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MIN Doctoral Gateway

Photo: UHH/shell

MIN doctoral gateway

Types of doctoral studies

There are two possible types to conduct your doctoral studies at Universität Hamburg:

  • Structured doctoral programs
  • Individual doctoral studies

While both types of doctoral studies usually lead to the doctoral degree Dr. rer. nat. ("Doctor of Natural Sciences") in the MIN Faculty, the conditions of these study formats differ.

Structured doctoral programs

Structured doctoral programs offer a set training program and involvement in an interdisciplinary research field, similar to the Anglo-Saxon PhD system. The content of your doctorate is determined by the program focus, and fosters the scientific exchange between doctoral researchers.

The doctorate is usually supervised by a supervisor (generally, a university teacher of the MIN Faculty or a MIN Faculty member who have completed a Habilitation) and by a co-supervisor or by a three-member supervisory commission panel comprised of a chair (generally, a university teacher of the MIN Faculty or of another faculty of Universität Hamburg or a MIN Faculty member or a member of another faculty of Universität Hamburg who have completed a Habilitation), a supervisor (generally, a university teacher of the MIN Faculty or a MIN Faculty member who have completed a Habilitation), and a co-supervisor.

Under very good supervision conditions, doctoral researchers gain relevant key qualifications and have an opportunity to complete the doctorate at a high academic level within three to four years.

You can find the structured doctoral programs in which doctoral researchers of the MIN Faculty conduct their doctorate here.

Individual doctoral studies

If you opt for an individual doctorate, you will complete your doctoral dissertation outside a doctoral program structure. Individual doctorates are usually supervised by a supervisor (generally, a university teacher of the MIN Faculty or a MIN Faculty member who have completed a Habilitation) and by a co-supervisor in many cases, who are your main point of contact during the doctorate. While this form of doctorate offers a great deal of flexibility, it also requires a high degree of self-initiative and responsibility. Time-limited scholarships or employment moreover require self-contained planning of the doctoral project. In natural sciences, a doctoral period of three to four years is the norm.

Doctoral researchers at the MIN Faculty conduct research at

Even if you are not a member of a structured doctoral programme, you are still a member of the University of Hamburg due to your compulsory enrolment. Therefore, numerous offers for qualification and further education are available to you, which you can attend on your own responsibility. You find further information under "Skill Development".

Use the Geventis event directory to search for courses and events for doctoral researchers.