PhD in Art or Music – Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Institution providing the doctoral degree

Leuphana University Lüneburg (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg)

Location

Lüneburg | Germany (Niedersachsen)

Name of PHD

PhD in Art or Music

Research Clusters
  • Multimedia Arts, Audio-visual Techniques and Media Production
  • Film Studies
  • Design – Graphic Design; Industrial Design; Fashion Design; Textile Design…
  • History and Theory of Art + Cultural Heritage
  • Pedagogy of Art, Art Education and Art Therapy
  • Musicology and Musical Heritage
  • Pedagogy of Music, Music Education and Music Therapy
  • Music and Media
  • Other fields

Duration

3-5 years

Public / Private institution

Public university

Financial terms of the PHD position
  • Self-funded PhD – you must provide both tuition and your own maintenance
  • PhD Fully or partially externally funded, with a stipend, through private or public foundations, scholarships, grants, one or more companies, or public institutions that you have to find on your own

Fees: semester fees are required

Funding resources: PhD students must secure their own funding through external scholarships, grants, or sponsorships.

Depending on the topic of the project one may try receiving funds from the following scholarship foundations:  
https://www.boell.de/
https://www.rosalux.de/
https://www.boeckler.de/
https://www.fes.de/
https://www.evstudienwerk.de/
https://www.studienstiftung.de/

The following database may as well help: https://www2.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/

Final output

Dissertation:

  • Can be monographic or cumulative (≥3 related articles).
  • Written in German or English with summaries in both languages.

Oral Defense (Disputation):

  • Presentation (max. 30 min)
  • Discussion (approx. 60 min) in German or English.

One retake is allowed if the initial defense is unsuccessful.

Publication of the Dissertation

  • Deadline: The dissertation must be published within 12 months after the oral defense.
  • Publication Formats: Print, journal/book publication, or electronic via University Library.
  • Deposit Copies: 6 copies to the library; 3 copies to commercial publishers if published.
  • Embargo: 1-year embargo for protected content, extendable by another year.

How to apply

Find a supervisor and obtain their written agreement, then submit a written application to the Doctoral Committee containing:

  • For international degrees, equivalency check and language proficiency proof (German or English).
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Dissertation proposal (including research question, literature review, methodology, work plan).
  • Supervisor’s agreement.
  • Proof of Master’s degree or equivalent.
  • Individual Development Plan (IDP).

Entry requirements

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
  • Supervisor agreement.
  • For international students: proof of language proficiency in German or English.

Contact / Web page

Prof. Dr. Beate Söntgen (figurative arts related areas of research) | beate.soentgen@leuphana.deProf. Dr. Erich Hörl (media related areas of research) | erich.hoerl@leuphana.de
Prof. Dr. Monika Schoop (music related areas of research) | monika.schoop@leuphana.de

https://www.leuphana.de/graduate-school/promotion-organisieren.html

Additional information

Doctoral Research Groups:

  • Candidates join interdisciplinary doctoral research groups that foster collaboration and regular exchange among peers and supervisors.
  • The groups include Wissenschaften der Künste (Arts Sciences), Knowledge Cultures, Philosophy, Literature, and History, Representation, and Cultures of Critique, covering topics in Multimedia Arts, Film Studies, Design, History and Theory of Art, Pedagogy of Art, Musicology, and Music and Media.

Joint PhD Supervision: The university supports collaborative doctoral programs with external institutions for interdisciplinary research.

Languages used within the program and for thesis writing and discussion: German and English

PhD with only theoretical outcomes – no artistic projects/concerts/exhibitions as part of the final project

General information about research in Germany: https://www.research-in-germany.org/en.html 

Visa information for extra-EU doctoral candidates: https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/Arbeit/Wissenschaftler/wissenschaftler-node.html