The Faculty of Business and Economics offers a structured doctoral programme for its research assistants, members of research training groups as well as for doctoral scholarship holders.

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In the following you will find faculty-specific information on admission requirements as well as information on the examination registration and the publication of your dissertation/doctoral thesis.

• General information about doctoral studies in Göttingen is provided by Göttingen International/ The International Office: International prospective students: Doctoral degree

1) Admission requirements and application: How do I become a doctoral candidate?

Certain admission requirements must be met in order to enter the doctoral programme. First and foremost, you must have a letter of acceptance from a professor confirming that he or she will supervise your written doctoral thesis. In addition, you must have successfully completed a master's programme in a field represented at the Faculty of Business and Economics or a related field.

Additional Information

• General Information: Doing a PhD at the Faculty of Business and Economics


• Application: How do I apply online for the doctoral programme?


• Regulation on Particular Qualification for Entry: Information on admission requirements and application documents


• „Bavarian Formula“ (Bayerische Formel) to convert grades for coursework conducted outside of Germany) (PDF)

2) The doctoral programme at the Faculty of Business and Economics

The aim of our doctoral programme is to qualify students to take on responsible tasks in research and teaching and in non-university professional fields. To this end, you are expected to complete additional research-oriented training in addition to an independent scientific research thesis ("Dissertation"), which demonstrates mastery of the skills and methods associated with the subject. As part of the programme, certain courses amounting to 20 ECTS must be successfully completed: Learn more about the doctoral programme

3) Almost done: Register for the "Disputation" (defense of your doctoral thesis)

At the Faculty of Business and Economics you can do a cumulative doctorate or a monograph. If you do a cumulative doctorate, you write scientific articles, so-called papers/journal articles, which should be published in scientific journals. The exact procedure will be discussed individually with your first supervisor.

In order to be admitted to the "Disputation" (defense of your doctoral thesis), several requirements must be met. If you have successfully completed your doctoral studies and finished your doctoral thesis, you can apply for admission to the "Disputation". Please note that you must remain enrolled in the doctoral programme until the date of the "Disputation".

According to the current examination and study regulations for our doctoral programme, a police clearance certificate ("Polizeiliches Führungszeugnis") is not required when registering for the doctoral examination.

Disputations usually take place in person, but can also be done digitally or hybrid, especially with external supervisors/examiners.

• Learn more: Application forms (download) and further information on the documents to be submitted to the Dean of Studies Office

4) Last but not least: Publish the doctoral thesis ("Dissertation")

You will receive your doctoral certificate after successful publication of your doctoral thesis, which may be in electronic or book form. You have a maximum of 12 months to publish your thesis after successfully passing the disputation.

In addition, and depending on the form of publication, a certain number of deposit copies must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of Studies (see dissertation publication instructions), together with the proof of publication as well as the abstracts and the audit certificate (“Revisionsschein”). The audit certificate is issued by the first supervisor when all changes have been incorporated into the deposit copy and the work is worthy of publication. The abstracts in German and English (summary, usually one DIN A4 page each), as well as the declaration of own contribution ("Erklärung über den geleisteten Eigenanteil") (without signature) are to be included in the deposit copies. The declaration according to §12 PStO is not to be included in the deposit copy (only in the dissertation when registering for the doctoral examination).

Please discuss the form of publication with your first supervisor. The obligatory copies can be submitted by e-mail (to: Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Studiendekanat, Frau Dr. Antje Juch, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3, 37073 Göttingen) or handed in personally at the Dean's Office or the Office of the Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Business and Economics.

Furthermore, please inform us by e-mail either of your postal address for the delivery of your certificate and transcript or whether you would like to collect the documents in person. If you wish to have the documents sent to you, you will receive them by registered mail (“Einwurf-Einschreiben”).

• Learn more: Download our dissertation publication instructions here (PDF in German)