Study Regulations

(Appendix 4 of the Doctorate Regulations for the Faculty of Architecture)

Contents
§ 1 Validity
§ 2 Doctoral Selection Committee for the IPP European Urban Studies
§ 3 Application for acceptance to the IPP European Urban Studies
§ 4 Academic Supervision in the IPP European Urban Studies
§ 5 Goals and Contents of the Programme
§ 6 Structure and Length of the IPP European Urban Studies
§ 7 Courses
§ 8 Proof of Performance in Preparatory Course of Study
§ 9 Proof of Achievements in Doctoral Studies

§ 1 Validity
(1) The study regulations govern the aim, content and structure of the International Doctoral Programme European Urban Studies (IPP-EU).

(2) A structured offering of courses and supervision is an integral part of the IPP European Urban Studies.

§ 2 Doctoral Selection Committee for the IPP European Urban Studies
(1) The doctoral selection committee is made up of professors from the Institute for European Urban Studies.

(2) The doctoral selection committee controls the selection of candidates as a prerequisite for admission as a doctoral student, which is carried out in accordance with § 4 of the Doctorate Regulations. The doctoral selection committee determines whether the student continues the IPP European Urban Studies in accordance with § 8 (5) and § 9 (9).

(3) The doctoral selection committee is responsible for the cooperative supervision of the doctoral students.

§ 3 Application for acceptance to the IPP European Urban Studies
(1) In order to be accepted to the international doctoral programme European Studies (IPP-EU), a personal application is required which reports about the topic of the future dissertation in the form of a research proposal, previous academic experience, examination results and the applicant’s language competency.

(2) Doctoral students are selected by the doctoral selection committee based on the application documents submitted and interviews with pre-selected applicants. In the preliminary selection process, an applicant’s general compatibility is determined by the examination and evaluation of the application documents by all the members of the doctoral selection committee according to paragraph 1. Positive agreement results in an interview invitation. Following the completion of all interviews for the application year, the decision regarding each applicant’s acceptance or rejection to the IPP European Urban Studies is taken by the doctoral selection committee.

(3) Applications for the IPP European Urban Studies are generally accepted until March 31 for the following winter semester.

§ 4 Academic Supervision in the IPP European Urban Studies
The professors at the Institute for European Urban Studies collectively share the responsibility for the supervision of doctoral students. Each doctoral student receives one professor as an advisor. Changing advisors is possible with permission from the doctoral selection committee.

§ 5 Goals and Contents of the Programme
(1) The following goals should be reached through the structured doctoral studies in the IPP European Urban Studies:
·    integration of the individual and specific dissertation topics in the overriding thematic framework of European Urban Studies,
·    the doctoral student’s involvement with general, or more or less related, topics related to the student’s specific field of research
·    intensive instruction in the area of well-founded presentation, discussion and defence of scientific theories and findings,
·    heightened awareness on behalf of the doctoral student for general topics in urban studies through integration in the interdisciplinary and international research context at the Institute for European Urban Studies.

(2) The IPP European Urban Studies aims to train its graduates as urbanists in the sense of “urban researchers.”

(3) The areas of European Urban Studies, especially “spatial planning,” “urban sociology” (including the cultural and social history of the city), “project development” and “urban development” make up the doctoral programme’s thematic focus.

(4) The acquisition of interdisciplinary competence will be achieved inductively through the specific disciplines, but will also be developed in events such as conferences and workshops.

§ 6 Structure and Length of the IPP European Urban Studies
(1) The first regular semester of the IPP European Urban Studies begins in the winter semester

(2) The IPP European Urban Studies consists of doctoral studies and if necessary, preparatory studies.

(3) Preparatory studies normally last two semesters. The scope and structure is detailed in § 8.

(4) The doctoral studies are intended to last six semesters. In addition to the actual research, doctoral students are required to participate in certain courses. The scope and content of the doctoral studies are detailed in § 9.

§ 7 Courses
(1) Lectures present in concentrated form a subject area in its context. They communicate introductory, fundamental and overview knowledge.

(2) Seminars serve to deepen knowledge in a specific subject and to facilitate the inductive appropriation of an interdisciplinary approach. In addition, they support the critical reflection of subject-specific knowledge and the acquisition of competence in both oral communication and writing.

(3) Tutorials help strengthen important techniques and scientific methods for the future “European Urbanists.”

(4) Excursions are an imminent part of the courses.

(5) The colloquium allows the presentation and discussion of each student’s dissertation topic with professors and doctoral students from the Institute for European Urban Studies.

 
§ 8 Proof of Performance in Preparatory Course of Study
(1) During the preparatory course of study the doctoral student participates in classes and qualifies his/her research proposal.

(2) The required courses are divided into four lectures corresponding to the four different areas of European Urban Studies, one introductory tutorial on scientific work and/or scientific methods and two graded seminars. The main emphasis of the preparatory studies is the development and written presentation of a qualified research proposal (with a clear research question, an overview of the research, an explanation of basic methodology and the empirical basis of the dissertation project if needed).

(3) The doctoral student chooses the appropriate lectures, seminars and tutorials from the course offerings based on the student’s educational deficits as determined by the doctoral selection committee and in view of the dissertation topic in consultation with the advisor.

(4) Course offerings for the preparatory studies draw on the teaching at the Institute for European Urban Studies. However, it is possible for the student to receive credit for other courses at the Bauhaus University Weimar or at co-operating scientific institutes of European Urban Studies in consultation with the advisor.

(5) Certain achievements must be completed to successfully conclude the preparatory studies. A course attendance certificate is given for the lectures and introductory tutorial. The graded seminars are generally evaluated on the basis of an oral presentation and a scientific essay. The successful preparation of a qualified research proposal is confirmed by the advisor’s commentary and recommendation for the doctoral student’s admission to the doctoral studies. If the advisor does not confirm the successful preparation of a qualified research proposal, or if the student has average marks of less than 2.5, then the doctoral selection committee decides whether or not the student is to remain in the doctoral programme.

§ 9 Proof of Achievements in Doctoral Studies
(1) The doctoral studies consist of a teaching and research phase (semesters 1-3) in which the doctoral student attends classes and conducts research trips corresponding to the student’s dissertation topic, as well as a presentation and development phase (semesters 4-6) in which the doctoral student presents his/her theses for discussion and develops the scientific results in the form of a written dissertation.

(2) The required courses are divided into four seminars, three colloquia (at least two of which include a presentation) and active participation (presenting a paper) at an international research conference relevant to the doctoral student’s research topic, in Germany or abroad.  The doctoral selection committee decides on exceptions. Alternatively, other achievements can be recognized by the doctoral selection committee.

(3) Course offerings for the doctoral studies draw on the teaching at the Institute for European Urban Studies. However, it is possible for the student to receive credit for other courses at the Bauhaus University Weimar or at cooperating scientific institutes of European Urban Studies in consultation with the advisor.

(4) Credits achieved in other programmes of study may be recognized by the doctoral selection committee to the extent that their equivalence can be confirmed. Equivalence is determined if the content, scope and requirements essentially correspond to those of the respective course of study of the accepting university. Not a schematic comparison, but overall consideration and evaluation should take place.

(5) To successfully complete the doctoral studies, certain achievements must be proven. Two of the four required seminars have to be graded. For both graded seminars, the evaluation generally consists of a presentation and a scientific essay. Certificates of course participation are issued for the two additional seminars, the colloquia and the research conference. In consultation with the advisor, the student has the possibility to replace the two seminars with certificates of participation with other classes, for example, introductory tutorials.

(6) To ensure the interdisciplinary nature of the doctoral studies, the seminars have to be selected from two different subject areas taught in European Urban Studies in accordance with § 5 (3).

(7) Successful participation in the doctoral programme requires that the two graded seminars be passed with grades of at least “good” and the two certificates of course participation be submitted.

(9) Progress is monitored continuously in the doctoral studies by means of the courses as well as the submission of progress reports at the end of each semester.
(a) The doctoral student submits semester progress reports to the advisor in order to discuss performance in the doctoral studies as well as the progress of the dissertation.
(b)  If performance is not satisfactory, the advisor reports this to the doctorate selection committee, which decides upon the doctoral student’s further participation in the doctoral programme in accordance with § 2 (2).

(10) Successful completion of the doctoral studies is a prerequisite for the commencement of the dissertation procedure. After the doctoral selection committee has confirmed this, further steps proceed according to the Doctorate Regulations.