Doing a doctorate in the "fast lane"

Fast-track to a doctorate after completing a Bachelor's degree: the university's fast-track programmes offer selected students this opportunity. Those wishing to work towards a Master's degree and doctorate in parallel can apply until the beginning of March.

"To provide particularly talented students with a fast track to independent scientific work" is how the Director of the OLTECH Graduate School, Prof. Dr Georg Martin Klump, summarises the aim of the combined Master's and doctoral programmes. This "fast track" exists for the Master's degree programmes in Biology, Chemistry, Hearing Technology & Audiology, Microbiology, Neurocognitive Psychology and Neuroscience. These can be combined with five doctoral degree programmes and programmes of the Graduate School of Science and Technology.

Specifically, the combined programmes run in such a way that, in addition to Master's subject modules, students are already associated with the working group of their future doctoral supervisor and take part in meetings or other events there. During the first two Master's semesters, fast-track students work with their supervisors to develop an initial concept for their dissertation. A project or research module in the third semester prepares the dissertation in more detail - thematically or methodologically - and the project report also counts as the Master's thesis. Those who are then admitted to the doctoral programme have already gained a head start.

The requirements for participation in the fast track are 120 credit points in the Bachelor's degree and an average grade of 1.5 or better or a final grade in the top ten percent. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate English language skills. Anyone who is unsuccessful in the process can maintain their application and still have the chance of one of the regular Master's places subsequently awarded by the university - so there is no harm in trying.

The fast-track programme is also intended to further strengthen the attractiveness of the University of Oldenburg for young international academics: "In many countries with a four-year Bachelor's degree, it is common to go straight on to a doctorate," explains Klump. Interested parties can apply until 1 March.