The structured doctoral programme runs for a maximum of three years. While the second year is dedicated to the collection and analysis of relevant data, doctoral students have to attend a number of courses during the first and third years. These courses, in the form of seminars, reading classes, and colloquiums, are designed to familiarise them with the theoretically transcultural and methodologically interdisciplinary approach of the HCTS.
Additional workshops help doctoral students to plan and manage their research efficiently and express their results in fluent academic language.
Apart from the mandatory courses, doctoral students are required to attend regular meetings and workshops at the HCTS. Where necessary or useful with regard to their research, they may attend other courses from the general curriculum of Heidelberg University (language courses, etc).
First programme year:
- Reading class on theories and methods of transcultural studies
- Colloquium with supervisors, senior researchers and peers
- Workshop "Time management for doctoral researchers"
- Workshop "Academic Writing in English"
- Internal evaluation
Second programme year:
- Data collection and analysis, e.g. field work and/or archival research
- Internal evaluation
Third programme year:
- Individual monitoring of writing process
- Colloquium with supervisors, senior researchers and peers
- Workshop "Academic Writing and Peer Reviewing"
- Workshop "Career Perspectives"
In addition, doctoral candidates are encouraged to present and discuss their work at national and international workshops and conferences.
In addition to the possibility of self-organised archival and/or field research abroad during the second programme year, candidates have access to international partner and exchange programmes, e.g. with Kyoto University and C'a Foscari University Venice.
There are no fixed study abroad units. The entire second year may be used for research trips in connection to the doctoral project. A large number of cooperations and exchange agreements with research institutions abroad facilitate such stays.
Doctoral students have the opportunity (but no obligation) to participate in the teaching activities at the HCTS.