2.3 Doctoral thesis agreement

In this section, you will find information on the mandatory doctoral thesis agreement between student and supervisor. This agreement also determines the type of doctoral thesis: monographic or cumulative. In addition to the doctoral thesis, the doctoral degree requires the completion of courses and achievements amounting to 18 ECTS credits. These are to be allocated to the following specific subject areas: knowledge transfer, didactics and presentation (2–4 ECTS credits), personal soft skills (2–4 ECTS credits), theory of science and methodology (2–4 ECTS credits), and scientific topics in greater depth (6–12 ECTS credits). The relevant dean must approve the doctoral thesis agreement.

Doctoral thesis agreement

If you...

  • have been admitted to doctoral studies at the TU Wien and
  • a professor or Privatdozent has agreed to supervise your doctoral thesis

...then, a doctoral thesis agreement must be concluded with the supervisor and the TU Wien.

In this agreement...

  • the rights and obligations of all parties involved are set out,
  • the doctoral thesis project is described more precisely,
  • schedule and financial framework conditions are specified,
  • the supervision intensity (frequency of feedback meetings) and
  • the academic achievements required, adding up to 18 ECTS credits, are determined.

Type of doctoral thesis — monograph or cumulative thesis

The scope and form of a doctoral thesis varies according to the discipline/subject at the Faculty and are determined during supervision, as well as the choice of language. The doctoral thesis may be written either as a monograph or a cumulative doctoral thesis.

A monograph is a comprehensive, coherent treatise in which a specialized topic is critically examined from all angles and in detail by means of a clearly defined question. It includes an introduction, a main part containing methodological and discussion chapters, and final reflections or a conclusion. Its contents must not overlap with existing treatises.

A cumulative doctoral thesis consists of at least three scientific essays (articles or papers) on an topic, together with a specially written framework section. The essays must have been previously published or accepted in internationally recognized scientific journals/books and, in this regard, subjected to a peer-review procedure. This may involve a long wait. The essays must be related in terms of research field and connected to each other by an overarching research question proposed in the framework section. The framework section includes: an introduction — presenting the problem definition, objectives, methodology, a summary of the essays, and the scientific contribution of the doctoral thesis; transition texts between the essays; and a conclusion.

The guidelines for cumulative doctoral thesis can be found in the download area. Specific details must be discussed with the relevant dean.

Achievements and amounting to 18 ECTS credits

In addition to writing a doctoral thesis, doctoral students must also complete academic in-depth courses and perform achievements worth a total of 18 ECTS credits. This corresponds to the current curriculum for doctoral students at the TU Wien, which is the same across all branches of study.

These achievements and courses should be planned together with the supervisor and must be specified in the doctoral thesis agreement. Prior to completion, they must be approved by the dean.

These achievements and courses may include, for example, lectures, seminars, and workshops; they should be chosen in such a way that they foster the acquisition of key competencies and assist with research work for the doctoral thesis project in the best possible way. Detailed provisions for the selection can be found in the curriculum.

Please note: examinations that have been taken as part of the diploma or master's degree and have already been used for the award of these degrees cannot be considered for this purpose.

Overview of courses offered at the Faculty and TU Wien

Courses that form part of the four doctoral programmes can be found in TISS:

  • The following courses are offered as part of the doctoral programme in Sciences for Architecture (code 786 600).
  • The following courses are offered as part of the doctoral programme in Engineering Sciences for Spatial Planning (code 786 630).
  • The following courses are offered as part of the doctoral programme in Social and Economic Sciences for Architecture (code 784 600).
  • The following courses are offered as part of the doctoral programme in Social and Economic Sciences for Spatial Planning (code 784 630).
  • Courses that are not assigned to the appropriate doctoral programme may also be taken. Courses from other fields of study or master's courses are also eligible.

The TU Wien Library offers courses, workshops, and lectures for doctoral students. These include courses on scientific work (researching, citing, visualizing, publishing, and disseminating). 

Courses for doctoral students at other universities

You may complete thematically relevant courses at other Austrian universities or universities in other countries. Examples include the BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, the University of Applied Arts Vienna, the University of Vienna, and the TU Graz Faculty of Architecture. These must be agreed in advance with the relevant supervisor and dean in the relevant field of study, and must be listed in the doctoral thesis agreement.

Relevant documents

You will find the following documents and forms in the general download area:

  • Curriculum for Doctoral Degrees at the TU Wien 2022
  • Handbook for Doctoral Degrees in Architecture and Planning 2020
  • Instructions for Doctoral Candidates 2023
  • TU Wien’s Cumulative Doctoral thesis Guidelines 2014
  • Notification and agreement concerning doctoral thesis project
  • Guidelines for courses to be completed (18 ECTS credits)
  • Application for nomination of an external examiner