral programme Behavior and Cognition]



      The following areas of reasearch can be chosen within this programme:

      • General Linguistics [Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft]
      • Bioethics [Bioethik]
      • German Philology (German Linguistics) [Deutsche Philologie (Germanistische Linguistik)]
      • German Philology (Modern German Literature) [Deutsche Philologie (Neuere deutsche Literatur)]
      • Didactics of Biology [Didaktik der Biologie]
      • English Philology (English Linguistics) [Englische Philologie (English Linguistics)]
      • Sign Language/Deaf Studies [Gebärdensprache / Deaf Studies]
      • Cultural Anthropology/European Ethnology [Kulturanthropologie/Europäische Ethnologie]
      • Philosophy [Philosophie]
      • Psycholinguistics [Psycholinguistik]
      • Romanic Philology (French Linguistics) [Romanische Philologie (Französische Sprachwissenschaft)]
      • Romanic Philology (Ibero-Romanic Linguistics) [Romanische Philologie (Iberoromanische Sprachwissenschaft)]
      • Romanic Philology (Italian Linguistics) [Romanische Philologie (Italienische Sprachwissenschaft)]
      • Slavic Philology (Linguistics) [Slavische Philologie (Sprachwissenschaft)]



          Acceptance as a doctoral candidate in the Behavior and Cognition doctoral programme must also be approved by the programme committee responsible for this at the Faculty of Biology and Psychology. Before the application is submitted to the doctoral committee of the Faculty of Humanities for a decision, the examination office will obtain the relevant opinion from there.



              In deviation from the doctoral programmes of the Faculty of Humanities, special BeCog modules totalling 20 credits must be completed in this programme:

              • P.BeCog.1 Forschung lernen und reflektieren (Learning and reflecting on research) (4 C, 6 SWS)
              • P.BeCog.2 Fachliche und methodische Grundlagen (Subject-specific and methodological fundamentals) (4 C, 6-8 SWS)
              • P.BeCog.3 Wissenschaftliche Lehre (Academic teaching) (4 C, 4 SWS)
              • P.BeCog.4 Wissenschaftliche Kommunikation (Academic communication) (4 C)
              • P.BeCog.5 Schlüsselqualifikationen (Key competences) (4 C, 4-8 SWS)



                When the Application for doctoral examination is submitted, the BeCog coordination confirms to the examinations office of the Faculty of Humanities that all required modules and meetings with the thesis committee have been completed.



                    For the regulations of the doctoral programme Behavior and Cognition, see page Doctoral Degree, Admission and Programme Regulations.