uni basel phd

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The goal and the function of the doctorate is the acquisition of scientific competence and the development of methodological knowledge. The Faculty of Psychology’s doctoral degree regulations set out binding admission requirements, the components and the formal procedure of the doctoral studies, which are additionally explained on this website. Registration for doctoral studies is compulsory. The University of Basel offers various support services (advice, training, funding). The doctoral studies comprise the dissertation , the doctoral examination , programme framework , and—if a condition of admission—the colloquium, and are subject to governance .

Dissertation

The dissertation is an independent research project and must demonstrate the doctoral student’s ability to work independently and meet the scientific requirements of the topic. A dissertation can be submitted as either a cumulative dissertation or a monograph. A cumulative dissertation includes at least one published or accepted for publication peer-reviewed article (of which the doctoral candidate is the first author) and at least two further articles (of which the doctoral candidate is the first or co-author) that have been submitted, accepted for publication, or published in a peer-reviewed journal, plus a 10- to 20-page synopsis, which integrates the research results into a coherent research strategy and research question, and from which the doctoral student’s own personal contribution is clearly evident. The format of the dissertation is not specified except for the cover sheet and the declaration of scientific integrity and is worked out with the principal supervisor.

Doctoral examination

After completion of the dissertation and meeting the objectives of the programme framework (see below) as well as any further requirements, doctoral students submit the application for initiation of the doctoral degree procedure with the dissertation in triplicate to the Office of the Dean of Studies. The Office of the Dean of Studies forwards the dissertation to the PhD Committee , whose members each write an independent evaluation, award the dissertation a grade, and within three months send the evaluation, together with a recommendation for acceptance or rejection, to the Office of the Dean of Studies. There must be at least two evaluations, with one evaluation each from the principal and the subsidiary supervisor. As soon as at least two evaluations have been submitted to the Office of the Dean of Studies, the Office of the Dean of Studies forwards the evaluations to the Doctoral Board for definitive acceptance or rejection of the dissertation. The dissertation and the evaluations are available at the Office of the Dean of Study at least two weeks before the doctoral examination for confidential inspection by members of the Faculty Assembly. The evaluations are made available to the candidate no later than two weeks before the doctoral examination. After receiving the decision of the Doctoral Board regarding the definitive acceptance of the dissertation, the Office of the Dean of Studies requests the candidate to submit proof of fulfilment of any conditions for admission and credit points acquired during the doctorate together with the academic progress summary in accordance with the doctoral agreement. Upon their receipt, the Office of the Dean of Studies, in cooperation with the candidate, determines the date for the public doctoral examination, which is conducted by the members of the PhD Committee . This is chaired by a faculty member appointed by the Doctoral Board who is not a member of the PhD Committee . The doctoral examination is a public oral examination of at least 60 and a maximum of 90 minutes. It begins with a 30-minute presentation by the candidate. Afterwards, a scientific debate of at least 30 minutes takes place. At the end of the debate, members of the PhD Committee jointly award a grade, which is recorded on the confirmation of the doctoral examination. The doctoral examination contributes one-third and the dissertation two-thirds to the final degree grade. After successfully passing the doctoral examination, the candidate swears an oath after which confirmation of the completed doctoral examination is handed over. Following this, the title "PhD Graduand” may be used. After the doctoral examination, three copies of the dissertation must be submitted to the University Library in accordance with the University Library regulations and with the cover sheet provided for the dissertation. The doctoral degree certificate is generally delivered within six weeks following receipt of confirmation from the UB regarding fulfilment of the publication obligation. It entitles the holder to the academic degree of "PhD".

Programm framework/objectives

Doctoral students are responsible for successfully completing at least 12 ECTS within the programme framework. The necessary ECTS may be obtained from the following three areas (1-3); at least two-thirds must be obtained in areas 1 and 2:

• External scientific courses on the dissertation topic
• Internal scientific courses on the dissertation topic
• Teaching and provision of other training

Areas 1 and 2 include doctorate-level courses related to the dissertation topic at the Faculty  of Psychology of the University of Basel or other universities. Visits to summer schools are credited according to the credit points awarded by the summer schools. Further doctorate-level courses are credited with the corresponding credits, as long as they are included in the University of Basel course directory. The assessment format is based on criteria given therein. Regarding internal scientific events, care should be taken to attend doctoral-level courses. Under certain circumstances, it may make sense also to attend courses from the Bachelor's or Master's degree programme. However, credits from these courses should be an exception and must first be discussed with the principal supervisor and recorded according to the Learning Contract. ECTS that were acquired during Bachelor or Master studies cannot be credited to the doctorate. ECTS acquired outside the University of Basel may be counted, provided that they fulfil the necessary criteria within the programme framework at the doctoral level. Before attending such courses, credit should be confirmed by the principal supervisor. The courses must also be arranged as per the Learning Contract. External scientific courses typically include contributions to international conferences. A personal contribution at a conference earns 1 credit points. Doctoral students are required to attend research lectures at the Faculty of Psychology on a regular basis, even if they are not directly related to the dissertation topic. Other selected events and courses can be counted within the programme framework, provided they meet the criteria. These include, for example, courses offered in other doctoral programmes at Swiss universities. Courses that are passed are credited with the respective number of credits assigned to them. The principal supervisor decides on eligibility of course work for credit in the programme framework. Eligibility is recorded as per the Learning Contract. Matriculation over the entire period of doctoral studies at the University of Basel is mandatory for all Faculty of Psychology doctoral students. Doctoral candidates must register for the doctorate at the earliest possible date.

Admission to doctoral studies requires a Master of Science in Psychology degree from the University of Basel. Other degrees awarded by the University of Basel or a university recognized by the University of Basel may be recognized as wholly or partially equivalent by the Doctoral Board. In the case of partial equivalence, admission is subject to a maximum of 24 ECTS. Requirements may include either individual courses from the Master's degree programme or the colloquium. The colloquium is an oral examination of one hour’s duration, through which knowledge of psychology related to the specific dissertation project can be proven. It is conducted by two members of Group I of the Faculty of Psychology presided over by a chairperson elected by the Faculty Assembly and is graded as either passed or failed. If the colloquium is assessed as failed, it can be repeated once, after three months at the earliest. Therefore, the first appointment for the colloquium must be scheduled for the start of the month not later than nine months following admission, meaning that it can be repeated within the one-year period, if necessary. Failing the colloquium for a second time or exceeding the deadline results in breaking the conditions of supervision and leads to termination of the academic supervision and therefore for the end of the doctorate.

Governance/supervision

• The Doctoral Board is the lead body of the doctoral programme and oversees the content and procedure of doctoral training at the Faculty of Psychology. It consists of the Dean, the Research Dean and the Dean of Studies.
• The PhD Committee consists of the supervisors of the respective doctoral students. At the request of the principal supervisor, the Doctoral Board determines the composition of the PhD Committee . Further information on the composition of the PhD Committee can be found in the doctoral degree regulations of the Department of Psychology. The PhD Committee supervises and monitors implementation of the dissertation.
• A doctoral agreement between the doctoral candidate and the principal supervisor is concluded during the first semester. The doctoral agreement includes a provisional study plan and schedule for the doctorate, any requirements and general conditions as well as the proposed selection of options to meet the programme objectives (number of credit points)—a personalised curriculum. Additionally, regular meetings are recommended for explicit discussion of whether the doctorate is progressing according to the doctoral agreement. If significant changes occur in this process, the doctoral agreement should be updated.

Degree certificate and diploma ceremony

Upon successful completion of the doctoral studies, students receive a doctoral degree certificate from the Dean and the Dean of Studies, which records the degree programme completed as well as the final grade. A graduation ceremony takes place every autumn — registration is required here . Diplomas from the respective spring semester are handed over direct during the ceremony. Students who complete their studies in the fall semester receive their diplomas in advance by mail.

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PhD and Postdoc

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As the education of future academics has always been one of our priorities, the Department of Chemistry of the University of Basel invites postgraduate and postdoctoral students from all over the world to join one of its research groups and take the opportunity to do a PhD or postdoc, respectively, on a cutting-edge research project.

In both teaching and research the Department of Chemistry includes the whole breadth and thematic diversity of modern chemistry. In addition to the traditional three pillars of inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, the department has interdisciplinary foci in synthesis & catalysis, chemical biology, nanomaterials, and theoretical chemistry.

Why choose Basel?

As highly esteemed research institution the Department of Chemistry has an excellent international reputation. In a supportive environment we aim to give our students the opportunity to develop their full potential – scientifically and in their personality.

Our PhD Chemistry Community ( PCC ) is run by graduates and young researchers at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Basel and aims at enhancing collaboration and promoting community spirit, both by arranging events across the department, but also by improving your research environment encouraging collaboration between research groups.

The Basel area is one of the most productive and innovative economic regions in the world and home of numerous international chemical and pharmaceutical as well as biotech start-up companies. Located in the trinational region of Switzerland, Germany and France, Basel is a vibrant city with a rich cultural life and pleasant mediterranean flair.

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PhD in Physics: General Information

If you are interested in doing a PhD in Physics at our Department, the first steps to get admitted to the doctoral degree program, are to:

• Verify if you are eligible for the Physics doctoral degree program.  As a condition for admission into the Physics doctoral degree program, the University of Basel requires a master’s degree (usually, but not necessarily, in Physics) or a degree considered equivalent to a master’s degree. Click  here  for details or contact the  admissions' office  for specific information.  For applicants holding another type of degree, the admissions committee of the Faculty of Science decides case-by-case whether the degree can be considered equivalent to a master’s degree. A bachelor’s degree in general is considered insufficient for an admission into the doctoral degree program.
• Identify the   field of research   you are being interested
• Apply directly to the professor heading the group (PI) your are interested and qualified to work in. Include in your application: a letter of motivation, your CV, and 1-2 references.

Applicants who are eligible for the Physics doctoral degree program, whom the PI of the respective research group has approved, do not have to undergo any further examinations. Admitted applicants will be employed at the Department of Physics by the University of Basel.

Doctoral students in general must earn at least 12 credit points (CP), those in a PhD program/school at least 18 CP respectively, in order to fulfill the requirements of the Faculty of Science. They are encouraged to follow advanced courses (offered for the master degree program) to extend or deepen their knowledge. Also, once applicants have found a PhD advisor and once applicants have met the admission criteria as described in the above paragraph, no further examinations are usually required for admission into the PhD program.

Visa / Residence Permit

Doctoral students who come from a EU/EFTA country need a  residence permit  and a  work permit . In addition to that, students from countries other than the EU/EFTA usually need a  visa  to be allowed to study, work and live in Switzerland.

Please consider that both processing permit and visa applications can take up to several weeks. Make sure you handle your application in a timely manner.

Matriculation

Matriculation is compulsory for doctoral students at the University of Basel. They have to be matriculated at the earliest possible date and remain enrolled for the entire duration of their doctoral studies. Click  here  for further information regarding the matriculation. 

The tuition fee at the University of Basel for doctoral students is currently CHF 350 per semester. Click  here  for details on tuition fees.

Working as a PhD student

In general all doctoral students at our Department will be employed, usually as a teaching assistant, with a salary sufficient to cover the cost of living and studying in Basel. The teaching activities total between half-a-day to a day per week during the semesters (e.g. teaching exercises, laboratory courses or other educational activities). These teaching activities can be performed in German (and English). Employment outside the Department for students on a visa is usually not allowed.

English is the main language at the Department of Physics. The knowledge of German (the official language of Basel) might be helpful in everyday situations, yet it is not required for the participation in research projects on the PhD level. Our Department hosts a diverse community of scientific personnel originating from a large number of different countries.

Living and Working in Basel

Basel lies in the heart of Europe, in the center of the idyllic border triangle of France, Germany and Switzerland, on the banks of the river Rhine. The Department is located within the city, close to the center. Basel is a small but mighty city that is offering a rich and very diversified range of cultural events and countless options for outdoor activities and excursions. The city has a long tradition of hosting international fairs and events and is also a thriving center for start-up and tech companies (e.g.  Nanosurf ,  Rolic ,   CSEM ).

Click  here  for more information on living and working in Basel.

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The information on this website is not legally binding and may not reflect the most recent changes in the study regulations (Studienordnung). To obtain more information and in case of questions, please contact us .

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Graduate School of Business and Economics

Contributing to understanding the effectiveness of labour market policies Ulrike Unterhofer, PhD in Labor Economics

At our faculty, the paths are short, which enables an ideal feedback culture during the PhD. Nico Sütterle, PhD candidate Financial Accounting

Phd program.

Since Spring 2019, graduate education has been offered through the Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE). On this page you will find information about the PhD program as well as the relevant forms and regulations. 

Structure of the PhD program

The doctoral degree includes the course work, the research proposal, the dissertation, and the doctoral examination.

More information about the course work and how to earn or transfer credits can be found here .

All doctoral students are required to write a research proposal at the beginning of the doctorate, which serves as the basis for the first research paper and the evaluation at the end of the first year. The research proposal process is coordinated by the Graduate School, they will supply you with the necessary form. If you have any questions, contact the GSBE coordinator . After the evaluation, doctoral students are required to submit their doctoral agreement. 

A second supervisor is added to the doctoral committee by the end of the first year, further supervisors may be added if needed. The forms for this can be found below.

Regular progress meetings between supervisors and PhD students are expected. The GSBE recommends documenting these meetings, e.g. with the form below. The form may be submitted to the GSBE coordination for documentation purposes (optional)

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Forms and Guidelines

• Doctoral Agreement (PDF, 1.30 MB)
• Guidelines Research Proposal (PDF, 835.99 KB)
• Second supervisor (PDF, 875.59 KB)
• Additional supervisor (PDF, 876.27 KB)
• PhD Progress Meeting (PDF, 847.04 KB)
• Topics for regular progress meetings (PDF, 162.68 KB)
• Declaration of contributions (PDF, 850.26 KB)

Regulations

• ALT Promotionsordnung (bis HS 2023)
• NEU Promotionsordnung (ab FS 2024) (PDF, 208.79 KB)
• GSBE Ergänzende Regelungen zur Promotionsordnung (PDF, 63.66 KB)
• Co-authorship and Economics Lunch (PDF, 459.01 KB)
• ALT Wegleitung zur Promotionsordnung (bis HS 2023) (PDF, 165.96 KB)
• Anforderungen zur Publikation der Dissertation (PDF, 76.10 KB)
• AUSLAUFEND: Anhang zu § 12 Absatz 2: Bildungsangebot | 18.03.2014

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PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering is the application of natural science principles and techniques to the medical field. It seeks to close the gap between basic science and clinical applications leading to fascinating interdisciplinary research.

The Medical Faculty of the University of Basel offers a Doctoral Degree in Biomedical Engineering (PhD, Dr. sc. med.). Doctoral students in Biomedical Engineering usually also enter the PhD program in Biomedical Engineering. This program provides advanced educational tools to complement the existing doctoral supervision.

Requirements:

Approved PhD students of the Faculty of Medicine and Science Faculty with a dissertation topic in Biomedical Engineering may enter this doctoral program. Applications should be submitted to phd-dbe@ clutter unibas.ch . PhD students not enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine can participate at the organized events but they cannot receive the PhD program certificate.

Useful Links & Downloads

• Administrative aspect of PhD studies at the Medical Faculty
• PhD Regulations of the University of Basel Faculty of Medicine (Promotionsordnung) (PDF, 105.67 KB)
• University's Support Services Guide
• Avuba's Tips & tricks for a successful doctorate

Program Offering:

Students enrolled in the PhD program have access to an annual summer school, networking events as well as courses lectures and seminars. After graduation, students can also obtain a final certificate upon request.

Annual Summer School

Phd program coordination.

Prof. Pablo Sinues

Head of Teaching Committee

Hegenheimermattenweg 167B 4123 Allschwil Schweiz

Dr. Sara Freund

PhD Program Coordinator

Student Coordination Office 02.096 Hegenheimermattenweg 167B 4123 Allschwil Schweiz

Student Representatives

Student Representative

PhD Student at the Functional Biomechanics Group

Felix A. Erb

PhD Student at the BIROMED-Lab

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Department of History

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Doctoral Subjects

Basel Graduate School of History (BGSH)

Doctoral Events

PhD Projects

Doctorates in the department of history, earning a dr. phil. in history.

The Department of History’s doctoral program provides the ideal framework for your research project and allows you to forge a successful academic career.

Our doctoral researchers play a central role in innovating historical scholarship in Basel and shaping how it is perceived. They are part of the departmental teams and research colloquiums, benefit from interdisciplinary discussion within the Basel Graduate School of History (BGSH) , determine the focal points of our event programs, and seize opportunities offered by the international networks of the department and BGSH.

Structured doctoral program

The Basel Graduate School of History (BGSH) doctoral program enables you to pursue a structured doctorate in a theoretically, methodologically and thematically stimulating environment with close collaboration between doctoral researchers. In addition to writing your dissertation, the BGSH curriculum allows you to earn 18 credit points.

Individual doctorates

If you don’t want to complete a doctorate within the BGSH framework, you have the option of an individual doctorate. In this case, you must earn 12 credit points in addition to writing your dissertation.

All doctoral researchers are automatically enrolled in the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

29 Feb 2024 / Research, Doctorate/PhD

Cfp tagung «geschichte des kapitalismus».

27 Feb 2024 / Research, Doctorate/PhD

Forschungskolloquien im frühjahrsemester 2024, doctoral subjects (in german).

Osteuropäische Geschichte

Information doctorate, application & admission.

In addition to the information below, we recommend students from abroad to read the information sheet  step by step – Preliminary information for international PhD candidates at the University of Basel .

Admission and matriculation

To be admitted to a doctorate, applicants must hold a master’s degree in a field related to the desired subject of doctoral research with an average grade of at least 5.0 rounded to the nearest tenth (the Swiss system awards grades from 1 to 6 with 6 being the highest grade and 4 being a “pass”). Other degrees from a higher education institution recognized by the University of Basel may be deemed partially or fully equivalent on the condition that the applicant acquires any missing credits. Acontinuing education program qualification from a university (e.g. Master of Advanced Studies) does not entitle an applicant to be admitted to a doctorate.

Application

Admission applications must be submitted online to the university’s Student Administration Office. Applications can also be submitted after the official application deadline has passed. However, there is no guarantee that the application will be processed in time for the desired semester, or that the applicant will be able to attend courses in the current semester.

Admission to a doctoral program

Before you can be accepted onto a doctoral program, you must successfully apply for admission to doctoral studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Basel. Once you have been admitted, you can begin your search for a place on a doctoral program. For application information, please see the website of the relevant doctoral program .

Cotutelle de thèse

The  University of Basel website provides information about how to conduct a doctoral project at the University of Basel and at a second university in a foreign country, leading to a double doctoral degree or “cotutelle   de thèse”.

Language requirements

The main languages of instruction in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences are German and English (with the exception of the Department of Languages and Literatures). To ensure your studies are successful, you should be proficient in the languages of instruction for your doctoral subject to at least C1 level as defined in the  European Framework of Reference . The Language Center at the University of Basel helps students to attain the required level of proficiency.

Office of the Dean of Research

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Student Administration PhD

Process of doctorate.

A doctorate usually lasts between three and five years and includes a dissertation, curriculum-based courses, and the doctoral examination. Curriculum-based courses make up at least 12 credit points in individual doctorates and at least 18 credit points in doctoral programs. First, however, a doctoral committee must be formed that will define the framework for the doctorate and work with you to draw up a Doctoral Agreement including an individual study plan.

Doctoral committee

Structure and tasks

Every doctorate is supported by a doctoral committee. This committee usually consists of a first and second supervisor but can also include a third person. The first supervisor is primarily responsible for making sure that the doctoral project is conducted correctly and that suitable supervision is provided. The doctoral committee defines the curriculum-based courses to be completed and provides the doctoral candidate with feedback on the quality and progress of his or her work during regular supervisory meetings. All members of the doctoral committee produce an independent, graded evaluation report on the dissertation submitted.

Forming and appointing the committee  

The first supervisor must be appointed when the application for admission to a doctorate is submitted. The application to act as first supervisor must be submitted to the Student Administration Office together with the application for admission. Ideally, all other supervisors should be appointed by the time the doctorate begins. However, the doctoral committee must be named and appointed by the doctoral board at the latest 12 months after the start of the doctorate. The deadline by which the doctoral committee must be appointed is provided to the doctoral candidate along with their admission letter.

Any Group I professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Basel can serve as first supervisor. Members of Group II (assistant professors without tenure track, honorary professors who hold a doctorate, and private lecturers with a postdoctoral qualification from the faculty) can serve as first supervisor provided the second supervisor is a Group I professor. In this case, the second supervisor must be named in the first supervisor’s application when the application for admission to a doctorate is submitted. Upon request to the doctoral board – the doctoral agreement shall suffice in this case – honorary professors from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences who hold a doctorate and Group I members from a different faculty at the University of Basel may be deemed equivalent to Group I members from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in matters concerning the doctoral committee. Any of the Group I and II faculty members mentioned above may serve as second supervisor. Upon request – the doctoral agreement shall suffice in this case – the doctoral board may also permit a second supervisor to be appointed from outside the faculty or outside the University of Basel. This person must hold a comparable qualification and position as internal second supervisors and hold the right to confer doctorates at their home institution. All contact details for the external second supervisor requested must be specified in the doctoral agreement (connection to their university, postal and email addresses). The doctoral board decides whether to approve the external second supervisor. The doctoral candidate may apply to the doctoral board to add a third supervisor to the doctoral committee. In the case of a three-person committee, either the second or third supervisor does not need to hold the right to confer doctorates; however, this person must have a demonstrable link to a higher education institution or possess a high level of expertise in the doctoral topic. An informal application letter must be submitted to the doctoral board explaining why the supervisor has been chosen and providing details of their position, institutional connection, and addresses (postal and email address). The application must be supported by the first supervisor. The doctoral board decides whether to approve three-person committees.

Graduation & Publication

Registering for the doctoral examination.

Once doctoral candidates have written their dissertation, passed all curriculum-based courses, and fulfilled all other requirements, they can apply for admission to the doctoral examination. Each candidate must complete the following steps:

• Submit a copy of the dissertation manuscript to each supervisor. The faculty does not bear any of the costs incurred in sending out dissertation manuscripts.
• Submit a written application for admission to the doctoral examination (via  Phil App  or  email ) containing all documents specified in the information provided about registering for the doctoral examination .

Candidates should register for the doctoral examination at the latest four months before the desired oral examination date. Doctoral examinations cannot be held during master’s examination sessions. Doctoral candidates are admitted to the doctoral examination once their dissertation has been accepted by the supervisors. The Dean’s Office must be informed of their decision to accept or refuse the dissertation within the four months after the dissertation was submitted. The candidate will be provided with confirmation that the dissertation has been accepted and they have been admitted to the exam when they receive their examination invitation and schedule.

Exam organization and doctoral examination

The examination is held at the latest within two months of acceptance of the dissertation. Doctoral candidates must remain matriculated until the exam takes place. The examination is organized by the Student Administration Services of the Dean’s Office. The doctoral examination is accepted by the supervisor who is chiefly responsible; where possible, the other supervisors on the doctoral committee should always take part in exams. Examiners may participate via Skype upon request, provided that they are participating from a foreign country and that the first supervisor and the candidate attend in person. For an examiner to participate via Skype, all exam participants must provide informal, written consent to the Student Administration Services of the Dean’s Office. The candidate is responsible for the technology required. The Dean’s Office is usually able to provide the necessary devices and internet access. 

Doctoral examinations last for 60 minutes and are not usually open to the public (exceptions must be arranged beforehand with the Student Administration Services of the Dean’s Office). The exam includes a dissertation defense based on the evaluation report provided in advance. The defense starts with a presentation lasting around 15 minutes followed by a discussion, which can cover the wider subject area to which the dissertation belongs. Once the candidate has passed the doctoral examination, the examination chairperson confers the provisional doctorate. Until the doctorate becomes legally binding, the candidate may use the title Dr. phil. des. (Doctor philosophiae designatus).

Doctoral degree transcript and graduation ceremony

The degree transcript is presented at the graduation ceremony. Candidates who pass their exam between February 1 and July 31 attend the ceremony held the following September; candidates who pass between August 1 and January 31 attend the ceremony held the following March. Candidates who are unable to attend the ceremony in person may receive their graduation documents by post upon request.

Publication, doctoral certificate, and right to bear title

The doctoral process is not deemed complete until the candidate has fulfilled their duty of publication and the certificate has been presented. The candidate is obliged to deliver the dissertation in the format specified in the faculty publication guidelines within three years of the doctoral examination. The university library’s instructions for printing and binding dissertations must also be taken into account. Detailed instructions on how to publish dissertations in electronic format can be found in the E-Dissertation  section of the university library’s edoc document server.

Once the candidate has fulfilled their duty of publication, the doctoral certificate will be issued, ideally within two months. The doctoral certificate entitles the bearer to use the academic title «Dr. phil.», or «PhD» in English. The doctorate will be announced in the Kantonsblatt Basel-Stadt.

Doctoral candidates at the University of Basel have the opportunity to apply for grants from various agencies to cover, for example, the costs of attending congresses, organizing events, editing articles, or printing costs.

To the Financing Options

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• Studying Mathematics
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Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

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Doctoral Program in Mathematics

We offer people with a master of science in mathematics or an equivalent degree the opportunity to pursue a doctorate in one of our research fields.

Research fields

Doctoral programs.

• Swiss Doctoral Program
• Computational Toolbox

I completed my doctoral studies in mathematics in Basel. I really liked the atmosphere, which included a lot of exchange between doctoral students and postdocs thanks to regular events. Prof. Dr. Karin Baur, Universität Graz

• Brochure Research Mathematics (in German)

An easygoing atmosphere prevails in mathematics at the University of Basel. People know each other well, learn from one another, and as a result also like to look beyond the boundaries of their own field. I profited greatly from this inspiring environment during my doctoral studies. Dr. Roland Lötscher, KSL Limmattal

• Bernoulli’s Round Table
• Documents (matriculated up until spring semester 2016)
• Documents (matriculated since fall semester 2016)
• Guidelines for assistant faculty

The University of Basel has traditionally offered diverse programs of study in mathematics. In hindsight, I can say that a solid basic knowledge of logic, algebra, and topology as well as geometry, analysis, and physics is very important. It is also important to be curious. I wish all the beginning doctoral students a lot of fun in their studies! Prof. Dr. Sebastian Baader, Universität Bern

Mathematics Study Coordinator

Heidi karypidis.

Department of Mathematics and Computer Science Spiegelgasse 1, 4051 Basel Office EG 00.001 Tel. +41 61 207 39 90 Mon - Thu in the morning By appointment: heidi.karypidis@ clutter unibas.ch Or spontaneously: knock and enter

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Department of Environmental Sciences

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PhD - Doctorate

The Department of Environmental Sciences offers opportunities to pursue individual doctorates in the following subjects:

• Geosciences
• Prehistory and Archaeological Science
• Environmental Sciences

A doctorate can only be taken up in consultation and agreement with the respective professor .

In addition, it is possible (but not mandatory) to participate in one of several doctoral programs/PhD school:

• PhD Program in Plant Sciences  of Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center (PSC) , which the University of Basel offers together with the University of Zurich and the ETH
• PhD Program in Science and Policy of Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center (PSC) , which the University of Basel offers together with the University of Zurich and the ETH
• Water-Earth Systems PhD School , which the University of Basel offers together with the University of Neuchâtel, EAWAG, University of Lausanne, University of Bern, and the ETH

For the PhD Programs in Plant Sciences, and in Science and Policy, it is possible to register within three months of enrolling.

Doctoral Programs and PhD School

PhD Program in Plant Sciences

PhD Program in Science and Policy

• Water-Earth Systems PhD School

PhD related links

• Doctoral Studies Regulations and Documents - Faculty of Science
• Application for admission
• Graduate Center of the University of Basel (GRACE)
• Plant Science Center (PSC) PhD Programs
• Individual funding for doctoral candidates
• Antelope Career Program
• Transferable Skills
• Assistants’ Association of the University of Basel

Further Information

• Welcome Center
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• Basel Student Advice Center
• Student Association Mind-Map
• Doctoral Agreement with sheets for the Doctoral Committee meetings

Dr. Jelena Rajkov

PhD Coordinator

Bernoullistrasse 30, Office 013 4056 Basel

Office days: Mon - Thu

Tel.  +41 61 207 23 27

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Swiss Nanoscience Institute

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The SNI PhD School is highly interdisciplinary and international.

The sni phd school.

In 2012, the Swiss Nanoscience Institute founded a PhD School to promote the education of young researchers in the nanosciences. The research activities address the cutting edge scientific and interdisciplinary approach of nanoscience and technology and root in disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and engineering.

Each doctoral student is supervised by two scientists from the interdisciplinary SNI network and belongs to the successful SNI PhD School. Within this network, scientific exchange and networking is of great importance. All PhD student participate in these meetings of the network as well as in their Winter School and several courses that are specifically designed to meet the requirements of the doctoral students.

The PhD School is highly international. Currently, PhD students from 15 different countries are enrolled.

Timeline 2024/2025

Upcoming events.

Swiss NanoConvention 2024 4-5 Juni 2024, Congress Center Basel

SNI Rhetoric Workshop (by invitation, participation once while being an SNI PhD student): 13-14 June 2024

Annual Event 2024: 4-6 September 2024

SNI Start-up Workshop (by invitation, participation once while being an SNI PhD student) 16-17 October 2024

NanoTec Apéro 2024 with industry partners 30 October 2024

Annual Event 2025: 10-12 September 2025

"I can recommen d the SNI PhD School to everybody who is interested in interdisciplinary science."

Dr. Thomas Mortelmans, former doctoral student at the SNI

Video with Thomas Mortelmans

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Department of Biomedicine

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PhD General Information

The following guidelines apply for all PhD students at the DBM enrolling at the Faculty of Science of the University of Basel.

Every new PhD student at the DBM , who matriculated at the Faculty of Science , should contact the DBM Coordinator, Susan Treves, by e-mail to set up an appointment.

Corona-Pandemic Note: Due to the special situation, all documents (signed doctoral agreement, guidelines, PaC meeting protocol) can be submitted electronically.This situation, however may change in the upcoming months.

DBM PhD Coordinator

Department of Biomedicine ZLF LAB 408 University Hospital Basel Hebelstrasse 20 4031 Basel

Administrative Assistant

Nicole Salvisberg Email: Nicole.salvisberg@ clutter unibas.ch

Information for new doctoral students

General Information

Additionally Required Documents

• Doctoral Agreement (PDF, 736.59 KB)
• PaC Meeting Protocol (DOCX, 132.00 KB)
• Withdrawal of Doctoral Training Form (PDF, 383.44 KB)
• Curriculum/Individual Study Plan
• DBM Defense Form (for internal use only) (DOCX, 178.08 KB)
• Register for the Research Integrity Course
• Learning Contract

Faculty of Science

Student services - matriculation.

Important: Matriculation is compulsory for doctoral students at the University of Basel. Section 19 (6) of the University of Basel student regulations states that: “The doctoral student has to be matriculated at the earliest possible date and to remain registered for the entire duration of doctoral studies.” Please note that matriculation at the University of Basel or at another university (within the framework of a cooperation scheme) is a mandatory requirement of your employment contract. Your employment contract will be terminated if admission to doctoral studies at the University of Basel or a required permit (residence or work permit) is not granted or extended, and/or if you fail to be matriculated within 6 months.

For matriculation one of the supervisors has to be acknowledged within the dissertation topic and the Faculty of Science, and has to confirm the application (letter to Student Services). Every structural professor of the Faculty of Science (e.g. Biozentrum) can serve this function. But, only a number of professors in the DBM are accredited - please see guidelines!

Faculty of Science: Dean's office

Faculty of Science: PhD Regulations ect.

PhD Regulations of the Faculty of Science  (Promotionsordnung) 

University of Basel “Code of academic integrity and good practice in the conduct of research”

Faculty of Science: List of Professors (Gruppierung I)

I. before you start matriculation

read guidelines of the DBM PhD Program

get in contact with the DBM PhD coordinator

Who are your supervisors? You need 2 supervisors accredited by the Faculty of Science (we are in the Medical Faculty!), and one external expert – think in advance and see the information needed for a doctoral agreement!

II. Online application

• Student Services: approves the documents
• Transfer of the documents to the Promotionsausschuss (PA) of the Faculty of Science
• PA approves matriculation and asks for the signed doctoral agreement
• January 4th for Spring Semester
• July 31st for Fall Semester

III. Documents needed: 

see details on the Website

Faculty of Science specific:

• title of the thesis
• Confirmation letter for supervision  of dissertation: ask DBM PhD coordinator for advice!

Deadlines for registration

How to apply

Doctoral Studies online application process

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International PhD Program

PhD Fellowships

Biozentrum PhD Fellowships Program

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The Biozentrum encourages talented, ambitious and highly motivated young scientists from all over the world to apply for the prestigious and sought after fellowships offered by the Biozentrum Basel International PhD Program. In contrast to many other PhD student programs that aim at a broad recruitment of many candidates, the Biozentrum PhD Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis to a maximum of 10 successful candidates per year. Recipients are offered a unique rotation-based selection of a research group of choice and a number of other incentives that foster the scientific excellence and the career prospects of these PhD candidates.

Application is open until May 24, 2024.  Further information on application and selection procedure. 

The “Biozentrum PhD Fellowships” program was established in 2006 with the generous support of the Werner Siemens-Foundation who recognized the value of an international excellence program. After the initial financial support of the Werner Siemens-Foundation, the University of Basel took over funding the salaries of new fellows in 2010 to assure the continuation of the program, since it has proven to be both a great opportunity for the graduates and an enrichment for the international community of the Biozentrum.

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Pflegewissenschaft - Nursing Science (INS)

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«Exploring the field of research has given me access to a whole new world.»

Phd in nursing science.

One of our proudest achievements at the INS is our record of consistently attracting talented, highly motivated PhD students, expanding their potential and preparing them not only as top- flight leaders in patient care but also as innovators in nursing education, policy and research. With skills and experience gained, our graduates increase the quality of health care in Switzerland and internationally. This is facilitated both by the Faculty of Medicine’s well-established inter-professional research infrastructure ( PPHS , SPINE ) and by our research teams’ outstanding collaboration with renowned international scientists and institutions.

A PhD from the Faculty of Medicine

Nursing Science is one of seven disciplines in which the University of Basel’s Faculty of Medicine offers PhDs. The others are Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Ethics, Clinical Research, Medicine Development, Public Health/Epidemiology and Sport Science.

PhD regulations are decided at the level of the Medical Faculty, subject to approval by the University Council, and primarily include the PhD Regulations (Promotionsordnung)  and the PhD Guidelines (Wegleitung) . 

Benefits of a PhD in Nursing

A PhD-prepared nurse obtains during her PhD translational research competencies, leadership skills and system changing skills that allow a substantial impact on patients and families, nurses and other health professionals and the overall health care system.

A PhD-prepared nurse…

… develops new knowledge and skills through research … implements innovations to tackle major healthcare challenges … establishes interdisciplinary collaboration at all healthcare system levels … provides leadership in health research, care delivery, policy, and management

Benefits of PhD in Nursing

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Institute for Biomedical Ethics

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PhD Program in Bioethics, health policy and legal medicine

The PhD program at the IBMB was financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) ProDoc grant (PDAMP3_137134) between 2012 – 2015 in collaboration with the Institute of Biomedical Ethics, University of Zurich. Thereafter the PhD program received financial support from the Swiss Universities (SUK) and is currently supported by the University of Basel.

• PhD-positions available

Dr Tenzin Wangmo PhD Program Coordinator Bernoullistrasse 28 4056 Basel

Tel: +41 61 207 17 87 Fax: +41 61 207 17 80

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