Administrative Support and Responsibilities

• The examination/doctoral offices (Prüfungs-/Promotionsbüros) of the departments in which you are enrolled in as doctoral students are responsible for the completion of your doctoral degree (submission of the dissertation and its defense [Disputation]). The examination office (Prüfungsbüro) of the Department of Philosophy and Humanities is responsible for most FSGS doctoral students. The FSGS management will be happy to advise you on any question regarding graduation, but legally binding information can only be obtained from the examination/doctoral offices (Prüfungs-/Promotionsbüros).
• The FSGS Office is responsible for the completion of the Literary Studies doctoral program at the FSGS. After successfully defending your dissertation, you will receive the Program Certificate and the Transcript of Records. This requires that you have completed the FSGS curriculum in its entirety.
• Further support during the final phase is available from DRS, HGS,or TU, which offer targeted courses for doctoral students in the final dissertation phase.

Submission of the Dissertation

The dissertation is submitted to the department (Fachbereich) through the appropriate doctoral or examination office (Promotions- oder Prüfungsbüro). The formalities (number of copies, affidavit, etc.) are regulated in the doctoral regulations (Promotionsordnungen).

Selection of the Reviewers (Gutachter*innen) / the Commission

The composition of the commission is regulated in the respective doctoral regulations (Promotionsordnungen). Usually, the commission consists of 5 members:

• two reviewers
• at least two other university lecturers
• one academic staff member (with a doctoral degree)

Please note the following:

Only full-time, emeritus, or retired professors of Freie Universität Berlin may serve as chair or vice-chair of the committee.

• Only full-time, emeritus, or retired professors of Freie Universität Berlin may serve as chair or vice-chair of the committee.
• At least one committee member must hold a full-time professorship in the department.
• The committee should include no more than one professor who has been retired or has left the university.

It is important to discuss the proposed composition of the committee in advance with your first supervisor.

Your proposal for the composition of the committee must be submitted together with your dissertation. A date for the defense of your dissertation (disputation) does not need to be set at this stage.

Once the doctoral committee (Promotionsausschuss) has approved the proposed commission, you and all committee members will be notified in writing (usually by email). After confirmation, you should send or hand over your dissertation to the members of the committee.

Review of the Dissertation and Display Period (Auslagefrist)

Reviewers are entitled to a review period of ten weeks. As soon as the reports have been submitted, they will be made available to all members of the committee and to you.

Once both reviews have been received, a display period begins during which your dissertation and the proposed grades are made available for inspection by all faculty members and doctoral researchers in the department. The display period lasts two weeks during the lecture period and four weeks during the non-lecture period. It is essential that these deadlines are observed.

Dissertation Defense (Disputation)

To prepare for your dissertation defense, you should consult your supervisors. We also recommend attending dissertation defense training courses offered by the DRS / HRS / BUA / TU.

The FSGS is happy to support you: the seminar room can be used for your defense. Water, glasses, and juice are provided by the office.

A dissertation defense (Disputation) usually lasts 60–90 minutes and consists of a presentation in which you explain your dissertation and its significance within a broader academic context, followed by a discussion in which you defend your work against questions and criticism from the committee. The discussion must last at least 30 minutes and may not exceed 60 minutes.

After the defense, the committee determines the grade for the defense as well as the overall final grade.

The dissertation defense is open to the university public unless you object. Any objection must be submitted no later than the submission of your dissertation.

Interim Report

After receipt of the dissertation defence protocol, you will receive an interim certificate from the examination/dissertation office (Prüfungs-/Promotionsbüro) confirming that you have successfully completed your doctoral examination process.

Please note that at this stage the doctoral degree has not yet been formally awarded. You are also not permitted to use the title “Dr. des.”

Publication of the Dissertation

After completion of the doctoral process, you are required to publish your dissertation. Publication must take place within two years after the dissertation defence. This deadline may be extended upon request by the doctoral committee (Promotionsausschuss).

The version of the dissertation intended for publication must be approved by the reviewers and the chair of the doctoral committee. You must submit the reviewers’ statements regarding the print version to the doctoral committee and will then receive written confirmation of approval.

The required number of printed and deposit copies is regulated in the doctoral regulations.

You fulfil the publication requirement by submitting the required number of deposit copies to the Dissertations Department at the University Library (Hochschulschriftenstelle) of Freie Universität Berlin.

If you require advice on printing subsidies or royalties, please contact the FSGS administration.

Doctoral Certificate

Once you submit confirmation from the Dissertations Office at the University Library (Hochschulschriftenstelle) that you have deposited the required copies, you will receive your doctoral certificate from the examination office (Prüfungsbüro).

With the issuance of the certificate, the academic degree of Doctor of Philosophy is formally conferred at the same time.

Feedback to the Office

Please inform the FSGS office about the submission of your dissertation, the date of your dissertation defence (Disputation), and the result. After publication, we kindly ask you to send us a copy of the published dissertation. The copies will be displayed in our showcase at the Philological Library.