a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne — PhD Programme
Structured doctoral programme in the humanities at one of Europe's largest faculties of arts and humanities, with full scholarship funding.
Best for:Best for humanities graduates with an excellent master's degree seeking a structured, interdisciplinary PhD with scholarship support in a major European research university.
Overview
The a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School is the doctoral school of the University of Cologne's Faculty of Arts and Humanities, offering both a structured integrated track and a regular individual doctorate track across a wide range of humanities disciplines. The integrated track is designed for outstanding graduates who wish to begin doctoral research shortly after completing their master's degree, with completion targeted within three years. Doctoral candidates are supervised by two graduate class mentors and three academic supervisors, including one from a different discipline, ensuring an interdisciplinary approach. The programme emphasises international collaboration, offering cotutelle de thèse options, the 'Doctor Europaeus' qualification, and regular summer schools and graduate seminars. Courses are held in German and English, with dissertation writing possible in multiple languages.
What you'll do
- Develop and elaborate a doctoral dissertation project in the humanities within the first year
- Present dissertation topic and progress in the a.r.t.e.s. colloquium
- Conduct independent doctoral research under the guidance of two graduate class mentors and three academic supervisors
- Attend graduate class colloquia and participate in periodic research progress discussions with classmates and mentors
- Participate in yearly comprehensive colloquia of the entire graduate school
- Complete transferable skills workshops including academic presentation, academic writing, and third-party funding seminars
- Write and complete the doctoral dissertation within the three-year programme timeframe
- Engage with international academic networks through summer schools, graduate seminars, and bilateral research collaborations
Requirements
Degree required: Above-average MA degree or equivalent in a discipline available as a doctoral subject at the University of Cologne's Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Degree offered: PhD (Dr phil)
Language: Courses in German and English; German C1 required if dissertation is in German; German B2 required if dissertation is in another language; full remission of German proficiency possible upon special request
Instruction: German and English; dissertation may be written in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, or Latin
- Outstanding academic record in humanities or cultural studies
- Well-developed doctoral research project in a humanities discipline
- Ability to work in an interdisciplinary academic environment
- Willingness to reside in Cologne for the integrated track programme
- Must hold an above-average university degree (MA or equivalent)
- Degree must be in a discipline available as a doctoral subject at the University of Cologne's Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Residence in Cologne required for the integrated track; recommended for the regular track
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: End of October (exact date announced on website) (Europe/Berlin)
Applicants for the structured doctoral programme must submit their application through the a.r.t.e.s. online portal by the end of October for the following summer semester. The exact deadline is announced on the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School website. Regular track applications may be submitted at any time with admissions processed four times per year.
- CV
- Cover letter
- MA degree certificate and transcripts
- Doctoral project proposal
- Letters of recommendation
Contact
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