Doctoral Programme Scientific Research

The Zentrum Fokus Forschung offers two project rooms in the university building at Vordere Zollamtsstrasse 7, which doctoral students can book for short- and medium-term research projects.

They consist of project room 001 (ground floor, 55 sqm), suitable for meetings and presentations, and project room 046 (ground floor, 55 sqm), with several workplaces. Prospective users should send an email to support_kf@uni-ak.ac.at containing the following information: Name, research project, and duration of use.

The ZFF readily advises doctoral candidates on applying for third-party funding of projects, specifically regarding content, administration, financial and conceptual considerations, and the provision of specialist feedback. Please send your project ideas directly to Alexander Damianisch alexander.damianisch@uni-ak.ac.at  – preferably with three possible meeting dates for one-on-one feedback.

Use of workshops at the Angewandte as part of the doctoral programme, see https://www.dieangewandte.at/en/university/organisation/workshops

Extensive collection of journals, monographs, e-books, multimedia library, etc., see https://www.dieangewandte.at/university_library

Doctoral students can participate in career development measures and the latest continuing education programme of the University of Applied Arts Vienna. The condition is a current employment at the University.

ARTist supports publications with a maximum amount of EUR 1,500. 

To apply for publication funding, submit these documents by email to artist@uni-ak.ac.at: Concept for the publication, budget including cost estimates, curriculum vitae of the applicant, and letter of recommendation from a professor at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. 

Following evaluation, you will receive a written approval or rejection. In case of approval, a freelance contract will be issued, and payment will be made upon submission of 5 copies of the publication. The funding agreement requires adding the logo of the Angewandte and ARTist to the publication. Further information here.

At the Angewandte, great importance is placed on the impact and internal and external perception of research. The Publications, Cooperations and Marketing department collects, coordinates and processes information relevant to the public about the numerous activities of the Angewandte in order to pass it on to different target groups. Further information on publishing and cooperations at the Angewandte.

To apply for admission to the doctoral programme, please fill out the form Antrag auf Zulassung (Application for Admission). Please consult the curriculum for admission requirements.

Applications for admission to the scientific doctoral programme must be submitted online no later than the end of the general admission period. Applications received after this date will not lead to admission in the respective semester, even in the case of a positive decision.

Application for admission

Dissertation Agreement (to be completed by the end of the second semester at the latest)

Special eligibility for university admission for applicants without citizenship of an EU/EEA country

General information sheet

Recognition of Foreign Degrees

In accordance with the curriculum, the research project must be presented to a scientific advisory board in the course of the first two semesters by submitting a research proposal and holding a short public presentation. This is a prerequisite for signing the dissertation agreement and continuing regular coursework. Privatissima and seminars for doctoral students can only be attended after the completion of the dissertation agreement.

The Zentrum Fokus Forschung annually offers three dates for these presentations, which occur in March, May and December.

Each candidate is allotted 15 minutes for the presentation of their research project. This is followed by a discussion with the scientific advisory board.

To register for a presentation date, please contact zff@uni-ak.ac.at at least six weeks prior to the desired date.

The research proposal is a written description of the envisioned doctoral project and should present the research interests as well as the specific research question. The project will be presented and discussed during the short presentations at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. The proposal must be submitted as a PDF to zff@uni-ak.ac.at no later than two weeks before the scheduled presentation date.

Recommended length: 2,500 words (excl. sources), total approx. 10 pages, recommended structure:

• Title of the thesis, name of the doctoral candidate and name of the supervisor.
• Description of the doctoral project
• Clearly formulated research question
• Presentation of methodology
• References
• Timetable and work schedule
• Short curriculum vitae

Students in scientific doctoral programmes are eligible to register for their doctoral examination if they meet the requirements set out in the curriculum. To register for the doctoral examination, the student must have successfully completed the required coursework, and the dissertation must have been positively evaluated.

In order to graduate from a doctoral program, students need to submit an application for admission to the doctoral examination. Together with the request for appointing the dissertation examiners, the application for admission to the doctoral examination must be submitted to the Dean of Studies. Any request for external evaluators must be coordinated personally with the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Development.

All forms mentioned are available at the Office of Student and Academic Affairs and are available below. If the application is approved, the dissertation evaluation form will be sent to the appointed examiner(s).

Besides registering for the examination, two hard copies of the dissertation must be submitted to the Vice-Rectorate for Academic Affairs and Development

The doctoral examination can take place at the earliest two weeks after the submission of the request. During the doctoral examination, candidates defend their dissertation in its scholarly context before the board of examiners. The board of examiners includes the faculty members who supervised and/or evaluated the dissertation.

The candidate may arrange the date, place and time for the doctoral examination with the supervisor and second examiner and inform the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Development, who will then appoint the examination board.

All dissertation copies must be bound with a laminated spine and a hardcover. First name and surname have to be printed on the spine. It is recommended to design the first pages of the dissertation in accordance with the Guidelines (see below) and to prepare abstracts in both German and English (max. 250 words each) to be included in the thesis.

Information sheet (available in German): Guidelines

Upon positive assessment of the doctoral examination and the dissertation, the respective doctoral program concludes, and the academic degree is officially conferred by the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Development. Promotion ceremonies take place at the end of each semester. Participation is free of charge but must be registered in the Office of Student and Academic Affairs.

Admission to the doctoral examination (Rigorosum)

Appointment of examiners

Submission of the dissertation