The German doctorate enjoys an outstanding reputation in all disciplines. In Germany, some 28,000 graduates successfully complete their doctoral studies every year – far more than in any other European country.
Most universities in Germany do not have the right to award Ph.D. titles in Engineering. These universities also offer good master's programs, but if graduates want to do a Ph.D., they must then apply to a different university, for example, one of the „Technischen Universitäten“ (www.tu9.de). The TU Berlin belongs to the group of universities where a Ph.D. can be done.
Usually in Germany and also at the TU Berlin, a doctorate in engineering includes a research period of three to five years. The Ph.D. students / Ph.D. candidates work at this time on their university research project and thus drive forward their own dissertation topic.
In Germany, after a successful Ph.D., most doctorates go to work in the industry where they assume leadership positions. After a successful Ph.D., GPE graduates often return to universities and research institutions in their home countries to pursue an academic career.
Annually about 500 students obtain a Ph.D. at the TU Berlin, of which a third are women. About 10% of GPE graduates also opt for a doctorate and pursue an academic career. Presently GPE alumni are doing a Ph.D. at the TU Berlin, the Fraunhofer Society, the University of Cambridge, the University of Bremen, the University of Freiburg, and the University of Bielefeld.
TU Berlin 1st Class in Research and Teaching
The Technische Universiät Berlin with its seven faculties is an internationally renowned research university with a rich tradition. We conduct basic and applied research at the highest international level. Our researchers regularly receive prestigious science awards and are highly successful in the acquisition of third-party funding. In the context of national and international funding programs and collaborations with industrial partners, funds amounting to approx. 160 million Euros were spent in the year 2011. In international rankings, TU Berlin is generally ranked among the top five technical universities in Germany. The TU Berlin has about 33,000 students (including almost 7000 foreign students) and it is among the most popular technical universities in Germany among students. In research, particularly in production technology and energy technology, the TU Berlin is generally ranked among the top 5 research universities in Germany. Further details regarding the ranking can be found here.
TU9 – Excellence in Engineering and the Sciences Made in Germany
TU9 is the network of the leading Institutes of Technology in Germany: RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, TU Braunschweig, TU Darmstadt, TU Dresden, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, TU München, Universität Stuttgart. The member universities are excellent in research: according to the Federal Statistical Office, TU9 members attract a fourth of all third-party funding. In the DFG ranking for research funding in engineering, the TU9 universities are to be found in the top groups. Nationwide 57 percent of all doctorates in engineering are awarded at TU9 universities.
TU9 universities lead the way in teaching: In Germany, 51 percent of all engineers with a university degree come from TU9 universities. Ten percent of all students at German universities are registered at TU9 universities. TU9 universities are international: 16 percent of the students at TU9 universities are international students. In addition to that, the Humboldt Foundation’s ranking demonstrates how attractive the TU9 universities are to international scientists. More details are available here.