PhD / Doctorate •

Degree

PhD

Course location

Bochum

Teaching language

• English

Languages

Courses are held in English only.

Full-time / part-time

• full-time

Programme duration

6 semesters

Beginning

Winter semester

Application periods

The following is valid for applicants from: all countries
For the winter semester:
16 November - 31 March

More information on application periods

Please find more details on this website .

Combined Master's degree / PhD programme

No

Joint degree / double degree programme

Yes

Description/content

The Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE) at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), Germany, offers an international and interdisciplinary three-year PhD programme in International Development Studies (IDS). The programme is taught entirely in English. The PhD IDS is embedded within the framework of the RUB Research School, a winner of the German Excellence Initiative. It is offered by the IEE in cooperation with the Faculties of Geography, Law, Social Sciences, and Economics and targets excellent young academics from all over the world who aspire to advance their academic career in international development studies and have a strong interest in cross-disciplinary work. Annually around five to eight candidates are admitted to the programme. Participants can choose from a variety of tailor-made courses while at the same time working on their own research projects. A supervisor is assigned to each research project. All supervisors hold professorial posts in the faculties involved. Teaching modules deal with developmental issues from a multidisciplinary perspective such as development economics, political institutions, conflict and democracy, or economics and culture. These seminars are complemented by courses on research methods and statistical analysis. Individual research projects are presented and discussed on a regular basis by the PhD candidates and their supervisors in the framework of the meetings of the IEE Research Clusters. Courses on generic skills, offered by the RUB Research School for doctoral candidates from all disciplines, aim at the training of key competences and include seminars on scientific writing, scientific presentation, and professional (scientific) communication.

Course organisation

The programme cycle is three years, including a field research period. Courses are mainly offered as seminars. The PhD IDS is a combination of working on individual PhD research projects as well as participating in selected teaching modules. Teaching modules deal with developmental issues from a multidisciplinary perspective. These seminars are complemented by courses on research methods and quantitative and qualitative analysis. Individual research projects are presented and discussed on a regular basis by the PhD candidates and their supervisors in the framework of the meetings of the IEE Research Clusters. A field research phase, typically in the fourth semester, forms an integral part of the PhD programme. Courses on generic skills include seminars on scientific writing, scientific presentation and professional (scientific) communication. Please note: Part-time studies are accepted in exceptional cases only! Currently, the IEE offers two GSSP scholarships per intake. Those who are not eligible for this scholarship have to apply separately for a scholarship by submitting an application to relevant funding organisations.

Joint PhD programme with the International Institute of Social Sciences of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague, Netherlands: students of the PhD IDS may have the opportunity to accomplish a doctorate jointly supervised and jointly certified by both the IEE and ISS.

A Diploma supplement will be issued

Yes

International elements

• Projects with partners in Germany and abroad

Description of other international elements

• Joint PhD offer with Erasmus University Rotterdam, Institute for Social Studies
• Cooperation with the University of the Western Cape, South Africa
• Field research abroad (in home countries of participants)

Course-specific, integrated German language courses

No

Course-specific, integrated English language courses

No

Tuition fees per semester

Varied

Tuition fees may vary

Tuition fees may vary depending on several factors. For an exact breakdown of costs, please check the programme website.

More information on tuition fees

Please find more details on this website .

Semester contribution

Students have to pay a social contribution fee of approx. 380 EUR per semester, including a semester ticket covering public transport in Germany (https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/re-registration-and-social-contribution ).

Costs of living

Minimum of 950 EUR per month to cover personal and living expenses in Germany

Funding opportunities within the university

Yes

Description of the above-mentioned funding opportunities within the university

Students with outstanding academic achievements and a high degree of social responsibility can apply for the “Deutschlandstipendium” grant. They will receive a one-year scholarship of 300 EUR per month from the Ruhr-Universität Scholarship Fund: http://www.rub.de/bildungsfonds/info-studierende/en/index_en.html .

International students with good to very good academic achievements can apply at the International Office e.g. for financial support during their final phase of study, such as graduation grants: https://international.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/scholarships?_wrapper_format=html.

Academic admission requirements

Above-average advanced degree in human geography, law, social or political science, economics, development management or related subjects:

• qualified university degree (Master's or equivalent) with an overall grade equivalent to 2.7 (fully satisfactory) according to the German grading system after completion of relevant studies with a duration of at least four years, or
• qualified degree with an overall grade equivalent to 1.3 (very good) according to the German grading system after completion of relevant studies with a duration of at least three years plus preparatory studies for the PhD of usually three semesters

For international degrees, the equivalence will be judged during the application process. Candidates who have to follow preparatory studies before admission to the PhD in International Development Studies can be accepted for such preparatory studies at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Applicants must submit a research proposal (five pages maximum). Guidelines for writing the research proposal are available for download on the website of the institute.

German language skills

No minimum language level required

English language skills

C1 required, please provide an official language certificate, e.g.:

• IELTS Academic: 7

Application periods

The following is valid for applicants from: all countries
For the winter semester:
16 November - 31 March

More information on application periods

Please find more details on this website .

Submit application via

Please check this website .

Accommodation

In the city of Bochum, you can find different types of accommodation. On average, students in Bochum pay approximately 400 to 800 EUR per month for a single apartment, which is below the average rent in Germany. A room in a shared apartment is usually less expensive.

About 5,000 students in Bochum live in multiple student halls close to the campus, which are run by the Akademisches Förderungswerk (AKAFÖ). In the halls, each student has a single room and shares a kitchen and bathroom with other students, rents an apartment with a private bathroom and kitchen, or shares an apartment with one or several flatmates. 

More information on the student halls can be found at https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/de/wohnen .

In addition, private and church-affiliated student halls accommodate up to 1,000 students: http://www.stuwo.de/wohnheim-region/bochum/ .

Structured research and supervision

Yes

Research training / discussion

Yes

Support for international students and doctoral candidates

• Visa matters
• Support with registration procedures
• Help with finding accommodation

General services and support for international students and doctoral candidates

The PhD coordinator, administrative staff and student assistants offer individual administrative support and counselling.

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