Structured Doctoral Programs in Heidelberg
Structured doctoral programs – general information
It is the goal of Heidelberg University to foster the establishment of elements of structured doctoral programs in all of the academic disciplines and to support the introduction and development of graduate schools, research training groups and other “structured doctoral programs”. This corresponds to the recommendations of the German Council of Science and Humanities (2002) and the German Rector’s Conference (2003) on the professional development of young researchers.
There are currently more than 40 structured doctoral programs involving different levels and varying elements of structure at Heidelberg University. Structured programs have been established predominantly in the natural and life sciences; however, their numbers are also increasing in the humanities, social sciences and law, where the traditional model has been individual doctoral training.
Doctoral programs in Heidelberg
General information
In Heidelberg, there are three different forms of structured doctoral programs:
- Graduate Schools (Graduiertenschulen) – large facilities with 150–300 doctoral candidates covering a wide range of research fields.
- Research Training Groups (Graduiertenkollegs) – medium-sized groups with 15–50 doctoral candidates. The individual dissertation topics often come from a variety of research fields and faculties but are all focused within a defined topic area.
- Research Training Groups (Promotionskollegs) – small groups with five to seven doctoral candidates covering very specific research questions.
Lists of the Heidelberg programs
Humanities, Social Sciences and Law
Graduate Schools 
Heidelberg Graduate School for Humanities and Social Sciences (HGGS)
The Heidelberg Graduate School for the Humanities and Social Sciences (HGGS) provides a structured doctoral programme to foster innovative, interdisciplinary research projects in the humanities, social sciences and law. Its three-year programme combines traditional and new approaches in supporting graduate research through specialist seminars and workshops. International candidates benefit from a tailor-made support programme. The HGGS awards short-term grants and full scholarships to qualified applicants.
Director: Dr. Astrid Wind
Heidelberger Graduiertenschule für Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften (HGGS)
Universität Heidelberg
Voßstr. 2, Geb. 37, Raum 108e (1. Etage)
69115 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 54 - 3783
Fax: +49 (0)6221 54 - 3664
Email: astrid.wind@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de
LGF Research Training Groups
HCIAS Doktorandenkolleg
Communication and Society in Ibero-America
Sprecher: Prof. Dr. Francisco Moreno-Fernández
Koordinatorin: Dr. Katrin Berty
Heidelberg Centrum für Ibero-Amerika-Studien
Brunnengasse 1
69117 Heidelberg
Tel. +49 6221 54-19330
E-Mail: hcias@uni-heidelberg.de
Further Doctoral Programs
Integrated doctoral programme between the Institute of European Art History of Heidelberg University and the Ecole du Louvre Paris
The integrated doctoral programme between the Institute of European Art History of Heidelberg University and the Ecole du Louvre Paris offers the opportunity to do a doctorate in various fields of Art History and Museology at both internationally distinguished institutions. It is open for successful graduates of the International Master of Art History and Museology (IMKM), which is a compulsory pre-requisite for eligibility. The doctoral cooperation supports eligible students to conduct independent and high-quality research and to acquire further fundamental and profound skills in the chosen fields.
Speaker : Prof. Dr. Henry Keazor
ZEGK - Institut für Europäische Kunstgeschichte
Seminarstrasse 4
69117 Heidelberg
Email. internationales.iek@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de
Graduate Programme for Transcultural Studies (GPTS)
The Graduate Programme for Transcultural Studies (GPTS) is a three-year doctoral programme within the interdisciplinary research environment of the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies (HCTS).
It combines the German model of highly individualised doctoral studies and a system of guided courses and workshops. Doctoral students become part of a vibrant community of international scholars and are trained in transcultural theories, interdisciplinary approaches, and methods from the participating disciplines (anthropology, archaeology, art history, Chinese studies, history, South Asian Studies, etc.).
Applicants must hold an above-average university degree in a discipline related to those involved at the Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies and have a high proficiency in English.
Administrative Manager: Dr. Oliver Lamers
Heidelberg Centre for Transcultural Studies | HCTS
Karl Jaspers Centre
Voßstr. 2, Building 4400, Room 218
69115 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 4005
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 4012
Email: lamers@hcts.uni-heidelberg.de
Ph.D. in American Studies program at the HCA
Coordinator: Dr. Wilfried Mausbauch
Heidelberg Center for American Studies (HCA)
Universität Heidelberg
Hauptstraße 120
69117 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 3713
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 3719
Email: wmausbach@hca.uni-heidelberg.de
German-French PhD-Program in Historical Studies
École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris – Historisches Seminar, Heidelberg
Historisches Seminar
Grabengasse 3-5
69117 Heidelberg
Program coordinator: Prof. Dr. Thomas Maissen
Email: thomas.maissen@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 2269
Academic advisor: Florian Pfeiffer, M.A.
Email: florian.pfeiffer@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 2442
Doctoral Program Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) at the Faculty of Theology
Programme coordinator: Mirjam Mosig
Theologische Fakultät
Hauptstr. 231 (EG)
691117 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 3371
Email: pruefungsamt@theologie.uni-heidelberg.de
Joint Doctoral Program on "Semantic Processing" (Department of Computational Linguistics, HITS)
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Michael Strube
HITS gGmbH (Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies)
Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 35
69118 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221/ 533243
Fax: +49 (0)6221/ 533298
Email: michael.strube@h-its.org
Promotionsprogramm "Smartes Altern im kommunalen Kontext: Untersuchung intelligenter Formen von Selbstregulation und Ko-Regulation unter Realbedingungen (SMART-AGE)"
Sprecher: Hans-Werner Wahl
Netzwerk AlternsfoRschung (NAR)
Bergheimer Straße 20
69115 Heidelberg
Doktorandenprogramm der Neuphilologischen Fakultät (Only German)
Das heiDocs-Programm der Neuphilologischen Fakultät bietet Doktorand*innen der Fakultät einen unterstützenden Rahmen für ihre Promotion. Das Programm besteht aus zwei Teilen:
- Das HeiDocs-Förderprogramm der Fakultät bietet finanzielle Unterstützungsmöglichkeiten (https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakultaeten/neuphil/heidocs.html)
- Das Veranstaltungsprogramm der Fakultät beinhaltet Angebote zum informellen fachlichen und sozialen Austausch (https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakultaeten/neuphil/Doktorandenprogrammneu.html)
Ansprechpartnerin für das finanzielle Förderprogramm: Dominika Bopp / Martina Engelbrecht
E-Mail: promotion-neuphil@uni-heidelberg.de
Life Sciences
Graduate Schools
Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School (HBIGS)
The Heidelberg Biosciences International Graduate School (HBIGS) was founded in 2007 with the vision to attract the brightest doctoral researchers from around the world to pursue doctoral studies at Heidelberg University. As on of the largest and most visible structured graduate programmes in Germany and Europe, HBIGS embraces and serves the entire life science community at Heidelberg University as well as non-university institutions.
HBIGS has implemented an innovative approach in doctoral training with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinarity, including trainings on cutting-edge technologies and transferable skills, and shared supervision by thesis advisory committees.
A professional career service fosters gender equality and prepares graduates for premium positions in academia and beyond.
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Alexis Maizel, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Frischknecht
Coordinator: Dr. Rolf Lutz
Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 501
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6720
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54- 6718
Email: contact@hbigs.uni-heidelberg.de
Heidelberg Graduate School of Global Health
Speaker: PD Dr. Dr.med. Sabine Gabrysch
Coordinator: PD Dr. Volker Winkler
Institute for Public Health
Im Neuenheimer Feld 324
69120 Heidelberg
Email: V.winkler@uni-heidelberg.de
Heidelberg Graduate School of Surgery (German only)
Coordinator: Dr. Mandy Skunde
Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Marsilius-Turm West
Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 56 - 37255
Email: Mandy.Skunde@med.uni-heidelberg.de
LGF Research Training Group
Speakers: Prof. Dr. Karen Bieback
(Heidelberg University)
Email: karen.bieback@medma.uni-heidelberg.de
Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Rudolf
(Mannheim University for Applied Sciences)
Email: r.rudolf@hs-mannheim.de
International PhD Program of the German Cancer Research Center
Helmholtz International Graduate School for Cancer Research
Coordinator: Dr. Lindsay Murrells
German Cancer Research Center (M070)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 6221 42-2141
Fax: +49 6221 42-2144
Email: higs@dkfz.de
Further Programs
COS PhD Program
Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Sabine Strahl
Centre for Organismal Studies (COS)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 360
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6286
Email: sabine.strahl@cos.uni-heidelberg.de
Doctoral Program of the Center for Molecular Biology
Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie (ZMBH)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 282
69120 Heidelberg
Contacts:
Dr. Ralf Tolle
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6816
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 5507
Email: r.tolle@zmbh.uni-heidelberg.de
Prof. Dr. Elmar Schiebel
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6814
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 5892
Email: e.schiebel@zmbh.uni-heidelberg.de
Interdisciplinary Center of Neurosciences (IZN) International Graduate Program
One of the great strengths of the IZN International Graduate Program is that it is embedded in one of the largest local communities of neuroscience research groups worldwide. Research at the IZN covers the entire bandwidth of interdisciplinary neuroscience topics ranging from basic research to clinical practice, from bench to bedside. All of the more than 60 IZN research groups actively participate in the highly interdisciplinary and innovative curriculum of the Graduate Program such that it offers a unique spectrum of lectures and advanced training possibilities as well as individual support services to all registered doctoral students.
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christoph M. Schuster
Administration: Irmela Meng
Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Neurowissenschaften (IZN)
Universität Heidelberg
Neuenheimer Feld 366
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 16503
Email: IZN-GradSchool@uni-heidelberg.de
Doctoral Program of the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB)
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Klein
IPMB Medizinische Chemie
Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 364
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6442
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6430
Email: c.klein@uni-heidelberg.de
Doctoral Program of the Department of Infectious Diseases - Molecular Virology
Contact: Dr. Ilka Rebhan
Department Molecular Virology
Im Neuenheimer Feld 344
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 56 - 4225
Email: Ilka.Rebhan@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Doctoral Program of the Biochemstry Center of Heidelberg University (BZH)
Coordinator: PD Dr. Cordula Harter
Biochemie-Zentrum der Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 328
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6758
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 4163
Email: cordula.harter@bzh.uni-heidelberg.de
PhD-Program of the Institute of Pathology
Coordinator: Dr. Kai Breuhahn
Institut für Pathologie
Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 220/221
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 56 - 4675
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 56 - 5251
Email: kai.breuhahn@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Graduate Program of the Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research (MPImF)
Contact: Dr. John Wray
Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung (MPImF)
Jahnstr. 29
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 486 - 277
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 486 - 585
Email: john.wray@mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de
Promotionskolleg des Europäischen Pankreaszentrums, Chirurgische Universitätsklinik (only German)
Speaker: Prof. Dr. med. Thilo Hackert
Deputy speaker: Dr. med. Ulrike Heger
Chirurgische Klinik
Allgemein-, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie
Sektion Pankreaschirurgie
Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 110
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 56 - 35695 (Dr. med. Heger)
Email: ulrike.heger@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Natural Sciences
Graduate Schools
Heidelberg Graduate School for Physics
The HGSFP offers a three-year doctoral programme in either Physics or Astronomy, culminating in the degree Dr. rer. nat. Students can carry our research in the fields of Astrophysics, Atomic- Molecular- and Optical Physics (AMO), Biophysics, Condensed Matter, Cosmology, Environmental Physics, Mathematical Physics, Medical Physics, Nuclear and Hadronic Physics, Particle Physics and Physics in Information Technology.
The Graduate School offers training at the forefront of modern day research and accommodates students's needs with individual study plans and mentoring. For admission, a Master's degree in physics is required. Alternatively, persons who have completed a four-year Bachelor's degree can enter our 4+4 programme. International candidates who are interested in joining the dynamic and vibrant environment that the Graduate School and Heidelberg have to offer should consult our website https://hgsfp.uni-heidelberg.de/ and apply through it.
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Werner Aeschbach
Institut für Umweltphysik
Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 229
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 6331
Email: aeschbach@iup.uni-heidelberg.de
Office:
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 19635
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 19549
Email: sekretariat@gsfp.uni-heidelberg.de
Graduate School of Mathematical and Computational Methods for the Sciences
The HGS MathComp is the premier graduate school for scientific computing, the powerful combination of mathematics and computer science, in Germany. The school is located at one of Europe’s most prestigious academic institutions, Heidelberg University. We offer our PhD students a uniquely structured, interdisciplinary education in a vibrant research environment. Our international programme enables students to pursue innovative PhD projects with a strong application-oriented focus – from physics to cultural heritage. Our members are top experts in their fields and work on projects that combine mathematical methodology with topical research issues. Individual mentoring and career-building programmes ensure that our graduates acquire all qualifications for top positions in industry and science.
Director: Prof. Dr. Robert Scheichl
Administrative director: Dr. Michael J. Winckler
Heidelberg Graduate School of Mathematical and Computational Methods for the Sciences (HGS MathComp)
Universität Heidelberg
Mathematikon
Im Neuenheimer Feld 205
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0) 6221 / 54 - 4981
Email: Michael.Winckler@iwr.uni-heidelberg.de
LGF Research Training Groups
Mathematical Modeling for the Quantitative Biosciences (MMQB)
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Anna Marciniak-Czochra
Institut für Angewandte Mathematik
Universität Heidelberg
Mathematikon
Im Neuenheimer Feld 205
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0) 6221 / 54 - 4871
Fax: +49 (0) 6221 / 54 - 5331
Email: anna.marciniak@iwr.uni-heidelberg.de
Basic building blocks for quantum enabled technologies
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Selim Jochim
Physikalisches Institut
Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 226
69120 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0) 6221 / 54 - 19472
Email: jochim@uni-heidelberg.de
Digital law
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Ekkehart Reimer, Prof. Dr. Michael GertzJuristische Fakultät
Universität Heidelberg
Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 6-10
69117 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 54 - 7467
Email: digitales_recht@uni-heidelberg.de (reimer@uni-heidelberg.de; gertz@informatik.uni-heidelberg.de)
International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS)
Astronomy and Cosmic Physics at the University of Heidelberg
Speaker: Prof. Hans-Walter Rix
Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
Königstuhl 17
69117 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 528 - 210
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 528 - 339
Email: rix@mpia.de
Precision Tests of Fundamental Symmetries
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Manfred Lindner
IMPRS-PTFS
Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
Postfach 103980
69029 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 516 - 800
Fax : +49 (0)6221 / 516 - 802
Email: manfred.lindner@mpi-hd.mpg.de
Quantum Dynamics in Physics, Chemistry and Biology
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christoph H. Keitel
IMPRS-QD
MPI für Kernphysik
Postfach 10 39 80
69029 Heidelberg
Phone: +49 (0)6221 / 516 - 150
Fax: +49 (0)6221 / 516 - 152
Email: christoph.keitel@mpi-hd.mpg.de
