Ambitious researchers study, teach and work at Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS). They conduct innovative and exciting research and apply it in a wide range of projects. Many of these researchers have the potential to deepen and share their knowledge in the context of working towards a doctorate.
Unlike universities, however, UAS cannot award doctoral degrees. While university professors can supervise the dissertation projects of graduates of both universities and UAS, professors at UAS can only do so in cooperation with a university. Such a cooperative doctoral program allows graduates of both universities and UAS to study for a doctoral degree under professors at a UAS. Professors at universities and UAS work together to supervise candidates.
Approach
Candidates in a cooperative doctoral program are jointly supervised by the university and the UAS. The doctoral dissertation is submitted to the university department that also awards the doctoral degree. This department also sets the relevant requirements. In studying for a doctoral degree, the conditions for graduates with a master’s degree from a UAS are the same as those for university graduates.
Candidates who intend to choose a UAS professor as their examiner should check with the responsible university department at the beginning of the process and choose the subject of their dissertation in coordination with both supervisors.
The Examination Office has prepared a fact sheet on the cooperative doctoral program (currently only availble in German):
