A successful doctorate degree in philosophy requires profound analytical skills, a strong understanding of philosophical problems, excellent language competencies and a capacity for critical reflection. The department of philosophy at Bielefeld University emphasizes systematic approaches and values conceptual clarity and rational argumentation. We also encourage our doctoral students to make positions from the histroy of thought bear on contemporary philosophical debates.
The department of philosophy promotes, accompanies and advises doctoral students with the writing of research papers, the structuring of monographies and the preparation of conference presentations. The department offers a structured doctoral program and in exceptional cases also an independent doctoral degree. You can also obtain a doctoral degree wihin research training group "Integrating Ethics and Epistemology of Scientific Research".
A doctoral degree in philosophy usually starts with a stuctured phase. This allows you to acquire key qualifications and offers research-oriented studies, and helps you to organize your timeline efficiently. Yet the structured phase allows more individual freedom than an organized graduate program.
In the structured phase, you have to
Your doctoral degree is based on a supervision agreement between you and the supervisor who accompanies and supports your dissertation. The agreement registers the modalities of the supervision, and mutual rights and responsibilities. You have a right to choose your own supervisor.
Requirements
All doctoral students have to be enrolled at Bielefeld University, although there is a possible to take a leave of absence (see §§3 and 12 in the Einschreibungsordnung of Bielefeld University).
You can find detailed documents for enrollment under documents in the sidebar, smost of which are in German. If you have any questions about formal procedures, do not hesitate to contact any of the department members via email.
A research intensive department
Our department is one of the leading institutes for philosophy in Germany. It combines a broad thematic spectrum with a clear methodological perspective:
Interdisciplinary university
Because of its strong interdisciplinary orientation, Bielefeld University is an attractive place for a doctoral degree:
Close supervision
We value a close supervision of our doctoral students. That is why your doctoral degree is based on an individual supervision agreement with your supervisors. You also have the opportunity to regularly discuss your work with your colleagues in colloquia and work-in-progress seminars. Click here for the supervision agreement form in German.
The doctoral students at the department are well-connected and exchange ideas regularly. They meet for a social pub night several times a semester to discuss both philosophy and to connect on a personal level.
Besides advising you on philosophical issues, the department members will also help you to apply for scholarships for your dissertation project. This has helped several doctoral students to receive stipends from various scholarship foundations, and they are happy to share information with you about these. You can find further links under Doctoral scholarships in the sidebar.