Postgraduate PhD Program (the page is being created)
Postgraduate PhD Program (the page is being created)
Career orientation "Science and Research" for students of School I-IV
!!! The programme is back. After a one-semester break, it’s back in action for the winter semester 2026/27 !!!
The programme is aimed at students from Schools I to IV. Unfortunately, Computing Science students are not eligible to apply, as the Department of Computing Science supports early-career researchers through the oltech Graduate School and no suitable mentors are available within the 3GO programme. The programme is primarily designed for Master’s students specialising in a particular subject area; however, teacher-training students interested in pursuing a PhD are also welcome to apply.
The programme ‘A PhD after your degree?!’ was once again approved in May 2026 by the Study Quality Commission of the University of Oldenburg. There will be four identical cohorts – i.e. not building on one another – in the winter semester 2026/27, the summer semester 2027, the winter semester 2027/28 and the summer semester 2028. More detailed information about the programme can be found on these pages.
Information on the schedule and dates for the winter semester 26/27 will be made available here shortly.
What are the goals and contents?
The programme is designed to help students from Schools I-IV (with the exception of Computing Science) who are in the final phase of their Master's degree to orientate themselves with regard to an academic career or doctorate. The programme aims to provide basic knowledge about the doctoral phase (financing options, work techniques and strategies, life situation, etc.) as well as to create a space for testing and reflecting on one's own strengths and weaknesses.
Over a period of six months and, if possible, parallel to writing their final thesis
- students take part in workshops (kick-off, clarifying motivation for a doctorate, writing an outline of ideas, application and presentation techniques, decision-making),
- they are supported and networked by mentors (postdocs) and
- they can exchange ideas in self-organised working groups.
Through these elements, the participants familiarise themselves further with the doctoral cultures. The result may be an outline of ideas that can be developed into an exposé - or a well-considered decision not to pursue a doctorate.
What is the background?
In the transition phase between studies and academic appointment, Master's students in the humanities and social sciences in particular, who do not usually have clear career profiles such as lawyers, teachers or doctors in mind, ask themselves what they should do with the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the future.
Guided career guidance for the field of science/doctoral studies and the associated networking with potential supervisors enables students to focus on the relevant content and methodology as early as the final phase of their degree programme, thereby helping to improve the quality of their dissertation.
Despite this focus on extracurricular professional fields, the programme is open to student teachers interested in doing a doctorate.
What elements does the offer consist of?
Workshops
WS1 - Kick-off 'Doing a doctorate after graduation!
Getting to know each other, background and structure of the advisory service, basic attitude in the mentoring programme/ coaching attitude and feedback rules, support for decisions
WS2 - Motivation, individual roadmap and financing
Clarification of individual motivation and creation of a roadmap; input on financing options and strategies for finding a supervisor
WS3 - Finding a topic and outlining ideas
Strategies for finding a topic, considerations on positioning in the (scientific) field or within the disciplines; structuring an outline of ideas
WS4 - Application and presentation techniques for university and scholarship applications
Communication of research content: content and stylistic structure of a presentation, use of voice, body and materials/technology; design of application folders, exercises for self-presentation in interview situations
WS5 - Non-university fields of work (if required)
Overview of non-university fields of work for social scientists and humanities scholars; application strategies and techniques
WS6 - Decision-making/planning the next steps
Clarification of individual strengths and weaknesses in relation to academic work, weighing up the reasons for and against a doctorate and discussing alternatives, planning the next to medium-term steps
Mentoring
Mentoring groups (MG) (compulsory)
Students meet fortnightly in small groups, which are formed according to subject, thematic or methodological overlaps, with a doctoral mentor on topics of their choice.
Plenum of all participants (P) (mandatory)
The plenum ensures a continuous interdisciplinary exchange between all participants, contributes to networking between the subjects and enables mutual learning. Central topics are prepared for the whole group.
Individual counselling (voluntary)
Questions and problems that students do not wish to discuss in the mentoring groups can be discussed in one-to-one meetings with a mentor.
Other formats
Student small groups (voluntary)
Self-organised, informal meetings of students offer further opportunities for exchange. It is up to the groups to decide whether they want to discuss the content, further develop the outline or discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a doctorate.
Attending other events (voluntary)
Through the mentor's network, students make contact with other academics, for example to attend doctoral candidate colloquia, lectures or conferences and to further familiarise themselves with the doctoral cultures of the subjects.
