university of zurich phd program

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The University of Zurich offers numerous  doctoral degree programs . 

Besides meeting the formal admission requirements , prospective doctoral students must fulfill the relevant academic admission requirements to be admitted to doctoral studies. Whether or not these requirements are met is decided as part of a defined admission procedure . 

Admission constitutes the right to matriculate in the doctoral studies in question at the University of Zurich. Doctoral students must remain matriculated for the full duration of their doctoral studies.

Formal Admission Requirements

Master’s degree diploma from a state-accredited university .

Credits for any transferred coursework must also have been acquired at a state-accredited university.

The diploma itself is state-accredited.

The diploma grants entitlement to pursue doctoral studies at a state-accredited university in the relevant country.

The Master’s degree diploma does not necessarily have to be available at the time of application. If you are admitted, it may be submitted at a later date (by 30 September at the latest for admissions for the Fall Semester, by 15 March at the latest for admissions for the Spring Semester). 

Depending on the doctoral studies in question, admission is also possible with a degree from a university of applied sciences or university of teacher education in a  signatory state to the Lisbon Recognition Convention . Further information can be found on the  website of the faculty concerned .

Academic Admission Requirements

The prospective doctoral student has the academic knowledge and skills required to pursue the doctoral studies in question. Additional requirements and/or conditions (generally in the form of Master’s modules) may be attached to admission in certain cases. Conditions must be met in a preparatory phase within the framework of doctoral studies. No doctoral modules may be booked during this preparatory phase. Additional requirements may be fulfilled during the preparatory phase or in parallel with doctoral modules.

An instructor with the right to award a PhD (generally at the faculty concerned) agrees to be principal supervisor for the planned doctoral thesis. Depending on the doctoral studies in question, further individuals must or may take on a supervisory role, for example as co-advisors. 

Additionally for doctoral programs: The prospective doctoral student is accepted on to the doctoral program in question (following a selective acceptance procedure).

Additionally, depending on the doctoral studies: The prospective doctoral student is employed as a doctoral student, or teaching and research assistant.

Further requirements may have to be fulfilled in certain cases, such as a Master’s degree with a minimum overall grade. 

Details of the academic admission requirements for individual programs of doctoral study can be found on the website of the faculty concerned .

Admission Procedure

The admission procedure begins with the faculty or graduate school concerned. Here, you must: – secure the approval of one or (as appropriate) more supervisor(s) for your planned doctoral thesis, – in the case of doctoral programs, have been accepted on to the program, and – as appropriate, have been offered a position as a doctoral student, or teaching and research assistant. Which of these steps must be completed, and in which order, depends on the doctoral studies in question. Details in this regard can be found on the website of the faculty concerned .

You must also apply to the University of Zurich Admissions Office to pursue your chosen doctoral studies. Before you apply, please find out about the application procedure and documents to be submitted  and apply via the application portal . Please note the relevant  application deadlines . It can take up to three months to process your application. 

If all admission requirements are fulfilled, you will receive the decision on admission from the University of Zurich Admissions Office. You can then matriculate at the University of Zurich and begin your doctoral studies. 

Important Information on the Admission Procedure:

If you have been offered employment for your doctoral studies, and you are a citizen of a state that is a not a member of either the European Union or EFTA , you will need the relevant  visa to enter Switzerland . The University of Zurich will generally apply for this visa on your behalf. Please contact the faculty or graduate school concerned. The visa is issued by the Canton of Zurich Migration Office and is always subject to confirmation of matriculation being submitted within 14 days of entry. You will receive this confirmation of matriculation as soon as you have matriculated at the University of Zurich having received the decision on admission, and paid the bill for the semester fees. Your visa will only be converted into a residence and work permit after the Migration Office has received your confirmation of matriculation. If you are not able to fulfill this condition within the set deadline, you will have to leave Switzerland. 

► Do not travel to Switzerland until you have received the decision on admission from the University of Zurich Admissions Office (i.e. until you are entitled to matriculate) (see point 3 above). 

► Do not begin your doctoral studies until you have matriculated at the University of Zurich, and you hold a residence and work permit. 

To speed up the admission procedure (which may be advisable especially in the case of individuals requiring a visa ), you can submit an application to the Admissions Office (see point 2 above) before the procedure with the faculty or graduate school is complete (see point 1 above). However, the Admissions Office decision on admission (see point 3 above) cannot be issued until confirmation of supervision and, in the case of doctoral programs, the notification of acceptance on to the doctoral program in question have been received.

Students currently matriculated at Master’s level at the University of Zurich must request a change of degree program  to doctoral studies under “My Requests” in the student portal and must not submit an application . 

Weiterführende Informationen

To the online application.

• UZH Application Portal
• Information on Application Procedure

Application Deadlines

Please note the different application deadlines.

• Overview of application deadlines

Confirmation of Supervision

• Form for doctoral students at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• Form for doctoral students at the Faculty of Science (PDF, 425 KB)
• Form for doctoral students at other faculties (PDF, 264 KB)

UZH Graduate Campus

UZH Graduate Campus supports UZH doctoral students.

• To UZH Graduate Campus
• Accommodation

If you have questions please contact the Admissions Office .

Bereichs-Navigation

Unterseiten von doctoral studies.

• Admission to Doctoral Studies – Faculties

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Graduate Campus

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, guide: how to phd, this section provides those interested in pursuing a doctorate with an overview:.

Food for thought for beginning PhD candidates

• Collection of links to relevant topics for PhD candidates
• Preparation and procedure at UZH (following)

Table of contents

Find a supervisor, admission to doctoral studies, requirements for admission and procedures, content and requirements, individual phd and phd programs, procedures at uzh faculties, employment and funding, for international students and scholars.

First of all, get in contact with a UZH professor who is willing and able to supervise your doctoral project. If you are interested in participating in a PhD program, you should first of all carefully read through the application procedures for the program in question. Doctoral programs at UZH

The doctorate is comprised of a PhD thesis as well as coursework. It serves as a qualification for an academic career or other demanding professions.

As a general rule, a Master's degree or an equivalent degree from an accredited university is the prerequisite for admission to the doctorate. Certain criteria regarding content as well as formal conditions (e.g. grade-point average, qualification phases) are also considered when processing applications.

Admission to Doctoral Studies

The requirements for admission and the admission procedures are set out in the ordinance for obtaining a doctoral degree at the faculty in question. Some faculties also offer a  fast-track  doctoral program, a program for particularly talented students in which the Master's degree and PhD are integrated in a single program of study. The individual programs define their PhD programs' admission procedures – which, as a rule, are highly competitive.

Please note that PhD candidates must be matriculated at the University for the duration of their doctorate, i.e. until they have been conferred the final degree. 

Application and admission Application period

Writing a PhD thesis – independent and original academic work – forms the core part of the doctorate. The thesis can take the form of a monograph or consist of several publications on a single subject which have been published in scientific journals (a cumulative PhD thesis). You can find more information about the formal requirements in the doctoral program regulations for your subject area. As a general rule, however, the thesis should be of such scope and content that it can be completed within three years.

The required coursework serves to enhance subject-specific skills, but also goes toward developing transferable skills. All coursework will be recorded in your final transcript of records and Academic Record. Coursework requirements can be fulfilled by attending courses in your subject area, by visiting classes from the main pool of courses in transferable skills (transferable skills and university-level teaching), or, in some cases by attending courses at another institution. Alongside the required coursework (including transferable skills), it is highly recommended that PhD candidates develop their teaching skills. Transferable skills courses University-level teaching  

In many disciplines at UZH there are two types of doctoral programs offered: the individual doctorate and the structured doctoral programs . Moreover there are also interdisciplinary and inter-university schools or programs, partly financed by third-party funds. Doctoral Programs

Because the various faculties at UZH are thematically and structurally so diverse, each faculty is in charge of designing its own PhD program.

Be sure to read about the specific requirements at the faculty in question.

Various types of academic employment opportunities at UZH are open to junior scholars. During doctoral study, you can find employment as a «PhD candidate» or an «academic assistant»; postdocs receive positions as «postdocs» or «senior research and teaching assistants». These junior academic positions are an integral part of the procedure when pursuing an academic career. Junior academic positions are by nature temporary and are funded either by the university department in question or by a third party. Junior academic positions give young scholars the opportunity to achieve their next professional goal and to further qualify themselves for a career in academia. The main requirement for earning the necessary academic qualifications is performing individual research, but junior researchers are also given the opportunity to qualify themselves for teaching roles. In 2003 the guidelines for specifications at UZH faculties for employees holding junior academic positions were issued to define the rights and duties of UZH employees in junior academic positions. These were revised in fall 2023 and a new employment model was defined, which will come into effect on January 1, 2024. Employees with the status of a junior academic receive individual specifications which refer explicitly to their job description.

This UZH platform provides neccesary information from visits & exchange at the UZH to Visa, entry and residece permit. UZH for International Students and Scholars FAQ for International Students and Scholars

Weiterführende Informationen

Successful phd.

Food for thought for beginning PhD candidates

Collection of links to relevant topics

Mobility, Continuing education and courses, Career & Networking, Scientific integrity and Counseling

Best Practice for Doctoral Education

The guideline shows ways and possibilities to strengthen the quality, attractivity and internationalization of the doctorate at UZH.

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Life Science Zurich Graduate School

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About the Graduate School

• A few facts in our favour
• Life Science Zurich

• Application
• Application process
• Candidate registration

PhD programs

• PhD program coordinators
• Main locations
• Useful links

• Courses for PhD students
• Transferable & methodological skills courses
• Program specific courses
• Skills development courses

• Advice for PhD students

PI & DissGo

• PI information

Weiterführende Informationen

• Apply here to one of our PhD programs

The next application deadline is May 1, 2024

Curious about us?

Watch this video and find out what some PhD students think about our Graduate School!

Do you have any QUESTIONS?

Check the  FAQ  section for answers regarding eligibility, PhD studies, tuition fees, employment and more.

• PhD Programs
• Helpful links

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Structured PhD Program «Epidemiology and Biostatistics»

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, welcome to the phd program in epidemiology and biostatistics.

The PhD program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics is one of 17 programs of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School offering a dynamic and stimulating international research environment. The overall goal is to train PhD students in designing, conducting and analyzing research studies in biomedicine. Depending on the specific research area students are expected to acquire core competencies in epidemiology or biostatistics.

The duration of the program is approximately 3-4 years. Graduates will obtain their PhD from either University of Zurich or ETH Zurich, depending on the affiliation of the main supervisor. The program language is English. If you are interested in the methodological foundations of clinical and population-based biomedical research and would like to join our PhD program, please apply through the online application system . For further questions, do not hesitate to contact us .

The program has close ties to the Master Program in Biostatistics and the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute at University of Zurich.

Weiterführende Informationen

Life Science Zurich Graduate School

Director: Prof. Dr. Milo Puhan Coordinator: Dr. Marco Kaufmann [email protected]

• Application
• The Program
• EBPhD career support
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Faculty of Science

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd programs, doctoral studies and graduate schools.

Students who complete our doctoral program are awarded the doctoral degree of Dr. sc. nat. – doctor scientiarum naturalium ). The degree requires students to conduct original, independent research and usually takes between three and four years. We offer doctoral programs that have an excellent international reputation in the following fields. Graduate Schools

• Life Science Zurich Graduate School
• Zurich Graduate School in Geography
• Zurich Graduate School in Mathematics
• Graduate School in Chemical and Molecular Sciences Zurich
• Graduate School in Physics
• Graduate School for Computational Science and Astrophysics and Cosmology

Ansprechpersonen

Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism Director:  Prof. Dr. Raymund Dutzler

Cancer Biology Director: Prof. Dr. Maries van den Broek

Chemical and Molecular Sciences Director:  Prof. Dr. Roland K.O. Sigel

Computational Science Director:  Prof. Dr. Romain Teyssier

Ecology Director:  Prof. Dr. Owen Petchey

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Director:  Prof. Dr. Milo Puhan

Evolutionary Biology Director:  Prof. Dr. Kentaro K. Shimizu

General Doctorate Director:  Prof. Dr. Ulrich Straumann

Geography/Earth System Science Director:  Prof. Dr. Ross Purves

Integrative Molecular Medicine Director:  Prof. Dr. Thierry Hennet

Mathematics Directors:  Prof. Dr. Thomas Kappeler  and Prof. Dr. Michael Struwe

Microbiology and Immunology Directors:  Prof. Dr. Leo Eberl  and Prof. Dr. Annette Oxenius

Molecular and Translational Biomedicine Director: Prof. Dr. Christian Wolfrum

Molecular Life Sciences Director:  Prof. Dr. Michael Hottiger

Neuroscience Director:  Dr. Wolfgang Knecht

Physics Director:  Prof. Dr. Andreas Schilling

Plant Sciences Director: Prof. Dr. Samuel Zeeman

Public Understanding of Science Director:  Prof. Dr. Kai Niebert

RNA Biology Director: Prof. Dr. Frédéric Allain

Science and Policy Director:  Prof. Dr. Ueli Grossniklaus

Systems Biology Director: Prof. Dr. Jörg Stelling und Prof. Dr. Uwe Sauer

Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology Directors:  Prof. Dr. Ben Moore  and  Prof. Dr. Lucio Mayer

Application and Admission Procedure

Important note: If you originate from a foreign country, which is not a member of the European Union it is of utmost importance, that the following procedure is followed exactly as specified below.

Chart - How to become a PhD student and what the administration offices will do for you (PDF, 97 KB) .

• Application to the Admissions Office of the University of Zurich .
• Visa application for non-EU students.
• You cannot start working on your doctoral thesis in Zurich until you have obtained a visa and a work permit.

Contacts for PhD students

If you encounter problems during your PhD studies, there are several offices at the Faculty of Science you can contact.

• Your first point of contact is always your doctoral committee or the  human ressources representative at your institute. 
• Then you should contact the director of your PhD program.
• In the last resort you can contact the Persons of Trust of the Faculty of Science .

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Graduate School of Business

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, doctoral programs and tracks, table of contents, study tracks, fields of study.

The Graduate School of Business at the University of Zurich offers two doctoral programs, one in «Business Administration» and the one in «Management and Economics». They are comparable to international PhD programs. The Graduate School of Business at the University of Zurich comprises 26 professors offering PhD courses in four fields of study «Accounting, Auditing & Corporate Governance», «Marketing», «Managing Human Resources and Education», and «Management, Organization, and Strategy».

Talented students with an excellent Bachelor or Master degree who aim at an academic career or leading positions in the public and private sector are invited to apply for one of the doctoral programs at the Graduate School of Business.

Read more about the program structure and the fields of study:

The Graduate School of Business offers two study tracks fitted to the academic background of applicants:

• Track B for students with a Master's degree
• Track C («Fast Track») for excellent students with a Bachelor's degree

Track B: Students with a Master's degree

Track B is considered for students with an excellent Master's degree (likewise a German diploma or a Swiss lic. oec.). Executive MBA programs are not eligible for our doctoral programs. The two semester course program consists of core courses such as Management Theory, Empirical Research Methods, Microeconomics and a number of electives and specialized courses. At the end of their course work, students write their research proposals and start working on their dissertation research under the supervision of a faculty member.

Track C: Excellent students with a Bachelor's degree

Any excellent student with a Bachelor's degree may apply for a «fast-track» program. Students start with Master courses and earn their Master's degrees after two semesters of coursework (60 ECTS) and a Master thesis; if permitted, they then go on with their doctoral course work and their dissertation. The fast track program may save excellent and ambitious students up to two semesters. One particular advantage is that their master thesis (30 ECTS) may serve as a research proposal if it is of outstanding quality. After their research proposals have been approved, students start with their dissertation under the supervision of a faculty member.

The Structured PhD-Course Program of GSB-UZH consists of three parts:

General Program Requirements (18 ECTS)

Independent of the research area, all PhD students have to take the «General Program Requirements» to acquire a solid theoretical and methodological basis in business administration:

• Business Administration for Research Students: Theory (9 ECTS)
• Business Administration for Research Students: Empirical Methods (9 ECTS)

We expect entering students to have sufficient background to perform successfully in these courses. In case a student lacks these prerequisites, additional preparatory courses should be taken prior or during the first year doctoral courses. In addition, fields may designate acceptable substitute courses. Substitute courses are only valid for students' course requirements if officially announced on the GSB homepage before taking a possible substitute.

Field Course Requirements (15 ECTS)

In addition to the General Program Requirements PhD-students choose a field of specialization and are within this field free to choose from a variety of courses (18 ECTS). The GSB offers four attractive fields with structured PhD-course programs that guide students to become competitive on the international academic market.

Generic Competencies (3 ECTS)

Last but not least, students have to take 3 ECTS in courses on «Generic Competencies».

In addition to their PhD-title, students who finish the necessary 18 ECTS according to one of the field-specific study programs receive a formal confirmation issued by the department of business administration signaling their field-specific profile as a PhD-student.

The four fields of study offered by GSB are:

• Accounting, Auditing and Corporate Governance
• Management, Organization and Strategy
• Managing Human Resources and Education

Weiterführende Informationen

Useful links.

• University of Zurich
• Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics
• Department of Business Administration
• Open positions (Department)
• Open positions (University, all)
• UZH for Doctoral Candidates
• UZH for International Students and Scholars
• Graduate Campus
• Research Funding (Grants Office)

University of Zurich Department of Business Administration Graduate School of Business Plattenstrasse 14 8032 Zurich Switzerland

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PhD Program Biomedicine

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The comprehensive study and understanding of organ function in health and disease requires multidisciplinary approaches in basic, applied and translational biomedical research. The PhD program “Biomedicine” (BioMed) is part of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School (LSZGS) and imparts knowledge, concepts and modern technologies to address complex questions in biomedical sciences on a molecular, cellular and systems level with the vision to advance clinical translation and improve patient care. BioMed offers students a strong and interactive program that combines groups from the University of Zürich (UZH), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) and the University Hospital Zürich (USZ). The highly international scientific environment at the institutions combines cutting-edge research with a modern teaching curriculum.

The PhD students of the PhD program in Biomedicine can not only choose from a broad selection of research topics and participate in front line science, but can also take advantage of a large number of graduate courses on various topics. Topics range from human physiology to cancer biology, stem cells, genomic medicine and laboratory techniques. They also include transferable skills like statistics, project management for research, scientific writing and career planning. The PhD program organizes an annual retreat for scientific exchange and networking among students.

The PhD students of BioMed can either register at the University of Zürich or the ETH Zürich, depending on the affiliation of their direct supervisor and her/his research group.

Students can apply to the program via Track I by May 1st and November 1st through the website of the LSZGS or via Track II (see application ). Enrollment into the program is decided by an admission committee.

• Research groups
• Current students
• Application
• Travel Grant
• Documents to download and useful links

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Faculty of Medicine

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, doctoral program clinical science, table of contents, application, program management, curricular content.

The doctoral program Clinical Science, which focuses on research with healthy or sick people in a clinical setting, has been established to open a university postgraduate qualification opportunity in the field of clinical research. The university hospitals will keep on promoting clinical research, making this program a true trendsetter.

The Clinical Science program allows candidates to carry out an in-depth clinical research in the field of medicine. It is open to highly motivated candidates who have proven to be academically outstanding and show a strong interest in clinical research.

This program is coordinated by the Dean’s Office of the Faculty of Medicine.

The doctoral program consists of original research as well as of curricular content, with mandatory and optional modules of at least 12 ECTS points, for which a minimum of three years in full-time employment is scheduled. However, in justified cases exceptions to this may be authorized by the doctoral program commission.

In order to apply for this doctoral program, candidates must have a university degree of master in either medicine, biomedicine, biology or psychology. Further academic qualifications which are compulsory for eligibility as well are listed in the following document “Doktoratsordnung”. All candidates must have good skills in English.

Doktoratsordnung vom 9. Februar 2022 (PDF, 64 KB)    

The guidelines govern the doctoral program Clinical Science, which is offered at the faculty of Medicine of the University of Zurich. They formalize the promotion regulation for the title Dr. sc. med. (equivalent to a PhD) from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zurich

In order to apply for this doctoral program, candidates must at least hold a university master's degree in either medicine, biomedicine, biology or psychology. Further academic qualifications that are compulsory for eligibility as well are listed in the document "Doktoratsordnung". All candidates must have good skills in English and German.

Double Matriculation*

Double matriculation in the general doctorate of the Faculty of Medicine (Dr. med.) and in the PhD program Clinical Science is not planned. If, at the time of your application for the PhD program, you are about to graduate as Dr. med., please indicate this in your application. Otherwise, the simultaneous completion of the general doctorate and the PhD program is not intended. *Applies to future PhD students

Application Deadline

May 1, 2024

The registration fees are set by the Student Administration Office of the University of Zurich and also apply to doctoral students. Doctoral students must be enrolled throughout the entire period of study.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted by using the online application portal of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School exclusively (for the links for Track 1 and Track 2 see at the bottom of the website in the teasers Application, Track 1 Application, Track 2 Application). Applications sent by e-mail or mail will not be accepted.

There are two ways to apply for the Clinical Science doctoral program:

Track 1: Applicants without a PhD position have to apply via track 1. Within the doctoral program, PhD positions will be advertised competitively in each application round. Open positions will be published on www.jobs.uzh.ch in spring/autumn. All applications received via track 1 will be checked for their suitability for the open positions. In an interview, the admissions commission examines the admission to the doctoral program. The person who has an open PhD position also takes part in the interview.

Track 2: Applicants who already have a supervisor for their PhD-project have to apply via track 2. In an interview, the admissions commission evaluates the qualification and motivation of the candidate. Please do not start your PhD-position before the interview. For the applications track 2 the deadlines May 1 and November 1 apply.

License to Practice Medicine

For some PhD positions, the licence to practice Medicine from the Swiss Bundesamt für Gesundheit (BAG) is mandatory for candidates with a master’s degree in Medicine that was not issued in Switzerland.

Applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee after the deadline. Please refer to your personal Glowbase account to find out about your current status. Interviews will be held in English and German.

The general responsibility for the doctoral program Clinical Science lays within the program committee which is set up by the Faculty of Medicine.

The doctoral program is managed by:

• Prof. Beatrix Latal, MD, Director
• Lea Schwab, MLaw, M.A., Program Coordinator

The current senior members of the doctoral program committee are:

• Prof. Beatrix Latal, MD, Director website
• Prof. Milo Puhan, MD, PhD, Deputy Director website
• Prof. Maries van den Broek, PhD, Vice Dean of Research website
• Prof. Dr. phil. Gerhard Rogler, MD website
• Prof. Barbara E. Stähli, MD website
• Prof. Susanne Wegener, MD website

Additional members of the doctoral program committee are:

• Lea Schwab, MLaw, M.A., Program Coordinator ( contact )
• Anna Joachimbauer, MD, PhD Student Representative
• Parisa Rahimzadeh, MD, PhD Student Representative

This committee decides on the development of the curriculum, coordinates the curricular requirements, is involved in the selection and admission of candidates and supports the cooperation with the Faculty of Medicine.

Member's Meeting

The Member's Meeting consists of faculty members taking part in the program. In addition, supervisors who are not faculty members but supervisors of students (mostly with private research programs) may be elected members. Tasks of the General Assembly include the strategic direction and organization of the doctoral program, the selection of the Directress or the Director as well as their deputies, and active participation in the doctoral program.

Compulsory Modules

Introduction to epidemiology (milo puhan, viktor von wyl et al.).

The overall goal of this 4-week block course Introduction to Epidemiology is to introduce students to the major questions of clinical and epidemiologic research and to methods to address these questions. The course follows an overall framework (Figure) that describes the course of scientific discovery from the detection and burden of disease and its causes, to diagnosis and prognosis of disease up to the development and evaluation of preventive and treatment interventions and their consequences for population health. We will discuss study designs in the context of existing knowledge and the type of evidence needed to advance knowledge for specific questions. Thereby, students learn to combine subject knowledge and methods expertise to design, conduct and interpret substantive medical research. The course will provide a basis for further studies and research in the fields of Medicine and Public Health (on Master or PhD level), both of which are very dynamic and diverse fields.

Next conduct in Fall Semester 2024

Advanced Medical Research Methods (Milo Puhan, Henock Yebyo, Miquel Serra-Burriel)

Modulleitung: Prof. Milo Puhan, MD, PhD Link: Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute

This course has been designed for Clinical Science PhD students to learn and experience the scientific and practical aspects of applied clinical research methods.

Course Description:

Advanced Medical Research Methods The aim of this course is to introduce students to advanced research methods and apply previous knowledge in epidemiology and biostatistics into real-life research. To achieve this, the lectures will cover novel study designs (special designs of RCTs and observational studies like factorial RCTs and nested case-control studies), advanced statistical methods (propensity scores, missing data). We will introduce special topics in epidemiology related to modifiable risk factors (nutrition and physical activity) which can be applied to a variety of outcomes, as well as current topics in research (molecular epidemiology, big data and translational research). The ‘lab’ sessions will provide practical techniques, (using R) that will further expand the set of tools that the future PhDs will be able to apply in their research. Furthermore, the practical experience will be complemented by the group exercise of writing protocol for a fictional RCT (designed and developed during the semester) under a guidance of an epidemiologist/researcher at the ZAM.

Group Project:

Three groups of 3 to 4 students, preferentially with diverse interests and backgrounds, will design a feasible RCT to address a real public health problem. One lecturer will be assigned per group. Further administrative information will be provided at the beginning of the first lecture.

Prerequisites :

Intro to Epidemiology or RCT course (BME361) & Basic course in Biostatistic (ie Clinical Biostatistics or similar) & experiences in R.

Clinical Biostatistics (Leonhard Held, Stefanie von Felten)

The aim of the course "Clinical Biostatistics" is to give students an introduction to statistical methods in clinical research.

The following topics will be addressed: randomized controlled trials, bias, hypothesis tests and sample size calculation, randomization and blinding, confidence intervals and p-values, analysis of continuous and binary outcomes, multiplicity, subgroup analysis, protocol and protocol deviations, some special designs (crossover, equivalence, and clusters), analysis of diagnostic studies, analysis of agreement.

Please note that PhD students are asked to use the time between 12 and 15 h to prepare work for the lab.

Case Studies in Clinical Biostatistics (Ulrike Held, Manja Deforth) (1 ECTS Credit)

The aim of the course is to give students practice in different stages of clinical research projects: study design, primary outcome definition and sample size calculation, plausibility checks, data analysis and modelling, computation, interpretation, and communication of results, as well as dissemination according to EQUATOR guidelines. In 3 research projects, students will face real-world problems typically associated with study design, data analysis and reporting. A focus of the course will be on good research practice, application of statistics knowledge and reproducibility. We will use the statistical programming language R in combination with R Markdown for reproducibility and dynamic reporting.

Project 1: Comparison of the means of two populations, hypothesis testing with parametric and non-parametric tests, confidence intervals. Baseline adjustment with ANCOVA model.

Project 2: Research protocol for a clinical study, primary outcome, secondary outcomes, sample size determination.

Project 3: Estimation of the treatment effect in a randomized experiment with a time-to-event outcome, Kaplan-Meier curves, Cox proportional hazards model.

Students are encouraged to work in groups. At the end of each project, students will be asked to hand in individual reports and present their results in a 15 min talk. The talks and reports will be assessed. In order to enroll in this course it is mandatory without exception to have passed CS16_003 Clinical Biostatistics (Vorlesung und Übung).

Conduct: Thursdays, February 22 – April 4, 2024, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m., small seminar room (i.e. rooms 290 and 288), Careum 2 , 2nd floor, Gloriastrasse 18, 8006 Zurich

PhD Seminar (Bea Latal, Alisa Berger, Markus Grütter)

The objective of this course is to have a more detailed look into diverse research topics, methods and problems. Sessions are either based on a talk by an experienced researcher followed by a student lead discussion or on a general research topic which is being prepared by a group of PhD students for discussion with peers. Examples for discussed topics include personalized medicine, biomarkers, evidence based medicine, graphs in publications a.o.

Career Development, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 4:15 – 5:45 p.m. , large seminar room (i.e. rooms 290, 288 and 286), Careum 2 , 2nd floor, Gloriastrasse 18, 8006 Zurich

Bibliometrics and Social Media for Researchers, Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 4:15 – 5:45 p.m. , large seminar room (i.e. rooms 290, 288 and 286), Careum 2 , 2nd floor, Gloriastrasse 18, 8006 Zurich

Scientific Integrity, Tuesday, May 28, 2024, 4:15 – 5:45 p.m. , large seminar room (i.e. rooms 290, 288 and 286), Careum 2 , 2nd floor, Gloriastrasse 18, 8006 Zurich

Optional Courses

Winning the publication game (jürgen barth).

Jürgen Barth teaches in this module the relevant steps to publish a manuscript. Participants will have the chance to exercise the process. This process includes the preparation work, writing the paper and submitting it. There are 10 major topic involved in the successful publication of a paper. Publication starts with the identification of the target group. Further, the main message has to be shaped. The lecturer gives advice on the covering letter for the editor. He instructs how to handle the comments of the reviewers. Prerequisite for the participants is to have specific plans for a manuscript, that will be submitted within 6 months. In the course, the relevant steps for the submission of the manuscript are conferred. The lecturer will deal with all individual manuscripts. All PhD students in their 2nd or 3rd year are welcome to register. By actively participating and doing the exercises, the participants will be able to develop the skills to win the publication game.

Basic Introduction to Programming in R Focusing on Medical Research (Ulrike Held, Monika Hebeisen)

The course covers basics of programming and data formats in R, and the essential steps of a data analysis including data manipulation, descriptive statistics, statistical tests and graphical representations. The course is taylored to medical research and limited to 20 participants.

Get R_eady: Introduction to Data Analysis for Empirical Research (Ulrike Held, Monika Karin Hebeisen, Stefania Iaquinto)

The course offers an introduction to data analysis in the transdisciplinary field of empirical research in the programming language R. The R system of statistical computing is openly available from https://www.r-project.org and provides a simple and flexible software environment for statistical analyses and graphics. Tailored to the application of empirical research the course covers basics of functions and data formats in R, as well as the essential steps of a data analysis including data manipulation, descriptive statistics, statistical tests and graphical representations. Reflections on research methodology and transdisciplinarity will take place and critical thinking will be enhanced.

Conduct: Thursdays, April 11 – April 25, 2024 , 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. , KO2-D-54 , Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, 8006 Zurich

Implementation Science in Health Care (Lauren Clack, Rahel Naef et al.)

Implementation science is the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic integration of research findings and evidence-based practices into care delivery and the de-integration of low value care. Implementation science is a newer field of study that addresses the know-do gap in health care and builds on the insight that proving effectiveness of an innovation (practice, model of care, intervention, treatment modality etc.) does not automatically translate into effective adoption in clinical practice.

Implementation science therefore aims to:

• increase and accelerate the adoption of research findings and evidence-based practices;
• scale-up effective interventions to different contexts;
• develop knowledge on implementation strategies that are tailored to contextual barriers and enablers to adoption and research use;
• increase the involvement of clinicians, patients, families, and the public in research;
• achieve knowledge circulation i.e., to enable the transfer of knowledge from practice to research.

In this course, students will gain an understanding of the role of implementation science in clinical health research, familiarize themselves with implementation science methods, and develop skills by applying implementation science methods in their field of research.

Conduct: Wednesdays, February 28 – May 8, 2024, 09:00 – 11:45 a.m. , Institute for Implementation Science in Health Care, UNK-E-2 , Universitätsstrasse 84, 8006 Zurich

Applied Implementation Science in Health Care (Lauren Clack, Rahel Naef)

This module will help students to gain a deeper and applied knowledge of Implementation Science. Students will have the opportunity to tailor course content to their current projects and interests by selecting from a pre-defined list of implementation topics to be covered during the semester. Working in small groups, students will prepare their chosen topics and present them to the class. Every session will furthermore provide the opportunity to transfer learnings from the presented topic (s) to one’s own project. Topics to choose from (finalization in the first session):

• Human-centered design (co-design) and implementation science
• Tailoring implementation strategies
• Evaluating context
• Research logic models
• Theories, Models, and Frameworks
• De-implementation
• Quantitative & qualitative measures
• Health economic evaluation and implementation science

Statistische Modelle mit R ( Christina Ramsenthaler )

Der Kurs widmet sich den wichtigsten statistischen Auswertungsmethoden für unterschiedlichste Arten von Studien (Experimentalstudien, Beobachtungsstudien (Kohorten-, Fallkontrollstudien, deskriptive Quer- und Längsschnittstudien), Sekundäranalysen (z. B. Metaanalysen)). Es werden die wichtigsten Auswertungstechniken quantitativer Daten und die wichtigsten statistischen Modelle der Gesundheitswissenschaften mit der Open-Source Software R besprechen:

• lineare Modelle und deren Spezialfälle (LM: t-Test, ANOVA, Regression);
• Regressionsmodelle für ausgewählte Datentypen wie Zähldaten und zweiwertige Daten (GLM: Poisson, logistische Regression);
• multivariate Verfahren (Hauptkomponenten- und Faktoranalyse);
• Einführung in Überlebensanalysen (survival analysis);
• hierarchische Modelle (LMM: lineare gemischte Modelle); 
• ausgewählte Methoden der Metaanalyse;
• Arbeit mit dem Grafikpackage ggplot2, Arbeit mit den Packages im Tidyverse und Einführung in RMarkdown zur Berichterstellung.

Conduct: Tuesdays, February 20 – March 12, 2024, 10:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m., on February 20, 2024, room 286, Careum 2 , 2nd floor, Gloriastrasse 18, 8006 Zurich on February 27 and March 12, 2024, by Zoom on March 5, 2024, room 274, Careum 2 , 2nd floor, Gloriastrasse 18, 8006 Zurich

Überfachliche Kompetenzen

Zu den Kursen des Graduate Campus für Doktorierende im Frühjahrssemester 2024 gelangen Sie hier .

University of Zurich Dean's Office / Office of the Board of Directors of the Academic Medicine Zurich (UMZH) Pestalozzistrasse 3 CH-8032 Zurich

Lea Schwab, MLaw, M.A. Telefon: +41 44 634 48 39 E-Mail: [email protected]

Weiterführende Informationen

Application to the doctoral program track 1: click here Application to the doctoral program track 2: click here Next deadline: Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Interview dates (for the application period November 2, 2023 – May 1, 2024) : Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 09:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Friday, June 14, 2024, 09:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Track 1 Application

Candidates seeking PhD positions may apply for a PhD position within the PhD program Clinical Science and use the following link to apply. The job announcement will be posted here in due course.

Track 2 Application

Candidates who have a PhD position use the following link to apply.

Employment Rules

Employment should be in line with the rules of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF).

• Clinical Science_Empfehlung Anstellung (PDF, 158 KB)

Life Science Zurich Graduate School

Graduate Campus

Promotion regulation.

The promotion regulation for the title Doctor scientarium medicarum (Dr. sc. med.) of the University of Zurich can be found under the following link (available in German only).

• Promotion Regulation of September 6, 2021
• Overview Applicable Regulations (PDF, 101 KB)

Regulations for the General Outline of Rights and Responsibilities

The Regulations for the General Outline of Rights and Responsibilities of the Faculties for Teaching and Research Assistants and Doctoral Candidates can be found under the following link.  Regulations for the General Outline of Rights and Responsibilities

Information on the modules can be found in the course catalogue under the following link.

• Curriculum Overview (PDF, 121 KB)
• Curriculum Mandatory Modules DO 2022 (PDF, 143 KB)

Recommended MOOCs

The doctoral program committee recommends the following high-quality massive open online courses (MOOCs) on the topic of systematic review and meta-analysis:

• Introduction to Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Understanding Systematic Reviews – an Introduction for Health Professionals
• Meta-Analysis – Advanced Methods Using the Stata Software

Summary of Teaching Activities

This form is to be completed and signed by the PhD student at each annual PhD committee meeting, endorsed by the responsible professor.

• Summary of Teaching Activities (PDF, 696 KB)

Guidelines Multiple Affiliations

The guidelines should be followed when specifying the affiliation in all publication. This assures recognition of the scientific achievements.

Information

Information on the promotion within this program:

Fact sheet Completing a Thesis in the Doctoral Program Clinical Science DO 2022

Example of the cover sheet of your thesis:

Please follow the instructions concerning the print of your thesis. Spiral binding is not permitted.

The following contact persons and counseling centers are available to you in the event of a conflict: Program Specific Consulting Lea Schwab, MLaw, M.A. Conflict Management for PhD Candidates Psychological Counseling Services Advice on Problems Related to Employment, Job Specifications and the Position as a Member of the UZH Mid-Level Staff Association of Junior Researchers of the University of Zurich (VAUZ) Advice also for External PhD Candidates in Case of Difficulties at the Workplace Employee Assistance Office (MBS) Contact Point for Suspected Scientific Misconduct Among UZH Researchers Ombudsperson and Deputies Research Integrity

We congratulate

our PhD student:  Antonio Giulio Gennari, MD, for the Anna-Müller-Grocholski-Prize 2023 of the Swiss Society of Neuropaediatrics for his work: "Lesion volume and spike frequency impact perfusion in focal cortical dysplasia: a pediatric arterial spin labeling study" (1st prize in the scientific work category).

Florian Alexander Wenzl, MD, for the FAN Award 2023 in the field of medicine and natural sciences for his research on the topic: "Sex-specific evaluation and redevelopment of the GRACE score in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes in populations from the UK and Switzerland: a multinational analysis with external cohort validation."

our graduates: Melanie Ehrler, PhD, for the FAN Award 2024 in the field of medicine and natural sciences for her research project: "Die Verbindung zwischen Herz und Hirn – ein interdisziplinärer Ansatz zur Verbesserung der Entwicklung von Kindern mit angeborenem Herzfehler." 

Kevin Sven Akeret, MD, PhD, for the Annual Prize 2023 of the Faculty of Medicine for his dissertation: "Cerebrospinal fluid hemoglobin in the pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapy of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage related secondary brain injury". Florentia Dimitriou, MD, PhD, PD, for the Research Fellowship 2023 of the Siegenthaler Foundation for her research focus: "Delineating the role of the microbiome and immunotherapy response across melanoma subtypes", the Skin Cancer Award 2022 from the Association for Skin Cancer Research at the University Hospital Zurich for her research project: "Serum and tissue biomarkers associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patient treated with anti-PD1-based immune checkpoint inhibitors" and to the Georg Friedrich Götz-Prize 2022 of the UZH Foundation for her research topic: "Immunotherapy in advanced mucosal melanoma". Egle Ramelyte, MD, PhD, for the Pfizer Research Prize 2022 for her research topic: "Effects of oncolytic viruses on cell function in skin lymphoma" and for the Skin Cancer Award 2020 from the Association for Skin Cancer Research at the University Hospital Zurich for her research project: "Ocolytic virotherapy mediated anti-tumor response through a single-cell’s perspective".

Impressions from the retreat on September 22, 2023

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Department of Astrophysics

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd programme in data science, graduate school for data science.

Data Science is a relatively young scientific discipline aimed at addressing important scientific and societal problems by focusing on obtaining, analyzing, and interpreting data. It has become an indispensable part of both academia and industry. Indeed, Data Science is now widely regarded as the fourth pillar of scientific discovery complementing theoretical, experimental, and computational approaches. 

The PhD Program in Data Science is aimed at preparing aspiring data science professionals for a successful career in academia or industry. To achieve this goal, enrolled students will engage in world-class research at one of the best Universities in Switzerland. They will also have access to a multidisciplinary curriculum and be able to collaborate with experienced faculty members from a large number of departments across the University.

Students have to be offered a PhD position by an individual faculty member of a participating research group. The faculty member together with the PhD candidate can then select an appropriate PhD program that best fits the academic profile of the candidate. The data science PhD program is tailored for students with a strong technical background in machine learning or data science, for example. Decisions regarding enrollment into the PhD program will be made by an admission committee.

Requirements

A Master's degree in Science, Mathematics, or Computer Science or an equivalent degree. Additional requirements may be attached to specific PhD openings. Further requirements may be listed in the regulations of the doctoral program.

Successful applicants have a strong scholastic record, a creative mindset, are able to communicate their work effectively, have a basic knowledge of programming and statistics, and, most of all, enjoy solving problems in Data Science.

In order to graduate, students need to fulfill the following requirements:

• Deposition and defense of a written dissertation about the student's independent research project
• Acquisition of 12 ECTS credits of advanced courses
• Additional requirements imposed by the admission committee, the doctoral committee, or the University

Curriculum 

The program includes a curricular part of at least 12 ECTS credits. Participating students can choose from a broad selection of research topics and classes in coordination with or as stipulated by their doctoral committee. The curricular part of the doctoral studies covers both the specific topic area of the research project and a general education in Data Science and data modeling in Natural Sciences. ECTS credits may also be awarded for active participation in conferences or other activities of relevance for the doctoral study.

Featured Courses

• Academia Industry Modeling (AIM) week
• During AIM week, teams of PhD students and post-doctoral fellows complete a one-week focused research project on applied problems proposed by industry partners. Industry representatives and participating faculty coordinate the formulation of the problem and supervise the research teams. Topics can cover all scientific interests and domains represented in the PhD program and in particular their interfaces.
• Modeling of Complex Systems In this hands-on course, the students learn how mathematical models can be used to describe and understand the dynamics of real-world systems in essentially all applied sciences, such as physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, economics, social sciences etc. The course covers concepts like integration methods, mechanistic and descriptive modeling, stochasticity, and Monte Carlo simulations. On the practical side, students will model and implement dynamical systems, understand the theoretical background and limitations, and practice understanding and communicating of models.

Official PhD regulations for the Data Science Programme:

Doctoral Program Regulations (PDF, 206 KB) Ordnung zum Doktoratsprogramm (PDF, 107 KB)

For PhDs starting after 1 June 2022 the updated regulations apply:

Ordnung zum Doktoratsprogramm (ab 2. Juni 2022) (PDF, 152 KB)

Doctoral Program Regulations (PDF, 93 KB)

Admissions to Promotion - Useful links and documents:

Admission to Doctoral Studies at the University of Zurich

Factsheet Admission to a PhD Program at the Department of Astrophysics (PDF, 621 KB)

Checklist for PhD students

"Confirmation of Supervision for Doctoral Students" (PDF, 242 KB)

"Acceptance Confirmation Structured Doctoral Program" (PDF, 225 KB)

Annual committee meeting minutes (PDF, 1 MB)

Confirmation Sheet - TA Hours (PDF, 224 KB)

Fact sheet PhD Defence (EN) / Merkblatt (DE)

Program Director Prof. Dr. Jan Dirk Wegner [email protected]

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Department of Economics

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd programs, table of contents, zurich graduate school of economics, marlene porsche graduate school.

PhD in Economics at the University of Zurich

The Zurich Graduate School of Economics  at the University of Zurich, ZurichGSE in short, was launched in its current format in 2009. It offers a set of courses taught (in English) by internationally renowned academic faculties at the University of Zurich and world-class research opportunities. A specific feature of the doctoral program is a close attachment between graduate students and advisors and a strong team spirit among students. The goal of the program is to produce independent young researchers who can obtain academic jobs in the best universities, central banks, and international organizations.

Overview Zurich Graduate School of Economics

PhD in Neuroeconomics at the University of Zurich

The Marlene Porsche Graduate School of Neuroeconomics was launched in 2017, enabled by a donation by the Marlene Porsche Foundation. The interdisciplinary degree program in the cutting-edge field of Neuroeconomics has a strong scientific focus, with the goal of enabling students to become independent researchers of the highest caliber. Its faculty consists of internationally renowned scholars with expertise in behavioral economics, neuroimaging, neuropharmacology, brain stimulation techniques, and computational modeling.

Overview Marlene Porsche Graduate School of Neuroeconomics

Weiterführende informationen.

Contact Graduate Schools

Graduate Campus (GRC) – for early career researchers

Global Student Experience

• Marlene Porsche GS Neuroeconomics

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UZH for International Students and Scholars

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, study at uzh, join us in zurich - become part of a vibrant, international student community.

Studying at the University of Zurich (UZH) means developing independent and critical thinking skills, welcoming new and unfamiliar ways of looking at the world, and learning how to generate new ideas, test new procedures, and gain fresh insight.

Students, and PhD candidates find ideal conditions at UZH to achieve their potential.

• The largest and most comprehensive offer of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in Switzerland, with over 100 different major subjects and flexible program design
• Outstanding libraries and study centers
• State-of-the-art teaching methods
• Student advisory and career services
• Attractive PhD programs
• In-house research fund to promote talented junior academics

Doctoral Programs

Did you know that Albert Einstein earned his doctorate at UZH? Follow his footsteps and discover the opportunities to complete your doctorate at UZH. We offer attractive doctoral programs and, with our Graduate Campus , offer a central and cross-faculty platform to support doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers.

First Steps to a PhD

Admission and Application

Health insurance for PhD candidates

Funding opportunities for PhD candidates

Further information for PhD candidates

Master's Study Programs

As a research university, UZH is committed to inspiring, research-based teaching. Our Master's degree study programs provide in-depth knowledge in fields such as banking & finance, bioinformatics, quantitative earth sciences and others, for tomorrow's global leaders and change-makers. The main language of instruction for most Master's study programs is either German or English. For some programs in language and literature, it can also be French, Italian, or Spanish.

Find out more about:

Master's Study Programs

Language Requirements

Application and Admission

Bachelor's Study Programs

UZH offers more than 60 study programs for undergraduates, ranging from astrophysics and business administration to social anthropolgy and theology. The main language of instruction for all Bachelor's degree programs is German.

Bachelor's Study Programs

Curious? Listen to our students' stories and find out more about student life at UZH.

Tuition Fees and Living Expenses

How much does it cost to study at UZH?

Find information about our tuition fees, living expenses in Zurich, and ways to finance your studies on the following websites:

Fees and contributions

Finances and living expenses

Visa, Entry and Residence Permit

For detailed information on what you need to take into account before travelling to Switzerland, please refer to the following websites:

International Students - Entry and Residence

FAQ for international students and scholars

Information for Refugees

The University of Zurich wants to help refugees gain access to university education. The Coordination Office Explore at Global Affairs is responsible for coordinating the various services available. For more information visit t.uzh.ch/refugees .

Weiterführende Informationen

Einstein's doctorate at uzh.

Zurich played an important role in the scientific career of Albert Einstein– he was a student here, and in 1905 submitted his dissertation to the University of Zurich. Einstein’s doctoral certificate has now returned to the university and is on permanent display. 

• UZH News: “Doctor Einstein”
• Press Release: “Einstein’s Doctoral Certificate Returns to UZH”
• New Publication "Albert Einstein: Revolutionizing Physics"

FAQ for International Students and Scholars

• Link to FAQs

Further information

Find links to further information on the following websites:

• For Prospective Students
• For UZH Students
• For Doctoral Candidates

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Department of Psychology

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All important administrative information about the doctoral studies in Psychology can be found on the webpages of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences : https://www.phil.uzh.ch/en/studium/doktorat.html

• PhD according to regulations 2019 (for matriculations by fall semester 2019)
• Regulations
• Research Funding and Grants for Doctoral Students
• External links

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German Version

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Subscribe for the Postdoc- mailing list (course vacancies)

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Central offers of the University of Zurich for PhD students

• Graduate Campus • Continuing Education in University Teaching and Learning  

• PhD according to regulations 2019
• Research Funding / Grants

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Doctoral study programmes

At ETH Zurich, doctorates are not organised within an overall doctoral study programme in the way that students may be familiar with from other universities. Each doctoral student is free to select and assemble the components of their doctoral studies for him or herself. However, the departments do have the option of organising and offering their range of courses for doctoral studies in the form of doctoral programmes.

The Life Science Zurich Graduate School, for example, offers this kind of programme. There are 16 highly competitive doctoral programmes, run jointly by ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich. The aim is to attract the most promising young scientists from across the world by offering a comprehensive and challenging education for doctoral students in biosciences.

If you are interested in one of the doctoral programmes available at ETH Zurich, please visit the following pages:

• external page call_made Life Science Zurich Graduate School
• external page call_made Zurich Graduate School Mathematics
• external page call_made Zurich Graduate School in Computational Science and Engineering CSE

Joint Doctoral Programs

Graduates of the following programs will obtain a joint doctoral degree certificate from ETH Zurich and the partner institution.

> Contact the Doctoral Administration

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Graduate Programs

Science informs medicine and medicine informs science. School of Medicine offers several master's and Ph.D.-level graduate programs for students interested in pursuing careers in health and biomedical sciences research. Our graduate students conduct their thesis work in faculty labs, where their basic, translational and clinical research advances our understanding of human development and disease. Our master's degree and Ph.D. students also contribute to the development of new diagnostics and therapeutics in cardiology, neurology, cancer, diabetes, infectious diseases and more.

Master of Science (M.S.)

• Master's in Clinical Research

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

• Bioinformatics & Systems Biology
• Biomedical Sciences
• Neurosciences
• Independent PhD:  Medical students may also pursue advanced training leading to a M.A., M.S. or Ph.D. in the Biomedical Sciences Program independent of the Medical Scientist Training Program, or in any of the UC San Diego general campus science or engineering programs. Information is available from relevant departments and faculty.

Joint Programs with San Diego State University

• Au.D. in Audiology
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use

Medical Scientist Training Program

Are you interested in pursuing a joint MD/PhD program? Explore the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at School of Medicine.

Learn more about MSTP

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