1. Writing the Research Proposal

The research proposal plays a major role when planning your research and doctoral thesis project. It is a thematically and methodologically concise description of your doctoral thesis project. Given the deep technical and engineering-oriented nature of computer science, a full-fledged research proposal may in many cases not yet be possible at this point in time.

Goals of the research proposal:   

» to set the scientific context of the work
» to identify relevant research questions in comparison to the state-of-the-art
» to point out interesting directions for the research work to be performed

You can find a detailed description of the doctoral process (including writing the research proposal) on the website of the Center for Doctoral Studies.

Guidelines for a research proposal

Dimensions of your proposal depend on the current practice in your research discipline; please note that it should not exceed the extent of ten pages (European A4 size with 15,000 to 20,000 characters). A research proposal has to include the following information:

  • description of the topic of the doctoral thesis project including a clear research question,
  • outline of the state of research,
  • illustration of the chosen research methods,
  • relevant literature,
  • choice of supervisors,
  • time and work schedule, and
  • (possibly) financial budget and overview of resources.

 DoCS Tip

Every semester the Center for Doctoral Studies offers a large number of workshops in transferable skills. The workshops include topics like scientific writing and publishing, time and project management or presentation skills.

Check out all of the workshops and trainings here!


 Additional links

» Curriculum Doctoral Programme in Natural Sciences and Technical Sciences in the field of Natural Sciences

» Curriculum Doctoral/PhD Programme in Business, Economics and Statistics

» Course Directory (2023S)

» All current forms for the doctorate (English)

» All current forms for the doctorate (German)

» PhD process (Center for Doctoral Studies)

» Submission and review of the thesis (Center for Doctoral Studies)

» PhD Handbook Navigating your Doctorate (Center for Doctoral Studies)

» Orientation Guide for International PhD Candidates (Center for Doctoral Studies)

» Early Career Researchers - Funding Programs (Research Services and Career Development; University of Vienna)

» grants.at (online database for scholarships and research grants)

» University Law 2002 (German)

» Statutes of the University of Vienna

» Study Law