Introductory stage

During the first stage of your doctoral programme, you clearly define your research project and prepare a thesis exposé or proposal. To do this, you will need to meet regularly with your supervisor(s) and mentor(s). Once you have defined your thesis project and written your exposé, you submit a DISS1 thesis proposal acceptance form and give a public presentation of your proposal before the doctorate advisory committee for the relevant subject.

The exposé and public presentation are the first milestones in your doctoral programme, as the rector of studies cannot approve your topic and supervision until they have been completed. During the public presentation, you present your thesis project. The members of the doctorate advisory committee provide their opinion on your exposé and presentation and advise the rector of studies on the quality and viability of the thesis project. The rector of studies then either approves or rejects your project. If the proposal is approved, you enter into a thesis agreement (DISS2) with your supervisor and mentors, which outlines the coursework to be submitted. If the proposal is not approved, you can withdraw it, rewrite it and present it again at a later date.

Both the DISS1 and DISS2 forms must be submitted electronically and endorsed by the relevant doctorate advisory committee prior to approval by the rector of studies.

The length of this stage may vary depending on how long it takes you to develop your thesis project. To prevent delays, it is good to have a firm idea about the subject of your research project in advance. Admission onto a doctoral programme is subject to a provisional letter of support from an internal member of staff authorised to supervise.

If you are studying technical sciences, natural sciences or social sciences and economics, you must submit the thesis agreement (DISS2) together with the DISS1 thesis project acceptance form before you will be able to present your proposal to the doctorate advisory committee!

Students of technical sciences, natural sciences as well as social and economic sciences have to submit their Doctoral Thesis Agreement (DISS2) along with the Application for the Approval of the Doctoral Thesis Project (DISS1) to be admitted to present the doctoral thesis project to the doctorate advisory committee.