Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Change of Doctoral Degree Regulation (PVO 2009 to PromVO 2019)

Are you already enrolled in the doctoral program PVO 2009 and would like to change to the new regulation PromVO 2019? To do so, the following steps are necessary:

Supervisory committee without emeritus supervisors

  1. Effective immediately and no later than 15 August 2023: Send the form "Provisional Confirmation of Supervision (PDF, 2 MB)" to graduiertenschule@phil.uzh.ch for approval.
  2. No later than 31 August 2023: Apply for a change of program in the Student Portal using the approved form.

Supervisory committee with emeritus supervisors

  1. Beginning January 2023 and ending no later than end of June 2023: Submit to the Graduate School the application form (PDF, 2 MB)via email.
  2. By 31 August 2023 at the latest: If the application form is approved: Apply for change per fall semester 2023 using the approved application form, in the student portal.

Scope, Duration, and Title

You can do a doctorate in many different subjects at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The doctorate revolves around writing a thesis demonstrating your ability to do independent scholarly research. You also complete modules earning a total of 12 ECTS credits
The maximum duration of doctoral studies is six years. This also applies if you’re doing your doctorate part-time. This period begins with your admission to doctoral studies and ends with conferral of the doctoral degree. The clock is stopped each time you deregister, and restarts once you re-matriculate. The duration of your doctoral studies can be extended upon application. 
After you’ve successfully completed the doctoral level, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences confers the title of Doctor of Philosophy. The title is Dr. phil. (equivalent to PhD in English). 

PhD Subjects

Here you’ll find an overview of all the PhD subjects currently offered at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. For more information on each subject you can visit the institute and department websites. 

Costs and Funding Options

You’ll find information on the enrollment and semester fees for doctoral candidates on the Fees and Contributions page.

There’s more information on the various options for funding doctoral studies on the following pages:
Employment at UZH
Funding for PhD Students

The Graduate School does not fund grants or fellowships, teaching positions, printing expenses, or enrollment fees for PhD students. However, doctoral students can apply for financial support for short research trips, for copy editing or translation costs as well as for self-organised working groups through the Graduate School. Information on this can be found on the Financial Support page.

Right to Confer a Doctorate

More information on the right to confer a doctorate you find here.

 

 

Direct Entry

This website is structured according to the chronological sequence of a doctorate. Here you will find further information:

Before the doctorate

During the doctorate

Completing the doctorate