Completing your doctorate

When the dissertation has received a positive review and you have passed the oral examination, the doctoral process is not yet complete. You cannot use the title of doctor until you have published your dissertation.

Doctoral diploma and right to use the title of doctor

Only once you have satisfied all the examination requirements and published your dissertation will you receive your doctoral diploma. The awarding of the doctoral diploma gives you the right to use the title of doctor.

Overall mark

Once you have passed the oral examination, the doctoral panel decides on the overall mark, bearing in mind the mark awarded for the dissertation.

Overall mark

Title of doctor

Only once you have published your dissertation will you receive your doctoral diploma and thus the right to use the appropriate title, for example Dr. phil., Dr. rer. nat., Dr.-Ing. or Ph.D.

Title of doctor