PhD Programme

The Global Studies Programme is proud to announce the start of its PhD programme in October 2014. The programme focuses on the eight topics that fall under the title Twenty-First Century Globalization and Alternative Futures:

Migration
sustainability
inequality
governance and alternative futures
social movements
health and vulnerability
emerging knowledge perspectives
twenty-first century urbanization.

Students are co-supervised by two professors from two different institutions participating in the programme. They are expected to spend at least one year at each of the two institutions, with the opportunity to spend some time at a third institution.

As of summer 2014, the participating institutions are Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Chulalongkorn University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, USAL (Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires) and Università di Bologna. For a more detailed description of the programme, see the curriculum below.

Applicants must have a MA degree in a field related to social sciences. They need to submit a proposal that falls under one of the eight core topics of the programme, and two faculty members must be willing to supervise the project from two of the participating GSP institutions.

To receive more information please fill out the GSP Ph.D. form. 

Students spend at least four semesters at the two universities where their supervisors are located (Uni A and B in the table). The supervisors are specialists on the PhD topic and teach the corresponding research course. PhD students spend an additional 1-2 semesters at any of the participating or associated institutions for fieldwork and additional experience (Associated Uni in the table). The PhD curriculum consists of research courses plus a colloquium. The research courses focus on the core topics of the programme and integrate students into ongoing research in the field. The colloquium accompanies students’ work on the dissertation by discussing it in a group and giving advice.

In the first two semesters, an optional methodology course and/or special classes (e.g. on writing skills, presentation techniques, or archival work) can be taken, while in the later semesters, students are required to teach one class, participate in the organization of an international conference or a panel and publish at least one paper. Actual teaching is in accordance with local regulations at each respective institution. Participating institutions that have structured PhD regulations define their obligatory courses as research courses plus colloquium.