PhD candidates at the University of Berlin and at Columbia University, New York, from 1871 to 1913

This thesis describes and analyses the PhD candidates in the Humanities at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Berlin and at Columbia University, New York, from 1871 to 1913 as well as the reforms related to the PhD programs at said institutions. The thesis uses primary sources such as the theses and curriculum vitaes of the PhD candidates but also the reports of the universities, statistics released, census records of government institutions as well as newspapers and biographical collections. The goal is to compare the PhD candidates at these two universities according to their numbers, age, gender, religion, place of birth and social background. It further includes a comparison of the reforms and transformation of the two universities with a focus on those which most affected PhD candidates. Instead of focusing on the careers of PhD candidates after they acquired their degree (as in most other studies), this thesis focuses on the background and the life of PhD candidates before they received their degree from their university. By doing so, this thesis will contribute to the understanding of the development of the universities and societies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, taking into account the debates regarding the German Sonderweg, the professionalisation of education and cross-border exchange among academics wherever possible.