Habilitation regulations

from July 14, 1999

§ 1 Aim of the habilitation

1. Habilitation is the qualification for independent scientific research and teaching in a specific subject or field in the area of a Catholic theological faculty (teaching qualification) 

2. The teaching qualification can only be acquired for subjects taught at the Sankt Georgen College of Philosophy and Theology (cf. Art. 9 § 1 College Statutes) 

3. Habilitation entitles the applicant* to the academic degree of a habilitated doctor of theology (Dr. theol. habil.) 

4. The habilitation is completed in accordance with these regulations by the Sankt Georgen College of Philosophy and Theology. 

5. The determination of the teaching qualification does not imply a claim to the granting of a teaching license at the Sankt Georgen College of Philosophy and Theology.

§ 3 Habilitation Committee

The Habilitation Committee is responsible for carrying out the habilitation. This committee consists of the habilitated members of the College as far as they are not yet emeritus. The chairman of the habilitation committee is the rector of the College. The members of the College council who are not members of the habilitation committee have the right to inspect the habilitation files. Convening, quorum and decision-making of the Habilitation Committee shall be governed by the provisions laid down in the College Statutes (Art. 6 § 5) for the College Conference and in the Rules of Procedure of the College Conference for its meetings.

§ 4 Admission requirements

1. The candidate must have completed the study of Catholic theology by passing an examination of canonical validity (diploma or licentiate in Catholic theology) 

2. The candidate must have obtained the degree of Doctor of Canon Law with at least the grade "magna cum laude”

3. The Habilitation Committee may, in individual cases and in exceptional cases to be justified by the Committee, also recognize a doctorate in a non-theological subject, if this is related to the subject for which the teaching qualification is to be assessed and if the applicant fulfils the requirements of Section 1. This doctoral degree must also be awarded at least with the grade "magna cum laude". 

4. The candidate must prove their didactic competence by at least two years of successful work in academic courses. 

5. The candidate must fulfil the requirements set forth in the decision of the German Bishops' Conference of 21-24 February 1972 concerning the habilitation and appointment of non-priests to the faculties of Catholic Theology and Philosophy and Theology.

§ 5 Application for admission

1. The application for admission to the habilitation must be submitted in writing to the chairman of the habilitation committee. The application shall specify the subject for which the teaching qualification is sought. 

2. The application must be accompanied by the following 

      a. Curriculum vitae which provides information, in particular, about the academic course of study and academic activities; 

      b. Certificates of all academic examinations taken by the applicant to date; 

      c. Doctoral diploma; 

      d. Copy of the dissertation; 

      e. List of all scientific publications and, if possible, a specimen copy of each; 

      f. Statement of previous or current habilitation procedures; 

      g. Three copies of the written habilitatioon achievements (in accordance with § 6 Section 1); 

      h. An assurance that the applicant has independently written the written habilitation thesis, has exclusively used the sources indicated, and has marked any passages which have been adopted either verbatim or in content as such; 

      i. Proof of the performance of academic courses or of participation in such courses; 

      j. Declaration of consent of the ecclesiastical superior responsible for the applicant (cf. the decision of the German Bishops' Conference of 21-24 February 1972); 

      k. Written statement of the reasons why the habilitation is sought at this College. 

3. After the chairman of the habilitation committee has established that the application has been duly submitted, the habilitation committee shall decide on the admission of the applicant to the habilitation procedure. The chairman shall inform the applicant of the decision of the Habilitation Committee in writing. An appeal against a negative decision is not possible.

§ 6 Written habilitation achievements

1. The written habilitation achievements usually consist of a habilitation thesis. In exceptional cases, scientific publications which are equivalent to a habilitation thesis can also be recognized as written habilitation achievements. 

2. The subject of the written habilitation should be different from that of the dissertation. 

3. The chairman of the habilitation committee appoints two professors as rapporteurs, one of whom must belong to the Sankt Georgen College of Philosophy and Theology. Each rapporteur shall give a written report on the applicant's written habilitation achievement and propose acceptance, rejection or return for revision or supplementation. These reports should be prepared within four months after acceptance of the habilitation application. Upon request, the applicant can view the reports, the completion of which will be made known to him/her by the chairman of the Habilitation Committee, and submit a written statement within two weeks, on which the reviewers in turn can comment within two weeks. After completion of this procedure or if the applicant waives the right to submit a written statement, immediately after the reports have been prepared, the written habilitation achievements together with the reports shall be available to the members of the Habilitation Committee and the College Council (pursuant to section 3 sentence 4) for one month. All members of the aforementioned committees have the right to a written vote. 

4. The Habilitation Committee shall decide on the acceptance, rejection or return for supplementing or revising the written postdoctoral lecture qualification upon expiry of the aforementioned deadlines. The chairman of the Habilitation Committee shall notify the applicant of the decision in writing. If the written habilitation achievements are not recognized, the habilitation procedure is terminated without success. If the work is returned for modification or supplementation, it must be resubmitted within one year. If the applicant complies with the recommendation, the procedure will be continued after resubmission of the thesis. If this deadline is missed, the habilitation procedure shall be deemed to have ended unsuccessfully. The chairman of the habilitation committee makes the determination.

§ 7 Habilitation Colloquium

1. After acceptance of the written habilitation thesis, the chairman of the habilitation committee determines the date of the habilitation colloquium, which is to be held within two weeks after acceptance of the written habilitation thesis. 

2. The habilitation colloquium, which lasts approximately one hour, takes place before the members of the habilitation committee. It covers the written habilitation and the entire range of the desired habilitation subject.

§ 8 Result of the habilitation

1 Following the colloquium, the Habilitation Committee, which can only take a decision in the presence of two thirds of its members, decides by a majority of the votes of those present whether the teaching qualification is to be awarded. Only yes or no votes shall be cast. Abstentions are considered as no votes. 

2. Following the vote, the chairman of the habilitation committee shall inform the applicant of the result of the decision and shall issue a provisional certificate. 

3. The Rector of the College shall issue a certificate of successful completion of the habilitation procedure and the award of the academic degree of a habilitated Doctor of Theology. This certificate shall state the subject of the habilitation and the title of the habilitation thesis and shall bear the date of the resolution in accordance with subsection 1. 

4. If the colloquium is not recognized as an achievement of habilitation, it may be repeated once in justified exceptional cases upon resolution of the Habilitation Committee. The repetition is permitted after six months at the earliest. If one year has elapsed since the colloquium was rejected, the habilitation procedure shall be deemed to have been completed without success. The chairman of the habilitation committee shall make the determination. 

5. In the event of a negative decision, the rector of the College shall issue the applicant with a written rejection notice, which shall include a statement of reasons and instructions on legal remedies. 

6. Once the habilitation has been completed, a bound copy of the written habilitation achievements, to be submitted by the person completing the habilitation, shall remain with the habilitation files.

§ 9 Publication of the habilitation thesis

The habilitation thesis should be published within two years of the habilitation and at least two copies should be submitted to the College.

§ 10 Revocation of the Habilitation

1. The Sankt Georgen College of Philosophy and Theology may revoke the habilitation if the habilitated person is guilty of deception with regard to his habilitation achievements or if essential requirements for admission to the habilitation have been wrongly assumed to exist. 

2. Before the decision to revoke the habilitation, the person concerned must be given the opportunity to comment. The Rector shall notify him of the revocation in writing, together with a statement of reasons and instructions on legal remedies.

§ 11 Transitional provision

Those who have habilitated at the Sankt Georgen College of Philosophy and Theology according to the habilitation regulations of June 6, 1973 or November 20, 1986, are entitled to add "habilitatus" (abbreviated "habil.") to the degree of a "Doctor of Theology" (Dr. theol.) or to use the degree "Dr. theol. habil." as a further academic degree.

§ Article 12 Entry into force

These habilitation regulations were adopted by the College Council on 14 July 1999. It comes into effect on the day after its approval by the Congregation for Catholic Education on April 14, 2000. At the same time, the habilitation regulations of 20 November 1986 expire. 

Frankfurt, May 12, 2000 

 

(Prof. Dr. Michael Sievernich SJ) 

Rector of the Philosophical-Theological College 

Sankt Georgen Frankfurt am Main

*References to persons and functions in these regulations refer equally to women and men.