Doctoral Certificate Program in Agricultural Economics: Information specific for BOKU students

The Doctoral Certificate Program in Agricultural Economics is a program for doctoral students in the field of agricultural and food economics at BOKU. Participants can take classes at the doctoral level at more than 10 universities and research institutions and can be awarded a final Doctoral Certificate.

For an overview of available modules, admission, registration, and course of study please visit http://www.agraroekonomik.de/
Here you find information specifically relevant to BOKU students.

Who is eligible for admission to the Certificate Program?

You need to be accepted as a doctoral student at BOKU and register on time for the program and the module you want to participate in. Please visit http://www.agraroekonomik.de/ for details.

How much does it cost to participate in a module?

To participate in the modules is free of charge for doctoral students of BOKU. Cost for travel, accommodation, etc, are not covered. Lists of available accommodations at the various locations are available the webpage of the certificate program (see top of “Modules”). For modules which take two weeks or if two consecutive one week modules (even if they are at different locations) it is possible to apply for a KUWI scholarship. Please contact the Center for International Relations at BOKU.
Is it possible to participate in only one or a couple of modules oft the Doctoral Certificate Program?
Yes, it is possible only to participate in one or a couple of modules without the aim of attaining the final Certificate.

Is it possible to attain the final certificate of the Doctoral Certificate Program without finishing doctoral program at BOKU?

No, the final doctoral certificate of the Doctoral Certificate Program is only issued jointly with the doctoral certificate at BOKU.

Can I select courses which are not part of the list of modules of the of the Doctoral Certificate Program to attain the required credit points for the final certificate?

Generally, only modules of the type “soft-skills” and colloquia can be selected from non-doctoral-certificate modules. Colloquia are seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. where students present and discuss their work. Under special circumstances it is also possible to apply for the permission to select courses not part of the list of modules (contact the official representative of BOKU if necessary).

Can a module from the Doctoral Certificate Program be recognized for the doctoral program at BOKU?

There are no special regulations for the recognition (Anerkennung) of modules from the Doctoral Certificate program. Certificates from the Doctoral Certificate Program are generally not graded.
As a BOKU student you therefore have the following options:

  1. Ungraded Certificate: You accept that the certificate from the Doctoral Certificate Program is not considered in the average grading of the BOKU doctoral certificate. (We recommend to have at least 20ECTS from graded courses to avoid extreme cases where the average is calculated from a few courses only) But if the certificate has the official stamp of the university where you took the class, the ECTS contribute to the ECTS which you require for the first part of the BOKU doctoral program (1. Rigorosum). As always, it is necessary to have the modules officially approve by the Dean of the doctoral program of BOKU before the module is taken.
  2. Graded Certificate: If you need a graded certificate from the Doctoral Certificate Program please contact the instructor before the beginning of the module and ask if this is possible. If the certificate is graded and has the official stamp of the university where you took the class then: a) the grade from the doctoral program with be part of the final grade of your BOKU doctoral certificate and b) the ECTS contribute to the ECTS which you require for the first part of the BOKU doctoral program (1. Rigorosum). As always, it is necessary to have the modules officially approve by the Dean of the doctoral program of BOKU before the module is taken.

If you want to have a module from the Doctoral Certificate program recognized which is not offered by a university (e.g the modules at ZALF Müncheberg, IAMO Halle, TI Braunschweig) please get in contact with the BOKU contact person (see below) before you submit these courses at the BOKU Dean for approval.

Who is the official representative of BOKU at the Doctoral Certificate Program?

Prof. Erwin Schmid (Institute of sustainable economic Development, Department of economics and social sciences)

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Ulrich.Morawetz(at)boku.ac.at All information is supplied without liability