University of Basel

Department of
Languages and Literatures

Needle mountain 6

Dr. Philipp Dankel
Hermann Paul School of Linguistics Basel-Freiburg
c/oEnglish Seminar, Nadelberg 6, R. 227a
4051 Basel
Switzerland

Admission to the doctoral program and application documents to be submitted

General information about the doctorate at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences’ can be found here.

The application for admission must include the following documents (documents 1-4 online; document 5 has to be handed in as a physical document [e.g. by surface mail])

1. An application for admission to the doctoral program in linguistics, addressed to the Steering Committee, that contains the following information:

  • University education (most recent degree: title, subject) first supervisor of the doctoral thesis at the University of Basel
  • Doctoral subject
  • Working title and synopsis of the doctoral project
  • Motivation for doctoral studies at the University of Basel and statement of particular eligibility for the doctoral program in linguistics

2. Letter of recommendation by the first supervisor

3. Copy of admission to the doctorate at the University of Basel according to the current doctorate regulations

4. Copy of doctoral agreement, signed by both doctoral student and first supervisor

5. Signed letter of intent

The admission into Doctoral Program in Linguistics (HPSL) at the University of Basel is conditional on successful admission to a doctorate at the University of Basel’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Applications for admission have to be sent to the program’s coordinator.

The steering committee review sur dossier whether admission to the doctoral program can be granted.

The Doctoral Program in Linguistics

The Doctoral Program in Linguistics (DSB) operates within the framework of the Hermann Paul School of Linguistics Basel-Freiburg (HPSL), together with the University of Freiburg i.Br. It provides an international and interdisciplinary program in state-of-the-art research in language sciences. We offer PhD candidates a structured and well-founded linguistic training which leaves enough room for individual priorities.

Find the Hermann Paul School of Linguistics Basel-Freiburg here

Within the doctoral program, different objectives and work areas are taken into account :

  • Research
  • Specialized scientific training (current state of research, theoretical and methodological repertoire of the subject, broadening of the scientific horizon beyond given disciplinary and institutional borders) and
  • Qualification for advanced academically qualified careers in social sciences, economy, culture and politics.

PhD students may further benefit from the HPSL Basel-Freiburg’s following additional services:

  1. A transcript of records containing all attended courses
  2. Representation on the HPSL-website with a personal profile
  3. Annual doctoral scholarships (public call for applications)
  4. Annual financial support for research expenses (HPSL-public call)
  5. funds for the organization of workshops or conferences on specific research interests (HPSL-public call; see also funding opportunities)
  6. Listing as HPSL-Alumna/us from the fourth month after the defense of the PhD with further representation on the HPSL homepage and the right to continue attending HPSL events.

In addition to the writing of the dissertation and the final doctoral examination, the HPSL Basel-Freiburg’s doctoral training consists of students’ accomplishments on the post graduate level amounting to 18 credit points. The three aims mentioned above (research, scientific training, professional qualification) are taken into account. Therefore, according to the individual doctoral agreement (German/English), several courses from the following three areas should be attended in order to obtain credit points:

Area 1: Science

Area 2: Practical skills

Area 3: Transferable skills

At least 14 of the total of 18 credit points in the doctoral program should be acquired in the subject specific-methodological area (=areas of science and practice). A maximum of 4 CP can be taken from the area of transversal skills You can find more detailed information regarding the three domains here.

Here you can find the current rules of procedure (Geschäftsordnung).

A general information and guidance on the doctorate at the University of Basel can be found on the Graduate Center’s (GRACE) website.

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