DOCTORAL DEGREE PROGRAMME
Here you can find the most frequently asked questions concerning doctoral studies. Please note that the FAQ are constantly updated/expanded.
Questions on the preparation stage
How long does a doctoral degree programme take at the University of Klagenfurt?
A doctoral degree programme at the University of Klagenfurt takes three years (plus two tolerance semesters).
How much are the tuition fees for a doctoral degree programme at the University of Klagenfurt?
Can I pursue a doctoral degree programme while working?
In general, it is possible to pursue a doctoral degree programme as a working student. Depending on your occupation and the extent of your employment, the duration of your studies may be longer and thus the completion of your degree may be delayed. When determining the coursework to be completed (thesis agreement – DISS2), you should consult with your supervisor(s) regarding the compatibility of your work and studies in order to discuss options and identify potential obstacles at an early stage.
Who can be my supervisor?
In order to be admitted to a doctoral degree programme at the University of Klagenfurt, you have to submit a preliminary confirmation of a qualified internal supervisor. Your supervisor (A) must hold a venia docendi (authorisation to teach) that covers your dissertation area. After the successful admission, you must find another qualified supervisor (B) holding a subject-relevant venia docendi. This person does not have to be employed at the University of Klagenfurt. As an alternative to supervisor B, you can also choose an advisor/mentor who must at least have a doctorate and be an academic staff member of the University of Klagenfurt. Their research area must fit the topic of your thesis.
How can I find a supervisor who will provides me with a preliminary confirmation of academic supervision?
You must find a suitable team of supervisors (or supervisor and advisor/mentor) for your dissertation project. The search for supervision lies within your area of responsibility. We would like to support you with the following recommendation: Check the website of a department relevant to your research for information on its staff members in order to find potential persons authorised to supervise at the University of Klagenfurt. If you click on the persons, you will find more detailed information on the respective research specialisations and interests. You will also find the ‘Research’ button, where you can get an overview of the persons’ research activities. If you have any difficulties in finding a suitable supervisor, please contact the administrative assistants, study programme directors or the designated contact persons at the chosen department. Please note that a preliminary confirmation of supervision from a qualified internal person is a prerequisite for admission. The person must be habilitated, i.e. they must hold an appropriate venia docendi.
Faculties, Departments & Faculty Centres of the University of Klagenfurt
How can I find identify an appropriate topic for my thesis?
The first step towards a doctorate is choosing your research topic. Find a topic that you would like to dedicate yourself to for the next three years. If you have any questions on identifying a suitable topic, please contact your (potential) supervisor or your supervising team.
Questions on the introductory stage
When do I have to hand in and present my dissertation project (DISS1) in front of the doctorate advisory committee?
It is recommended to hold the presentation at the end of the first year of your doctoral degree programme. Within the context of the public presentation you will receive useful input/feedback on your dissertation project.
What/Which coursework do I have to complete?
Within the framework of the thesis agreement (DISS2) you specify which coursework you have to complete for your doctoral degree programme. Which and how many courses you have to take or which other activities can be considered in your thesis agreement is to be discussed with your supervising team. The respective guideline must be respected.
What is a thematic doctoral programme (Doktoratsprogramm)?
A thematic doctoral programme (Doktoratsprogramm) expands and supplements the university’s current suite of doctoral degree programmes (Doktoratsstudien). Currently, the university offers eight such programmes. In order to apply for a thematic doctoral programme, you must be admitted to a doctoral degree programme at the University of Klagenfurt.
More information on thematic doctoral programmes
If you have detailed questions concerning individual thematic doctoral programmes, please get in touch with the contact persons listed on the respective pages.
Please note that this is an optional add-on programme. You can also pursue a doctoral degree programme without taking part in a thematic doctoral programme.
Questions on the research stage
Does the university University of Klagenfurt offer financial support in respect relation to research stays abroad during a doctoral degree programme?
The University of Klagenfurt offers a range of internal funding programmes to financially support its early career researchers (including doctoral candidates) in carrying out shorter and longer research stays. The Doc.Service can also provide advice on external funding mechanisms.
Questions on the completion stage
Defence
How long does the viva last and what form does it take?
A viva is an oral final examination, taken publicly in front of an examination committee. During the viva, the student’s thesis is presented and discussed. The examination committee then withdraws to assess the viva. The precise structure of the viva (length of the presentation, the type of presentation, etc.) varies from discipline to discipline, however the viva usually lasts approximately one hour. It is a good idea to attend another viva at a department in a relevant subject before doing your own.
Skype calls from external members of the examination committee?
Upon request or if easier to organise, external examiners can also attend the viva via Skype. This request must be made in the online form when registering for your final examination. As a doctoral thesis student, you must be present at the viva in person, as must the chair and most of the examination committee members.
If, when registering for your final examination, you state that an examiner will be participating in the viva via Skype, the University of Klagenfurt will take responsibility for all technical and organisational aspects to ensure the smooth running of the video conference. All the relevant information about your viva (time, location and room, your name, contact details, names of the members of the examination committee, Skype name for the external examiner) is obtained in advance by Central Computing Services (ZID). Approximately half an hour before your viva, our technicians will be there to set up the equipment and connect to the examiner.
Are external examiners‘ travel costs reimbursed?
External members of the examination committee can receive reimbursement for travel costs related to the viva. Further information can be found in the guidelines. If you have any other questions, please contact the Doc.Service.
Why can’t I find the ´Register for your final examination‘ link?
The ‘Register for your final examination’ link will appear under ‘Applications / New applications’ in your campus system account once all the prerequisites for your viva have been fulfilled, i.e. all of your submitted courses have been approved, your thesis has been uploaded and submitted, the results of the plagiarism check have been provided and a pass mark for your thesis has been uploaded into the campus system.
Austrian grading scale
Universities Act 2002, § 73. (1) Successful […] theses […] are marked as ‘excellent’ (1), ‘good’ (2), ‘satisfactory’ (3) or ‘sufficient’ (4), while unsuccessful theses are marked as ‘insufficient’ (5). Intermediate assessments are not permitted.
Overall assessment: ‘Passed with distinction’, ‘passed’, ‘failed’.
How is my overall mark calculated?
- Mark for the viva
- plus mark for the thesis.
-
- Thesis ‘excellent (1)’ plus viva ‘excellent (1)’ or ‘good (2)’ equals ‘Passed with distinction’. Thesis ‘good (2)’ plus viva ‘excellent (1)’ to ‘sufficient (4)’ equals ‘Passed’. If one of the marks is ‘insufficient (5)’, unfortunately your overall mark is a ‘Fail’. In this instance, you have the option to repeat your viva.
- Legal basis
- The University of Klagenfurt Statute Part B Section 12 (8b): If, in a Doctoral degree programme, the thesis has been assessed as “excellent” and the viva has been assessed as “good” or higher, the overall assessment shall be “passed with distinction”. Otherwise, the overall assessment shall be “passed”, as long as the viva is passed. If a Doctoral degree programme concludes with a comprehensive Doctoral examination, the assessments of the two subjects are to be taken into consideration when determining the overall assessment, in addition to the assessment of the thesis. The overall assessment shall be deemed to be “passed with distinction” if the thesis and one subject have been assessed as “excellent” and the other subject has been assessed as “good” or higher. Otherwise, the overall assessment shall be “passed”.
- The University of Klagenfurt Statute Part B Section 25 (22): Section 12, Paragraphs 8a to 8d shall enter into force the day after the announcement in the university bulletin and shall be used for all academic degrees or for the completion of a phase of the programme of study as of 01.03.2018. The academic degrees or the completion of a phase of the programme of study shall be the date on which the assessment of the last requirement in accordance with the curriculum takes place.
Certificates & graduation
When and how is my doctorate conferred?
Degrees have not been conferred at graduation ceremonies since 1997. Instead, a conferral letter is issued at the first available opportunity. Approximately four weeks after completing your programme (passing the Bachelor’s/Master’s/Diploma examination or having your examination book approved), you will receive an email to your edu.aau.at email address telling you that your certificates of completion (conferral notification, Bachelor’s/Master’s/Diploma certificate and diploma supplement) are ready to collect.
When can I start using the title ‘Doctor’?
Officially you can use your degree title once you have received your conferral notification.
What is the correct way of writing my title?
Detailed information is available on the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research website (Academic titles (German version)).
Who is authorised to pick up my conferral notification for me?
After providing your signature when gaining your new degree, you are the only person who is permitted to pick up your conferral notification.
I don’t live in Carinthia. Can you send me my conferral notification?
Yes, your certificates can be sent by recorded mail and signed for. Please send me an email to let me know if you would like to do this, along with your postal address (contact details are at the bottom of this page).
What is the difference between a conferral notification and a certificate?
The conferral notification is a DIN A4 document that is recognised by law and proves that your degree has been conferred. This notification is issued automatically within four weeks of completing your programme of study and must be handed over to you in person.
For a small fee, you can also order a DIN A3 certificate packed inside a protective cardboard sleeve. You can receive the certificate at a graduation ceremony or collect it from the Admissions and Examinations Office on the first working day after the next graduation ceremony.
Am I obliged to attend a graduation ceremony or purchase a certificate?
No, you’re not obliged to do either. Your new degree will be awarded to you via a conferral notification.
When and how can I register for a graduation ceremony?
Once the completion of your programme of study has been recorded in the system (passing your Bachelor’s/Master’s/Diploma examination or approval of your examination book), the registration link for the graduation ceremony will be unlocked in the Student Portal. You can then register for the ceremony.
If you would like to celebrate this milestone with family and friends, select the “Register for a graduation ceremony” option instead of “Certificate only with no graduation ceremony”. Pay the fee for the relevant ceremony (you can find the account details under the Info button in “Graduation Ceremony registration”) and upload a scanned copy of your payment confirmation slip.
Can I get a certificate even if I don’t attend a graduation ceremony?
Yes, you can do that, too. Open “Register for a graduation ceremony” under “Applications” in the Student Portal and select the “Certificate only with no graduation ceremony” option.
Do I have to attend the next possible graduation ceremony?
No. You are entitled to register for a graduation ceremony or to receive a certificate without attending a graduation ceremony within a year of completing your programme of study. You can also choose to attend a ceremony at a later date.
What time are graduation ceremonies held?
An email invitation for the graduation ceremonies will be sent to your university email account within ten days of registration. The exact time of the ceremonies is not available before this date. The Office of Academic Affairs is responsible for organising and running the graduation ceremonies and asks you to bear in mind that no queries about the ceremonies can be answered before the ten-day period has expired.
I have just missed the registration deadline for a ceremony. Can I still register?
No. Unfortunately the process of organising the graduation ceremonies means that it is not possible to register after the registration deadline for a certain ceremony has passed. You are, however, entitled to register for a graduation ceremony or to receive a certificate without attending a graduation ceremony within a year of completing your programme of study and can therefore register for the next available graduation ceremony date.
Further information about graduation ceremonies
Further information about graduation ceremonies can be found on the Graduation ceremonies at the University of Klagenfurt page.
Quicklinks
Information for
Address
University of Klagenfurt
Universitätsstraße 65-67
9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Austria
+43 463 2700
uni [at] aau [dot] at
www.aau.at
Campus Plan
Universitätsstraße 65-67
9020 Klagenfurt am Wörthersee
Austria
+43 463 2700
uni [at] aau [dot] at
www.aau.at
Campus Plan
