Doing a Doctorate at Technische Universität Berlin
There are a number of options for completing a doctorate at Technische Universität Berlin. The same requirements for the dissertation and the oral defense apply to all doctoral candidates. In all cases, the doctoral regulations of the respective faculties apply in their valid version. Responsibility for a doctorate lies with the relevant faculty.
Further general information on the possibilities for doing a doctorate in Germany can be found on the online platform Research in Germany.
Individual doctorate
An individual doctorate is completed by a candidate employed at Technische Universität Berlin in a position funded by the University budget or by third-party funding, or who is receiving a doctoral fellowship, or earning their money outside of the University.
- If you choose to do an individual doctorate, you will be supervised by one doctoral advisor.
- You will work independently and are free to organize your own time. How you use your time will determine how long you need to complete your doctorate.
- You have the opportunity to discuss your work with other doctoral candidates via colloquia and conferences.
- You have the option to do an “internal doctorate”, as part of which you undertake teaching duties as a teaching and research assistant in one of TU Berlin’s institutes. The other alternative is to do an “external” doctorate, in other words not employed at Technische Universität Berlin .
Doctoral programs
Technische Universität Berlin offers an increasing number of graduate schools, graduate programs and research training groups. Candidates in these programs receive specialist and interdisciplinary training and continuing education and are supervised by more than one doctoral advisor. In addition, a graduate program also includes interdisciplinary trainings and further education.
- Candidates completing their doctorate in a research training group are supervised by several doctoral advisors and have the possibility to discuss their research with other members of their group.
- The doctorate is completed within a structured curriculum with compulsory courses offering specialist and inter-disciplinary training and continuing education.
- You enjoy professional and interdisciplinary training and further education.
- Duration: three to four years (if completed within the regular period)
The structured doctoral programs include the highly regarded Berlin Mathematical School, the Berlin International Graduate School of Natural Sciences and Engineering at the Einstein Center of Catalysis as well as the Doctoral Program in Science of Intelligence, funded within the Excellence Strategy. Technische Universität Berlin also enjoys a close connection to the numerous research institutes, such as the Helmholtz Centers and Max Planck Institutes, that form a key part of Berlin’s “Brain City” and contribute to the capital’s status as a center of science and research.
Programs headed by Technische Universität Berlin
- Berlin International Graduate School of Natural Sciences and Engineering (BIG-NSE) (Exzellenzstrategie)
- Doctoral Program in Science of Intelligence (Excellence Strategy)
- Doctoral Program Berlin Industrial Engineering and Management (BIEM)
- Berlin Institute for the Foundations of Learning and Data (BIFOLD) Graduate School
- Berlin International Graduate School in Model- and Simulation Based Research (BIMoS)
- Berlin School of Optical Sciences and Quantum Technologies (BOS.QT)
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2032 "Urban Water Interfaces"
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2433 "Differential equation and data-based models in life sciences and fluid dynamics." (DAEDALUS)
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2473 "Research Training Group on Bioactive Peptides" (SynPepBio)
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2544 "Stochastic Analysis in Interaction"
- Integrated research training group DFG-SFB1265 "Re-Figuration of Spaces"
- ITN ROMSOC: Reduced Order Modelling, Simulation and Optimization of Coupled systems
- PEP - Programm Entwurfsbasierte Promotionen
Programs with TU participation
- Berlin Mathematical School (Excellence Strategy)
- Berlin School of Economics (BSE)(Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
- Berlin School of Mind and Brain (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
- Berlin-Brandenburg School of Regenerative Therapies (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin), (Freie Universität Berlin)
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin (BCCN) Doctoral Program
- Graduate School of North American Studies (GSNAS) (Freie Universität Berlin)
- School of Analytical Sciences Adlershof (SALSA) (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2260 "BIOQIC - BIOphysical Quantitative Imaging Towards Clinical Diagnosis" (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2434 "Facetten der Komplexität" (Freie Universität Berlin)
- DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2227 "Identität & Erbe" (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar)
- IMPRS-KIR: Internationale Max Planck Research School „Knowledge and Its Resources: Historical Reciprocities“ (Humbolt-Universität Berlin)
- ITN CBIM - Cloud-based Building Information Modelling (Technion Research and Development Foundation LTD)
- ITN LIGHTCAP - Lightcap: Light, Cognition, Attention, Perception (Technische Universiteit Eindhoven)
- ITN QUDOT-TECH - Quantum Dots for Photonic Quantum Information Technologies (Danmarks Tekniske Universitet)
- ITN TEAMAero - Towards Effective Flow Control and Mitigation of Shock Effects in Aeronautical Applications (Polish Academy of Sciences)
- ITN PLENOPTIMA Plenoptic Imaging (Tampereen Korkeakoulusaatio SR)
- ITN TOD-IS-RUR Transit Oriented Development (TOD) for Inclusive and Sustainable Rural-Urban Regions (Universiteit Antwerpen)
- ITN INSPIRE INSpiring Pressure gain combustion Integration, Research, and Education (Universita Degli Studi di Firenze)
- ITN QUANTIMONY Quantum Semiconductor Technologies Exploiting Antimony (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior Deinvestigaciones Cientificas)
Joint programs
- Geo.X Research Network for Geosciences in Berlin and Potsdam (HZP (GFZ))
- Helmholtz Research School on Security Technologies (DLR)
- Helmholtz Graduate School on Materials for Solar Energy Conversion (MatSEC) (HZB)
- Helmholtz-Israel International Research School on Hybrid Integrated Systems for Conversion of Solar Energy (HI-SCORE) (HZB)
- Helmholtz Einstein International Berlin Research School in Data Science (HEIBRiDS) (6 Helmholtz Centers and ECDF)
- International Max Planck Research School for Elementary Processes in Physical Chemistry (IMPRS)
Doctoral ombudspersons (Vertrauensdozent*innen) of the faculties
The doctoral ombudsperson (Vertrauensdozent*in) of the faculty can help if you have questions or problems with your doctoral supervision.
Faculty I - Humanities: | Prof. Dr. Kerstin Wittmann-Englert |
Faculty II – Mathematics and Natural Sciences: | Prof. Dr. Etienne Emmrich |
Faculty III – Process Sciences: | Dr. Philip Wietstock |
Faculty IV – Electrical Engineering and Computer Science: | Prof. Dr. Odej Kao + Prof. Dr. Marianne Maertens |
Faculty V – Mechanical Engineering and Transport Systems: | Prof. Dr. Andreas Bardenhagen |
Faculty VI – Planning Building Environment: | Dr. Daniel Aubram |
Faculty VII – Economics and Management: | Prof. Dr. Dorothea Kübler |