Pursuing a Doctorate

The University of Mannheim offers doctoral candidates in the fields of Economics, Business Administration, and Social Sciences the opportunity to earn their doctorate through a structured doctoral program at the Graduate School of Economic and Social Sciences (GESS). Structured doctoral programs are similar to PhD programs in English-speaking countries. Doctoral candidates completing this type of program attend mandatory, interdisciplinary methods courses during the first one to two years of the program.

For further information on doctoral studies at the Graduate School, please visit the GESS’ website or send an e-mail to gess uni-mannheim.de.

Individual doctoral study is the more traditional path to a doctorate, and remains the most frequently chosen approach. This type of doctorate requires doctoral candidates to find a supervisor with the appropriate specialization. While pursuing their doctorate, candidates work, for example, as academic staff members at a chair or in an externally-funded project, receive a scholarship, or are employed by an external company. 

There is no standardized program of study for candidates who choose this type of doctorate. Doctoral candidates and their supervisors determine any further training measures. Please contact the relevant person in your dean's office if you have any formal questions on doctorates.