Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Which services does GCC offer to its customers?
GCC offers to you serious and competent consulting and planning of your career.
The portfolio of performance comprehends:
- Advisory services about academic titles
- Advisory services about diplomatic titles
- Network optimization
- Coaching and consulting
It does not act a part, whether you will protect your present position - maybe in your social or professional life - or whether you will strike a new path and develop yourself further and alter. Your career is the centre of the attention and services of GCC.
The question "How can we support you to achieve that object you want?" is the driving force behind the activity of GCC.
GCC supports you organizationally and administratively by clearing the way to that title aspired by you and will accompany you until the granting of this title.
Inasmuch it is not the matter of GCC and its consultants to provide you the title of a doctor, professor or senator for money but it is our concern in supporting you to obtain an academic title.
Are the possible graduates (for example Bachelor, Master and Doctor Degree)-offered by GCC-generally accepted in Germany?
GCC cooperates exclusively with international approved universities and institutes. Especially within the context of consulting about promotions and habilitations we pay strictly attention, that you are able to hold your reached title without proof of origin.
What means "a regular procedure of promotion" and which premises are necessary?
A "regular procedure of promotion" is a procedure according to fixed standards to make a successful promotion possible. A promotion serves the proof of qualification for autonomous scientific work. A regular procedure of promotion can only be passed by the student exclusively at a governmental or acknowledged university under the unrestricted law of promotion.
The conditions for the access to a regular procedure of promotion are:
- The proof of the preparatory training, that means a certificate for the successful conclusion of a course of studies at a German or at an accepted external scientific university.
- A theme of dissertation in the style of an abstract or of a structuring.
How does a "regular procedure of promotion" operate?
A regular procedure of promotion is a standardized proceeding ending in the promotion.
Such proceeding could be passed as an inscribed in student, within a promotion contract, or by an ordinary declaration of admission.
It is due to the power of decision of the according university, which of these three ways will be used.
The benchmarks of a regular procedure of promotion are in the following:
- allowance
- acceptance of the dissertation (learned efforts)
- passing the viva voce (oral) examination and
- presentation of the statutory copies of the dissertation
- attendance of the student at fixed dates
The personal attendance of the doctorate candidate is unavoidable at some obligatory appointments during the procedure of promotion.
These fixed appointments are: the interview, the viva voce examination in the form of
defense of the own work and at some universities the doctor's examination.
- At the interview the candidate disclosures his academic background and is applied to join the university for the promotion/graduation.
- The viva voce promotion - also referred as Rigorosum or disputation - is a date, where the candidate is defending his task against the arguments of the examination commitee (and in some cases of the auditorium). This date of examination can additionally comprehend a proof of knowledge coming out of the specific field of the candidate.
- This so-called doctoral examination is either embedded in the Rigorosum or it takes place at a separate date.
If you have been passing these dates successfully, you will receive hereupon your certificate within the following weeks.
How long will it take to finish the promotion procedure?
The promotion procedure contains the preparation of a scientific task and the dates of examination. Therefore varies the endurance of the promotion according to the needed time for preparations of the dissertation. Customarily, however, the candidates finish within two semesters (terms) of matriculation at the university.
Which universities GCC does cooperate with?
GCC cooperates with different established universities at home and abroad. Predominantly the cooperation happens with universities from the EU-States. Titles and graduates/degrees coming out of these countries can be kept within the European Union regularly without proof of origin and without addendum of parentheses.
It depends on the branch of study field, on the subject of the task, and the individual preconditions of the candidate, which university will be chosen for the respective promotion.
Which amount and space of time do interested persons have to spend?
Regularly the candidates obtain their promotion within a period of a few semesters external, that means without obligation for presence at the location of studies. The personal loss of time within this period is directly connected with the time being necessary for the construction of the dissertation and the preliminary examination works. The dates of obligation (interview and examinations) at the university are to be attended in person and require each about half-a-day. The preparation for that date, however, includes a certain loss of time. This is justified by the fact, that you do not buy your title, but orderly acquire by dissertation and Rigorosum, and to be controlled by everyone.
The investments are a sum of money between 15.000 up to 30.000 €. The amount varies according to the university (fees of studies), expenditure and personal engagement. The costs relating with the promotion are fully deductable if caused by your profession. Please contact your tax accountant for further information.
Which securities do I have as a client?
The services of GCC within the bounds of your academic consulting are exactly defined in an individual agreement. Thereby you will get as a customer of GCC a legally binding security for the performances to be furnished.
Is it possible for FH- graduates to promote?
The graduates of technical colleges of higher education respectively academies are an exception at the access to a regular procedure of promotion. There exists, however, at particular universities in Eastern Europe, the possibility, to pass a so-called examination of difference directly at the day of consultation. By the passing of this - more likely symbolic examination - the candidate will achieve his authorization for promotion.
In years to come there will drastic alterations arise in this point .Consequently and presumably examinations of predicate, setting-up seminars, and so on, will be necessary. On account of this a quick decision is recommended to FH/BA graduates.
Can I graduate without to have passed Abitur?
In a word - yes. Indeed not without energy. Because the Bologna-Agreement determines measures Europe-wide, leading to the establishment of a standardized European Higher Education Area (EHEA). The introduction of international valid and accepted academic graduates, the transformation to a system of studies in triplicate
(level 1: Bakkalaureat/Bachelor/Bachelor Degree,
level 2: Master/Master Degree,
level 3: Doctorate/Doctor Degree),
introduction of an international comparable credit-system (ECTS) at training performances, the advancement of the students' and teachers' mobility and the development of European-wide valid quality standards as well as methods of their evaluation.
For the admission to a "regular procedure of promotion" you have to pass successfully the two first steps (Bachelor/Bachelor Degree and Master/Master Degree).
Therefore the termination of a degree is initially necessary before the promotion.
That is possible without Abitur at many colleges - for instance in England, Ireland, and the USA. In the ideal case it is possible, according to the chosen college and the personal preconditions, to acquire a Bachelor at an acknowledged university within 3 - 6 months (in Germany takes it about 3 years). That here underlying very complicated procedure is called "Portfolio Evaluation" and is based on the fact, that you can acquire the credits, being necessary for the Bachelor-Degree, sometimes for experience of life.
It is also possible, at the courses of the "Master-studies", to bring to bear your experience of life and profession under certain circumstances. Indeed, there is the production of a "Master Thesis" - an explicit academic paper - unavoidable within a Master course of study. While doing this GCC enjoys to advice you, too.
Afterwards the promotion is possible by a regular procedure of promotion.
In addition there exists the possibility to take one's doctor's degrees externally.
So called "profession doctorates" are granted to experienced and successful practitioners, who needn't an academic degree, without presentation of a dissertation. As well scientific merits are paid tribute to by the degree "Doctor of Science" .The award of a
"Honorary Doctor" (Dr. h.c.) is an opportunity to acquire the doctor's degree without Abitur (secondary school final).
Abitur (the equivalent of 2 years of college in USA, and of "A" level in GB, entitles successful candidate forthwith to matriculation at any German university)
What does Honorary Doctor (Dr. h.c.) signify?
The title "doctor honoris causa" (coming from Latin "as an honour) is occasionally granted by universities and faculties to persons, having rendered outstanding services to the university in a particular way.
In contrast to the regular promotion there is neither an examination nor an academic final examination of studies stringently necessary for the award of "Doctor honoris causa".
Of course you can hold your title officially. It is possible to get it registered in your passport according to the Federal States.
How can you receive the honorary doctor's degree and what financial expenditure is connected with?
The honorary doctor's degree (Dr. honoris causa) is conferred by universities on specially deserved persons. Completely different rules are thereby in force as at the achievement of a regular promotion. However, a degree "honoris causa" is as well not to be bought as each other academic title of an acknowledged or governmental university.
The preconditions for the title Dr.h.c. are an impeccable curriculum vitae, ideally to furnish proof of an academic career, perhaps a few publications or already acquired tributes at home or abroad.
To be a doctor honoris causa is regularly only possible for somebody, who furthers the university itself, its academic or special projects.
The expenditure of such conferment is closely connected with faculty, university, expenses, personal engagement and the furnished intermediate input. The correct amount can only be estimated after the receipt of your curriculum vitae and after having conferred with an appropriate faculty. You can make an estimate of total costs to € 30.000 up as a rough clue.
These expenses are regularly able to be deducted in full from your taxable income.
Does GCC offer comprehensive services?
GCC enjoys to offer you services in a variety of things and multidimensional according to a personal arrangement and limiting your personal expenditure to least costs. The individual details with it are cleared up by a confidential consultancy.
