Doctorates ''Made in Germany''

The mechanical engineering nation Germany is a good place to be for engineers of all subject areas who do their doctorate here. The "Dr.-Ing." degree is recognised the world over.

by Sonja Pfaff

The traditional path to a doctorate is still the norm in engineering. Often called the Lehrling-Modell (Master-Apprentice Model) or Assistenz-Promotion (research assistant path), it involves academic supervision by a professor –"Doktorvater" or "Doktormutter" – to produce the dissertation. Doctoral candidates apply direct and in person to a professor of their choice, who then chooses the appropriate doctoral student. As a rule, only students holding a Diplom or Master's degree can be admitted to the doctoral process (Promotion). They must be able to show that they have succeeded in their studies with above-average grades and achievements.

Traditional Doctorate as the First Career Phase

Doctoral students are often employed at the university and tend to be seen more as colleagues than as students. The employment and social status of doctoral candidates is transparent and secure. Independent research and teaching are expected of them, as are team and decision-making skills.

Besides conducting their own research, the doctoral students take on a wide range of tasks and responsibilities in the research activities at the departments or institutes. Hence, they have an essential role to play when carrying out major externally-funded projects, which are often implemented in a cross-disciplinary approach and in cooperation with industry. Their work also involves playing an active role in field of fundraising, project management, presentation skills and team leadership. Research generally has a very strong practical focus in Germany, and the engineering programmes usually having excellently-equipped labs at their disposal.

Top Links for Engineers

1. www.research-in-germany.de

2. www.academics.com

3. www.tu9.de

4. www.4ing.net

5. www.acatech.de

Alternative Paths to a Degree

Although the traditional engineering doctorate continues to be most common path to a doctoral degree, the opportunities for gaining such a qualification are growing, for example, through special Research Training Groups or structured doctoral programmes. At around three and a half years, these latter paths to a doctorate are relatively short, in comparison to the four years and more that it takes via the traditional route. Besides the universities, research training groups and research schools, other independent research institutions also exist at which students can do a doctorate. The Fraunhofer Society, for example, is of particular interest to engineers, since it concentrates on applied research and offers doctoral dissertation topics with a very practical focus.

Costs and Sources of Funding

Doctoral students who choose the traditional path receive a fixed-term employment contract and a salary, from which they can cover their living expenses. However, doctoral students without a source of income in Germany can also make use of the various opportunities provided by grant and funding programmes to finance their doctorate in Germany. The costs that arise from doing a doctorate in Germany differ greatly. Besides a few special cases, tuition fees are not charged. Just like the regular students, doctoral candidates can also use all the facilities provided by the Student Services Centres, can live in student halls and dormitories, and can eat at reasonable prices in the refectory. Doctoral students also have to budget for their health insurance cover (around 280 euros per semester) and pay a semester contribution. This varies from one university to the next, and can amount to between 50 and 250 euros per semester. Research training groups, research schools and graduate schools deal with the fees issue on a case-by-case basis, so it's best to inquire directly as to what the situation is.

German Not a Must

Although a knowledge of the German language will make everyday life easier, it is not an absolute prerequisite, since the mostly international teams generally communicate in English. Lectures are often held in English and even the dissertation can be written in English.  

Industrial Partners the Norm

Around 63 % of the senior management positions in Germany's mechanical engineering sector are taken by engineers, many of whom hold a doctorate. In the field of applied technologies, such as automotive engineering, mechanical engineering and construction engineering, Germany is one of the world's leading patent applicants. Many engineering doctorates in this field are done with industrial partners, who profit from the know-how in the departments and in return commission research contracts with these institutes. Good contacts develop between research and industry, which, in turn, can also lead to regional industrial focuses. For example, the Universities of Erfurt, Jena and Ilmenau have prestigious institutes that occupy themselves with solar technology. This has resulted in an tremendous accumulation of companies from the photovoltaic industry setting up around these institutes to form clusters. Collaborating closely together, they cover the whole value added chain from research and development through to final product.

Engineers who gained their doctorate in Germany have excellent opportunities open to them in the job market. A lack of qualified specialists over many years has resulted in companies desperately searching for the very best graduates so that they can continue to compete successfully in the international markets.