Oral Examination › Office of Doctoral Affairs

Oral Examination: Disputation

The oral examination in the form of a disputation covers the subject of the doctoral thesis as well as related areas.
It serves as proof that the applicant is capable of conducting an academic interview, that he/she has mastered the field of his/her dissertation, that he/she is familiar with other related fields of the doctoral subject and that he/she is able to establish connections to related disciplines.
The duration of the oral examination is at least 45 and at most 90 minutes. The oral examination is opened with a presentation of 15 to 30 minutes in which the candidate presents the most important results of his or her doctoral thesis. This will be followed by a scientific discussion (disputation), which will start from the presentation and will include interdisciplinary aspects.
The oral examination in the form of disputation takes place before a disputation committee consisting of three examiners.
The results will be recorded in a protocol which will be sent to the Office of Doctoral Affairs after completion of the examination.
After the grades have been confirmed by the Doctoral Affairs Committee, you will receive a provisional certificate from us confirming that you have passed the doctoral examination with all your grades.