The Hamburg University of Fine Arts (hereafter: HFBK Hamburg) supervises doctoral theses that contribute to the study of the arts, their preconditions, contexts and functions from different perspectives.

This can include, for example, analyses of artistic works as well as examinations of historical, social, media and cultural processes that have had an impact on artistic discourses or have been and are influenced by them, but also investigations of art-theoretical or philosophical concepts in which the arts reflect on themselves and address their self-understanding.

The HFBK Hamburg also enables and supports doctorates with a high artistic component, the relationship of which to the theoretical-scientific doctoral work must be made explicit. In such an artistic-scientific doctorate, the scientific part must predominate.

Important Links:

• Doctoral study regulations of the HFBK in the currently valid version
• Doctoral Regulations of the HFBK as amended
• Principles of academic work at the HFBK Hamburg in the currently valid version in connection with
• German Research Foundation (DFG) Guidelines to ensure good scientific practice

Admission to doctoral studies requires a successful (at least overall grade "good") diploma or master's degree from a German university or an equivalent degree from a foreign university.

A further prerequisite is proof of the ability to work scientifically. This can either be proven through scientific study components in the degree programme already completed or acquired in doctoral studies. In the latter case, the doctoral committee requires the applicant to provide evidence of academic achievement within a certain period of time.
Applicants who have completed their studies at a foreign university must prove the equivalence of the degree to the doctoral committee.

Applications are only possible for the summer semester. The following application steps are required during the application period from 1 September to 30 September 2024, 4 p.m. (cut-off deadline) for the summer semester 2025:

Step 1: Online Application

Please create an applicant account in HISinOne. As soon as you start an application, it will receive an application number to which you can refer in case of any queries.

Step 2: Digital application portfolio

If you have sent your online application, an upload link will be available in your applicant account.

Upload your digital application portfolio no later than 30th September 2024, 4 p.m. (cut-off deadline) along with the listed documents, each document as a single pdf document and named (e.g., abstract, synopsis, college degree, resume):

1. summary of the planned work of a maximum of 15 lines;
2. a 10-page exposé outlining the problem of the planned work; in the case of an artistic work in combination with a theoretical-scientific work, the corresponding weighting ratio of the artistic and theoretical-scientific parts must also be outlined; a list of all sources and aids used must be enclosed with the exposé;
3. proof of a university degree (diploma or Master's degree from a German university or the equivalent degree from a foreign university - the equivalence of a foreign degree must be proven),
4. proof of the ability to work scientifically. (The proof can either be provided by scientific study components in the degree programme already completed or in the doctoral programme. In the latter case, the doctoral committee will impose conditions as to the period of time within which the corresponding proof of academic achievement must be provided).
5. Your CV,
6. a written proof of a counselling interview confirming the interest in supervision or a declaration with the confirmation(s) of supervision (In the case of a doctorate consisting of a theoretical-scientific thesis, only university lecturers with a doctorate in the major field of study Theory and History can be named as the first supervisor. A university teacher who represents a theoretical-scientific subject is to be selected as the second supervisor. In the case of a doctorate consisting of an artistic dissertation in conjunction with a theoretical-scientific dissertation, a university lecturer with a doctorate in the major field of study Theory and History should generally be appointed as the first supervisor. A university lecturer who represents an artistic subject is to be selected as the second supervisor.
7. if applicable, a list of all writings published to date in sole authorship or co-authorship and/or documentation of artistic works and publications;
8. a declaration stating whether and, if so, with what result you have already undergone a doctoral procedure elsewhere or applied for one;
9. a declaration that you are familiar with the applicable doctoral regulations and that you have taken note of the principles of academic work at the HFBK Hamburg as amended from time to time in connection with DFG-oriented guidelines on good scientific practice.

The file size is limited to 30 MB. The submission of a physical application folder is no longer possible. Late, incomplete and/or e-mailed applications or subsequently submitted documents cannot be considered.

All documents/work uploaded with the digital application portfolio will be considered for your application to the HFBK Hamburg. Links to external platforms will not be considered.

Submissions after the application deadline are only possible on request.