Program Overview

Doctoral Studies at the Department of Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Hamburg offers a doctoral program in chemistry, leading to the degree of Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.). The program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to conduct in-depth independent research in a specific area of chemistry.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the doctoral program, applicants must have a master's degree in chemistry or a related field. The application process involves submitting the following documents:

• Online registration form
• Research outline
• Supervision agreement
• University entrance qualification (secondary school certificate)
• Curriculum vitae
• Admission qualifications for doctoral studies (copies of certificate and transcript of records for Bachelor and Master, Diploma)
• Copy of personal ID or passport

Doctoral Supervisor

Doctoral projects in the Department of Chemistry are supervised by professors and members of the Departmental faculty who have completed a Habilitation (postdoctoral qualification). Members of other departments or faculties as well as non-university research institutions may be authorized to co-supervise doctoral candidates in individual cases.

Formal Requirements for the Doctoral Dissertation

The formal requirements for the doctoral dissertation include:

• Summary in German and English
• List of hazardous substances used by GHS (hazard symbols, H&P statements)
• Declaration on Oath/Affidavit
• The dissertation can be written in English or German, and the format should be in DIN-A5 or DIN-A4, printed on both sides (80 g/m² paper) and in permanently bound format.

Application to Open the Doctorate Proceedings

To open the doctorate proceedings, the following application documents must be prepared in electronic form and submitted compulsorily as part of the online application:

• Current enrollment certificate
• Current curriculum vitae (CV)
• CMR form, fully signed
• Copy of identification document (e.g., ID card, passport, visa)
• Proof of interruptions of the doctorate (if applicable)

Dissertation Assessors

The dissertation is evaluated by at least two reviewers, and the following criteria must be met in total when selecting the reviewers:

• One assessor must be a supervisor or member of the supervising committee
• At least one must be a university teacher (professor, junior professor, private lecturer) MIN
• At least one must be from the Department of Chemistry

Registering for the Oral Defense

The timeline from submission of the dissertation to the disputation is approximately 11 weeks. The date of the disputation is not finalized until the examination board has determined the grade of the dissertation.

Composition of the Examination Commission

The examination commission consists of at least three members, and the chairperson of the subject doctoral committee decides on justified exceptions upon informal written application.

Completing the Doctoral Procedure

After defending the dissertation, the Academic Office will issue a preliminary transcript. The final print version of the dissertation must be approved, and the required number of printed copies must be prepared according to the publication method.

Publication of the Dissertation

The Faculty Doctoral Committee recommends publishing the dissertation electronically (Version 1). The printed copies should be in DIN-A5 or DIN-A4 format, printed on both sides (80 g/m² paper), and in permanently bound format.

Final Organizational Details

The candidate must complete the following forms and submit them by email to the Academic Office:

• Docket (Laufzettel zur Veröffentlichung der Dissertation)
• Organizational details sheet to be completed upon leaving the Department
• Post-graduation statistics sheet
• Privacy Policy

Terminating the Doctoral Procedure Prematurely or Changing Supervision

If the candidate wants to terminate the doctoral project prematurely or change the supervision, they must use the provided forms and send them by email to the Academic Office. In case of supervision change, a new supervision agreement and research outline must be submitted by email.