The cooperative doctorate is offered at Wismar University of Applied Sciences. In this procedure, the doctoral degree is awarded by a university that is authorized to award doctorates. The first supervision is provided by a professor at the cooperating university. The second or third supervision is provided by a professor at Wismar University of Applied Sciences. Many doctoral students in cooperative doctoral procedures with Wismar University of Applied Sciences have their academic focus in Wismar.

Supervision is by individual arrangement. The doctoral procedure is governed by the doctoral regulations of the respective faculty of the university entitled to award the doctorate. This also applies if a doctoral project is mainly carried out at Wismar University of Applied Sciences. The supervisor at Wismar University of Applied Sciences can be a professor with whom prospective doctoral candidates have already worked successfully, e.g. as part of their Master's thesis.

It is recommended that you conclude a supervision agreement with the supervisor. The supervision agreement serves to ensure good communication between the doctoral student and the supervisor, but does not establish any claims under labour law.