The university’s Fast-Track programmes offer selected graduates a quicker path to earning their PhD. Students who would like to pursue a Master's degree and a PhD at the same time have until 1 March to submit their application.
"To open up a fast track to independent scientific research for especially talented students," is how the director of the university's OLTECH Graduate School, Prof. Dr. Georg Klump, sums up the purpose of the combined Master's/PhD programmes. This "fast track" option is available for the Master's programmes Biology, Chemistry, Hearing Technology and Audiology, Microbiology, Neurocognitive Psychology and Neuroscience. These programmes can be combined with one of the five PhD programmes in natural sciences and technology.
Students in fast-track programmes join the research group led by the academic member of staff who will supervise their doctorate later on and attend the group's meetings or other related events in addition to enrolling in the modules of their Master's programme. In the first two semesters of the Master's programme Fast-Track students draw up an initial concept for their dissertations together with their supervisors. In the third semester a project or research module is dedicated to developing the dissertation topic or methods, and the project report is also recognised as the Master's thesis. In this way those who are subsequently admitted to doctoral studies already have a head start.
To participate in the Fast-Track programme applicants must have 120 credits in a Bachelor degree programme with a grade average of 1.5 or better, or a final grade that is among the top ten percent. They must also provide proof of adequate English language skills. Applicants who don't make it through the selection procedure can leave their application standing and still have the chance for acceptance in the regular Master's degree programme for which they applied in combination with fast track. So there is nothing to lose by applying!
The Fast-Track programme is aimed at further enhancing the University of Oldenburg's attractiveness for international young scientists: "In many countries with four-year Bachelor degree programmes it's normal for doctoral studies to follow straight on from the Bachelor's degree," Professor Klump explains. The deadline for applications is 1 March 2016.
