Doctoral Program
Admission
Doctoral researchers normally have a work contract with one of the partners, a fellowship or other funding. They are affiliated to a university and the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA).
All partners are committed to an admission process guaranteeing that the doctoral researchers have a strong methodological background and have the potential to develop into excellent scientists. The International Max Planck Research School for Modeling the Anthropocene (IMPRS ModA) is also committed to equal opportunities (gender, internationality, disability, parenthood, religions and other kinds of diversity).
Where to apply?
Core Partners*
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena – Job Market
- University Bielefeld - Wissenschaftlichen Personal
- Leipzig University – Job Opportunities
- Arizona State University
Affiliated Partners*
- University of Cologne – Jobportal
- University of Potsdam – Job advertisements
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research – Open Positions
- Kiel University – Aktuelle Ausschreibungen
- ….
*The list is not final and further cooperation can be added.
We also recommend to search for a suitable PhD position and funding in your research field on the homepage of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). Another useful website is Research in Germany.
Curriculum & ECTS
The International Max Planck Research School for Modeling the Anthropocene (IMPRS ModA) offers the doctoral researchers a challenging program, good supervision and at the same time the necessary freedom to work on their thesis projects.
IMPRS ModA must deal with the fact that the disciplines are different regarding a typical doctorate. In some cases, fieldwork will be an essential part of the doctorate. Some doctoral researchers will write a monograph, some will write a thesis on the basis of already published papers. We take account of the different affiliations which are connected to local offers fitting perfectly to the training plans of the particular doctoral researcher. We also consider individual career plans. In the end, each doctoral researcher will have an individual curriculum. As a minimum, doctoral researchers shall acquire 40 ECTS equivalence. 40 ECTS correspond to ca. 800 hours.
The program language is English. For social integration German classes are offered and retreats are planned.
The following measures shall support the development of a sense of community:
Supervision
Every doctoral researcher at IMPRS-ModA is supervised by a Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). This committee consists of two supervisors, at least one of whom has the right to supervise at the faculty to which the doctoral researcher is admitted or have applied for admission. Additionally, there must be at least one independent mentor from a different discipline to support the interdisciplinary nature of the research project, provide broader career counseling, and serve as a contact person in conflict situations. TACs should have at least one female representative and other aspects of diversity are to be taken into account. TAC supervisors are usually members of the ETF, while mentors can also come from other institutions (e.g., from the doctoral researcher’s home university). The prerequisite for working in the TAC is a doctorate degree. The appointment of early career researchers is encouraged.
Each TAC has at least one meeting per semester with the doctoral researcher for progress evaluation and consultation, including career counseling. Details are regulated in the “TAC Guidelines”. There are forms for the TAC meetings, which are prepared by the doctoral researcher, filled out by the person chairing the TAC meeting, and signed by all participants (TAC members and doctoral researcher). The meetings are also monitored by the IMPRS Office and are included in the “Transcript of Records” as part of the curriculum.
The guidelines for Good Scientific Practice apply. In cases of conflict, the parties involved can contact the relevant bodies (e.g., ombudspersons) or the IMPRS Office.