Faculty of Modern Languages PhD Procedure
Important Notice
Overview
Doctoral Regulations of the Faculty of Modern Languages
The Doctoral Regulations (currently in force as of 13 July 2023) set out the formal requirements and procedures governing doctoral studies at the Faculty of Modern Languages of Heidelberg University. As the regulations do not include subject-specific provisions, prospective doctoral candidates are advised to consult their supervisor at an early stage regarding any additional requirements that may apply within their respective discipline or institute.
Information on binational doctorates (cotutelle de thèse) is available from the Graduate Academy.
Doctoral Subjects
Doctoral degrees may be pursued in the following subjects:
- German Studies
- English Studies
- Romance Studies (French, Spanish, Italian, and other Romance languages)
- Slavic Studies
- American Studies (Literature, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies)
- Ibero-American Studies
- German as a Foreign Language
- German as a Second Language
- German Studies in Cultural Comparison
- Computational Linguistics
- Translation and Interpreting Studies
- Comparative Literature
- Comparative Linguistics
- Digital Linguistics
Cumulative Dissertation
Pursuant to Section 7 of the Doctoral Regulations, a doctorate at the Faculty of Modern Languages may be completed either in the form of a monograph or a cumulative dissertation. Doctoral candidates intending to submit a cumulative dissertation are requested to consult the requirements and guidelines provided on this page.
Admission Requirements
Admission to Doctoral Studies
Admission to doctoral studies generally requires the successful completion of a university degree programme with a standard period of study of at least four years. As a rule, applicants must have obtained an overall grade of at least “good” (gut).
Applicants holding a degree from a University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) or from a University of Music or Art must have obtained an overall grade of “very good” (sehr gut). In addition, they are required to attend a colloquium demonstrating their aptitude for academic research at a level comparable to that expected of graduates from a university.
Applicants whose overall degree grade is below “good” (gut) must submit two favourable academic references from professors of the Faculty attesting to their academic qualifications and suitability for doctoral research.
Language requirements for admission are set out in the Doctoral Regulations (Section 4, paragraph 8).
Getting started on your doctorate
Admission as a Doctoral Candidate
Before being admitted as a doctoral candidate by the Faculty, applicants are required to conclude a Doctoral Supervision Agreement with their supervisor (a professor or Privatdozent of the Faculty).
Once the Doctoral Supervision Agreement has been signed, applicants must register via the heiDOCS online portal and create an online doctoral file.
The next step is to apply for admission as a doctoral candidate at the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Modern Languages (Voßstr. 2, Building 37, 69115 Heidelberg). The application must be accompanied by the following documents:
- Proof of eligibility for admission in accordance with Section 4 of the Doctoral Regulations (certified copies of degree certificates and diplomas for all previous degree programmes, i.e. Bachelor's and Master's degrees, including the transcript of records, or the Staatsexamen certificate).
- For degrees awarded outside Germany: certified translations into German or English, certified copies of the original degree certificates, and a certified copy of the university entrance qualification.
- A research proposal for the planned doctoral project (3–10 pages), signed by the supervisor.
- A curriculum vitae in tabular form, including contact details and an outline of the applicant's academic and professional background.
- A copy of the applicant's identity card or passport.
- The completed Declaration of Compliance with Export Control Regulations.
Information on the "Declaration of Compliance with Export Control Regulations"
The application for admission as a doctoral candidate must include the Declaration of Compliance with Export Control Regulations.
Submission of this declaration is mandatory for all applicants, including citizens of European Union Member States. EU citizens simply select the category applicable to them in the form. Applicants from non-EU countries must complete the export control assessment as specified in the form.
In all cases, the declaration must be signed by the supervisor. By signing the form, supervisors confirm that they have verified the applicable export control regulations relating both to the doctoral candidate and to the proposed field of research.
The Faculty's Doctoral Office cannot process the application for admission until the completed and signed declaration has been submitted.
Enrolment During the Doctorate
Doctoral candidates are required to remain enrolled throughout the duration of their doctorate.
Following admission by the Faculty, enrolment must be completed with Student Administration at Heidelberg University.
During the Doctorate
If the doctoral project has not been completed within three years (i.e. the dissertation has not yet been submitted), doctoral candidates must submit an informal, reasoned request for an extension to the Dean's Office on an annual basis. The request must be signed by both the doctoral candidate and the supervisor.
The information contained in the online doctoral file must be kept up to date at all times. These records serve as the basis for communication between the Faculty and doctoral candidates and provide both the Faculty and the Statistical Office of Baden-Württemberg with up-to-date information on the doctoral candidate population.
If your postal address or email address changes, please notify the Doctoral Office. Only the Doctoral Office is authorised to update this information in your online doctoral file.
Before Submission of the Dissertation
At least eight weeks before the planned submission of the dissertation, the reviewers must be proposed. Please submit the relevant form to the Doctoral Office for this purpose.
If you intend to propose professors from other universities as reviewers, please contact the Faculty's Managing Director, Prof. Dr. Klaus Kempter, well in advance, as the Doctoral Committee must decide on the appointment of external reviewers: kempter@uni-hd.de
Completion of the Doctorate
The requirements for the successful completion of a doctorate are a dissertation graded at least "sufficient" (rite) and the successful completion of the doctoral examination (Disputation).
The dissertation must be submitted to the Dean's Office in electronic form (PDF format). In the Reviewer Nomination Form, reviewers may indicate whether they wish to receive a printed copy of the dissertation. The Dean's Office does not require a printed copy.
In order to be admitted to the doctoral examination, the following documents must be submitted:
- Application for admission to the doctoral examination
- Certificate confirming the required foreign language skills
- Statutory declaration
- Information sheet on the statutory declaration
Before submitting the dissertation, the online doctoral file must also be completed in full.
Following the successful completion of the doctorate, the dissertation must be published within two years. The doctoral degree may only be used after publication of the dissertation.
For publication, approval for printing (Imprimatur) must be granted by the reviewers. The Imprimatur, together with a deposit copy of the published version, must be submitted to the Dean's Office. The published version must include a statement indicating that it is a doctoral dissertation completed at Heidelberg University.
Contact Persons in Cases of Conflict (Ombudspersons)
Doctoral candidates and supervisors at Heidelberg University can seek confidential advice and support from two ombudspersons in the event of conflicts. The ombudspersons provide guidance and assist in mediation processes.
The current ombudspersons are:
Prof. Dr. Christiane von Stutterheim
Institute for German as a Foreign Language Philology (IDF): stutterheim@idf.uni-heidelberg.de
Prof. em. Dr. Michael Wink
Senior Professor at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB), Pharmaceutical Biology: wink@uni-hd.de
In addition, Heidelberg University has established a Commission for Safeguarding Good Research Practice and Dealing with Academic Misconduct.
