Program Structure


​​​​​​​In order to graduate, students must achieve a total of 180 ECTS points. 32 ECTS points must be earned through various curricular activities, whilst a total of 148 ECTS points are awarded for written dissertation and oral defense.

The standard duration of study is 6 semesters, including the oral defense. Under certain circumstances, the PhD executive committee may grant an extension of up to 2 semesters. The period of study may not exceed 8 semesters, including the defense.

The compulsory coursework consists of different modules. Within each module students must successfully attend and complete one or more curricular activities. While most of the modules have a purely scientific content, and are focused on the six key disciplines of the program, others – like transferable skills seminars – offer extradisciplinary training, rounding out the students’ education.

Additionally, all PhD students must attend the kick-off seminar organised by the TUM Graduate School, and the seminar on Good Scientic Practice organised by the TUM Medical Graduate Center.

An accepted publication is necessary to submit the PhD thesis. There are two ways to do this:

  • via an accepted first-author original paper in an internationally recognized peer-reviewed journal, or
  • Via an abstract as first author at an international peer-reviewed conference (this is the case at every major conference) in combination with a submitted first author original paper or an accepted coauthor original paper in a peer-reviewed journal.
PhD program overview

Overview of the PhD program "Medical Life Science and Technology"