The next step in an academic career

A ’Promotion’ denotes the academic process for attaining a doctoral degree. A doctorate is the highest academic degree that can be awarded by universities.

A ’Promotion’ at German higher education institutions usually lasts several years. A ’promotion’ helps with the qualification and career development of academics, scientists and researchers. Yet it is also immensely important for academia, since becoming a doctoral candidate contributes to the continuous development of knowledge and academic methods.

What exactly belongs to undertaking a German doctoral degree/’Promotion’?

Researchers need to show an academic degree for admission to a ’Promotion’ at a German higher education institution. Nowadays, this is usually a master's degree or state examination. Albeit a German ‘Diploma’ degree or a German ‘Magister’ degree may suffice for a ’Promotion’.

A ’Promotion’ can be subdivided into two essential parts. Firstly, it involves a doctoral thesis in which academic or scientific findings are documented in writing. And an oral examination is the second part of a ’Promotion’. This disputation acts as a defence of the doctoral thesis.

Academics and researchers are mentored by a doctoral supervisor during their ’Promotion’. This is normally an experienced professor who assists the doctoral candidates in the course of research, doctoral thesis and disputation to help them attain their doctoral degree.

What are the pathways to a German doctoral degree/’Promotion’?

There are various pathways in Germany to obtaining a doctorate by means of a ’Promotion’. Doctoral candidates in most cases decide to take an individual ’Promotion’ at a university, that is to say doing a ’Promotion’ through individual work. They deal with their research topic independently, but remain in close contact with their mentor during the entire ’Promotion’.

This can for instance involve doctoral candidates doing their ’Promotion’ at a faculty within a university and at the same time being employed as research associates. Albeit there is also the option to secure a ’Promotion’ via a fellowship or externally and thus obtain a doctorate.

Structured doctoral education is another option for being awarded a doctorate. This programme is generally implemented within research training groups. The ’Promotion’ is then – as the name suggests – incorporated within a structured programme that mostly includes additional courses and workshops in addition to doing the ’Promotion’, and it offers closer mentoring.

How can you finance a ’Promotion’?

There are various opportunities for doctoral candidates to finance their ’Promotion’. Doctoral candidates can for instance be employed as research associates at a university to formulate their doctorate. Such an in-house position or a position financed via third-party funds can however involve additional duties in addition to the ’Promotion’ itself. These duties vary depending on position and faculty and can arise from the domains of research, teaching or administration. Albeit the main aim is to complete your doctoral thesis and disputation whilst employed as a research associate.

A fellowship is another popular financing model for a ’Promotion’. There is a distinction here among state, subject- and topic-specific, and university fellowships. Those interested in doing a ’Promotion’ via this route need to apply for these ’Promotion’ fellowships.

Albeit there is also the possibility of a work-based or self-financed ’Promotion’. A work-based ’Promotion’ can in certain circumstances involve the employer contributing to financing whilst the employee is doing their ’Promotion’. Doctoral candidates can be enrolled at a university during their ’Promotion’.

They are then deemed to be ’Promotion’ students and can thus benefit from all the advantages of enrolled students. This can in particular represent a financial alleviation during the ’Promotion’.

What is the significance of a German doctoral degree/‘Promotion’?

A ‘Promotion’ is extremely significant in relation to researchers’ academic careers. Because being awarded a doctoral degree generally represents the initial qualification required for attaining a professorship. But even in a business context, postdocs frequently have better chances of a position in the research and development sector after being awarded their doctorate.

The time spent doing a ‘Promotion’ is also seen as an important development phase for the doctoral candidates themselves. Because during their ‘Promotion’ they can consolidate important academic and scientific work skills, such as critical thinking, project management and problem solving.

Yet it’s not merely the doctoral candidates who benefit from their doctoral thesis and disputation. These doctoral candidates are also very important to academia. Because the research that they conduct during a ‘Promotion’ makes a significant contribution to advancement of their field of expertise and to the generation of new academic and scientific insights. The research results obtained from a ‘Promotion’ can for example contribute to resolving social issues or to expediting innovation in sectors like medicine or technology.

What are the differences between a PhD and a Doctor title?

A German doctoral degree and a PhD in practice represent the same level of academic degree. There are nevertheless differences between a PhD and a German Doctor title that are primarily due to the designation of the doctorate or to regional traditions when doing your doctorate.

Whereas the Doctor of Philosophy, PhD title, is predominantly used in English-speaking countries, the Doctor title is used in many countries that are not English-speaking. These include Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As opposed to a PhD, the Doctor title is awarded here in a specific discipline. The Doctor title is generally directly combined with the discipline, such as for example:

• Dr. med. – Doctor of Medicine
• Dr. rer. nat. – Doctor of Natural Sciences
• Dr. phil. – Doctor of Philosophy

PhD programmes are however generally more structured than doctorate programs to obtain a German doctoral degree. A PhD usually involves doctoral candidates passing through a combination of courses, exams and the intensive research phase. Taking a doctorate to obtain a Doctor title in Germany, for example, is conversely designed in a much more individual manner. It generally also comprises a research association at a research institute or a university faculty. In addition to this research, doctoral candidates are then frequently also involved in teaching (glossary-internal link).

There is little difference in the duration of both doctoral procedures, they each extend over a period of three to five years. During their German doctorate/’Promotion’, doctoral candidates must conduct their research activities, complete a doctoral thesis and then defend this in a disputation or doctoral viva.