Application

On these pages you will find all information about the admission procedure of the Graduate School of Sociology (GRASS). Please note that admission to GRASS is based on a three-stage application procedure. In the first stage of the procedure, general suitability for admission is assessed. In the second stage, all applicants who fit the content profile of GRASS and fulfill the general criteria for admission are asked to present their dissertation project in a ten-page synopsis. The third stage consists of presenting the project in an interview.

All members of the Graduate School of Sociology who have completed their habilitation or have been appointed to a professorship and work full-time at the Institute of Sociology are eligible as initial supervisors for planned dissertation projects. In general, Prof. Dr. Ernst, Prof. Dr. Grundmann, Prof. Dr. Michalowski, Prof. Dr. Pollack, Prof. Dr. Renn, Prof. Dr. Tezcan, Prof. Dr. Weischer and Prof. Dr. Gärtner are eligible as supervisors for planned dissertation projects.

Please send the completed application form together with the additionally required documents to: grass@uni-muenster.de.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  • Application deadlines

      first stage second stage interviews
    Admission to the winter semester July 15 August 31 Mid-September
    Admission to the summer semester January 15 February 28 Mid-March

     

  • Call for applications

    Doing a doctorate at the Graduate School of Sociology Münster

    The Graduate School of Sociology Münster accepts new doctoral candidates to its doctoral program every semester. In particular, we are looking for doctoral projects that relate convincingly to the research profile of GRASS (Antinomies of Postclassical Socialization). In addition, qualified applications are always welcome.

    The GRASS doctoral program offers committed, qualified young academics in particular the opportunity to jointly establish or join thematic research groups, a close connection to research and teaching, as well as a structured qualification program that nevertheless leaves sufficient freedom for creative and self-determined objectives. The prerequisite for a successful doctorate within GRASS is initiative and a certain degree of self-organization on the part of the doctoral candidates, which is adequately supported by the supervisors.

    Unfortunately, GRASS does not currently offer any financial support. However, doctoral candidates receive a workplace and can use the institute's research infrastructure.

    If you are interested in doing a doctorate at GRASS, if you are prepared to present us with a qualified, promising research project that is ideally related to the GRASS profile and if you are not afraid to exchange ideas with scientific peers, you are cordially invited to apply to GRASS with a 2-page outline of your doctoral project!

    Please use the GRASS application form for your application.

    Information on the application procedure, the research focus and the study program can be found on the GRASS website.

    If your questions have not been answered after looking through the website, you can contact the GRASS Coordination: grass@uni-muenster.de.

  • Admission requirements

    For admission to the Graduate School of Sociology Münster (GRASS), you must fulfill the following requirements, which will be reviewed during the application process.

    Degrees

    • A degree from a relevant university with a standard period of study of at least eight semesters, for which a degree other than "Bachelor" is awarded.
    • A particularly qualified degree (at least good) after a relevant university degree course with a standard period of study of at least six semesters and subsequent studies in sociology in preparation for a doctorate.
    • Relevant, equivalent degrees from academic universities outside the area of application of the Basic Law.
    • As a rule, the degrees must have been obtained in the subject of sociology.
    • As a rule, the degrees must have been assessed as at least good.

    Languages

    • Functional language skills in English.
    • Functional language skills in another foreign language.
    • By arrangement, the dissertation can also be written in a language other than German.

    As a rule, the required language skills can be demonstrated by proof of three years of schooling in the language in question or equivalent knowledge. Missing language skills can be made up during the doctorate.

    Topic

    As a rule, the proposed dissertation projects should be related to the main research areas of GRASS.

    Supervisor

    The selection of a supervisor for the doctorate usually takes place during the selection procedure.

    Special suitability for a doctorate at GRASS

    The applicant's particular suitability is assessed during the selection process by means of a letter of motivation, a brief description and an exposé of the dissertation project as well as an interview.

  • Application documents

    The following documents are required for an application to the Graduate School of Sociology Münster (GRASS). Please submit the documents for the first stage of the application procedure, the short application, via our application form. You will be asked to submit the documents for the second stage of the application procedure, the detailed application, in person.

    Short application

    In the first stage of the process, your general suitability for admission to GRASS is assessed. The following information and documents are required for this:

    • Informal letter of application, one page in length, providing information on aptitude, motivation and areas of academic interest.
    • Outline of the planned dissertation (approx. two pages, excluding references).
    • Personal details.
    • Reference (professor who is willing to provide an expert opinion).
    • Curriculum vitae in tabular form.
    • Certificate of highest educational qualification.
    • Transcript of records of the highest educational qualification.

    Detailed application

    In the second stage of the application process, all applicants who fit the content profile of GRASS and fulfill the general criteria for admission are asked to present their dissertation project in more detail in an exposé. In addition to the topic and research question, this exposé should also deal with possible theoretical and methodological approaches and include a rough timetable for the dissertation project. The synopsis must not exceed ten pages, excluding references.

  • interview

    The interview is the final stage of the application process at the Graduate School of Sociology Münster (GRASS). It serves on the one hand to discuss the submitted dissertation projects and on the other hand to get to know each other. As an applicant, you should therefore prepare a brief presentation of your dissertation project and, if possible, a few questions that you have for GRASS and its members.

    The interview is conducted by the GRASS Executive Board, which includes three professors, a representative of the doctoral candidates and a representative of the mid-level faculty.