phd or dr rer nat

Ph.D. & Dr. rer. nat. - Different names for a doctoral degree

Written by Karla 22.06.2021

Previously, we wrote about being a researcher in Germany. Here, we will discuss doctoral degrees and some country-dependent differences.

Internationally, a doctoral degree can be awarded in any field of science. Depending on each doctoral program and the country where it is taking place, the time and requirements to graduate vary. In the majority of cases, a degree is awarded after delivering a written thesis summarizing the research and defending it in front of a panel of experts in the specific field or a committee involved in the research study from start until completion. If you are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in natural sciences in Germany, you should know that German institutions may award either the title of Ph.D. or Dr. rer. nat. If you are new to the German system of higher education, you may wonder about the difference between Ph.D. and Dr. rer. nat. Here we’re gonna break it down for you.

What is a Ph.D.? The Doctor of Philosophy , better known for its abbreviation Ph.D., is a degree of postgraduate education awarded for an original research study where individuals have contributed to the understanding of a field. According to the author Keith Allan Noble, the first doctoral degree was conferred in Paris around the year 1150 (Noble, 1994). In the following centuries, the Ph.D. degree gained popularity and shaped into the highest academic degree worldwide.

Why Germany uses the Dr. rer. nat. title? In Germany, the doctoral degree is awarded after one completes the process known as “Promotion”, which ends with presenting the thesis dissertation to a committee. Rather than universally receiving the Ph.D. title, latin suffixes are used to specify the field of the doctoral degree awarded in Germany (Academic positions, 2018). This is why after completing a doctoral programme in natural sciences in Germany, the degree obtained is Dr. rer. nat. from the latin Doctor rerum naturalium , or doctor of natural sciences.

Here are some examples of different discipline-specific doctoral degrees that can be obtained at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, depending of the field of study (LMU München, 2021): Dr. rer. nat. (natural sciences) Dr. phil. nat. (humanities and natural sciences) Dr. med. (human medicine) Dr. med. dent. (dental medicine) Dr. rer. biol. hum. (human biology)

Ph.D. or Dr. rer. nat. - Is there a difference? Ph.D. and Dr. rer. nat. are both recognized as doctoral degrees. As an example of this parallelism, the Max-Planck institute states that the Dr. rer. nat. degree awarded by the Faculty of Science at the University of Tübingen is the german equivalent to a Ph.D. (Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, 2021)

Some Universities give you the opportunity to choose between obtaining a Ph.D. or a Dr. rer. nat. title, which can arguably be confusing to foreigners pursuing a Ph.D. in Germany. Examples of those universities are the Freie Universität Berlin (Freie Universität Berlin, 2021) and the University of Ulm (Universität Ulm, 2020). This reinforces that a Dr. rer. nat. degree is equivalent to a Ph.D.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that you should be careful about what you call yourself in official documents in Germany. According to German regulations, if you have a Ph.D. title you are allowed to write your name as either “Name Surname, Ph.D.” or “Dr. Name Surname”. Conversely, if you have a Dr. rer. nat. title you can only use it like this or as “Dr. Name Surname”. Make sure to comply when writing any official documents! Written by Karla Azucena Juárez Núñez; Edited by Gabrielle Sant. Image: NGC/Design.

LMU München. 2021. Doctoral degrees. Retrieved from this link .

Freie Universität Berlin. 2021. Dr. rer. nat. or Ph.D.?. Retrieved from this link .

Academic positions. 2018. German Academic Job Titles Explained. Retrieved from this link .

Universität Ulm. 2020. Infos zur Promotion. Retrieved from this link .

Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. 2021. PhD Degree/ Dr. rer. nat. Retrieved from this link .

Noble, Keith Allan. 1994. Changing Doctoral Degrees: An International Perspective. Taylor and Francis, 1900 Frost Road, Suite 101, Bristol, PA 19007-1598.

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Dr. rer. nat. or Ph.D.?

Based on the doctorate regulations, the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy awards the academic title “Dr. rer. nat.” for individual doctoral degree programs (according to PromO Section 1 (1)). The title “Ph.D.” is only awarded on request to doctoral candidates who have successfully completed a structured doctoral studies program (according to PromO Section 1 (2)).

Doctoral studies programs recognized for the award of the title "Ph.D." in the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy include the following:

• Doctoral Program Natural Sciences (DPNS)
• Graduate Program Biodiversity, Evolution & Ecology
• Graduate School Plant Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• International Max Planck Research School for Biology AND Computation (IMPRS-BAC)
• Berlin-Brandenburg School for Regenerative Therapies (BSRT)
• Berlin School of Integrative Oncology (BSIO)

A complete listing can be found here .

Doctoral students who have successfully completed a doctoral studies program may decide once, at the time of dissertation submission, which title they wish to be awarded; no subsequent change is possible. However, we recommend that you decide which title you will pursue at the beginning of your doctoral studies program, if possible. For advice, please feel free to contact the coordinators of the Graduate Center : [email protected]

The term “Ph.D. student”, which is frequently used in working groups, is familiar to everyone internationally, but also suggests that you will receive the title “Ph.D.” at the end of the process. However, as a “doctoral student” you will be awarded the title “Dr. rer. nat.” upon successful completion of the doctoral degree program and you may only use the title in the form it was awarded to you. Note: The term “Ph.D.” is not a possible translation, but a different title; the title “Dr. rer. nat.” also remains in the English version of the doctoral certificate.

German Academic Job Titles Explained

What's a Habilitation or a juniorprofessur ? German job titles and their accompanying responsibilities are slightly different from their American equivalents. While there will be some differences university to university, here's a general overview of the most common German academic job titles.

Doctorate Degree

Unlike the American system where applicants apply to a program, in Germany applicants must apply for a specific doctoral position that is usually tied to a professor’s research projects. Students do not do coursework; they start working on their project immediately. They are also required to take on some teaching responsibilities. The time it takes to earn a doctorate depends on the field, but three to five years is typical. The degree is awarded through a process called “Promotion” after the student has defended their dissertation to a committee. Rather than the broad PhD, German doctoral degrees use specific latin designation for the field, for example Dr. rer. nat (natural and sciences), Dr. phil (humanities), Dr. oec (economics), Dr. rer. pol. (business admin and political sciences), and Dr.-Ing. (engineering).

Postdoctoral Researcher/Fellow

After earning their doctorate, researchers go on to a postdoc. A postdoc is a continuation of the researcher’s training that allows them to further specialize in a particular field and learn new skills and techniques. It may require them to take on teaching responsibilities. German postdocs typically last two to four years.

Habilitation

Traditionally to qualify for a professorship, a German academic must first do another stage of qualification called the Habilitation . The Habilitation is almost like a second doctorate, though it is not a degree. It is a four to six year period of independent research, teaching, and administrative responsibilities that culminates in writing either a monograph or a several articles of outstanding quality. While writing their Habilitation , the scholar is usually employed as a academic assistant or senior research fellow ( Wissenschaftler or Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter ). After completing the Habilitation thesis, the academic gains the designation Dr. habil or PD/Priv.-Dot . which establishes their ability to teach their academic subject. The Habilitation can be seen as analogous to the tenure process since after Habilitation an academic can apply to full professor positions.

The Habilitation used to be the only path to becoming a professor, however an education reform in 2001 established the Junior Professorship as an alternative to the Habilitation . Many researchers still opt to write the Habilitation though.

Juniorprofessur/Juniordozent (W1)*

Junior professors don’t have to write a habilitation. Instead, these positions offer early career academics the opportunity to research, supervision, administration, and teaching experience on equal terms to other university instructors. Junior professorships are usually for three to four years with the possibility of being extended for a total of six years. It is often a temporary position, however, certain universities offer a tenure track option. Germany has recently signed an agreement to create 1,000 tenure-track junior professorships by 2032.

Professur (W2)*

To become a professor, an academic needs to have completed the Habilitation , have a positive evaluation as a junior professor, or have led their own junior research group. W2 professors are considered independent researchers and generally have permanent positions. Internal promotion to these positions is not encouraged in Germany. With the exceptions of junior professors, academics can not be appointed a professor at the university they did their Habilitation . W2 professors don't retain their civil servant status past the age of 49. 

Professur (W3)*

The requirements to become a full professor are very demanding. It requires many years of academic experience and an outstanding reputation. As a consequence, there is often a minimum age requirement to become a professor. Professors in Germany are public servants and as such have permanent positions at their universities.

Start your academic career today by searching all  available positions in Germany .

*the W denomination in brackets refers to the position’s place in the salary table for civil servants. As all German professors are civil servants, it has become a common way to refer to the different professorships.

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Doctoral/PhD Studies

Welcome to the homepage of the Ph.D. Office of the Faculty of Biosciences . The faculty, several affiliated institutes, and their research facilities have developed a multifaceted Ph.D. Program, which allows for modern and highly sophisticated training and education of our Ph.D. students. The Program is meant to improve your proficiencies and knowledge in your particular field of study and broaden your scientific horizon beyond the research project you are working on. Participation in a  Ph.D. Program  is required for all Ph.D. students of the Faculty of Biosciences .

The Faculty grants the title Dr. rer. nat. (Doctor of Natural Sciences, equivalent to Ph.D.) or Dr.-Ing. (Doctor of Engineering, equivalent to Ph.D.) to our doctoral candidates.

We invite you to follow the links in the menu on the right to get more information and start today.

Prof. Dr. M. Lanzer Vice Dean Faculty of Biosciences

• Doctoral Studies
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Conferral of Doctorates at Faculty IV

The doctorate is the acquisition of the doctoral degree at an institution of higher education within the framework of an examination procedure that is regulated at the TU Berlin by doctoral regulations common to all faculties. This scientific work makes an important contribution to the development of the latest scientific findings and to their transfer and application in practice.

There are various ways to earn a doctorate at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: as a research assistant, within structured doctoral programs, or as an external doctorate. The requirements and the examination performance in the form of the dissertation with the scientific defense are the same for all doctoral candidates.

TU Berlin Doctoral Regulations

Doctoral Degrees at our Faculty

• Doktor*in der Ingenieurwissenschaften (Dr.-Ing.) - for doctorates with a focus on engineering
• Doktor*in der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) - for doctorates with a focus on mathematics and the natural sciences

► Which doctoral degree is suitable for me?

The right doctoral degree for your doctorate, "Dr.-Ing." or "Dr. rer. nat.", depends on the subject focus of your doctoral thesis, but not on the subject focus of your university degree.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from a university or a university of applied sciences or a degree of a similar level (Diplom, Magister, Staatsexamen) in the subject area of the respective doctoral degree.
• Diploma graduates from a German Fachhochschule are admitted to gaining a doctoral degree, if their final grade is above average (at least "good") and they have passed the assessment examinations (Feststellungsprüfungen).

► In terms of content

• successful completion of a research paper (doctoral thesis)
• passed oral exam (scientific defense)

Doctoral Examination Procedure: Information & Important Forms

Application as a doctoral candidate.

As at most universities, at the Technische Universität Berlin you first need a written confirmation of supervision from your doctoral supervisor . As soon as you have received such a confirmation from a professor of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, you can apply as a doctoral candidate.

In order to get clarity and certainty about the doctoral requirements of the faculty at an early stage, you should apply as a doctoral candidate in good time . The faculty then decides whether to accept or reject your declaration of intent and at the same time specifies any requirements for additional study and examination achievement. For example, additional study and examination requirements may be imposed on candidate with degrees from other disciplines or from foreign countries.

In addition, the supervisor and the doctoral candidate document their mutual expectations and obligations by concluding a doctoral agreement . This includes, in particular, the mutual commitment to the guidelines for ensuring good scientific practice at the TU Berlin, which are based on the recommendations of the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG), as well as the recognition of the characteristics that are considered fundamental within the TU Berlin for a good supervisory and working relationship in the context of a doctorate.

You can submit your application at any time at our Faculty Service Center. Please use the following two forms:

• Application as a Doctoral Candidate (Dr.-Ing. / Dr. rer. nat.)
• Supervision Agreement

Admission to the Doctoral Examination Procedure

Once you have completed your doctoral thesis, you can apply to commence the doctoral examination procedure . In this application you propose, among other things, the preferred evaluators. You can also propose a name for the chair of the doctoral examination board.

Please consider the requirements of the TU Berlin Doctoral Regulations as well as the Guidelines for Writing Dissertations at Faculty IV   and our binding deadlines , both listed further down on this web page under "Important Information at a Glance".

Important forms:

• Application to Commence the Doctoral Procedure - new TU Berlin Doctoral Regulations

Information sheets and forms for dual doctorates / cotutelle de thèse are available at the Faculty Service Center.

Scientific Defense

As soon as the doctoral examination procedure has been commence by the Faculty Board and all the evaluations have been submitted to the Faculty Service Center, the scientific defense follows.

The scientific defense is open to the university public and it takes place in the presence of the doctoral candidate and all members of the doctoral examination board.

It is divided into two parts:

• Presentation by the doctoral candidate about the dissertation (30 minutes)
• Discussion with the evaluators on the subject discipline of the dissertation (60 to 90 minutes).

According to § 8 (1) of the new TU Berlin Doctoral Regulations, doctoral candidates of Faculty IV are allowed to inspect the evaluators' reports prior to the scientific defense. For this purpose a request for inspection can be submitted.

Legal regulations & guidelines:

• Guidance for the Organization of Scientific Defenses using Videoconferencing – NEW TU Berlin Doctoral Regulations
• Guidance for the Organization of Scientific Defenses using Videoconferencing – OLD TU Berlin Doctoral Regulations

Publication

After the scientific defense, you are obliged to make the dissertation version approved by the doctoral examination board (including any modifications requested by the doctoral examination board) available to the scientific public within twelve months (extension only in exceptional cases upon request).

Find out about the three possible forms of publication on the website of the University Library Dissertation Service :

    1 printed copy + online publication on DepositOnce or

    15 printed copies in classic dissertation printing or

    3 publisher's copies

Choose one of these and follow the steps in the relevant checklist. If you have any questions, please contact the dissertation office directly: dissertationen(at)ub.tu-berlin.de .

If it is a cumulative dissertation, further information , including copyright, must be observed.

You will receive a certificate of receipt from the University Library Dissertation Service after publication has been completed. This is usually also sent directly to the faculty service center and is a prerequisite for receiving the doctoral certificate.

Important Information at a Glance

Legal regulations & guidelines:.

• Guidelines for writing doctoral theses at Faculty IV
• Regulations for cumulative theses

Binding Deadlines

Submission of doctoral theses & applications for admission to the doctoral examination procedure (always by 12:00 noon):

• until Wednesday, September 11, 2024
• until Wednesday, October 2, 2024
• until Wednesday, October 30, 2024
• until Wednesday, November 27, 2024
• until Wednesday, January 8, 2025
• until Wednesday, February 5, 2025
• until Wednesday, March 5, 2025
• until Wednesday, March 26, 2025
• more dates to follow
• Center for Junior Scholars (CJS)
• virtuelles Kolleg ProMotion (German)
• Scientific Continuing Education and Cooperation (ZEWK)
• Introduction session for new doctoral students February 2023

Good Scientific Practice

• Statute on the Safeguarding of Good Academic Practice at TU Berlin
• Investigation Commission for Scientific Misconduct

After your Doctorate

Dissertation awards.

• Deutscher Studienpreis - Körber Stiftung ( partially in English, since currently in translation )
• Tiburtius-Preis - Preis der Berliner Hochschulen

Completed Doctorates

Doctorates completed at Faculty IV can be found here:

• Dissertation Database TU Berlin
• Doctorates from 2021

Consultation & Contact

Office for doctoral affairs.

The Office for Doctoral Affairs is part of the Faculty Service Center

• your basic contact for questions concerning your doctorate and 
• responsible for all organizational questions and tasks in the context of your entire doctoral process

Please always contact Jana Peich directly if you have any questions.

[email protected]

+49 30 314-22229

Ombudspersons for Doctorates

►► PLEASE NOTE first: Our ombudspersons are NOT available for organizational tasks related to your doctorate, here  please always contact Jana Peich, Office for Doctoral Affairs , contact information see above.

Our ombudspersons are there to

• help you with non-subject-related problems, conflicts of interest and problematic co-authorships , for example
• promote the cooperation between Faculty IV and the  Center for Junior Scholars at TU Berlin (CJS) , central institution for the advancement of junior scholars at TU Berlin
• participate in introductory events of the CJS and spread the word about education offers, scholarships and further news.

Marianne Maertens

[email protected]

+49 30 314-24478

Prof. Dr. habil.

Ombudsperson for Doctorates

[email protected]

+49 30 314-25154

Michel Steuwer

[email protected]

+49 30 314-25102

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Translation of Dr. rer. nat. outside of Germany

Psychology at universities in Germany is either in the natural sciences or in philosophy, depending on the university. This affects the kind of academic title you get. People doing their doctoral thesis either get the doctor in natural sciences (Dr. rer. nat.) or the doctor in philosophy (Dr. phil.).

If I am not mistaken, most doctors in psychology (internationally) are Ph.D.s. So my question is, how would you refer to your title internationally? As a doctor of natural sciences? As a Ph.D. (even if you have a Dr. rer. nat.)? Are there legal requirements? I am thinking about a website that is generally understood internationally and -- perhaps -- about business cards.

(And yup, personally, I think -- and act if -- psychology is closer to natural sciences than philosophy.)

(I'm sorry if I can't specify the question more closely. There's a similar question ( Choosing a title to hold upon completion of a doctoral degree: “Dr.” vs. “Ph.D.” [duplicate] ) but I don't think it really covers this issue.)

• translations
• social-science

• 1 The UK version of this question here: academia.stackexchange.com/q/30785/10643 –  Cape Code Commented Jan 17, 2015 at 12:54
• I'm voting to reopen this question because an answer that is valid for the UK (the scope of the alleged duplicate) is not necessarily valid in other countries than the UK. If the question was reopened, I would post an answer around the idea that different countries have different rules (with Germany being a prominent example where it can be unlawful to use a straightforward-seeming translation of a title). –  lighthouse keeper Commented Mar 16, 2023 at 13:44

3 Answers 3

In the US, most doctorates in science and engineering are also a PhD even though our degrees aren't in philosophy. While other degrees exist, they are less common. I would suggest translating your degree as a PhD since most international audiences will understand that you mean an academic doctorate.

That being said, I was able to get what Dr. rer. nat. meant, too, so you might decide to put that and not worry about it. Most people have the ability to search the internet when they are confused.

I would say that for business cards and websites you don't need to translate your degree title. Many people will already know what it means (German titles are unusual, but reasonably well known), and most will be able to basically figure it out, since it's got "Dr." as part of it. If you are feeling particularly concerned about misunderstanding, you can put a footnote to the effect of "German doctorate similar to a Ph.D," but it's probably better to let the other person look up a translation.

I translate my own Dr.rer.nat. as PhD when I feel like a translation is required, and state it as Dr.rer.nat. otherwise. Since it says Dr. right there in the title, it is seldom if ever misunderstood.

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Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Faculty of mathematics and natural sciences, department of mathematics, mathematisches seminar.

• Study paths and teaching
• Information for international students

The Ph.D.-Degree (Dr. rer. nat.)

The programme.

The German programme markedly differs from the perhaps more familiar programmes at American or British universities. Here are its main features:

• The German Ph.D.-degree requires only work on the thesis. No course work needs to be done.
• Most of the thesis work is done in guided self-study, with weekly seminars being the main formal venue of academic exchange. Accordingly, the completion of a Ph.D.-degree within 3 years necessitates a significant level of mathematical maturity from the beginning on.
• Once the thesis has been accepted, the candidate has to defend his/her work in a public oral examination that also touches upon questions concerning mathematical disciplines that are not directly related to the thesis topic.

Students who are interested obtaining their Ph.D.-degree at Kiel should contact their potential advisor prior to formally applying for admittance.

Each professor has a number of Ph.D.-positions at his disposal. The stipend of these positions, which carry a teaching load of 2 hours per week along with office hours, is about €1,100 per month. Accordingly, these positions usually require a good command of German. Most of the international Ph.D.-students in Kiel are funded by scholarships from their home countries, or by German foundations (such as the German academic exchange service (DAAD) ).

Table of Contents

• General information
• Application as a PhD student at NAT
• Membership and roles as a doctoral candidate
• Changes of your doctorate at NAT
• Qualification program
• Internationalisation funds of the TUM Graduate School
• Active participation in the academic environment of TUM
• Reporting teaching at NAT
• Submission of the thesis
• Acceptance of the dissertation and doctoral examination
• Publication of the thesis and final steps
• Contact for doctoral matters at the TUM School of Natural Sciences

General information ¶

The first step to starting your doctorate is to find a supervisor among the teaching staff at the TUM School of Natural Sciences. You will discuss and agree on a research topic with your supervisor. As part of your supervisor’s research group, you will receive guidance and support for your doctoral project. Since individual scientific research is a crucial part of any PhD project, embedding into your supervisor’s research group and with colleagues with similar interests is essential. Hence, you apply for Ph.D. positions in the research group that best fits your scientific interests – you do not apply at a large, anonymous organization but form a personal bond with your supervisor.

The TUM School of Natural Sciences and the Graduate Center of Natural Sciences provide the organizational framework for the doctorate with a flexible and individual qualification program . Alternatively, there are some other (thematic) graduate centers supporting your professional qualifications.

After finding your supervisor and research topic, the application procedure runs through the central online platform Doc-GS. Please remember that the TUM School of Natural Sciences issues the degree Dr. rer. nat. for most Ph.D. students. The Dr.-Ing. might be more suitable for the chemical engineering field. Please discuss this topic with your supervisor. You will find more information on the application process and the required documents at the TUM Graduate School .

In addition, we have more information on your Application as a PhD student at NAT .

After completing the online registration in Doc-GS, please hand in the documents at the Dean’s Office .

More about our team, our organizational structure and the contact information is found in section Contact for doctoral matters at the TUM School of Natural Sciences .

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Doctorates in Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.), Philosophy (Ph.D.), Humanities (Dr. phil.) and Engineering (Dr.-Ing.)

Sarina Wichmann

  +49 (0)441 798-3467

[email protected]

V03 M-3-323

Doctorate Committee for Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.)

Prof. Dr. Steven van de Par

Meetings on Tuesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The applications must be submitted to the FKVI doctoral office no later than 12 days before the meeting, both in paper format and in digital form as a coherent PDF file. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. The execution of the resolution after the meeting lasts one week.

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Applications (both a hard copy and a digital version consisting of a single PDF file) must be submitted to the Doctoral Office of School VI at least ten days before the meeting.

The Joint Doctoral Degree Regulations of Schools II, V and VI dated 05/09/2014 with the amendments dated 29/08/2019 , the editorial amendments dated 21/08/2019 and the amendments dated 01/08/2022 apply to doctorates in Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.), Philosophy (Ph.D.), Humanities (Dr. Phil.) and Engineering (Dr.-Ing.). The unofficial reading version of the Joint Doctoral Degree Regulations of Schools II, V and VI is available here.

Supervision, the Supervision Committee and the Supervision Agreement

Section 11, paragraph 1 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations stipulates which individuals may act as supervisors. Generally speaking, the supervisor submits the first expert opinion on the thesis and is thus also a member of the Examination Committee, which conducts the thesis defence.

A Doctorate Committee may also be appointed, for which the doctoral candidate may nominate people to be members. The appointment of a Doctorate Committee is mandatory if the doctorate is completed as part of a doctoral programme or doctoral degree programme at the OLTECH Graduate School. This committee comprises the first supervisor and up to four other individuals.

The relationship between the doctoral candidate and their supervisor and, if applicable, the Doctorate Committee is laid down in a Supervision Agreement ( Betreungsvereinbarung / Supervision Agreement ) More information on supervision can be found in Section 6 paragraph 4 and Section 11 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations.

If you have any questions, problems or difficulties regarding the doctorate, you can always contact the Doctorate Committee or the School’s ombudsperson . It goes without saying that all enquiries will be treated confidentially.

Acceptance as a doctoral candidate, admission to the doctorate and enrolment

The admission requirements for doctorates are laid down in Section 8 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations.

Applications for admission to a doctorate and thus for acceptance as a doctoral candidate must be submitted to the Chair of the Doctorate Committee in writing. The relevant documents must be submitted to the Doctoral Office at least 12 days before the Doctorate Committee meeting. In accordance with Section 9 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations, the application must include the following documents:

• Gesuch auf Zulassung /Application form for admission as a doctoral candidate
• Your academic CV
• The doctoral topic (working title) with a short description of the project, agreed with the prospective supervisor
• Your nomination for a member of the Doctorate Committee, if appointed (Section 11, paragraph 2)
• Proof of the degree entitling you to pursue doctoral studies
• A declaration of any previous unsuccessful doctorate attempts, including details of the date of the initial application, the university and the school or department to which the thesis was submitted, and the subject of the thesis
• If applicable, an application for a joint doctoral procedure
• In the case of a joint degree, a copy of the Agreement on the Joint Supervision of a Doctorate (if necessary, this can also be submitted later on)
• A declaration that you are aware of the regulations on good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg and that you will adhere to those regulations
• A declaration that no commercial mediation or advisory services (doctoral consulting) were used in connection with the doctoral project
• A list of the papers that you have already published
• Supervision Agreement

If you have been admitted subject to conditions, please use the following form to prove that you have fulfilled those conditions:

• Bescheinigung Module /Requirement doctoral committee

Once you have been admitted, you should register as a doctoral candidate as soon as possible. More information can be found on the Admissions Office homepage.

Graduate school: Supporting events and workshops

For the latest information on the Graduate School of Science, Medicine and Technology, the doctoral degree programmes and the structured doctoral programmes offered by School IV, please visit our website:   www.oltech.org.

Writing the doctoral thesis

The doctoral thesis can be written in either German or English. The University of Oldenburg’s Guidelines for good academic practice apply when writing the doctoral thesis.

The doctoral thesis can be written as a monograph or as a series of publications. Further details are specified in Section 10 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations.

Guidelines on the structure and content of the doctoral thesis are available here:

- Guidelines for the written Dissertation

When submitting the thesis, it must have a corresponding title page (Mustertitelblatt Dissertation bei Einleitung /Template for thesis title page for initiating the doctoral procedure) as well as a declaration of originality (see Guidelines for good academic practice above).

Submitting the doctoral thesis and applying to initiate the doctoral procedure

In general, you can submit your doctoral thesis and your application to initiate the doctoral procedure at the earliest one year after admission and at the latest five years after admission. Upon request, the Doctorate Committee may shorten or extend these deadlines by an appropriate period of time. If the application to initiate the doctoral procedure is not submitted on time, the admission is deemed to have been withdrawn (for further details, please see Section 12, paragraph 1 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations).

Applications to initiate the doctoral procedure must be submitted to the Chair of the Doctorate Committee in writing. The relevant documents must be submitted to the Doctoral Office at least 12 days before the Doctorate Committee meeting.

In accordance with Section 12 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations, the application must include the following documents:

• Antrag auf Einleitung eines Promotionsverfahrens / Initiating the doctoral procedure
• At least one copy (print-ready) of the doctoral thesis for each member of the Examination Committee and one copy for the records of the relevant Doctorate Committee
• that you wrote the thesis independently and that the tools you used are specified in full
• regarding whether the thesis has already been published in part or in full. In this case, a list of publications must be included.
• that the thesis has not been submitted, either in whole or in part, either now or in the past, to another university for assessment as part of a doctoral procedure
• stating the doctoral title being sought
• regarding whether the desired title should be listed on the doctoral certificate in the female form (Doktorin) or in the masculine form (Doktor), if applicable
• that you have adhered to the regulations on good academic practice at the University of Oldenburg
• on the proof of enrolment as a doctoral candidate in accordance with Section 9, paragraph 5
• that no commercial mediation or advisory services (doctoral consulting) were used in connection with the doctoral project
• Your nominations for other assessors

Initiating the doctoral procedure, assessing the doctoral thesis and the display period

The Doctorate Committee initiates the doctoral procedure by appointing individuals to assess the thesis. The supervisor is usually the first assessor. The Doctorate Committee also appoints between one and three additional assessors who are specialists in different subject areas and together cover the scope of the thesis. As part of the application to initiate the doctoral procedure, you may nominate people to be assessors. If the doctoral thesis is based on a series of publications, at least one of the assessment reports must be submitted by someone who, in accordance with the rules of the German Research Foundation, is impartial towards the doctoral candidate. More information on assessors is provided in Section 7 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations. In the case of a joint degree, the appointment of the assessors is subject to additional regulations.

Thesis defence

The thesis defence takes place following the display period, once the thesis has been accepted. The Doctorate Committee appoints an Examination Committee to conduct the defence. More information on the composition of the Examination Committee can be found in Section 6 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations. In the case of a joint degree, the composition of the Examination Committee is subject to additional regulations.

The Doctoral Office will inform you in good time regarding the composition of the Examination Committee. You are responsible for organising your thesis defence (i.e., scheduling a date and time in consultation with the examiners and reserving a room). Once the date/time and location have been decided, the Doctoral Office must be informed. If you start planning your defence while your thesis is still being assessed, make sure that you do not schedule your defence to take place too soon after the expected end of the display period. This is because, in some cases, the expert opinions are not submitted on time, which can lead to delays; the defence may then have to be rescheduled.

Publication of the doctoral thesis and issuing of the certificate

Within one year of passing the defence you must make your doctoral thesis available to the academic community in an appropriate manner. Theses are published via the University of Oldenburg’s library and information system . For more information on publication, see Section 16 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations. A title page in accordance with the following template must be used for the printed version:

• Mustertitelblatt Dissertation bei Veröffentlichung/Title page template for publication

The doctorate concludes with the issuing of the doctoral certificate, which entitles you to use the title of Doctor.

Frequently asked questions

A list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the doctoral procedures for the titles Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Humanities (Dr. phil.) and Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) can be found here . If you have any questions regarding registration or the procedure, etc., please contact the Doctoral Office at School VI.

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Doctorate at the Faculty of Biology and Psychology

Georg-august-university school of science (gauss).

At the Georg August Graduate School of Science (GAUSS) natural scientists have the possibility to obtain the grade Dr.rer.nat. (or PhD). Graduated (M.Sc) students find at the Faculty of Biology and Psychology different programmes to work on a scientific PhD project: the Basic Programme, Behaviour and Cognition, Biologival diversity and ecology and several sub-programmes within the Göttinger Graduate Center for neuroscience, biophysics and molecular bioschiences (GGNB) . Note that at GGNB not all programmes are belonging to our faculty. We also have a binational PhD programme where you obtain the PhD both from our University of Göttingen and the University of Rosario.

During your PhD you work mainly full-time on your thesis for 3-4 years, have to fullfil some credit requirements (see Rer-Nat-regulations) and funding is not always included when applying. All these different programmes vary regarding application deadline, application procedure, languague needs and may have different admission and programme requirements. Each programme has its own scientific coordinator/contact. GAUSS does give administrative support to all programmes.

Your intended project and supervisor is the decisive factor for which programme you will decide. Have a look at the each webpage to figure out to which programme you best fit.

• Rer-Nat-O regulations ( German version / English translation )
• GAUSS - Graduate School of Science

Basic Doctoral Programme of the Faculty

Göttinger Graduate Center for Neurosciences, Biophysics, and Molecular Biosciences (GGNB)

Behavior and Cognition

Biological Diversity and Ecology

Faculty of Biology and Psychology Wilhelm-Weber-Str. 2 37073 Göttingen Dean: Prof. Dr. Rolf Daniel Dean of Studies: Prof. Dr. Ernst Wimmer

Doctoral study program in Natural Sciences

Living Science

Doctoral candidates accepted at the Faculty of Natural Sciences can deepen their knowledge in the subject and in methodology while writing their dissertation as part of the doctoral study program. While participating in the doctoral study program, doctoral candidates receive structured support in preparing their dissertation.  Doctoral candidates can enroll in one of two research training groups:

• Natural sciences
• Biodiversity through the Ages (in cooperation with the Stuttgart Museum of Natural Science)

Upon completion of the  doctorate, the university awards a certificate for successful participation in the doctoral study programs.

• in-depth specialist knowledge, skills, and methods of modern natural sciences research and scientific work
• training focused on research and high-quality research contributions
• active participation in national and international conferences
• Reasons to choose Hohenheim

How to apply

More information about the individual modules can be found in the module catalog .

Two research training groups are offered: “Natural Sciences” and "Biodiversity in Changing Times”. The latter research training group is offered in cooperation with the Stuttgart Museum of Natural Science. During the standard period of study of three years, at least four modules totaling 30 credits are completed. The study content of each module comes from one of the following categories:

• Scientific working methods
• Specialized in-depth module
• Elective module (at Master's level) that has a content-related connection to the doctoral topic or attending a summer school
• Attendance at a national/international conference where results from the doctoral program are presented, involvement in teaching

The dissertation and oral examination are equivalent to 150 credits.

(Bettina Staacke, doctoral candidate in Chemistry)

"A doctorate at Hohenheim means: excellent support, up-to-date laboratories, and a family atmosphere."

Thomas Smylla (Post-Doc, Dept. Biosensorics)

"By providing interdisciplinary knowledge, the doctoral degree program complements the focus on the doctorate project through extensive comprehension and improved placement of the thesis topic within the scientific field."

Aylin Güney (former doctoral student, Institute of Botany)

"Particularly for my application as a post-doc abroad, the additional qualifications acquired during the studies for the doctoral degree program and documented in the therefore issued record are of great advantage."

The goal of the doctoral study program is to assist doctoral candidates in the Faculty of Natural Sciences in preparing their dissertation in a structured manner as they work toward a “Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.).” It also aims to convey in-depth knowledge, skills, and methods in the subject area at the cutting edge of natural science research and scientific working methods.

Reasons to Choose Hohenheim

• The University of Hohenheim is a university with a long tradition .
• You can expect individually tailored supervision and a wide variety of specialized lectures and research opportunities.
• Research and teaching offer attractive opportunities for both students and doctoral candidates.
• The campus infrastructure offers short distances between lecture halls, canteen, libraries and sport facilities.

Additional information

All about the doctoral study program

• Faculty of Natural Sciences
• Completing a doctorate at the Faculty of Natural Sciences
• Doctoral study program

Accommodation

If you choose to study in Hohenheim, you will have to look for a room or an apartment in the region. We can help you with this. more

Costs and Financing

Semester fees, rent, costs of living - How much will studying cost you and how can you finance it? We have collected the most important information. more

Application

Stella Aberut 0711 459 23990 E-Mail

• Study and examination regulations (PDF, 328 kB)
• Reading version of the doctoral regulations (currently in progress)
• Doctoral regulations (PDF, 378 kB)
• Flyer (PDF, 2,6 MB)

Doctoral Degree

At the Faculty of Sciences PhD students are awarded with the degree “Doktor der Naturwissenschaften” (Dr. rer. nat.).

Structured graduate programs at the Faculty of Sciences:

Fau graduate schools fau graduate schools.

• Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies (SAOT)
• Graduate School Advanced Materials and Processes (GS AMP)
• Graduate School Molecular Science (GSMS)
• International Max Planck Research School for Optics and Imaging (IMPRS PL)

Research Training Groups (GRK) and Collaborative Research Centres (SFB) of the German Research Foundation (DFG) Research Training Groups (GRK) and Collaborative Research Centres (SFB) of the German Research Foundation (DFG)

• GRK 1161: Disperse Systems for Electronic Applications
• GRK 1660: Key Signals of Adaptive Immune Response
• GRK 1896: In-Situ Microscopy with Electrons, X-rays and Scanning Probes
• GRK 1910: Medicinal Chemistry of Selective GPCR Ligands
• GRK 1962: Dynamic Interactions at Biological Membranes – From Single Molecules to Tissue
• GRK 2162: Neurodevelopment and CNS vulnerability
• GRK 2339: Interfaces, Complex Structures, and Singular Limits
• GRK of SFB 643: Strategies of cellular immune intervention
• GRK of SFB 796: Erlangen School of Molecular Communication
• GRK of SFB 1181: Checkpoints for Resolution of Inflammation
• GRK of SFB / Transregio 130: B cells: Immunity and Autoimmunity
• GRK of SFB / Transregio 154: Mathematical Modelling, Simulation and Optimisation Using the Example of Gas Networks

International Graduate Schools of the Elite Network of Bavaria International Graduate Schools of the Elite Network of Bavaria

• i-Target: Immunotargeting of cancer
• Measuring and Modelling Mountain Glaciers and Ice Caps in a Changing Climate (M³OCCA)
• Receptor Dynamics: Emerging Paradigms for Novel Drugs
• Physics Advanced

Further graduate programs and cooperations Further graduate programs and cooperations

• Emil Fischer Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Molecular Medicine (EFS)
• Junior research group at the Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF)
• Anthropologie der Religion(en)

Doctoral degree regulations

In January 2013, FAU passed general degree regulations which are valid for doctoral degrees at the Faculty of Sciences, too.

• General degree regulations (2/2019) ( in German )
• Faculty degree regulations (6/2017) ( in German )
• Guidelines on doctoral degrees at the Faculty of Sciences ( in German )

Further downloads

Form for the grading system

Links and Functions

• www.en.lmu.de
• Medical Faculty

Breadcrumb Navigation

• Doctoral Degrees
• Dr. rer. nat.

Main Navigation

• Dr. med. dent.
• Dr. rer. biol. hum.
• Ph.D. Medical Research
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Information, FAQs and Downloads
• Plagiarism Check
• Publications
• Doctoral projects
• International Students
• Funding possibilities & awards

Doctoral Degree in the Life Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.)

The Dr. rer. nat. ist for doctoral candidates with a qualifying degree in the life sciences . You must have achieved a grade, which allows you to carry out a doctoral research project at one of the life science faculties of the LMU.

Supervision of the doctoral research project can only be carried out by a supervisor, who has a doctoral degree in the life sciences and is permitted to supervise doctoral student (usually a private lecturer or professor).

In order to be allowed to supervise candidates for the Dr. rer. nat. degree, supervisors themselves must meet certain requirements.

Acceptance as a Doctoral Candidate

Before beginning work on your doctoral research project with the goal of obtaining a Dr. rer. nat., you must first apply for acceptance as a doctoral candidate.

Certificate of eligibility and Pre-Doctoral Examination

Candidates wanting to obtain a Dr. rer. nat. may have to successfully complete a Pre-Doctoral Examination. More information on this procedure can be found here.

Submission of the Thesis

Once you have completed all requirements for the Dr. rer. nat., you can submit your thesis.

Thesis evaluation and Oral Defence

Informationen on the evaluation procedure of your thesis, as well as on the oral defence can be found here.

Completion of the Procedure and Certificates

Final steps for completing the doctoral examination procedure and information on the Doctor's Certificate can be found here.

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About the Editors

Chief editor | linda koch, dr. rer. nat., springer nature, uk,   orcid.

Linda obtained her Dr. rer. nat. in Genetics from the University of Cologne, Germany, in the lab of Jens Brüning, where she used conditional gene targeting in mice to research the mechanisms of central and peripheral insulin resistance. She continued her research at the Institute for Genetics as a postdoctoral fellow to investigate a knockout mouse model of the obesity gene Fto . She joined Nature Reviews Endocrinology in August 2009, first as Associate Editor, then as Senior Editor and as Acting Chief Editor. Linda became Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics in 2014. Linda is based in London, UK. Twitter:  @LinkoNRG

Senior Editor  |  Dorothy Clyde, PhD, Springer Nature, UK   ORCID

Dorothy obtained her PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she investigated sex-specific gene expression in Drosophila under the guidance of Prof. Mary Bownes. Dot began her post-doctoral career with Prof. Stephen Small at New York University, where she studied pattern formation in the early Drosophila embryo. On her return to the UK, she continued her studies on Drosophila embryonic development, this time focusing on the molecular and cellular events involved in the process of dorsal closure. Dorothy joined Nature Protocols in January 2006 and moved to Nature Reviews Genetics in January 2017. Dot is based in London, UK.

Senior Editor  |  Kirsty Minton,  M.Sc., Springer Nature, UK,  ORCID

Kirsty studied at Cambridge University, gaining a triple first in Natural Sciences, where she specialized in cellular immunology and pathology. Since leaving Cambridge, Kirsty has focused on science communication, and she joined the Nature Reviews  journals in 2002. She has been a Senior Editor for Nature Reviews Immunology since 2005, joining Nature Reviews Genetics  on a part-time basis in July 2022. Kirsty is based in London, UK.

Associate Editor  |  Henry Ertl, PhD, Springer Nature, USA,   ORCID

Henry obtained his PhD from the University of Michigan, in the lab of Trisha Wittkopp, where he studied the role of the pioneer factor Grainy head in the evolution of gene expression in Drosophila . Following his PhD, Henry joined Nature Reviews Genetics in September 2023. Henry is based in NY, USA. Twitter:  @haertl17

The Reviews Cross-Journal Editorial Team works across the Nature Reviews portfolio, as the need arises, handling content in the life, clinical, physical and social sciences.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Katrin D. Mayer-Barber, Dr. rer. nat. (Ph.D.)

Inflammation and innate immunity unit.

Established in 2015

Katrin D. Mayer-Barber, Dr. rer. nat. (Ph.D.) (She/Her/Hers)

Chief, Inflammation and Innate Immunity Unit

Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.

Major Areas of Research

• Cellular mechanisms of Inflammation in vivo
• Inflammatory cytokine and lipid mediator networks in host resistance
• Role of innate effector cells in host resistance to tuberculosis (TB)
• Role of inflammation in host-directed therapies and vaccine-adjuvant design

Program Description

The Inflammation and Innate Immunity Unit (IIIU) investigates the function and regulation of inflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators during pulmonary infections, the immunological mechanisms of host protective versus host detrimental inflammation, and the translation of basic observations into host-directed immunotherapies.

In vivo cellular immunological techniques such as highly dimensional multi-parameter flow cytometry are employed in mouse models of pulmonary infection, chief among them Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Findings and hypotheses derived from the mouse model are tested in patient material to advance our understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms and to aid in the design of novel treatment strategies. In turn, observations in patient material will be studied in appropriate animal models.

Research in the IIIU is based on the hypothesis that during infection distinct arms of innate inflammatory responses establish counter regulatory cytokine and lipid mediator networks that ultimately determine the outcome of infection. Understanding different classes of inflammation and the corresponding innate effector cells, lipids, and cytokines that orchestrate protective versus detrimental inflammatory responses will provide critical insight for the development of new treatment strategies for a variety of inflammatory diseases, including non-infectious chronic inflammatory conditions.

Ph.D., 2006, University of Würzburg, Germany

Dr. Mayer-Barber received her diploma in biology from the University of Würzburg, Germany, in 2002. In 2003 she came to the United States for her Ph.D. thesis work in the laboratory of Dr. Markus Mohrs at the Trudeau Institute in Saranac Lake, New York. There she specialized on multi-parameter flow-cytometry analysis of pulmonary CD4 effector T cells after viral and parasitic infections and studied immune cell-derived interferon responses in vivo . She obtained her doctoral degree in 2006 from the University of Würzburg, Germany and joined NIAID in 2007 as a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases. There she studied pulmonary innate effector cells, such as inflammatory monocytes and dendritic cells, and delineated the role of inflammatory mediators including IL-1, type I Interferons and prostaglandins in host resistance to tuberculosis. Dr. Mayer-Barber was awarded the Earl Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator position in the NIAID Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases in 2015. Her work is focused on innate immune effector cells, inflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators as targets for improved adjuvant design, and host-directed therapies for TB and other lung infections and in murine and nonhuman primate models of disease.

Selected Publications

Bohrer AC, Castro E, Hu Z, Queiroz ATL, Tocheny CE, Assmann M, Sakai S, Nelson C, Baker PJ, Ma H, Wang L, Zilu W, du Bruyn E, Riou C, Kauffman KD; Tuberculosis Imaging Program, Moore IN, Del Nonno F, Petrone L, Goletti D, Martineau AR, Lowe DM, Cronan MR, Wilkinson RJ, Barry CE, Via LE, Barber DL, Klion AD, Andrade BB, Song Y, Wong KW, Mayer-Barber KD. Eosinophils are part of the granulocyte response in tuberculosis and promote host resistance in mice . J Exp Med. 2021 Oct;218(10):e20210469. 

Mayer-Barber KD, Yan B. Clash of the Cytokine Titans: counter-regulation of interleukin-1 and type I interferon-mediated inflammatory responses. Cell Mol Immunol . 2016 Jun 6. Epub ahead of print.

Mayer-Barber KD,  Sher A. Cytokine and lipid mediator networks in tuberculosis. Immunol Rev . 2015 Mar;264(1):264-75.

Mayer-Barber KD, Andrade BB, Oland SD, Amaral EP, Barber DL, Gonzales J, Derrick SC, Shi R, Kumar NP, Wei W, Yuan X, Zhang G, Cai Y, Babu S, Catalfamo M, Salazar AM, Via LE, Barry CE 3rd, Sher A. Host-directed therapy of tuberculosis based on interleukin-1 and type I interferon crosstalk. Nature . 2014 Jul 3;511(7507):99-103. *corresponding author

Redford PS, Mayer-Barber KD, McNab FW, Stavropoulos E, Wack A, Sher A, O’Garra A. Influenza A virus impairs control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfection through a type I interferon receptor-dependent pathway. J Infect Dis . 2014 Jan 15;209(2):270-4. *shared first-authorship

Mayer-Barber KD *, Andrade BB, Barber DL, Hieny S, Feng CG, Caspar P, White S, Gordon S, Sher A. Innate and adaptive interferons suppress IL-1α and IL-1β production by distinct pulmonary myeloid subsets during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.   Immunity . 2011 Dec 23;35(6):1023-34. *corresponding author

Visit PubMed for a complete publication listing.

Employment Information

We are always on the look-out for motivated post-docs to join our team working on mucosal immunology of clinically relevant BSL-3 pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2 and Coccidioides in addition to M. tuberculosis. To learn more, email  Katrin Mayer-Barber .

Due to the nature of our research, we do not host high-school students, summer-students or interns.

Research Group

We are a group of dedicated scientists from diverse backgrounds who work in a highly collaborative and team-oriented supportive environment. Together we tackle difficult questions related to innate and mucosal immunity in the lung to pulmonary BLS3 and BSL2 pathogens that affect millions of people world-wide.

• contact LIMES
• Education & Training

Public Relations

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• LIMES - Institut
• PhD (Dr. rer. nat.)

PhD (Dr. rer. nat)

The working groups of the LIMES Institute are members of several collaborative research centers and the ImmunoSensation Cluster of Excellence and are therefore strongly supported by third parties. Therefore, Ph.D. positions are continuously offered at the LIMES Institute. These positions are usually filled by the students trained at LIMES.

In addition, the Master's degree programs are closely linked to the DZNE (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases) and the Caesar (Center of Advanced European Studies and Research). These institutes also offer places for lab rotations and master theses and many graduated master students conduct their doctoral thesis there.

Ph.D. candidates have the opportunity to gain their biomedical research training in a multidisciplinary, highly collaborative, resource-rich environment. Students are awarded their doctoral degree from the Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences at the University of Bonn. Candidates graduate with a "Dr. rer. nat." (Doctorate in Natural Sciences) degree - the German equivalent of a Ph.D.

The current Ph.D. track is typically 3-4 years. Candidates must hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent), and ideally bring their own funding. Students drive an independent research project guided by their PhD supervisor and examination is based on a thesis and final dissertation. Applications and selections are managed at the institute level and applications should be made directly to the lab heads of the relevant research unit. There are no application calls or deadlines.