During their dissertation project, candidates should demonstrate their ability to conduct independent scientific research. The Institute of Public and Administrative Law supports them in their endeavour.
 

A doctoral candidate has to write a comprehensive thesis on a challenging legal issue. It is expected that the submitted work contains new thoughts and makes a substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge. In accordance with the guiding principles adopted by the Association of German Constitutional Law Professors, Professor Ogorek generally supervises no more than ten doctoral students at the same time. This ensures that he can deal with the individual doctoral projects in the required depth and supervise the work through regular interexchange.

Professor Ogorek only supervises dissertations whose subject matter – at least initially– relate to his main research areas. At present, Professor Ogorek's research focuses primarily on public safety law/police law although his academic work also extends to municipal law and construction law. Other areas of interest of Professor Ogorek are ecclesiastical law ("Staatskirchenrecht") and social law. In view of the numerous inquiries for a doctorate, the average grade of your German First or Second German Law Examination (Staatsexamen) should be at least „vollbefriedigend“ (9 or more points). If you do not hold a German State Examination, you usually cannot be granted a doctoral degree because the institute mainly supervises German domestic law, which requires a profound knowledge of German legal matters. If you would like to apply for a doctorate under the supervision of Professor Ogorek, please follow the instructions below.
 

Eligibility
Potential candidates should thoroughly check whether they meet the requirements for doctoral studies at the University of Cologne. Further information can be found on the pages of the Faculty of Law.
 

Application
Please then send your application with relevant documents to the institute by email. This should include a detailed curriculum vitae in table form and any relevant certificates (first law examination and, if applicable, assessor's examination, Abitur, honorary posts). In addition, please outline your doctoral project in a comprehensive exposé (max. one page). Professor Ogorek will review your application on the basis of the submitted documents in a timely manner.

Application Review
If Professor Ogorek is interested in your scientific project and a doctoral position is available, you will receive an invitation to present yourself and the planned topic in person. Professor Ogorek will advise and support you in the exact determination of the doctoral topic.

Acceptance as doctoral candidate
Should Professor Ogorek agree to act as "doctoral supervisor" for your project, please submit a formal application for acceptance as a doctoral student. The staff at the institute will be happy to assist you with the necessary steps.
 

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Secretariat. Information on career opportunities can be found here.