Program Overview

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Ph.D. Program in Humanities and Social Sciences

The Ph.D. program in Humanities and Social Sciences offers research training within several fields. The areas of specialization in the humanities include language, literature, culture, archaeology, history, philosophy, religious studies, theology, documentation studies, and art history. The social sciences areas of specialization include political science, sociology, social anthropology, community planning, cultural understanding, pedagogy, tourism, child welfare, and social work, gender studies, indigenous studies, peace studies, etc.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted, applicants must have a master's degree with a grade average of B or better. The master's degree must include a substantial written thesis. In exceptional cases, applicants with a grade average of C may be considered if they can document additional academic work beyond the master's degree, such as published or accepted peer-reviewed articles.

Applicants with foreign higher education must be evaluated in accordance with the University and University College Act ｧ 3-5 (3). If the master's degree was completed more than 10 years before the application, applicants should provide evidence of ongoing research interest through published or accepted peer-reviewed articles.

The doctoral project's academic character determines the faculty and departmental affiliation, regardless of the applicant's master's degree field. Applicants must have a relevant academic background for the Ph.D. project and demonstrate the ability to conduct research within the faculty's research areas.

Language Requirements

Applicants must document English language proficiency that meets the requirements for general university admissions in Norway.

Funding Requirements

A requirement for admission is sufficient funding for the study period, typically in the form of a salary at the level of a research fellow, including operating expenses, infrastructure, and overhead. Part-time students must have at least 50% of their working hours available for the doctoral study.

Program Description

The Ph.D. program is a structured research training program consisting of a self-contained research work with a doctoral dissertation and a training component. The program is normally three years (180 ECTS credits). The goal is to complete a research work of high international standards that can be defended in a public dissertation.

Ph.D. students will receive close follow-up and academic supervision but are expected to take responsibility for planning and completing the dissertation work. The training component includes courses, seminars, and academic activities that provide a broad understanding of the research field and specialized knowledge within the student's area of research.

Job Opportunities

A Ph.D. degree qualifies for research work of international standards and for other work in society where high demands are placed on scientific insight and analytical thinking. Ph.D. graduates can pursue careers as researchers at universities, research institutions, or in the private sector, or take on leadership and administrative roles in knowledge-based industries.

Graduation and Degree

The degree awarded is Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D.) in Humanities and Social Sciences.

Teaching and Examination Language

The language of instruction for Ph.D. courses is Norwegian/Nordic and/or English. The dissertation can be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English, or Sami. The examination language for the trial lecture and dissertation defense is the language of the dissertation, unless the faculty approves another language.

Study Plan

The study plan includes a training component of 30 ECTS credits and a dissertation of 150 ECTS credits. The training component provides a broad introduction to the research field and specialized knowledge within the student's area of research.

Exchange Opportunities

The university has exchange agreements with several foreign universities for Ph.D. students. These agreements are often tied to specific research areas. For more information, contact the Section for International Cooperation.

Internationalization

The program uses various arrangements for internationalization, including:

• English language instruction and literature
• Opportunities for participation in international research schools
• Incorporation of international conference participation into the training component
• International Ph.D. student environment (ToDoS)
• Foreign study stipend for stays at foreign universities/institutions

Foreign stays are recommended during the second or third study year, with a duration of 3-10 months. The stay should have relevance for the student's Ph.D. project and provide academic benefits in the work on the dissertation. The faculty annually awards foreign study stipends that Ph.D. students can apply for to cover the additional costs of a foreign stay.