„Languages of Emotion“ offers a comprehensive program for doctoral studies.

The Graduate School is part of the Cluster of Excellence “Languages of Emotion” of Freie Universität Berlin. About 45 students in three years are doing their individual research within the thematic framework of a large Cluster, working together, discussing their findings and exchanging ideas not only among each other, but also sharing in the research projects of the Cluster. In this context, the Graduate School “Languages of Emotion” aims at creating an atmosphere of collaboration in an interdisciplinary setting and prepare fruitful grounds for future scholars in emotion studies.

We provide ten stipends per year (about € 1,500 per month) for PhD students in the various disciplines participating in the cluster “Languages of Emotion.” Up to five additional PhD students per year who have secured funding from sources other than the cluster itself will be admitted to the program.

The Graduate Board of the Cluster selects candidates primarily on the basis of the quality of the dissertation proposal, as well as of academic achievement and previously earned degrees. The student body is meant to include a high percentage of non-German citizens and at least 50% female students.

We offer a three-year PhD program for graduate students who have already earned a MA degree or the equivalent. A “fast track” admission will allow outstanding students who have only completed the first year of their postgraduate MA studies to be accepted as well. The “fast track” admission is designed to raise the program’s compatibility with international programs of the Anglo-American format.

Since the field of study (“Languages of Emotion”) is neither a separate discipline nor restricted to a particular department, doctoral degrees are awarded in cooperation with established academic departments of Freie Universität Berlin. Apart from the obligatory classes of the Graduate School, our PhD program provides sufficient opportunities for students to participate in courses and activities of the respective disciplines with which they are also affiliated. Students will be granted a maximum of flexibility to answer the demands of the program e.g. by substituting certain seminars for others that meet their individual needs better.

During the first year of the doctoral program, students will attend courses that concentrate on selected theoretical models and methodologies of emotion studies in the respective disciplines. In their second year students will attend an interdisciplinary seminar focusing on one of the major research fields of the Cluster.

All seminars will be co-taught by professors from at least two disciplines. They will be designed to provide the students coming from a variety of academic cultures with a common basis and a shared focus. A seminar of this kind will typically introduce doctoral students to interdisciplinary approaches to the major research topics of the Cluster “Languages of Emotion.” In addition, there is a PhD colloquium meant to provide ample opportunity for the students to discuss their work with both tutors and co-students and to learn more about the vast field of emotion research.

Soft skill courses will be offered in cooperation with the “Dahlem Research School” (DRS), including courses on communication and (English) writing skills, teaching skills, and organizational aspects of scientific work.

During the first year, PhD students will be required to submit a first work report to their interdisciplinary thesis committee. This report should mark changes of concept and progresses made during the first year (with respect to the dissertation outline) and include a detailed time schedule and working plan.

During the second year of the program, students will primarily conduct their research. In the second term of that year, students will be expected to present their results to an internal colloquium as well as at international conferences (if possible). At the end of the second year the PhD students will be required to submit a second work report to their respective theses committees. Both, the first as well as the second report will be evaluated on the basis of the progresses the dissertation projects have made so far.

The third year of the program will be devoted to writing the PhD thesis. There will be two mandatory appointments at which those working on doctorates will present their work to one of their main advisors. In the course of the second or third year, students will be given the opportunity to take part in an international conference on a topic on the research of emotions. Moreover, during their time in the doctoral program, students will be given the chance to (co-)teach at least one regular seminar for undergraduate students in their respective disciplines.

Successful students will obtain both a PhD degree from their respective discipline and a second certificate documenting their education at the Cluster of Excellence and their interdisciplinary work on “Languages of Emotion”.

During the second year, students of the Graduate School will be offered the opportunity to continue their studies abroad for about three months. The Graduate School will cover all arising costs (travel expenses or fees). Moreover, we strongly encourage so-called “Co-Tutelle/Joint/Dual Award" PhDs in cooperation with our international partners, for example with the Swiss Center for Affective Studies in Geneva.