Fields of doctoral studies
A doctoral degree can be obtained in the following fields:
- Allgemeine Literaturwissenschaft
- Angewandte Sprachwissenschaft
- Anglistik, mit den Bereichen
- Englische Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaft
- Amerikanistik
- Englische Sprachwissenschaft
- Fachdidaktik Englisch
- Evangelische Theologie
- Germanistik, mit den Bereichen
- Ältere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft
- Germanistische Sprachwissenschaft
- Neuere deutsche Literaturwissenschaft
- Didaktik der deutschen Sprache
- Geschichte
- Romanistik, mit den Bereichen
- Romanistische Literaturwissenschaft
- Romanistische Sprachwissenschaft
- Romanistische Fachdidaktik
- Medienwissenschaft
- Katholische Theologie
- Kulturwissenschaft
- Philosophie
- Politikwissenschaft
- Soziologie
- Sozialwissenschaften
Language Requirements
Depending on the field of studies, candidates have to prove knowledge in specific foreign languages. Candidates can prove upon admission that they fulfil these requirements (e.g., through their High School diploma or other certificates) or upon completion of the doctoral dissertation.
The language requirements are as follows:
| General Literary Studies | Knowledge of at least two foreign languages. |
| English: Literature, Linguistics or Teaching Methodology | English and two other languages. |
| Protestant Theology | Generally, two foreign languages: |
| History | The supervisor will provide a statement detailing which language skills are required for the completion of the specific topic. It must be ensured that relevant source texts can be interpreted in the original language. |
| German Studies: Early German Literature | Latinum or knowledge of Latin equivalent to Latinum. |
| German Studies: Didactics of the German language or German Studies: German Linguistics | Latinum or two other foreign languages. |
| German Studies: Modern German Literature | Generally, Latinum or knowledge of Latin equivalent to Latinum, knowledge of Middle High German and a modern foreign language. |
| Catholic Theology | Latinum and knowledge of Ancient Greek (if learned during studies, generally 6 semester hours per week). |
| Cultural Studies | Knowledge of at least two foreign languages. |
| Media Studies or Media Ethnography | Latinum or a modern foreign language. |
| Philosophy | The supervisor determines the required language skills in reference to the topic chosen for the thesis. In this respect, the criterion should be the ability to interpret the relevant (primary) literature in the original language. |
| Romance Studies (all subjects) | Latinum and another Romance language. In the absence of knowledge of Latinum (or knowledge of Latin equivalent to Latinum), a third Romance language to the extent of the Latinum is to be demonstrated. |
Cumulative thesis
A cumulative thesis is possible in the following doctoral subjects according to the conditions specified respectively, provided that the required publications are no more than 10 years old:
| English: English Linguistics | A minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 papers with a similar subject matter must have been published in peer-reviewed journals as the first or the main author. The thesis includes the essays as well as an introduction and an abstract. |
| English: English Literature and Cultural Studies English: American Studies | 10 papers that have been published or accepted for publication must be presented (with written proof), at least three of which should have appeared in relevant journals. The papers are to be submitted together with an exposé (5 - 10 pages) explaining the thematic coherence of the publications and how they fit with the current state of research. |
| Political Science, Sociology, Social Sciences | At least 3 papers must be submitted, at least 2 of which must have been published in peer-reviewed journals and/or accepted for publication. At least one of the peer-reviewed papers must be written in sole authorship. The thesis includes the papers and an introduction setting out the thematic context of the essays, as well as an abstract. |