Information sheet on the language of the Dissertation (Dr. phil.)

In § 6 (3) of the doctoral regulations Dr. phil. the following regulation can be found: ?Die Dissertation ist in der Regel in deutscher oder englischer Sprache abzufassen. Der Promotionsausschuss kann der Bewerberin bzw. dem Bewerber gestatten, eine in einer anderen Sprache geschriebene Dissertation vorzulegen.“ (The dissertation is usually to be written in German or English. The doctoral committee may allow the applicant to submit a dissertation written in another language.) The following is to be observed:

1. In procedures for which faculties 8, 9, 11, and 12 are responsible, only dissertations written in German or English will be accepted on a regular basis in the future.
2. Dissertations, for which the Faculty 10 is responsible, can also regularly be written in French and Spanish.
3. Exceptions to the rule in (1) and (2) can be justified by co-tutelle.
4. If the dissertation is to be submitted in a language other than German or English, this must be noted in the application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate.
5. In case of admission to doctoral studies, no other language will be admitted for the dissertation than in the application for acceptance as doctoral student. If an application for admission to doctoral studies is submitted without prior acceptance as a doctoral candidate, rules (1) to (3) apply analogously.
6. The dissertation must be accompanied by a German abstract.
7. The application for acceptance as a doctoral candidate (or admission to the doctoral program if no such acceptance has taken place before) must be accompanied by a detailed written statement of the supervisor, which includes a list of potential members for an examination committee who are qualified in terms of content and form.
8. The colloquium must be held in German or English.
9. The evaluators of the dissertation must always be written in German or English, the same applies to the protocol of the colloquium.