PhD Programme
Research begins with a question—and the courage to pursue it consistently.
At the German Sport University Cologne, we offer a doctoral environment that combines academic excellence with societal relevance. Here, you will find the structural, academic, and personal support you need to turn your ideas into sound research.
Getting Started
Each year, an average of 40 early-career researchers earn their doctorate at the German Sport University Cologne in various disciplines of sports science, as well as in the life sciences and the humanities and social sciences. The entire doctoral process, from the initial idea to the awarding of the doctoral degree, involves a series of steps that we would like to explain to you on this website:
- Expressing interest and selecting a research area and supervisor
- Admission to the doctoral programme
- Enrolment
- Academic work & Doctoral study programme
- Submission of the dissertation
- Appointing the examination committee & review of the dissertation
- Public display of the dissertation
- Defense
- Publication of the dissertation
First steps
The first step toward earning a Ph.D. is choosing a research area and finding a supervisor. On our research portal, you will find an overview of all research activities at our university and the researchers involved. You can contact the potential supervisor directly, along with your CV and a research proposal. The Ph.D. regulations contain all official information regarding the Ph.D. programme.
PhD funding
Would you like to pursue a doctorate at the German Sport University Cologne but lack the necessary funding? You have three options for pursuing a doctorate at our university:
- Through a academic staff position (so-called “qualification position”) at the German Sport University Cologne
- Without a position at the German Sport University Cologne (external employment)
- Through a PhD scholarship
We offer a range of internal university support measures to assist you in this process. Additionally, you have the option of applying for a PhD scholarship at external funding institutions/organisations. If you have any questions regarding “doctoral funding,” the Doctoral Office will be happy to advise you. The Office for Gender Equality also offers a range of support programmes for female researchers and parents in academia. Job postings with the opportunity to pursue a doctorate are published on the homepage.
Important Note
Please note that all doctoral candidates must complete a doctoral study programme alongside their dissertation research, regardless of their specialization or enrollment status (external vs. internal). This doctoral study programme includes numerous courses that require in-person attendance on campus (since GSU is a on-campus university); only a few courses are offered online.
Application, Admission & Enrollment
Here you will find all the information you need about applying for a doctoral programme at the German Sport University Cologne, as well as the necessary steps. If you have any further questions, please contact the Doctoral Office.
Steps for Applying
To be admitted to a doctoral programme at the German Sport University Cologne, applicants must hold an academic degree (Diploma, Magister, Masters) that qualifies them for doctoral studies, with a standard duration of at least eight semesters (including the bachelor degree, i.a.).
All applicants must have completed both their degree program as a whole and their written thesis or diploma/master’s thesis with a grade of at least “good.”
The doctoral regulations specify which doctoral degrees may be awarded, the requirements that must be met, and the structure of the doctoral programme.
The dissertation may be submitted as a monograph or as a cumulative work.
The topic of your dissertation can be your own research topic or one developed in collaboration with a supervisor. Ideally, you should contact a potential supervisor while you are still in the process of selecting a topic. All professors and PDs (Privatdozent*in = similar to assistant or associate professors) at the German Sport University Cologne are authorized to supervise doctoral candidates. You can find the contact information for these individuals as well as the current research topics of the individual research groups on our research portal and our department websites.
Applications for admission to the doctoral programme may generally be submitted at any time. Once you have selected your research topic and identified your supervisor, the application process consists of two steps:
- Online application (with document upload)
- Submission of required documents in original or certified form to the Doctoral Office (in person or by post)
Step 1:
For external applicants (Bachelor or Master degree not from the German Sport University Cologne):
a) Registration on MySpoho (application portal of the German Sport University Cologne)
b) Apply for admission to the doctoral programme on MySpoho
- ATTENTION: First, go to the MySpoho homepage (without logging in), click the "Doctoral Candidates" button.
- Click "Apply for Admission to the Doctoral Programme" and log in
- Enter the required information and upload documents online
For internal applicants (applicants currently or previously enrolled at the German Sport University Cologne):
a) Application for admission to the doctoral programme on MySpoho
- ATTENTION: First, go to the MySpoho homepage (without logging in first), then click the "Doctoral Candidates" button.
- Click on "Application for Admission to the Doctoral Programme" and log in; applicants currently enrolled at the university do NOT need to re-register when logging in to MySpoho; applicants who were previously enrolled at the German Sport University must re-register
- Enter the required information and upload documents online
Step 2
Page 2 of the application for admission to the doctoral programme must include the applicant’s signature as well as the supervisor’s signature and stamp. These must first be uploaded online as digital copies and then submitted in original form to the Doctoral Office in person or by post. In addition, university degree certificates (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, or Diploma or State Examination) must first be uploaded digitally and then presented in person at the Doctoral Office or submitted by post in certified form.
You will be notified on your admission to the doctoral programme via email. Only after you have received this notification can you apply for enrollment via MySpoho. To do so, you must first log in with your account (username) and then follow the remaining steps.
Academic work and Doctoral Study Programme
The goal of the doctoral study programme is to demonstrate the ability to conduct independent, scholarly research. This includes carrying out the doctoral research project and writing the dissertation.
Dissertation
As part of the dissertation, students may write a monograph or a cumulative dissertation. In the case of cumulative dissertations, research findings are published in academic journals. Depending on the publisher or journal, fees may apply. Through the so-called DEAL project, researchers at our university can now publish open access in hybrid journals of Wiley and Springer Nature at no additional cost.
Doctoral study programme
Enrolled doctoral students at the German Sport University Cologne are eligible to participate in the doctoral study programme. As part of the doctoral study programme, students must attend and complete various courses. A total of 170 working units (1 WU or AE in German = 45 minutes) must be completed through courses in compulsory and elective modules. Courses for the elective modules may be selected from the offerings of the German Sport University Cologne, the University of Cologne, and the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln). Please note that, as part of the cooperation with the University of Cologne and the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln), only a limited number of spots are available for doctoral students of the German Sport University Cologne.
Objectives of the Doctoral Study Programme
- Teaching interdisciplinary skills and foundational knowledge necessary for carrying out interdisciplinary research projects;
- Teaching and acquisition of research skills as a prerequisite for independent scholarly work;
- Teaching of key qualifications/interdisciplinary competencies to improve knowledge and project management as well as internationally accepted publication practices;
- Enabling qualified engagement in teaching;
- Promoting and preparing students for diverse career paths in non-university institutions and independent research activities
Good scientific practice
The foundation of a doctorate is academic work. In your own work, you should take care to avoid academic misconduct. At the same time, the supervisor is responsible for identifying academic misconduct and for providing doctoral candidates with academic guidance and support. Further topics related to this are addressed in the Regulations on Ensuring Good Academic Practice.
In cases of suspected research misconduct or in matters not covered by other advisory services, students and faculty members may contact the ombudsperson at the German Sport University Cologne at any time.
Submission of the dissertation
Once the dissertation is complete, four bound copies must be submitted to the Doctoral Office. In addition, the application to initiate the doctoral process and any other required documents must be included. The application to initiate the process and the template for the title page of the dissertation to be submitted can be found on Moodle in the “Doctoral Students” team room. For cumulative doctorates, the publications MUST be incorporated into the dissertation or the appendix.
After the dissertation is submitted, the Doctoral Committee appoints a four-member examination committee, whose members each receive a copy of the dissertation. The review period lasts a maximum of three months. Following the review, the dissertation and the reviews are made available for public inspection (2 weeks during the lecture period and 4 weeks during the non-lecture period, plus a 1-week objection period).
Defense
The oral examination generally takes place within four weeks of the dissertation’s final approval and consists of a 25- to 30-minute presentation followed by a discussion. The examination lasts no more than two hours in total. The evaluation and announcement of the grade take place immediately following the defense. The final grade is then calculated based on a 2:1 ratio between the dissertation and the defense.
Publication & PhD certificate
The final step in the doctoral process is the publication of your dissertation. To do this, you must submit a digital copy of your dissertation to the Central Library of Sports Sciences. The digital publication of the dissertation is handled through our research information system.
Once you have published your dissertation, your PhD certificate will be issued. After receiving your PhD certificate, you may use your doctoral title.
FAQs
Answer: This is possible provided that the masters programme is accredited and qualifies students for doctoral studies (this information is usually found in the examination regulations or the supplement) and the other criteria are met.
Answer: Participation in the doctoral study programme (including all attendance requirements) is mandatory for all doctoral students, regardless of their employment status or place of residence. There are no exceptions.
Answer: The application for admission must first be uploaded as part of the online application via MySpoho. Afterwards, the application for admission must also be submitted with the original signatures of the applicant and the supervisor, as well as the supervisor’s stamp. In addition, certified copies of university degree certificates must be submitted (alternatively, the originals can be presented in person at the Doctoral Office). This also applies to GSU graduates.
Contacts
Doctoral Office
-
location_on
Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6
50933 Cologne
Institute buillding III, room 109Contact: Alexandra Pizzera
eMail: a.pizzera(at)dshs-koeln.de
+49 221 4982-7580
