Hints for the equivalence check in Physical Chemistry for PhD applicants

If you come to my office to obtain an equivalence statement of your Masters degree to a German Diplom degree from a Physical Chemistry perspective, please bring the following things with you:

• the equivalence form (Feststellung der Promotionseignung) from the "Dekanat" (Dean's office)
• your Bachelors and Masters certificates including a list of credits and grades of the different courses
• your Masters thesis and publication reprints, if available
• a short syllabus of the subjects covered in your Physical Chemistry courses
• a short CV

We will then discuss these documents and your level of knowledge. Based on this, we will decide among the following options:

A) Equivalence after discussion and short knowledge test

B) Successful completion of selected courses in Physical Chemistry (typically in German), before you obtain the equivalence (preferred option, within two years)

C) Successful oral exam(s) on important topics (Thermodynamics, Kinetics, Spectroscopy) after extensive self-study (e.g. based on Atkins' Physical Chemistry), before you obtain the equivalence. Note that this oral exam can only be repeated once and should be finished one year after applying for equivalence, at the latest.

Remember that the final PhD defense in Göttingen typically includes two "Nebenfach"-exams. If you want to take one of those with me, you should have a deep knowledge of the advanced lecture Schwingungsspektroskopie und zwischenmolekulare Dynamik, best obtained by attending the lecture and passing the written exam at its end.

M. Suhm

Revised 2009-08-05