Doctoral study

This page and subpages outline the doctoral study and examination procedure at the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics. Slightly different rules apply to doctorates in a joint procedure with a foreign university, see § 17 of the General Doctoral Degree Regulations (for acceptance as a doctoral candidate from October 2018) or § 23-27 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations (for admission before October 2018).

It is possible to enrol as a doctoral student. This gives you student status. Detailed information on this can be obtained from the Student Registration Office. To enrol in a doctoral programme, you must submit the admission letter from the Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards, the so-called "Zulassungsbescheid".

Doctoral studies are legally limited to a maximum duration of four years. Upon justified application, the enrolment can be extended with the written approval of the doctoral supervisor / doctoral supervisor. The Student Registration Office is also your contact for this.

In addition to the optional enrolment, there is the compulsory (subject-related) admission to the doctoral programme at the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics. This is done via the Dean's Office with the chairperson of the Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards. Subject-Specific Doctoral Degree
Regulation

Before submitting the application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate, please read the current doctoral degree regulations (General Doctoral Degree Regulation [Allgemeine Promotionsordnung, short: APromoO] and Subject-specific Doctoral Degree Regulation [Fachpromotionsordnung, short: FPromO]) thoroughly. The written application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate according to § 8 of the APromO is submitted to the chairperson of the Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards. This is currently Professor Dr. Gordon Fraser.

In general, you must provide a supervision agreement. The application or acceptance does not result in a deadline for submission.

A template for the application for admission or the necessary declaration is available from the Dean's Office on request.

For doctorates in joint procedure with a foreign university you can find information under the following links:

• PhD in Co-supervision within IRIXYS (Cotutelle between the Uni Passau and INSA Lyon)
• International Dual Degree PHD (COTUTELLE) at Campus France (Website)
• International Dual Degree PHD (COTUTELLE) at Campus France (PDF)

Colloquium

In the doctoral colloquium, you present the content of your dissertation in a 20-minute lecture followed by a discussion. For this purpose, at least one colloquium takes place each semester with several doctoral students of the faculty. To register for the doctoral colloquium, write to the Dean's Office or to Dr. Robert Offinger.

At least 6 months before submission, similarities to other papers, possible focal points, problems and the current status of the paper should be addressed in discussion with the supervisor.

Thesis submission

As a doctoral candidate, you should discuss with your supervisor potential second reviewers for your thesis at the latest 6 months before submission. The second referee will be introduced by your doctoral supervisor and will be appointed by the (Standing) Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards.

When submitting your dissertation, you will also need to swear affidavits and submit a (detailed) list of all your prior publications.

In a next step, the two reviewers sign their reports. The doctoral thesis (and reports) can then be inspected by all professorial staff of the faculty for approval (or disproval). Since the end of the circulation or inspection can be rather well calculated or is known, the date for the viva (thesis defence) can be set (with two weeks' notice for invitations). If possible, viva dates should rather not be in the lecture-free period. The coordination of the viva voce date with the members of the doctoral committee (see below) is usually done by the secretariat of your doctoral supervisor. You are responsible for the correct notification of the viva voce date to the Dean's Office.

The viva voce (thesis defence)

The Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards, which accompanies your viva, consists of a chairperson who is a member of the (Standing) Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards and four professors who will examine you. One of the examiners will be appointed by the Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards as a keeper of the minutes.

The viva voce consists of a public 45-minute lecture with question round and a non-public oral examination, also of 45 minutes in length, by four professors (one of whom is a keeper of the minutes). Typically, the two thesis reviewers will each conduct the examination for approximately one-third of the time. The remaining two examiners share the remainder of the time. You should think early on about whom you wish to nominate as examiners and get in touch with the professors in question, always in agreement with the Chairman of the Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards. (Usually, each of the four examiners will come from one of the pillars of the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics.)

Please note: The (Standing) Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards or the Dean's Office do not check whether the registered examiners can attend on the registered date. The risk that the examination cannot take place in such a case is borne by the doctoral candidate. The (Standing) Board of Examiners for Doctoral Awards decides on the doctoral (examination) committee and the corresponding division of responsibilities (chairperson, keeper of minutes). Subsequent changes may jeopardise the viva voce date due to the deadlines for invitations.

The exact grading scheme and weightings of the partial assessments (two reviews and the viva) are laid out in the current doctoral degree regulations.

Publication and deposit of copies

Having successfully defended your thesis in the viva voce examination, you must, within one year of marking (cf. §22 of the Doctoral Degree Regulation [admission before October 2018] or §8 of the Subject-specific Doctoral Degree Regulation [admission since October 2018]):

• submit two copies of your doctoral thesis, photocopiable and typed, as well as one electronic copy which must be uploaded to a University Library server and made publicly accessible (further information in German about publishing via OPUS)  or
• provide proof of publication of the thesis by a commercial publishing house for sale by booksellers, with a minimum number of 150 copies.

You may not use the doctoral title until you receive your doctoral certificate; this will be issued after you have submitted the required copies or published the thesis in book form.