The doctorate is reserved for the holders of a Master's degree (License or Diploma) who wish to perfect their education by a specific research.
The degree of Doctor of Economics and Social Sciences (Dr.rer.pol) or Doctor of Social Sciences (Dr.rer.soc.) is granted, by award, to the candidate who, in accordance with the regulations, has succeeded in his/her thesis defence and whose thesis has been submitted, accepted and published.
Admission and registration to doctoral studies
1. Requirements for admission
There is no deadline for registration to doctoral studies.
To be eligible to doctoral studies, you must :
- be presented by a professor of the Faculty and
- hold a Master's degree of the Faculty with an overall mark of at least 5.00,
or
hold another University Master's degree and have obtained at least 60 ECTS credits in economic and/or social sciences with an overall mark of at least 5.00; and - be eligible to doctoral studies in the home university.
MAS (Master of Advanced Studies) are no accepted as condition of entrance.
Access with any other previous university education is reserved.
the Doctoral Supervisor and, where appropriate, by the Council of the relevant department.
The SAI (Office for Admissions and Registration) receives the authorisation from the Faculty, must verify your diplomas and original certificates and then registers you at the University.
2. The steps to follow
Before starting any registration process, ensure the availability of a Professor of the Faculty to direct your thesis. Learn about areas of study and research of the various departments and chairs of the Faculty, and contact the Professor directly.
- Website for Professors able to supervise a thesis
- Website for Departments and Institutes
- Website for Research projects
When you meet your Thesis Supervisor, present the Faculty’s authorization form for his signature. Return this paper to the Dean's Office, enclosing a copy of your degree showing the results in the final grade at the Master level. In addition, if this degree is issued by a foreign university, you need a certificate stating that you are eligible for doctoral studies in that university.
- Autorisation form
For any further inquiry, contact the Dean’s Office (email decanat-ses@unifr.ch, Dean’s Office.
To spare time, you can begin at the same time the procedure of registration with the SAI (www.unifr.ch / admission).
You can begin your doctoral studies only if you received an authorisation of registration of the Faculty and the confirmation of admission to the University from the SAI.
These steps are to be followed by each candidate for the doctorate, even if you signed a contract for a position of graduate assistant.3. Joint supervision and funding opportunities
A doctorate under joint supervision consists of the simultaneous registration to doctoral studies in a second university abroad with a co-supervisor of thesis who is a professor in that university. This procedure allows being granted two degrees simultaneously.
Doctorates under joint supervision are set by a contract signed by the two universities involved. In this context there is the possibility of a financial support from the Rector’s Conference of the Swiss Universities (www.crus.ch).
The Faculty does not have scholarships.
The possibilities of financing doctoral studies can be the following ones:
- Assistantship: with such a position, whose enrollment is limited to a maximum of 5 years, you have the right and duty to use half of your time to your thesis;
- Research collaboration: as a scientific collaborator of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) within the framework of a research project of the thesis supervisor, you can negotiate conditions similar to assistant positions.
The Research Promotion Service of the University of Fribourg offers addresses and indications on funding possibilities.
4. Other useful Links
