Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology (BGHS) at Bielefeld University

About

The Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology (BGHS) offers doctoral researchers an innovative research environment that fosters creativity through interdisciplinary exchange. The main characteristic of the graduate school is the integration of research from a variety of fields (sociology, history, political science, anthropology, and gender studies) into a joint organisational framework and a joint curriculum. Because innovative science emerges from and thrives in a creative atmosphere, the BGHS promotes small working groups with individualised guidance and supports the formation of a diverse and lively community among its doctoral researchers. Young researchers are also supported in their efforts to combine family life and an academic career. Diverse disciplines under one roof Under the umbrella of the graduate school, international doctoral programmes in sociology and history are offered. However, we accept not only historians and sociologists, but explicitly welcome doctoral researchers from other fields whose research contains a promising sociological and/or historical focus. The graduate school is founded on the bottom-up principle and places great value on the independent initiative of its doctoral researchers. Career development and employment prospects One of the explicit aims at the BGHS is to prepare our doctoral researchers for the academic or non-academic labour market in Germany and abroad. The graduate school collaborates with foreign researchers, promotes the participation of our doctoral researchers in international conferences, integrates studies abroad into our doctoral programme and helps build key skills so that our doctoral researchers can position themselves well in the international scientific community. As preparation for work in a non-academic context, the graduate school provides career service and programmes to enhance key qualifications. Interdisciplinarity and internationality The graduate school promotes intellectual and interdisciplinary exchange across national borders.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

To join the Graduate School in History and Sociology, you must be accepted into the doctoral programme either in history or in sociology. Decisions on admission are made in the doctoral degree committees of the respective faculties. Applications are to be made online through the BGHS website. Applicants should have an above-average degree in social sciences or the humanities, preferably in history, sociology, anthropology, or political science. Applications from graduates of other related fields are welcome.