Deadlines

Before you submit your dissertation, find out about the formalities and deadlines to be observed in the doctoral regulations and at the graduate center of your faculty.

If you have a set deadline, e. g. because your scholarship expires or you are changing jobs, you must allow for correction and display periods, for example. Usually, your examiners have three months to read your dissertation. However, this period can be extended under certain conditions. The display period is approx. 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the doctoral regulations.

Submission

The process of submission and the requirements differ between the faculties, so please check your faculty's regulations in the "Promotionsordnung." Usually, you have to submit several printed copies of your dissertation, as well as proof that you have met the admission requirements (f. ex. a copy of your Master's degree. If you need to obtain documents from abroad or have them translated, make sure to plan enough time for this!).

Evaluation

After your have submitted your dissertation, it is sent to the primary and secondary reviewers for evaluation. Simultaneously, a commission for the defence is appointed. The members of the commission receive the written dissertation as well as the reviewers' evaluation reports.

Display

Before you can defend your dissertation, it must be publicly displayed in the faculty for inspection by all faculty members. The doctoral regulations regulate how long the dissertation must be displayed.

When you have submitted your dissertation, you should start thinking about your defence. In addition to preparing thematically (see below), this includes choosing the members of the examination committee and, if necessary, preparation such as reserving a suitable room, finding the necessary technology, buying water for the examiners, and preparing a small gathering after the defence. It is advisable to attend one or two defencesbefore your own in order to familiarise yourself with the process and the nature of the questions.

Choosing the Commission Members

The members of the commission for your defence is usually chosen by the doctoral committee ("Promotionsausschuss"). Depending on the doctoral regulations ("Promotionsordnung"), it is also possible for you to propose one or more members yourself. The commission usually consists of 4 to 6 people (1 chairperson, at least 2 reviewers, 1-3 other people). For the exact number and required academic degrees of the commsision members please refer to the Promotionsordnung of your faculty.

Together with the members of the commission decide on a date for your defence (during the lecture period), a suitable room and, if necessary, someone to take minutes for your defence.

Gathering & Drinks

Iit is customary to have a small gathering with the members of the commission and, if applicablee, selected guests after the defence. Choose a suitable room, get dishes/glasses and organsie drinks. Try to outsource most of the organisational work on the day of your defence to other people (partners, friends, colleagues).

Structure of the Defence

The defence usually lasts 60 to 90 minutes. It begins with a 20-minute presentation by the doctoral candidate on the dissertation. The examination committee will then ask questions. The defence is open to all university members. For details on the exact procedure, please consult the doctoral regulations ("Promotionsordnung") of your faculty.

Preparing Thematically

To prepare for your defence, revisit the theses of your dissertation, its strengths and, above all, its weaknesses. Usually, you can refer to the examiners' evaluation. Also consider the research interests of the members of the commission and prepare yourself for related questions.

If possible, visit the room in which your defence will take place and test the technical equipment.

Grading

The overall grade of your doctorate is calculated based on the individual grades of the dissertation and the defence (usually with a ratio of 2:1). It can therefore only be determined after the defence. The grades are:

• "with distinction (summa cum laude)" (for outstanding scientific achievements)
• "very good (magna cum laude)"
• "good (cum laude)"
• "sufficient (rite)"
• "Not enough (insufficienter)" (i.e. this performance is not sufficient to obtain the doctorate)

In some departments it is common for reviewers to set conditions for printing. These must first be fulfilled before the dissertation can be published. Sometimes the fulfillment of these requirements can be very time-consuming. You can seek advice on this from the Graduate Center in your faculty.

There are basically two forms of publication of doctoral theses: cumulative (i.e. several articles published in specialist journals can be summarised and submitted as a so-called cumulative doctorate) or as a monograph (i.e. as a comprehensive, self-contained publication).

The publication is part of the doctoral work, i. e. without it the title may not be used even after passing the exam. There are various ways in which you can publish your dissertation:

1. Publication With A Commercial Publisher
   If you would like to remain in academia, you should publish your dissertation with a publisher that is recognised in your field and whose publications are followed and reviewed. Find out early on which publishers are particularly suitable for your dissertation topic and how the publication process works. Normally, the dissertation has to be revised for publication.The publication of the dissertation by a publishing house often involves costs, part of which the publishing houses pass on to the author. To cover these costs, you can apply for publishing grants from some funding bodies. An overview of these funding bodies is available at ELFI (Service for Electronic Research Funding Information) under the Section "Förderart/Zuschüsse/Druckkostenzuschuss."
2. Publication With The University Library
   You also have the option to publish with the Paderborn University library. This means you have to submit a set number of mandatory copies (print & digital) to the university library. You can find more information on this, as well as advice from the publication service team, on the University Library website.

   >> Go to the University Library Publication Service

The doctoral regulations ("Promotionsordnung") regulate the publication format.