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Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies • Freie Universität Berlin • Berlin

Degree
PhD/Dr phil/Dr pol soz/Dr rer nat

In cooperation with
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Leibniz-Zentrum
[http://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de]
Moderner Orient Berlin

Course language(s)
Courses are held in English (100%). Participants can
choose to write their doctoral thesis in English or
German. Further language proficiencies are required
depending on the respective disciplines.
[http://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de]

Admission semester
Winter semester only

Beginning
Winter semester - October

Programme duration
Six semesters (three years)

Application deadline
The application deadline is published annually on the
website of the Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures
and Societies (
http://www.bgsmcs.de [http://www.bgsmcs.de]) in
September for the winter semester of the following
year.

Course content
The Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and
Societies examines, in a systematic and comparative CONTACT
way, texts, objects, and practices variously understood
Freie Universität Berlin
as Islamic. Special attention is given to strategies of
Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies
dealing with diversity, difference, and distinction,
among Muslims as well as between Muslims and non-
Dr Lars Ostermeier
Muslims. This includes negotiating plurality and
Altensteinstraße 48
pluralism, making our research programme deeply
14195 Berlin
relevant to scholarly interests as well as pressing
societal concerns in both Muslim and non-Muslim
Tel. +49 (0) 30-83 85 32 60
contexts. The area of study ranges from the Middle
East, Africa, and Asia to Europe and North America.
E-mail [mailto:md@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de] »
We foster a culture of discipline-based
Course website [http://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de]
multidisciplinarity, which is based on close interaction
»
multidisciplinarity, which is based on close interaction
between scholars from the humanities, social sciences, »
and area studies. This includes: Arabic Studies, Art
History, Central Asian Studies, History, Human
Geography, Islamic Studies, Political Science, Semitic Further Contacts
Studies, Social and Cultural Anthropology, South Asian Jutta Schmidbauer
Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, Southeast European
History, and Turkic Studies. The Graduate School can Tel. +49 (0) 30-83 85 34 17
build upon a well-established and successful history of
collaboration among the principal investigators, who
E-mail [mailto:office@bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de] »
come from various disciplines and institutions and can
offer doctoral candidates opportunities to build up
additional research contexts at the national and the
Submit application to
international levels.
Freie Universität Berlin
Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies
Educational organisation Dr. Lars Ostermeier
Doctoral students participating in the programme of the Altensteinstraße 48
Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies 14195 Berlin
are members of the Dahlem Research School and are Germany
enrolled as doctoral students at either Freie Universität
Berlin or Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, depending on
the affiliation of their principal supervisor.
Doctoral candidates are supervised by an
interdisciplinary doctoral committee composed of the
principal supervisor and two additional principal
investigators. The doctoral programme begins with an
induction week, during which the students meet their
peers, the principal investigators and other staff
affiliated with the Graduate School. In regular meetings
the doctoral candidate and the doctoral committee
agree on an individual plan of study, discuss the
student's progress and, if necessary, periodically adjust
the study plan.
The first year of the curriculum gives students the
opportunity to acquire or enhance their theoretical and
methodological skills and knowledge. If necessary,
students can also work on additional language skills. A
short research trip to the future site of research is
scheduled for the end of the first semester. The second
year is largely dedicated to archival research or
fieldwork. During the third year, the focus is on writing
the dissertation.
The Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and
Societies aims to achieve a balance between
specialisation in a given field of study and in-depth
interdisciplinary training ("discipline-based
multidisciplinarity"). The inclusion of themes and
projects from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and
North America assists doctoral candidates in
developing a transregional outlook. Close cooperation
with researchers from various disciplines and
backgrounds enhances intercultural openness. While
specific skills are taught through traditional classes,
students also have the opportunity to acquire other
skills by attending seminars and workshops outside the
Graduate School.
The doctoral curriculum offers doctoral students
supportive structures, whilst allowing them sufficient
time for individual work on their dissertation projects.
The three-year curriculum includes courses in theory
The three-year curriculum includes courses in theory
and methods organised by the principal investigators
and the students themselves. In research seminars,
students have the opportunity to present their
dissertation projects to their peers, the principal
investigators, and visiting professors from Germany
and abroad. Language courses and workshops geared
to the specific needs of the doctoral students are also
offered. The research seminars and workshops are
taught or chaired by principal investigators,
postdoctoral researchers and visiting fellows. To foster
communication skills and teamwork, additional reading
groups, focused on one or more of the Graduate
School's Research Areas, can be set up by the
students. Knowledge transfer/management courses
and workshops provide students with key qualifications
pertinent to their future careers.

Study abroad unit(s)

Field work and archival work abroad predominantly
take place in the second year.

Internships
Short-term internships can be integrated into the study
programme depending on individual interests.

Forms of assessment
At the end of both the first and the second year,
doctoral candidates are required to submit a draft
chapter of 25 pages, which is evaluated by the doctoral
committee. A positive evaluation at the end of the first
year is mandatory for the continuation of study at the
Graduate School.
Credit points will be acquired in the induction week,
research seminars, theory and methods seminars, soft
skills training, language courses, and knowledge
transfer/management courses (total 30 credit points).

Teaching obligations
The Graduate School offers teaching opportunities
depending on individual interests.

ECTS credits
30

General promotion /
funding
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)
German Research Foundation
Other Programme

Course-related German
language courses
Yes

Course-related English
Course-related English
language courses
Yes

Course objectives
In close cooperation with its partner institutions in
Germany and abroad, the Graduate School offers
doctoral candidates a broad educational programme of
exceptional quality combined with intensive mentoring
for individual dissertation projects, field work and
training that will qualify graduates to hold leading
positions in academia, the media, and politics.

Tuition fees
None

Enrolment fees
312 EUR per semester
The fee includes a semester ticket covering public
transport in the Berlin metropolitan area.

Costs of living
Approx. 1,000 EUR per month to cover personal
expenses

Funding opportunities
within the university
The Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and
Societies awards up to ten scholarships per year for
the three-year programme of study.
http://www.bgsmcs.fu-
berlin.de/en/studies/scholarships/index.html
[http://www.bgsmcs.fu-
berlin.de/en/studies/scholarships/index.html]

Language requirements
For non-native speakers of English: proof of proficiency
in English in the form of an ETS TOEFL certificate
(minimum score of 600 for the paper-based test, 250
for the computer-based test, and 100 for the internet-
based test), a Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in
English (any grade), a Cambridge Certificate in
Advanced English (grade A or B), or an IELTS test
(level 7.0)
Evidence of proficiency in the major source or field
language(s) is relevant for the dissertation project.

Academic requirements
The formal prerequisite for application to the
programme is a Master's degree in one of the
disciplines represented at the Graduate School, with
ranking of above average (or German Magister or
Diploma with a grade of "very good") where applicable.

Where to apply
Where to apply
Freie Universität Berlin
Berlin Graduate School Muslim Cultures and Societies
Dr. Lars Ostermeier
Altensteinstraße 48
14195 Berlin
Germany

Arrival support
The doctoral programme begins with an induction
week, during which the students meet their peers and
the principal investigators and other staff affiliated with
the Graduate School. The Dahlem Research School
offers a two-week induction programme for
international candidates prior to the start of the
semester.

Services and support for

international students
The managing director, secretary and student
assistants provide assistance to international students
on a case-by-case basis. The Dahlem Research
School Welcome Centre also provides assistance.

Accommodation
Accommodation is available through the Student
Services Office ("Studentenwerk") or on the private
market. Rent for a single room in a student residence is
approx. 350 EUR. Private housing can be found on the
internet. For further information see:
http://www.fu-
berlin.de/en/sites/unterbringung/individuell/index.html [
http://www.fu-
berlin.de/en/sites/unterbringung/individuell/index.html]

Course website
www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.de [http://www.bgsmcs.fu-berlin.
de]

About the university

Freie Universität Berlin is a leading research institution.
It is one of the few German universities successful in all
three funding lines in the federal and state Excellence
Initiative, thereby receiving additional funding for its
institutional future development strategy.
Freie Universität can thus take its place as an
international network university in the global
competition among universities. Development and
assessment of research projects takes place within
various focus areas, research networks, and platforms
for interdisciplinary collaborative research.
The university's performance in the Excellence
Initiative provided funding for several new graduate
schools and transdisciplinary research clusters. In
particular, the graduate schools play a key role in the
development of internationally competitive research
centres of excellence.
centres of excellence.
Freie Universität Berlin is a full university with 15
departments and central institutes offering over 150
degree programmes across a wide range of subjects.

Total number of students

31,500

Total percentage of
international students
20 %

About the city

Berlin, with its wide-ranging variety of academic and
cultural institutions, provides a unique environment for
the Graduate School. Doctoral candidates benefit from
this wealth of resources. Berlin boasts excellent
libraries and manuscript collections, especially the
"Staatsbibliothek", as well as two museums that house
important collections relevant to the area of study. With
its Foreign Office, embassies, political foundations, and
major think tanks, Berlin is also a lively centre of
political decision-making.

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