BAGSS invites applications from highly qualified graduates from the fields of Sociology, Psychology, Educational Science, Political Science, Economics, Demography, and Statistics. Qualified graduates of related subjects with a strong Social Science background are also encouraged to apply. Candidates must hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in one of the aforementioned subjects or be very close to completion. (The degree must be completed by the time of admission to BAGSS. The next admission date is October 1, 2013.)

Applicants must have an excellent command of English. If English is not your native tongue, you need to supply proof of proficiency.

BAGSS is firmly committed to the goal of diversity and equal opportunities. It emphatically encourages applications by women. The University of Bamberg is a certified family-friendly university which offers comprehensive advice on reconciling family and work life.

Admission to BAGSS is a highly competitive process with appropriate consideration for diversity and equal opportunities. The two main criteria are the candidate's proven record of academic excellence on the one hand, and BAGSS' ability to ensure competent, research-led supervision on the other.
We are interested in projects that fit with at least one of our School's four Pillars. Proposals cutting across two (or more) Pillars are equally welcomed. We also take into account proposals that do not tally exactly with the Pillar profiles, but are very closely related.

Openings are regularly announced on our home page. Application for the winter term 2013/2014 is open now until June 2nd.

In order to be considered, your application needs to include the following documents:

1. A cover letter of not more than 1½ pages (Arial, size 11, 1.5 line spacing). Please use this letter also to briefly indicate which BAGSS Pillar(s) suit(s) your research interest best and name at least one BAGSS faculty member who could serve as a supervisor for your project. If you already have been granted funding for your doctoral studies from another institution and, thus, do not need financial support from BAGSS, please note this in your letter as well.
2. Your CV (including full contact information).
3. A one-page abstract of your dissertation exposé (Arial, size 11, 1.5 line spacing).
4. A dissertation exposé of not more than fifteen pages (Arial, size 11, 1.5 line spacing). In this proposal you should define a clear research question, provide a concise review of the extant literature, show how your project is intended to go beyond the state-of-the-art and outline a research design and timetable.

   Please note: The proposal is supposed to provide a preliminary sketch of your dissertation research only. It may be revised substantially during your first semester at BAGSS. At the same time, the exposé gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your potential for developing and carrying out an innovative project.  

5. A scan of your academic degree certificate(s) and university grade transcripts. Please provide an English translation if these documents have not been issued in English or German. 
6. A concise statement on your knowledge of social science research methods. This short description (not more than a half page, Arial, size 11, 1.5 line spacing) can, for example, contain information on your methodological training or practical experience in applying methods.
7. Two letters of recommendation (in English or German).
8. Only for applicants funded by an external institution: evidence that funding has been granted.

Please do not attach any documents other than those requested. All application materials must be submitted in English (except for certificates, transcripts, and letters of recommendation which may also be provided in German).

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide us with the original or certified copies of their CV, certificates/transcripts and, in case you are not a native speaker, documentation of English proficiency. English proficiency can be documented through

• one of the following English tests: UNIcert III (pass), CAE (pass), TOEFL (minimum score of 95), IELTS (minimum band score of 7) – please attach a copy of the official test results;

• or an academic degree completed mainly or entirely in English - if your degree certificate and transcripts are not clear in that regard, please provide a confirmation letter of English proficiency from the degree-granting institution.

All documents, except for the letters of recommendation, need to be submitted as a single PDF (max. 30 MB) with the documents arranged in exactly the above order (1. cover letter, 2. CV, 3. one-page abstract, 4. dissertation exposé, 5. academic degree certificate(s) and university grade transcripts, 6. statement on knowledge of research methods, 7. (if applicable) evidence that external funding has been granted). A free software for creating PDFs and merging them into a single document is available here. Please use your surname to name your application file (SURNAME.pdf; make sure to avoid special characters).

Please submit the completed file here. In case of technical problems, please contact us.

Letters of recommendation: please ask your referees to send a scan of their signed letters directly to us ( admissions.bagss(at)uni-bamberg.de). Referees should use an official/institutional address when submitting their letters. It is your responsibility to make sure that references reach us on time.

• We will send you a notification of receipt shortly after you submitted your application.
• The BAGSS Executive Committee oversees the review of all applications that meet the formal requirements. The review will be concluded approximately by June 30, 2013.
• Shortlisted candidates receive invitations for interviews no later than July 10, 2013 (via e-mail).
• Interviews are scheduled to take place in Bamberg between July 15 and 19, 2013. (In exceptional cases, a video conference may suffice.)
• Candidates will be informed about the final decisions approximately until July 31, 2013.
• The next BAGSS academic year commences on October 1, 2013.