Flow Factory

Menü

Path to PhD

General procedure and requirements

  • Supervision: Supervision is provided by professors from the Institute of Information Systems and from the Flow Factory environment. The placement is generally coordinated by the Flow Factory.
  • Admission requirement: Admission to a PhD program requires a completed degree in the field of economics, business informatics, computer science or a comparable field with a Master's degree, Diplom or an equivalent degree as in thedoctoral degree regulations of the "Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Münster"described, in whichat least a grade of 2.5 was achieved.

Timeframe and workload

  • Typical timeframe: 3 to 5 years
  • Recommended time commitment: approx. 20% (at least one fixed working day per week)
  • Flexible structure:A doctoral program is modular and can be individually designed in coordination with the supervising professor.

Struktur der Promotion

  • Dissertation:As a rule,cumulative dissertationsconsisting of several scientific articles are considered customary. Co-authorship with partners from other research institutions is supported and explicitly encouraged by the Flow Factory.Monographic dissertations, which represent a cohesive body of research work, must be individually agreed upon with the supervising professor.
  • Doctoral studies (at least 30 ECTS):In addition to the preparation of the dissertation, at least 5 courses from the following areas must be completed:
    • Research Methods(e.g., qualitative methods, statistics)
    • Theory(e.g., international economics, theory and theorizing in information systems research)
    • Qualification Courses(e.g., academic writing)
    • Advanced Seminars, which can also be replaced by other modules or conference presentations upon agreement with the supervisor.

Completion of the PhD

  • Submission and Evaluationof the dissertation by the supervising professor and a second reviewer.
  • Defense (Disputation):The dissertation is defended in an oral examination before a doctoral committee.

Expected Procedure

  1. Development of a proposal (approx. 5 pages):Draft an initial rough idea of your planned PhD topic. This proposal serves as the basis for further coordination.
  2. Office Hour with the Flow Factory Team:Arrange a meeting to review your idea and the formal PhD requirements together.
  3. Coordination with Your Employer:Next, clarify the framework of your PhD with your employer, particularly regarding time commitment and support.
  4. Transfer to a PhD Profile and Definition of Supervision:The proposal is transferred into a structured profile, which serves as the basis for assigning a suitable supervisor.
  5. Enrollment and Formal Steps:Once supervision is confirmed, you proceed with enrollment at the university, sign the supervision agreement, and fulfill any additional formal requirements.

Academic Supervision by the Flow Factory

  • Individual Supervision by Senior Researchers:In addition to the supervision provided by the responsible professor, academic guidance is offered by one or more assistant professors at the University of Münster, often from the group of Flow Field Leads. Thematic focus areas include:
    • AI & Products:Development and evaluation of AI-driven product innovations
    • AI & Process:Application of AI to optimize financial and business processes
    • AI & People:Human-centered AI development and user orientation
    • AI & Purpose:Ethical aspects of AI development and use
  • Flow Frontier Seminars:An internal, progressive seminar series that supports PhD students in the iterative development, elaboration, and refinement of their research ideas. The goal is to create a structured framework for academic discourse, peer feedback, and targeted advancement of dissertation projects. Participation in the Flow Frontier Seminars is intended for all PhD students within the Flow Factory environment.

Individual Path to PhD

If the stated requirements do not apply to you, we are happy to support you in finding your individual path to a doctorate. For example, courses at theMünster Professional Schoolmay help fulfill the necessary prerequisites. Feel free to contact us atteaching@flow-factory.aifor personalized guidance.

Nach oben scrollen