The Graduate School of Economic and Social Sciences (GESS) is unique in Germany and one of the few graduate schools worldwide, which foster the exchange of ideas, methods and approaches to research across the boundaries of the economic and the social sciences. It equips students with a broad scientific vision in a critical phase of their academic socialization and enables them to achieve excellence in their own field of research. Taking part in one of the doctoral programs at the GESS prepares students for academic positions at leading universities and institutions worldwide.
In Germany most universities confer doctoral degrees that use specific Latin designations to indicate the field in which the doctoral degree was obtained. This is different for the Ph.D. (doctor philosophiae), which is conferred across many different academic fields.
Both titles are awarded after an intensive study and research period which concludes in the successful submission and defense of a doctoral thesis.
At the GESS the following doctoral titles are conferred: