Doctoral Plan and Aptitude Colloquium

Doctoral students have to write a doctoral plan within the first year of their doctorate. The plan has to cover the following topics:

• research proposal
• teaching responsibilities
• other duties
  
• extended doctoral studies (if relevant)

You must submit your doctoral plan electronically to your aptitude committee (including the chair) and the D-BSSE Doctoral Administration at least 4 weeks before the date of your aptitude colloquium. Before submitting, you have to to share it with your supervisor and your second advisor. It is not required to collect the signatures beforehand.

Within 12 months after the provisional admission, doctoral students have to defend their doctoral plan in an aptitude colloquium (ApC). There, the aptitude committee examines the doctoral student’s suitability to independently conduct a research project and to write a doctoral thesis.

The aptitude colloquium consists of a 30-minute presentation by the doctoral student on the planned research project and a 30-minute oral examination. The physical presence of the aptitude committee as well as of the doctoral student at the aptitude colloquium is not mandatory. Alternatively, the participants can be connected via video conference.

Passing the aptitude colloquium is required for the definitive admission to the doctorate.