Completing the Doctorate
You have submitted your dissertation and applied to initiate the doctoral examination process. After successfully completing the oral defense, your dissertation must first be made accessible to the academic public before you may use the doctoral title. Here you will find information on the final steps — publication of the dissertation, doctoral certificate, and de-registration.
On the Way to the Doctorate
You have successfully submitted your dissertation and applied to initiate the doctoral examination process? These are the final steps on your way to earning your doctoral degree.
Evaluation of the Dissertation and Display Period
Evaluation
Once the doctoral examination process has been initiated, at least two reviews of your dissertation are obtained in accordance with § 9 of the Framework Doctoral Degree Regulations (RPO).
In line with § 10 RPO, the examination board responsible for conducting the oral examination is also appointed. The examination board consists of the reviewers and at least one additional member.
The reviewers assess your dissertation, provide written evaluations, and make a recommendation regarding its acceptance or rejection as well as the grade to be awarded. The written evaluations are generally to be submitted within three months.
Please note: Your supervisors are not automatically reviewers in your doctoral examination process. For each reviewer who is part of your supervisory team or has published jointly with you, an additional reviewer must be appointed who has no academic collaboration with you. Please also observe the Guideline on Bias in the Doctoral School NRW.
Display of the Dissertation
After all reviews have been submitted, the dissertation and the corresponding evaluations are made available for inspection within the department for a minimum of three weeks and a maximum of four weeks. In specific cases, the Doctoral Degree Regulations of the departments may allow for a shortened display period.
During the display period, professorial members of the department may raise objections regarding the acceptance, rejection, or evaluation of the dissertation.
After the display period has ended, you will receive written notification from the Doctoral Examining Committee regarding the acceptance or rejection of your dissertation.
Oral Examination (Disputation)
Scheduling the Oral Examination
If your dissertation has been accepted, the oral examination (defense) generally takes place no later than eight weeks after acceptance. Please coordinate the examination date and organizational details directly with the examination board. The examination date must be reported to the Doctoral School NRW by the examination board. Please note that the Doctoral School NRW is not responsible for booking or preparing the examination room.
The Defense
The defense primarily serves to present the key results of your dissertation and consists of a presentation followed by a scientific discussion with the members of the examination board. The defense lasts at least 90 minutes and at most 120 minutes. You will be informed of the result immediately after the defense. A provisional certificate will be issued by the chairperson of the Doctoral Examining Committee.
The defense is open to members of the supporting UAS and the Doctoral School NRW. In justified cases, the session may be closed to the public.
After the defense, you may de-register (exmatriculate) from both your university and the Doctoral School NRW. You will be automatically de-registered at the latest by the end of the semester.
Publication of the Dissertation
Publication
The doctoral degree is formally conferred through the issuance of the doctoral certificate. Before receiving the certificate, doctoral candidates are not entitled to use the doctoral title.
Before the certificate can be issued, your dissertation must be made publicly accessible to the scientific community in accordance with § 15 of the Framework Doctoral Degree Regulations.
Prior to publication, you must obtain permission to print (“Druckerlaubnis”). Any revisions required by the examination board after the defense must be completed before this permission can be granted.
You must submit the mandatory copies (“Pflichtexemplare”) of your published dissertation as required by § 15 RPO to both the library of your university of applied sciences and the Doctoral School NRW.
The dissertation must be published within two years after successfully completing the oral examination.
Presentation of the Doctoral Certificate
The doctoral procedure is completed with the issuance of the doctoral certificate. Once you have received the certificate, you are officially entitled to use the doctoral title.
Congratulations on successfully completing your doctorate!
Information Sheet on the Doctoral Examination Process
(.pdf) (German)
Minutes of the Oral Defense
Template for the Minutes of the Oral Defense (.pdf) (German)
Information Sheet on the Publication of the Dissertation
(.pdf) (German)
Printing Authorization
Form for Granting Permission to Print the Dissertation (.pdf) (German)
Confirmation of Submission of Mandatory Copies
Confirmation of the Submission of the Mandatory Copies of the Dissertation by the Library of the UAS (.docx) (German)
