The doctorate is the award of a doctoral degree. It is regarded as proof of the ability to carry out independent academic work. In principle, a Master's degree qualifies for doctoral studies, but further requirements (e.g. a minimum grade) may be defined.
A doctorate is usually a prerequisite for a further academic career, such as obtaining a professorship. Depending on the discipline, it can have a (very) beneficial effect on recruitment and career opportunities.
Universities of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia do not yet have the right to award doctorates. However, doctoral candidates can be enrolled at a university of applied sciences as part of a cooperative doctorate - they are then supervised both at the university of applied sciences and at a university or institution authorized to award doctorates.
Course
The duration of the doctoral phase can vary, on average it is between four and five years.
During this time, you have to write and publish your own scientific work (a monograph or, in the case of a cumulative doctorate, a number of articles in peer-reviewed journals). This involves answering a specific research question that has not yet been addressed. In addition, doctoral students are often active in teaching, give lectures at conferences and network in the scientific community.
Graduate Center
At Fachhochschule Dortmund, the Graduate Center serves as a platform for interdisciplinary networking and qualification of doctoral students. Master's students can also find counseling on the "path to a doctorate" here. And every year on October 1, the doctoral scholarship is announced. Currently, over 30 doctoral students are funded with a 40% or 50% position for up to four years.
