Doctorate

 

Faculty 1 at RWTH organizes and manages the doctoral process. The doctoral studies regulation and other important information can be found on the Faculty's corresponding webpages.

The following adminstrative matters must be taken care of at the beginning of the doctoral period:

• Optional - Enrollment as a student in the RWTH Registrar's Office. Enrolled students must pay the semester fee twice a year, which includes the student body and social contibution. Enrollment is only necessary if you want to partake in doctoral studies, see following point.
• Obligatory - Application for Admission to Doctoral Degree in the Faculty 1 Dean's Office (Section 12 of the Doctorate Regulation). Please note the rules and forms on this website. You can simultaneously register for doctoral studies, if you are enrolled, see above; most doctoral candidates participate in doctoral studies, but it is not required. It is just recommended (Sections 11 and 12 of the Doctoral Studies Regulation).
• Optional - Registration with the CDS or Center of Doctoral Studies. At the end of the doctoral degree, candidates receive a Doctorate Supplement prepared by themselves. An example is below.

During the entire doctoral period, candidates note down activities and achievements that are relevant to the supplement. You can see an anonymous Doctrate Supplement example from physics. The Department of Physics strongly recommends composing this in English.

The doctoral period ends with the disseration and exam. A list of possible chairs from the doctoral committee from the Department of Physics and details about the make up of the commission and the exam process are available in this document.
You have to hand in at least one copy of the thesis at the university library and at the physics library. You will get a notice of receipt which has to be shown at the Office for Doctoral Studies.