Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - School of Business and Economics

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin | School of Business and Economics | Academic Career | Doctoral studies | Regulations & forms | Information on the new Doctoral Degree Regulations of the School of Business and Economics from October 1, 2024

Information on the new Doctoral Degree Regulations of the School of Business and Economics from October 1, 2024

On October 1, 2024, the new Doctoral Degree Regulations of the School of Business and Economics were published in the University Gazette AMB of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and entered into force on the following day.

The following applies since October 2, 2024:

  • New admissions to the doctorate will only be made in accordance with the new Doctoral Degree Regulations.
  • Doctoral candidates who were admitted according to the regulations of the Doctoral Degree Regulations of May 21, 2010 (i.e. admission to the doctorate was issued before October 2, 2024), but the doctoral examination has not yet been initiated (i.e. admission to the doctoral examination according to § 9 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations of May 21, 2010 has not yet been issued), must inform the Doctoral Degree Board via the Graduate Office by October 1, 2025 if they wish to continue their doctorate according to the regulations of the Doctoral Degree Regulations of May 21, 2010. If this notification is not made, the doctorate will be continued from October 2, 2025 according to the regulations of the new Doctoral Degree Regulations of October 1, 2024. If a change to the regulations of the new Doctoral Degree Regulations is desired before October 2, 2025, this is possible by notifying the Doctoral Degree Board via the Graduate Office. Notification to the Graduate Office by email is sufficient.
  • Doctoral examinations that were already initiated before the new Doctoral Degree Regulations entered into force (i.e. admission to the doctoral examination in accordance with § 9 of the Doctoral Degree Regulations of May 21, 2010 has already been issued) will be completed in accordance with the regulations of the Doctoral Degree Regulations of May 21, 2010.

 

Overview of the most important changes

The aim of the new Doctoral Degree Regulations of October 1, 2024 is to reduce dependencies of doctoral candidates on their supervisors in order to prevent possible conflicts and, in the event of conflicts, to offer all parties involved greater certainty regarding potential options for action. The following comparison provides an overview of the most important changes in the new Doctoral Degree Regulations.

  Doctoral Degree Regulations of May 21, 2010
 Doctoral Degree Regulations of October 1, 2024
Doctoral Degree Board
  • no doctoral candidates involved
  • two doctoral members with an advisory role
Completion period of the doctorate
  • not defined (only defined time for supervision commitment of three years)
  • maximum completion period of six years (can be extended by a maximum of three years)
Supervision
  • one supervisor is sufficient
  • supervision commitment can be revoked unilaterally if success criteria are not met; doctoral candidates are then without supervision
  • supervision by at least two entitled persons
  • supervision commitment can only be withdrawn by a supervisor if another person takes over the supervision

Initiation of the doctoral examination
  • colloquium presentation required during the completion period
  • no declaration of compliance with the rules of good scientific practice
  • proposal for the composition of the Doctoral Degree Committee only later
  • despite admission to a doctorate within the framework of a structured program, it is not necessary to prove that the program curriculum has been successfully completed
  • colloquium presentation not required
  • declaration of compliance with the rules of good scientific practice
  • proposal for the composition of the Doctoral Degree Committee already with the application for initiation of the doctoral examination
  • if it was stated at the time of admission to the doctorate that the doctorate will be carried out in a structured program, proof must be provided that the program curriculum has been successfully completed
Doctoral thesis
  • no regulations for cumulative theses
  • regulations for cumulative theses
Review
  • supervisors are usually reviewers
  • supervisors can only be reviewers in justified exceptional cases
  • as a rule, at least one reviewer should not be a member of HU and at the same time not be a co-author of a paper that is part of the doctoral thesis
Doctoral Degree Committee
  • at least three professors and one academic staff member with a doctorate
  • full-time professors of the School must have a majority
  • at least three professors and one member with at least a doctorate
  • supervisors can be members (but not chair)
  • School members must have a majority

Oral Examination
  • „Colloquium“
  • no regulations on participation via video conferencing technology
  • „Disputation“
  • participation of individual members possible via video conferencing technology
Overall grade
  • grades: summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude, rite, non sufficit
  • no regulations for the award of summa cum laude
  • grades: passed with distinction, passed, failed
  • passed with distinction can only be awarded if all reviews and the disputation have been passed or awarded with the grade passed with distinction
Regulations on publication
  • partly outdated
  • reference to regulations of the university library

Office of the ombudspersons
  • does not exist
  • specifications on appointment and tasks

Verification procedure and withdrawal of the doctoral degree
  • no regulations
  • regulations included