Curriculum

With matriculation, the doctoral student accomplishes his/her doctoral studies at the WHU. The doctoral studies are designed for the academic / scientific training of the doctoral student within the field of economic science. The contents and circumferences depend on the premises of matriculation: Doctoral students who have accomplished an economics / business program have to obtain 3 certificates of performance; doctoral students with a methodological / factual degree have to obtain 6 certificates of performance within the doctoral program of the WHU. Those doctoral students, who have neither a degree in economic science nor a methodological/factual degree can secure the required expertise and methodical skills within the frame of the doctoral studies. Their work load consists of certificates of performance with a volume of 40 SWS ("Semesterwochenstunden" - work load measurement). Please see § 8 of the doctoral guide lines.

The doctoral studies at the WHU are divided into an overall study of methods and subject specific studies. The offered courses are closely coordinated by the academic groups and the academic director of the doctoral program; they are continually evaluated and developed. With "DOBES" (instructor evaluation system), every doctoral student has the possibility to actively influence the courses that are offered.

Parallel to the doctoral studies, the doctoral student works on his doctoral project.

Within the first phase of this project, he/she defines the frame of his/her doctoral project with regard to contents and methods. This first phase ends with the submission of the exposé half a year after matriculation.

On the basis of the exposé, the doctoral committee decides on the second supervisor of the doctoral project, who has to be a member of the doctoral committee. First and second supervisor support the doctoral student in his/her research project and survey continually the progress of the research.

In the second phase, the doctoral student works on his project on the basis of the frame, given in the exposé. This second phase ends with the defense of the doctoral project, which will take place one year after matriculation. During the defense, the doctoral student presents his/her research, positions his/her work within the scientific literature and presents the methods, used for his/her research. With the defense, the doctoral student obtains important advices for his/her further approach, composition and disposition, development of theory and supposition.

The defense is the basis for the third phase of the doctoral program, namely the composition of the dissertation. The date for submission of the dissertation is individually defined by the doctoral student, prior consultation of the two supervisors. After submission and referee of the dissertation, the last step follows: the presentation of the dissertation within the frame of the disputation. Within the disputation, the doctoral student presents, construes and discusses the results of his research with the members of the doctoral committee.