Doctoral Procedure

Once you have been admitted to the doctoral procedure and enrolled at Universität Hamburg, you can start work on your dissertation. Doing a doctorate in the Faculty of Humanities generally takes 3 to 5 years. This period is devoted to research on a specific topic and it concludes with your dissertation (written thesis) and oral defense (presentation and discussion).

Completion period

When you are admitted to the doctoral procedure, a completion period is calculated on the basis of the timetable and work plan you submitted (maximum of 36 months). You can find the completion period in your acceptance letter or in the signed supervisory agreement. The supervisory agreement between the doctoral researcher and the supervisor applies to this completion period.

Extending the completion period / supervisory agreement

If you cannot complete your dissertation within the stipulated completion period, you can apply for an extension pursuant to Section 6 subsection 8 of the doctoral degree regulations of the Faculty of Humanities (PromO Fak GW) before the completion period ends and in agreement with your supervisor.

You can make an informal extension request in writing—make sure you submit this to the doctoral committee via the start box "Request for extension of the doctoral procedure" in Docata at least 2 months before the completion period is set to end. Furthermore, you will need a letter from your supervisor approving the extension and expressing the willingness to sign a new supervisory agreement. Please remember to include a revised timetable and work plan so we can calculate a new completion period.

If your request is granted, you will need a new signed supervisory agreement. Upload the document to Docata in PDF format.

In justifiable cases the doctoral committee can terminate procedures 8 years after admission.