Doctoral School

The doctoral programme in natural sciences serves to train scientists at a high international level. In their dissertation, doctoral students undertake to independently tackle new scientific questions. They acquire new knowledge and broaden their methodological skills in a compulsory subject, from which the dissertation also originates, as well as in an elective subject. The topic of the dissertation must come from a subject in the Faculty of Natural Sciences or a doctoral school (biology, chemistry, earth sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, etc.). The doctoral programme promotes the further development of specific scientific working methods in the respective natural science subject area. Students acquire the ability to critically analyse, evaluate and link complex ideas. They are put in a position to develop appropriate solutions to problems in research, business and industry. Apart from the subject-specific level, key interdisciplinary qualifications (project and time management, problem-solving skills and flexibility) are further developed when writing a dissertation.

Graduates of the doctoral programme in Natural Sciences are highly qualified young researchers with a broad range of specialist and methodological skills that they can apply to specific issues. They are able to pursue current scientific problems in independent, innovative research projects and thus make a substantial contribution to the development of the (inter)national knowledge society.

Graduates of the doctoral programme in Natural Sciences are qualified to conduct scientific research and teach at university and non-university institutions in Austria and abroad. Due to their outstanding, internationally recognised professional and interdisciplinary qualifications, they are eligible for professional management positions in practical fields of activity, for example in business, industry and administration.