PhD-Program: Doctor of Science

The general aim of the program is to prepare qualified students for research careers in geo-related science and engineering. It requires at least three academic years of full-time study and research, or the equivalent over a longer period and may typically involve as many as four years. A short description of all geo related study courses (M.Sc and Ph.D) at our university you will find here! Be aware that geo-science and geo-engineering is a highly interdisciplinary research field and do need scientists and engineers from the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, informatics, environmental-, civil- , and geo-engineering. So do not hesitate to contact us, if you are e.g. a chemist but interested in environmental and geo related topics.

Why Freiberg ?

 

Freiberg is a centre of excellence in Geoscience and Geoengineering in Germany joining campus university, consultings and administrative bodies
The Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg is one of the rare cases of an universitiy owning an own teaching mine / underground laboratory
Freiberg is a budget-priced city with nearly everything in walking distance
Freiberg has a fine tradition (oldest Bergakademie of the world, historic town) but modern and future-orientated labs and research facilities
Freiberg offers a variety of sport, recreation and cultural activities

Dissertation

Each student must submit an acceptable dissertation which represents a significant and original research contribution in the area of specialization chosen. As well in certain cases it is possible to submit a cumulative dissertation containing several papers published in international and reviewed journals. The dissertation have to be written either in English or German.

Examinations

You must pass an oral examination for the major and a minor subject. You must satisfactorily complete an oral defense of the dissertation.

Application

We advise potential applicants to communicate with one or more of our faculty before completing a formal application. We provide state-of-the-art opportunities for students with well-defined interests in our areas of focus, but a good "fit" between a student and the program needs to be established early in the application process.

Important

We do not charge PhD-students since university courses are subsidized in total by the German government. You only have to pay for the formal enrollment which comes up to be less than 60 Euro per semester.

Foreign students from non EU countries may work 90 whole or 180 half days. Apart from this and additional foreign students from non EU countries may take as much students jobs as they can get. However, according to university rules student jobs (studentische /wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte) are limited to 40 hours a month. Finally after their final exam they can stay for one year to look for a job. If they find a job, they will likely get a further visum.(Neues Zuwanderergesetz valid since January 2005)

Please do not hesitate to write or call for more information-we'd be happy to answer your questions or send you an application. Write or call:

Professor Dr. Broder J. Merkel, Institute for Geology, Faculty of Geoscience, Geotechniques and Mining, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg,
Gustav Zeuner Str. 12, D-09599 Freiberg

Tel. +49 3731 392775
Fax +49 3731 392720

email: merkel@geo.tu-freiberg.de

Admissions

You must have a master´s degree from an accredited college or university with a specialization in one of the physical sciences or engineering. Although the program is designed primarily for students who have majored in geology at the graduate level, there may be instances in which a science student with other than a major in geology may be admitted to the doctoral program provided that the deficiencies in undergraduate geology are made up during the first year of graduate study. Test scores of the Graduate Record Examinations are required.

Financial Support

Financial support is available to PhD students on a competitive basis. One source of support is through teaching assistantships. Grant-supported research assistantships are also available which carry a comparable stipend. The University itself offers no Fellowships. You are encouraged to apply for other fellowships, such as the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD (http://www.daad.org/)
You are as well encouraged to apply for research funding from external sources. Here you might find more fellowship programmes.

Career Placement

Our graduates have had excellent job placement records. Over 20 percent have taken jobs as university faculty or research staff. Among the institutions at which they work are universities all over the world. Others have taken and retained jobs with major and intermediate-size drilling and mining companies, oil companies, consulting companies in the fields of geology, mining, water exploitation, sustainable development, environmental protection and pollution sanitation as well as government authorities.