Doctoral Study at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Doctoral Regulations

Steps to a doctoral degree

• Step 1: Planning your doctoral study
  If you are interested in doctoral study, you should first approach professors in your field of interest. Ask the professors about current questions in research and prepare a possible topic for doctoral study in discussion with one professor. Confirm that the professor is willing to supervise your doctorate and prepare a supervision agreement (only in German). You should also discuss how your doctorate will be financed.

• Step 2: Acceptance and enrolment
  Your application for admission to doctoral study should be submitted using the following documents (only in German) (checklist (in English), forms, declaration of consent from the Graduate Academy, etc.). The supervision agreement should also be included. If you are aiming for the academic degree "Dr. rer. nat.", you must also submit a signed project outline with the preliminary working title (§ 5, Clause 5b, of the Doctoral Degree Regulations).

  You will therefore be admitted to doctoral studies as a doctoral candidate of the faculty by a resolution of the Faculty Committee or the Dean's Office if you have passed the admission requirements listed in § 3 of the relevant Doctoral Degree Regulations. Conditions may apply (see § 3, Clause 6, of the regulations for Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing.) or § 3, Clause 4, of the regulations for Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.)). You can now begin work on your doctoral topic.

  After you have been accepted, you must enrol as a doctoral student at Leibniz University Hannover (see § 2 of the "Immatrikulationsordnung", only in German). You will receive the required certificate of acceptance (only in German) from the faculty together with the letter of admission by e-mail from the doctoral office. Exceptions to the enrolment obligation are regulated in the enrolment regulations in § 2 and § 9. Information on leave of absence can be found here. For questions regarding enrolment and payment of the semester fees, please contact the Admissions Office by sending an email to promotion.i-amt@zuv.uni-hannover.de.

  You must wait at least three months from the date of your acceptance before submitting your dissertation and applying for examination (see § 6, Clause 1, of the Doctoral Degree Regulations).

• Step 3: Application for examination and submission of dissertation
  Once you have finished your dissertation and fulfilled any conditions, you can submit a written application for examination to the Dean of the Faculty. This is possible three months after admission (see § 6, Clause 1, of the Doctoral Degree Regulations). Please take note of the submission deadlines and ensure that you submit a complete set of documents. In addition to a bound copy of your dissertation, you must also submit an electronic version.

  • Dissertation title page template for submission (only in German)

  • Documents required for the application for examination (only in German)

  The examination process officially begins with a resolution of the Faculty Board. Examiners and referees of the thesis will be sought and a chairperson of the examiners selected.

  Your supervisor will advise in this selection and suggest possible dates for defending your dissertation in person.

• Step 4: Display of the dissertation and the professional opinions
  As soon as the referees have provided their professional opinions on your dissertation, it will be held in the Dean’s Office for two weeks. This allows professors of the faculty to inspect your dissertation. Your dissertation will be accepted when this is recommended by the referees and no objections are lodged during the inspection period.

  The acceptance of your dissertation can be conditional. In this case, the Chairperson of the Examiners will inform you of the conditions and advise you about the next steps in the process.

• Step 5: Organising a date for your doctoral examination or disputation
  After your dissertation has been accepted, the dean will announce the date, time and location for your doctoral lecture and oral examination or defense. The announcement will be made at least five days in advance.

  The earliest date for the doctoral examination or defense depends upon how quickly the references are received. For this reason, your supervisor should discuss possible dates with the referees of the thesis in advance.

  Please visit the Dean’s Office and agree on a preferred date for the doctoral lecture and defence, as this is where doctoral degree examinations for the whole faculty are coordinated.

• Step 6: Doctoral lecture and oral examination or defence
  Immediately after the doctoral lecture and defence, the Chairperson of the Examiners will inform you of the result and issue you with a provisional certificate.

  The committee can impose conditions on the final version of the dissertation. Any conditions will need to be fulfilled within a limited period of time, and will be recorded in written form.

  Please note: at this point in time, you are not yet permitted to use the doctor title!

• Step 7: Publishing the dissertation
  After you have successfully completed the doctoral defence, you must publish the final version of your dissertation, as approved by the examiners, within one year.

  • Dissertation title page template for publication (only in German)

   

  Information about publishing your dissertation can be found on the website of the University Library (TIB). The library will send confirmation of publication directly to the faculty. As soon as this confirmation has been received, you may collect your doctoral degree certificate. Should you wish to receive your certificate by post, please inform us of your current address.

• Step 8: Doctoral graduation
  The process is completed with the issue of your doctoral degree certificate. The certificate can only be issued once your dissertation has been published and all resources, such as books and journals, have been returned. In the case of the Doctor of Natural Sciences (Dr. rer. nat.), a declaration concerning these resources(only in German) must be returned.

  Your doctoral degree certificate should be collected from the Dean’s Office. From this point in time, you may use the doctor title.

For further questions please contact