Faculty of Biology and Psychology

Doctorate at the Faculty of Biology and Psychology

At the Faculty of Biology and Psychology doctoral/Ph.D. projects to attain the grade Dr.rer.nat or Ph.D. can be undertaken within one out of ten programs. The doctoral programs are affiliated with the Georg-August-University School of Science (GAUSS). Most programs additionally are associated with GGNB (Göttinger Graduate School for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences).


I Admission

Admission prerequisites the certification of a completed Master's degree or of an eligible degree. If the degree not has been awarded in Germany, eligibility will be assessed in consideration of the guidelines of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany (documented at https://anabin.kmk.org). For assessment of eligibility the respective certificate should be submitted to de Dean's office of the Faculty of Biology and Psychology.

Applicants should apply for the dissertation with the provided form (submission to the Dean's Office) before beginning the experimental work. The applicant should denominate three supervisors, who should agree with the nomination, see guidelines for application.

After admission for doctorate by the Faculty the PhD student should register at the Universities student office.

II Period of a Dissertation

PhD students should be enrolled during the whole period of a dissertation. In this period achivements of at least 20 Credits should be secured. Also a PhD student has to report periodically at least once a year to the thesis committee.

III Doctoral Examination

Completion of the dissertation needs

  • preparation of a scientific doctoral thesis in German or English.
  • an oral examination in form of a colloquium (disputation) in German or English. The head of the examination committee is chair for the disputation. At least two third of the members of the examination committee should attend the colloquium, there of at last two referees.

The date of the disputation should be announced to the Dean's office with date, exact time and place (building and room). You can find further information at examination procedure.

Note on the admission to the doctoral examination (pdf)
Sample title page of a dissertation (pdf)
Application form for the doctoral examination (pdf)

Please note, that for a doctorate with former regulations (before July 2012) a certified copy of the Master's degree / diploma should be handed in.