International PhD Programme: Science and Health in Football
Saarland University
Program Overview
The international doctoral programme "Science and Health in Football" is hosted by the Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine at Saarland University and funded by the German Football Federation (DFB). Close collaborations are established with the University of Technology in Sydney (UTS, Australia), the Edith-Cowan University in Perth (ECU, Australia), the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (Luxembourg), the University of Basel (Switzerland), and the University of Groningen (The Netherlands). The programme aims to improve the scientific approach to football. In particular, the programme focuses on evaluating potential health benefits and further developing training standards and performance diagnoses for elite football players. The institute is a licensed FIFA (Fédération International de Football Association) Medical Centre of Excellence and a medical examination centre of the German Olympics Sports Federation (DOSB). Due to its long-term and extensive cooperation with the German Football Federation (DFB), it offers profound expertise in football science and medical care for athletes and patients. The programme covers the following disciplines: sports science, medicine, exercise physiology, and human biology. In addition to the thesis, PhD students will receive training in research methods, knowledge transfer, and teaching as well as practical work in patient health care and physical performance testing. Doctoral students will be awarded a PhD degree from Saarland University and have the opportunity to earn a joint degree with the University of Technology Sydney in Australia or the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
EURFinancials
Financials
INFOIntakes and Duration
Intakes and Duration
Intake Season
Only for doctoral programmes: any time
Duration
6 semesters
COCareer Outcomes
Career Outcomes
You can always explore various career paths after completing this program. The listed options are some of the most popular among graduates.
EURSalary Outlook
Salary Outlook
Typical range
The stated annual salary (e.g., TV-L E13: €50,000–€65,000 for 100%) refers to a full-time position. In practice, many universities and public research institutes (such as Leibniz institutes) offer part-time contracts, commonly 50%, 65%, or 75%, and only occasionally 100%. The actual salary is therefore proportional to the contract percentage. Applicants are strongly advised to clarify the employment percentage before accepting an offer.
Fresher, mid-level, and experienced ranges are linked to external sources so they stay auditable for applicants.
LANGLanguage & Exams
Language & Exams
Teaching Language
English
For applicants who are non-native English speakers, it is necessary to demonstrate English knowledge by achieving adequate results in an internationally recognised test (TOEFL or IELTS test). Submitting detailed results of such tests is strongly recommended for non-native speakers. If previous studies were in English or if the applicant has already published in English, we might accept this as a demonstration of language proficiency.
REQRequirements
Requirements
Academic Admission
In order to be considered for the programme, candidates must have completed (or be in the process of completing) a Master's degree or equivalent degree with a thesis in a field related to medicine, sports science, exercise physiology, human biology, or neighbouring fields. In rare cases, applications from excellent candidates with only a Bachelor's degree may also be considered for the programme. The following pieces of information and documents are required (1) Curriculum vitae (2) Description of academic performance and research experience: Transcripts of records Certificates of your degrees (BSc, MSc, Diploma, Magister, Staatsexamen, etc.) Please submit translated certificates if the originals are not written in English or German. Summary of research experience (e.g. description of activities or positions in research; list of published papers, conference attendance and presentations) An abstract of your graduation thesis in English For the first application round, scanned PDF files of certificates are accepted. In the further application process, submission of legally certified transcripts is mandatory due to university regulations. (3) Two letters of recommendation from two independent academics and/or practitioners within the field of sports science / sports medicine (4) Letter of motivation (5) A brief research proposal for the currently offered PhD project is preferable, but not required (mandatory for applications with self-funded or otherwise funded PhD projects).
APS Certificate
Not required for PhD/doctoral programmes.
IELTS Score
Not specified
Application Deadline
Application deadlines are subject to changes. Please refer to the above university course link for the most accurate information.
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