Doctoral research centre
Public Health

Public health is closely and reciprocally linked to social, political and economic developments within societies. The aim of public health is to maintain the health of the population and of particularly vulnerable groups. This requires access to healthcare that is tailored to people’s needs and requirements, non-discriminatory and affordable. As a specialised field within public health, public health nutrition also focuses on population-based preventive and health-promoting approaches to addressing nutrition-related problems.

Doctoral projects in Public Health at Fulda University of Applied Sciences must have a relevant connection to one of the following subject areas:

the prevalence and the spatial and social distribution of diseases within the population

• socially determined inequalities in health outcomes, including dietary poverty

• the investigation of factors influencing health and disease, in particular social and environmental factors, as well as ways of influencing these through decisions across all policy areas (‘Health in All Policies’)

• the systematic planning, implementation and assessment of policy and community-based interventions to promote the health-related quality of life of the population

• the need for preventive, curative, rehabilitative, nursing, obstetric and palliative care within the population

• the effectiveness and cost-benefit ratio of measures in health promotion and disease prevention, as well as in health care and nursing care, as measured by patient-relevant outcomes

• the design, management and funding of health systems that provide high-quality care and ensure access to healthcare services that is tailored to needs and requirements, non-discriminatory and affordable

• the appropriate involvement of the population in shaping the health care sector and in health-related decisions across all policy areas

• the continuing education and training of health professions, their cooperation structures and interfaces within health-related care

• the development of evidence-based and decision-relevant expert knowledge as the basis for health-related measures

The condition for obtaining a doctoral degree at the Public Health doctoral research centre, in accordance with the Public Health doctoral degree regulations of 18 July 2024, is …

1. as a rule, a Master’s degree in the discipline of Public Health or Public Health Nutrition in accordance with
a university programme totalling 300 credit points (ECTS credits) and an overall result
of at least a grade of 2.0 or an ECTS grade of B (in accordance with § 5 of the doctoral degree regulations)
or
2.a degree in a relevant subject area
from a German higher education institution , recognised as equivalent under the provisions of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs , or a degree obtained abroad following university studies comparable to the
qualification under § 5 of the doctoral degree regulations
(in accordance with Section 5b of the doctoral degree regulations)
or
3. for applicants with:
- a higher education degree in a discipline related to public health,
- a higher education degree following university studies lasting fewer than eight semesters,
- a Master’s degree or equivalent degree with a grade lower than 2.0,
but equal to or better than 3.0,
provided that, in the opinion of the doctoral committee, the applicant can provide the necessary
specialist knowledge required for a doctoral degree in Public Health (in accordance with Section 5c of the doctoral degree regulations).

If the doctoral committee of the Public Health doctoral research centre assesses a degree as insufficiently equivalent, it may impose conditions for acceptance as a doctoral candidate (e.g. additional evidence of achievement).

Further important information can be found in the Public Health doctoral degree regulations (see ‘Important Documents’). If you have any questions regarding the admission requirements, please contact the coordinator of the Public Health doctoral research centre, Dr Andrea Leipold, well in advance of submitting your application. andrea.leipold(at)gw.hs-fulda.de

We advise you to first get in touch with the coordinator of the Public Health doctoral research centre, Dr Andrea Leipold (andrea.leipold@gw.hs-fulda.de). If, following an initial advisory service, your interest in a doctoral degree in Public Health has been confirmed and you have finalised your research topic, the next important step is to find advisers for your proposed project. Your primary adviser must be a member of the academic staff at our doctoral research centre. This does not apply to the secondary supervisor , who may be based at Fulda University of Applied Sciences or at another university, higher education institution or research institution/institute. Further information on who can act as your primary or secondary supervisor can be found in the doctoral degree regulations (see ‘Important Documents’).

To make an initial enquiry with potential initial supervisors, please contact the relevant professors by email and briefly outline your planned doctoral project as specifically as possible. You may also prepare a project description (maximum two pages) and submit it with your enquiry.

The following professors, who are leading researchers in their respective fields, are members of the Public Health doctoral research centre:

In consultation with your proposed initial supervisor, you will draw up a detailed exposé for your doctoral project. The exposé should explain and justify the project in 15 to 25 pages of continuous text. The following content should be included in particular:
– Topic of the doctoral project
– State of the art in research
– Aim and expected academic contribution of the thesis
– Description of the methodological approach
– Resource and time planning
The exposé / synopsis / research proposal should also specify the language and format (monographic or cumulative) you intend to write your dissertation. Further guidance on content and, in particular, on the quality criteria for the exposé / synopsis / research proposal can be found in the “Recommendations for Preparing an Exposé / Synopsis / Research Proposal” (see “Important Documents”).

Once the exposé / synopsis / research proposal is complete, you can submit your application for admission as a doctoral candidate, together with all the required documents, to the Public Health Doctoral Research Centre. The “Admission Checklist” (see “Important Documents”) explains which documents must be provided as evidence. Under “Important Documents”, you will find download links for the Supervision Agreement – a written agreement with your initial and secondary supervisors – as well as for the application for admission as a doctoral candidate. Please send your complete application in hard copy to the Head of the Public Health doctoral research centre and additionally electronically as a single PDF file to the coordinator. The postal and email addresses are listed in the ‘Admission Checklist’. Please note the specified deadlines for submitting documents.

Once all documents have been received by the Public Health doctoral research centre in full and in the correct format, the Public Health doctoral committee will advise on your admission as a doctoral candidate. Please bear in mind that the review and assessment process may take several weeks. You will be notified as soon as the doctoral committee has reached a decision on your admission.

If you are interested in being accepted as a doctoral candidate at our doctoral research centre, we recommend that you contact the coordinator, Dr Andrea Leipold, at an early stage. You can discuss specific questions regarding the doctoral degree programme in Public Health and the admission requirements with her. Please use email to contact her first to arrange an appointment.
Contact: andrea.leipold(at)gw.hs-fulda.de (+49 661 9640-6087)

If you would like to get in touch with the Head of the Public Health doctoral research centre, Prof. Dr Stefan Greß, please send him your enquiry by email.
Contact: stefan.gress@gw.hs-fulda.de

For general enquiries regarding a doctoral degree, please contact the PhD Coordination Office at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. Dr Zhinan Lu is your contact person there.
Contact: zhinan.lu@verw.hs-fulda.de (+49 661 9640-1913).