Cologne Graduate School in Management, Economics and Social Sciences
Social Sciences
Doctoral Study Programme
The doctoral study programme prepares students in particular for a future career in research in Social Sciences. Graduates are able to understand overall and detailed processes and structures, analyze them theoretically and empirically using scientific methods, develop research questions independently and make their own scientific contributions.
The study programme comprises a core section, a specialization section and a compulsory proposal. You find all offered courses in KLIPS once you are enrolled as a doctoral student at the University of Cologne. An overview of the doctoral study programme’s module structure can be found here or in the respective module handbook. Doctoral students are supposed to accumulate 30 ECTS within the first year.
Going through a doctoral programme is a profound and enriching intellectual and personal experience. If you enjoy asking new questions and push the academic boundaries, you should consider applying to our programme.
Research Environment
Research and teaching in the Social Sciences rests on two institutional pillars: The Institute of Sociology and Social Psychology (ISS) as well as the Institute for Political Science and European Affairs.
Substantive research at the ISS covers a wide range of topics. Beyond “Demography & Social Inequality” – one of the Faculty’s Key Research Initiatives – we work on education and the labor market, consumer behavior and financial decisions, crime and deviant behavior, as well as social networks and trust. The ISS is also heavily involved in the collection of quantitative data and in advancing methods to analyze such data.
The Institute for Political Science at the University of Cologne specializes in empirical-analytical research addressing pressing policy challenges such as European and international cooperation, political instability and conflict, rising inequality, and climate change. With a legacy of more than a century of political inquiry, the Institute has earned a distinguished reputation for excellence in research. Its English-language Master’s program further reflects its strong international orientation.
Both, Sociology and Political Science at the University of Cologne consistently rank highly in the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
Becoming a Doctoral Student at our WiSo-Faculty
Most students currently going through their doctoral studies fund their studies and find their supervisor by applying either to
- open research positions at a chair/department or
- a CGS scholarship
1.) Open research positions are announced both via Stellenwerk or on the chair/department's homepages throughout the year. These are mostly 75% TV-L 13 positions and include some teaching load. Doctoral students are covered by social security. In case you are interested in a research position at a certain chair/department, please have a look for open positions on the chair's/department's homepage or contact the department's office.The CGS ist not involved in this hiring process.
2.) With the CGS scholarships, the WiSo Faculty supports outstanding graduates. Scholarship holders are assigned to the faculty’s four Key Research Initiatives (KRIs) and find their supervisor during the applications process. Hence, applicants are not required to contact potential supervisors beforehand. The link between scholarships to the KRIs is intended to foster excellent scientific education in the core research fields of the faculty and to additionally strengthen these areas. CGS scholarships are endowed with €1515 per month for three years that are tax-free plus a research budget of €3000. Typically scholarship holders can take up an additional research assistant job if they want. The application period for the scholarships is December 15ths - March 15ths every year and the process is organized as outlined here or here.
Scholarships
We invite applications for scholarships to excellent students – in the top 10 percent – who hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) in social sciences or a related master’s degree. Admission is based on previous academic performance, research potential, expertise and fit in terms of research interests. These students and their research projects will be part of the faculty's Key Research Initiative “Demography & Social Inequality”. Candidates must hold a master’s degree or be very close to completion.
How to Apply
Deadline
The application period for the intake in October 2026 is from December 15th, 2025 until March 15th, 2026 23:59 CET.
Application Documents
Following documents are required for the application:
- CV
- Letter of motivation explaining your reasons for being interested in the doctoral programme at CGS. Please discuss your goals and your research interests and refer to potential dissertation topics. Your letter should be in English (max 2 pages).
- University entrance qualifications: a transcript from college ("Abiturzeugnis") is required.
- Certificates of university degrees already obtained (B.Sc. and M.Sc. or equivalent)
- Academic transcripts showing coursework taken and grades received. Where feasible, transcripts should indicate cohort rank or distinction. If you have not yet finished your current degree, please attach a preliminary grade report.
- GRE/GMAT/TM-WiSo: all applicants can upload their general GRE or GMAT test copy in the online application to increase their admission chances, however, this is not mandatory.
- Language proficiency certificate (i.e. TOEFL or IELTS): all applicants must upload a TOEFL or IELTS test copy in the online application. This requirement is waived for candidates from English-speaking countries and graduates from study programmes entirely taught in English. For this, please upload a document proving your citizenship of an English-speaking country or documentation by the university confirming that your degree’s language of instruction was English.
- Two letters of recommendation: two letters of recommendation (in German or English) are required from evaluators who are able to assess your academic ability and potential. One of the reference letters must be written by a university professor.
A translation is required for any document not provided in English or German. At this stage of the application process it is not necessary to notarise the translations. Should you receive acceptance, you will need to provide notarised translations.
Applications including two reference letters need to be submitted by the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application Procedure
Applications need to be submitted online. If you want to apply, please take the following two steps:
Step 1: Submit your registration form on theonline application portal and submit all required documents. Please note that you will not be able to change your data once it has been submitted.
Step 2: Once you have completed your application, your referees will receive an automatically generated email with an upload link. Please make sure that your two reference letters are submitted by the application deadline.
The admission committee will review all complete applications and decide on who will be interviewed. Interviews will be conducted online via Zoom. We ask all applicants to refrain from asking questions about the status of applications until the beginning of May.
Funding & Fees
Funding
All admitted students receive a scholarship of €1.515 per month. You are encouraged to present your research papers at conferences during your dissertation phase. If your paper is accepted for presentation and your supervisor supports your participation, we will provide you with travel funds up to a maximum amount of €3,000 for the entire period of doctoral study. This funding can additionally be used to buy suitable computer equipment in the first year or to cover the costs of other research related supplies (e.g. printing of posters and buying books). The scholarship is tax-free, but scholarship recipients are required to pay for their health insurance using this amount. CGS commits to funding its students for three years. Scholarships start with the course programme in October.
Since we promote equal opportunities for students with children CGS students who have a child and receive a scholarship can request a child allowance. This allowance is provided in addition to your grant and is currently €400 per month for the first child.
Fees
No tuition fee is charged. Each semester, all enrolled students of the University of Cologne have to pay a social contribution fee ("Semesterbeitrag").
Collaborations
The CGS collaborates with the International Max Planck Research School on the Social and Political Constitution of the Economy (IMPRS-SPCE). The IMPRS-SPCE is a unique international three-and-a-half-year doctoral program in the fields of economic sociology and political economy that is offered jointly by the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG), the University of Cologne's Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen. On the side of the University of Cologne, Prof. Dr. André Kaiser, Prof. Dr. Clemens Kroneberg and Prof. Dr. Christine Trampusch are faculty members of the IMPRS-SPCE.
Be part of the Cologne experience!
Contact
Dr. Katharina Laske
office-cgs@wiso.uni-koeln.de
