phd in education norway

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PhD education

A PhD degree is the highest level of formalized education in Norway.

A doctoral degree from NTNU qualifies you to a range of positions both in the private and public sector. Though academia has traditionally been the main career path, an increasing number of doctors are going into leading positions in the private sector.

The doctoral education at NTNU is structured in various PhD programmes and gaining access to a PhD programme is a prerequisite for completing a PhD.

Find PhD programme

KRYSSPUBLISERT - PhD - Admission and financing - ID 1295482685 (sharing)

In addition to a master's degree or equivalent and a strong academic record, financing is an absolute requirement for admission to a PhD programme . Funding can be both through NTNU and other sources. Available PhD positions at NTNU are continuously posted online.

Programme components

The PhD education is a structured degree with a nominal duration of three-year full-time study . Some PhD positions may include a fourth year of required duties, usually in the form of teaching, this will be detailed in your employee contract if applicable.

• The programme consists of at least 30 ECTS of coursework, and an independent academic work in the form of a doctoral thesis estimated to 2.5 years.
• A PhD degree requires a great deal of independence and capacity for completion
• The final thesis should contribute to the development of new scientific knowledge and meet international standards in the field
• PhD education at NTNU is internationally oriented
• You are expected to contribute to international conferences and publish in international peer-reviewed journals
• It is possible to complete part of your studies abroad, either in the form of a prolonged research stay or by completing some of your courses abroad

KRYSSPUBLISERT - PhD - Dr.philos. degree - ID 1295512303 (sharing)

Dr.philos. degree.

It is possible to complete a doctoral degree outside of a structured PhD education. This is called a dr.philos. degree and is a completely independent non-supervised academic work where your first formal contact with the university will be upon handing in your thesis.

Joint PhD course database

A number of joint projects have been launched to support the vision of Nordic Five Tech as an extended campus. One of them is this joint PhD course database . The aim of this initiative is to increase mobility for our PhD students within the five universities and further strengthen the alliance by encouraging more research cooperation.

If you are a PhD student at one of the Nordic Five Tech universities you do not have to pay for participating in courses registered in this database . Please note that the database also includes non-technical PhD courses.

* Nordic Five Tech universities is an alliance of the five leading technical universities in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

• Chalmers University Of Technology , Gothenburg, Sweden
• Aalto University , Helsinki, Finland (Former Helsinki University Of Technology, TKK)
• Norwegian University of Science And Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
• Royal Institute Of Technology (KTH) , Stockholm, Sweden
• Technical University Of Denmark (DTU) , Lyngby, Denmark

Doctoral awards ceremony

New doctors

krysspublisert ID: 1263188355 For existing PhD candidates

For existing phd candidates.

• PhD Handbook
• Information for current PhD candidates

Resources for Postdoctoral Fellows

Vacancies at NTNU  – also about working at NTNU and practical information.

Research and Innovation

• Faculties and departments with research groups
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PhD Education at the University of Stavanger

The University of Stavanger has five PhD programmes that cover a wide range of disciplines.

Contact the PhD administration .

What is a PhD education?

A PhD ( Doctor of Philosophy ) is the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. The PhD program is a three-year research education.

The education includes a dissertation or artistic result based on independent work, relevant courses equivalent to six months of study, participation in national and international research environments, academic or artistical dissemination, a trial lecture and a public defence.

The most common way to enrol in a PhD programme is to be employed by the University for a PhD fellowship. It is also possible to apply for admission with other funding.

Pursue a PhD at UiS?

Want to pursue a PhD at UiS?

How to apply for a PhD with us.

For PhD candidates at UiS

Guidance and tools from start to finish.

Our PhD programmes

PhD programme in Science and Technology

PhD programme in Health and Medicine

PhD programme in Social Science

PhD programme in Educational science and Humanities

PhD programme in artistic reserach

Frequently Asked Questions about our PhD education

Our research schools, upcoming courses and events, shut up & write for phds.

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The research of our PhD candidates

Advanced methods for field-scale reservoir simulation.

Anna Kvashchuk defended her dissertation for the degree of PhD at the University of Stavanger the 30th of April.

Doctoral thesis on how students' mindsets affect learning outcomes

Elin Svensen defended her Ph.D. in sociology, social work, culture, and society at the Faculty of Social Sciences on Dec...

What influences nurses' career choices?

Leaders who support, listen to, and value their staff are extremely important for nurses' ambitions regarding further ca...

Design of autonomous underwater vehicles

Yucong Ma has researched dynamic analysis and design of subsea shuttle tanker systems.

Seismic inversion methods for reservoir characterisation

Nisar Ahmed has developed a workflow for seismic inversion methods to estimate the rock-properties in a reservoir.

Environmental risk assessment of enhanced oil recovery solutions

In his PhD work, Mehul Vora has contributed to new knowledge about the environmental risk related to shortlisted product...

Understanding the initial wettability of reservoirs

Panagiotis Aslanidis defended his thesis on wettability for core analysis. The purpose of his research was to link reser...

Maintenance of ageing structures and mechanical equipment

Fredrik Bjørheim, PhD candidate at the Faculty of Science and Technology, has investigated damage assessment and modelin...

Dissertation on policy instruments for entrepreneurs

Founder and entrepreneur Murshid M. Ali defended his dissertation for the Ph.D. degree in Management, Economics, and Tou...

Integrated solar panels in walls and roofs can be efficient power sources

“Norway’s cold climate is very suitable for building-integrated photovoltaics,” says researcher Hassan Gholami. He compl...

Synthetic polymers for enhanced oil recovery

In her doctoral work, Siv Marie Åsen has taken a closer look at what happens to different types of polymers when they ar...

Doctoral candidates and non-academic careers

Saeed Moghadam-Saman defended his PhD at the University of Stavanger 21 May 2021.

Qualification of new partitioning tracers

Mário Helder Lopes da Silva has developed a method for qualification of new partitioning tracers for use in Partitioning...

Meet ph.d student Ingrid

– You are given the opportunity to study risk analysis in one of the most internationally acknowledged research environm...

Temperature variations i chalk reservoirs

Tijana Voake defended her PhD thesis 22 January, and is now ready for new challenges.

Modelling of CO2 injection in tight shale gas reservoirs

Dhruvit Berawala's PhD project deals with numerical modelling of shale gas production and CO2 injection in shale gas res...

Defended thesis on permeability and stress in compacting rocks

The purpose of Emanuela Kallesten's project is to understand how stress state and pore pressure affect the permeability ...

Jaspreet became Doctor digitally

With around 25 participants PhD candidate Jaspreet Singh Sachdeva defended his thesis in a video conference in Teams Mon...

Study of nano-scale interfacial forces

Shaghayegh Javadi can welcome the Christmas holidays as Doctor Javadi after defending her PhD thesis November 25th, 2019...

Wettability estimation by oil adsorption

Samuel Erzuah defended his PhD thesis 24 September. Now he is moving back to Ghana as Dr. Erzuah.

CO2 mobility control with foam for enhanced oil recovery

With a thesis on a very topical theme, CCUS, Mohan Sharma graduated as the sixth PhD at the Centre.

How to make seawater smarter

In her PhD work, Remya Nair has investigated how "smart" salt water can increase oil recovery. 15 March she defended her...

Modelling of EOR transport mechanisms

Oddbjørn Nødland was the fifth PhD candidate to graduate from The National IOR Centre of Norway.

Completing the «toolbox» for studying IOR/EOR effects

Auditorium E-164 was packed at the public defence of Mona Minde's doctoral degree.

Could Raman spectroscopy be applied to enhanced oil recovery?

On June 6th, Laura Borromeo defended her dissertation. Her thesis evaluates if Raman spectroscopy could be applied to en...

Study of nanomaterials for recovery of heavy crude oil

Kun Guo defended the degree philosophiae doctor 12 April. He is the second PhD student to graduate from The National IOR...

How to manage geological uncertainty with decision analysis

Aojie Hong was defending the degree philosophiae doctor Thursday, December 14th. He is the first PhD student to graduate...

How does the neighborhood affect your quality of life?

Ana Llopis Alvarez defended her thesis December 2nd. She has investigated how living conditions affect how well we are d...

14 recommendations for a successful disputation

A disputation, the public defence of a PhD candidate’s thesis, is a serious matter. How can you prepare as best as possi...

Adjudication of the thesis (PhD Programme in Social Sciences)

The evaluation committee’s mandate is to assess the thesis and issue a written reasoned recommendation to the Faculty wh...

Saving newborn lives through ventilation

Robert Moshiro defended his thesis on making births in low-income countries safer.

Before applying

To be eligible for admission to a PhD programme, certain educational and financial requirements must be met. In addition, the faculty must have available supervision capacity in the relevant subject area.

• The highest level of education in Norway.
• Master’s degree is required ( read more about the degree structure at the University of Oslo ).
• Sufficient funding for the entire period of study  is required
• Stipulated length of three years’ full-time studies
• Independent research work (the doctoral thesis) with a stipulated length of 2.5 years.
• Educational component worth 30 credits.

Admission criteria

To be eligible for admission to a PhD programme at the University of Oslo , you must have a relevant five-year Master's degree with a good grade, or equivalent qualifications approved by the faculty. The faculties may impose additional qualification requirements.

You must have sufficient funding for the entire period of study (i.e. three years of full-time study) to gain admission. The most common type of funding is employment as a doctoral research fellow. PhD candidates do not have student status in Norway. You are therefore not entitled to support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund or to regular student accommodation.

Doctoral research fellowships

A doctoral research fellowship includes temporary employment at one of the units at the University. Doctoral research fellowships are normally granted for three years without compulsory work or four years with compulsory work (usually teaching). The doctoral research fellowships are related to a subject, subject area, a project or unit and are announced by the relevant faculty, department, museum or centre.

You apply for advertised positions as a doctoral (or PhD) research fellow (or Candidate). The University of Oslo advertises new positions on an ongoing basis. See overview of vacant positions .

External funding

It is also possible to gain admission with other funding. Faculties may set requirements for affiliation to an academic community, institution or similar, and for coverage of necessary working capital. If you have external funding, you must be able to document full funding for the entire period of study.

The funding must cover living expenses and necessary working capital. PhD candidates do not have student status in Norway, and there is no tuition fee. You are not entitled to support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund or to regular student accommodation.

The funding must enable you to spend enough time on the PhD project to complete within the time stipulated in the contract. A proposed schedule of less than 50 per cent of normal progress plan will not be accepted. Some faculties have stricter progress requirements.

PhD programmes and how to apply

At the University of Oslo there are eight faculties, each with its own PhD programme. Each programme has its own rules and guidelines, such as in relation to thesis requirements and composition of the educational component. You must familiarize yourself with the relevant programme’s guidelines before applying. Applications must be submitted to the faculty to which you want to gain admission.

You can find more information about the faculties in the programme descriptions:

• PhD in the Humanities
• PhD at The Faculty of Law
• PhD in medicine and health sciences
• PhD at The Faculty of Dentistry
• PhD at The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• PhD in Social Science
• PhD at The Faculty of Theology
• PhD at the Faculty of Educational Sciences

Questions about PhD?

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PhD programmes

As a PhD candidate at OsloMet, you can expect a high-quality research education in a supportive academic environment.

At OsloMet, you will be a full-fledged member of our research community and will join a supportive and diverse community of academics. We have a large and growing number of international doctoral candidates and are committed to attracting talented aspiring researchers from around the world.

Many alumni of our PhD programmes pursue careers in academia, while others go on to high-level careers in the public and private sector—both in Norway and around the world.

PhD candidates in Norway are not students, but employees. Research fellows who are employed by a Norwegian university can expect some of the best working conditions in the world. As you work toward your doctoral degree, you will enjoy a good salary and a host of benefits, including five weeks of paid holiday.

You can also pursue a PhD at OsloMet while working for a different employer, either in Norway or elsewhere in the world.

• Pilestredet Campus, Oslo

All of our PhD positions are publicly advertised. You can view current available PhD positions in our job portal. 

• Job openings

Interested in learning more?

You can find detailed information about our PhD programmes, including application procedures and how to apply for funding, on our employee website. 

• Admission and funding (ansatt.oslomet.no)
• Getting started (ansatt.oslomet.no)
• During your PhD (ansatt.oslomet.no)
• Completion of your PhD (ansatt.oslomet.no)

Upcoming public defences

• Pilestredet Campus
• Faculty of Technology, Art and Design / Department of Computer Science
• PhD defences
• Faculty of Education and International Studies / Department of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education
• Faculty of Technology, Art and Design
• Faculty of Social Sciences / Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy
• Pilestredet Campus / Hybrid event
• Centre for the Study of Professions
• Faculty of Social Sciences / Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy / Work Research Institute

Life in Oslo

Are you considering applying for a PhD or academic position at a Norwegian university? We asked the experts—our own international employees—for their advice on how to navigate the transition to working in Norway.

What defines quality of life in a city? Is it the availability of good restaurants, bars and entertainment options? Or is it easy access to unspoilt nature? In Oslo, you don’t have to choose between the two—we have plenty of both.

The sun doesn't set until close to midnight, and even then it never really gets dark. You can spend the evening watching the light change at an outdoor café with friends, or go for a relaxing swim in the fjord alone. Oslo in the summer is a pretty magical place.

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Courses and seminars - PhD

The training component

In addition to writing a PhD thesis, you must complete a training component that is equivalent to six months’ work, or 30 credits. The educational component is made up of compulsory topics (20 credits) and an elective component of courses/seminars (10 credits).

As a PhD candidate, you can participate in courses offered by all departments and also make use of external education. Be aware that courses offered may vary from semester to semester, but some courses are held every semester.

Course catalogue

The compulsory component of the training, which is worth 20 credits, includes courses in the philosophy of science, ethics and qualitative and quantitative methodology.

Further, the candidates are free to choose courses worth up to 10 credits. These can be selected either from courses offered by the Faculty in the autumn and spring or from courses offered by other institutions. Candidates are advised to consult with their supervisors. Courses taken at other institutions must be evaluated and approved by the department or the Faculty.

The Faculty’s online course catalogue gives an overview of the courses offered in the autumn and spring. The Faculty also collaborates nationally with the other social science faculties in connection with a course portal. Information about these courses you will also find in the on-line course catalogue.

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Doctoral degrees

Do you want to contribute to the development of new professional knowledge at an international level in your field? A doctoral degree from Nord University qualifies both for a further academic career and for other professions with high requirements for competence and scientific insight.

Nord University offers four PhD programmes within the university's five faculties. A PhD education is a structured degree programme that is standardized to three years of full-time studies. Some doctoral positions include a fourth year of mandatory work.

The research related to the doctoral programmes supports the overall study portfolio as well as the university's profile areas .

The faculties have specific additional information for each individual study program.

To be admitted to the doctoral education, you must have a scientific master's degree of at least 120 credits or another completed higher degree equivalent to a Norwegian master's degree. It is expected that you have a strong academic background with a satisfactory grade point average.

Education from abroad

If you have education from abroad, an assessment will be made during the application process. The education must correspond to a Norwegian scientific two-year master's degree. The documentation must be translated into English or a Scandinavian language. Alternatively, you can contact HK-dir (Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills) for an assessment of your education.

Our four PhD programmes have slightly different academic admission requirements. The other qualification requirements also vary between the doctoral programmes and depend on the specific doctoral positions to be filled.

For more detailed information about the requirements, please refer to the respective PhD programme's website and job advertisements.

Admission requirements

In order to be admitted to the PhD programme, it is further required that you have sufficient funding (see the Financing section), an approved project description, and a schedule for completing the doctoral education.

Admission to our PhD programmes is ongoing and is based on individual applications, which must include the following attachments:

• Documentation of completed scientific master's degree (120 credits) or equivalent higher degree from abroad.
• Project description.
• Statement on any legal and ethical issues raised by the project and how they can be resolved.
• Data Management Plan ( DMP ).
• Proposal for at least one supervisor, and affiliation with an active research environment.

For a complete list, please refer to the PhD regulations § 6-2. (pdf)

Only candidates with satisfactory funding for the entire doctoral education can apply for admission to the doctoral programme. The funding should cover both living expenses (salary) and operational costs related to the research.

There are mainly two ways to obtain funding for a PhD project. First and foremost, you can apply for and secure a doctoral position at Nord University. Doctoral positions are advertised under Vacant Positions on our website. Private financing such as personal or family funds, pensions, or similar sources are not accepted as funding for admission to the organised doctoral education.

You can also obtain a doctoral position or other type of PhD funding at another university, college, or research institute. Some of these positions will be advertised, while others may involve being released from your current employer in private companies or public institutions.

Research Council of Norway

It is also possible to seek funding through the Research Council of Norway's scheme for industrial PhD or public sector PhD, or educational scholarships from various national and international organisations.

You can also approach potential employers in your field of interest and jointly seek funding for your project. Regardless of the form of funding, it is expected that all candidates who are admitted have normally competed for funds that have been openly advertised.

Annual budget

In addition to salary, doctoral candidates employed at Nord University will receive an annual budget to cover the project's operational costs. It will also be possible to apply for additional funding, such as for international mobility. At the time of admission, there should be an understanding between the candidate and the employer/funding source that the planned expenses for the doctoral project do not exceed the available operational funds for the project.

A PhD programme is a structured and supervised degree programme standardised to three years of full-time study. The programme consists of:

• A thesis based on independent research
• A training component comprising relevant courses
• Participation in national and international research environments
• Relevant academic dissemination
• Final doctoral examination, including a trial lecture and a public defense

A PhD study programme requires a high degree of independence and the ability to carry out one's own research project. Some PhD positions include a fourth year with mandatory tasks, usually in the form of teaching or research and project assistance.

PhD candidates are encouraged to conduct parts of the programme abroad, either through research stays or by taking portions of the training component in foreign institutions. PhD candidates are expected to actively participate in international conferences. Candidates who write an article-based thesis are expected to publish in international journals and co-publish nationally and internationally.

Nord University has a common regulation for the PhD degree across all doctoral programmes:

• Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at Nord University (English) (pdf)

All activities related to the PhD programmes are subject to these regulations. In addition, each programme has its own supplementary provisions. The supplementary provisions may be stricter than the regulations but cannot relax the provisions stated in the regulations. The PhD regulations shall apply in case of any dispute regarding the interpretation of the content on this website and the provisions in the regulations.

Links to the supplementary guidelines for the programmes:

PhD in Biosciences

PhD in Business

PhD in Sociology

PhD in Science of Professions

All PhD programmes have a training component. An overview of courses and seminars, including mandatory and elective ones, as well as the organisation of the training component, can be found on the respective program pages.

Our PhD candidates can take PhD courses at Nord University. If the university does not offer the entire training component itself, arrangements will be made for the candidate to complete equivalent training at other institutions, nationally or internationally.

Please note that it is possible to take courses from a different programme than the one you are enrolled in, but make sure to check in advance if the course can be approved as part of your training component.

During the training period, it is expected that candidates enhance their knowledge of scientific theory, research methods, and research ethics. The development of skills in communicating research results is also required as part of the training.

Most of our courses are open to external applicants enrolled in other PhD programmes both nationally and internationally. Refer to the programme pages to find out which courses are offered and contact the course coordinator to inquire about availability.

Refer to each programme for requirements regarding the number of credits and the academic composition.

Form for application for admission

Application form for admission to a PhD programme at Nord University​ (MS Word)

Form for PhD candidates who have already been admitted

Standard Admission Agreement June 2022 (English, pdf)​

The agreement is completed in collaboration with the faculty's PhD coordinator

Forms related to doctoral defense

Application for assessment of a doctoral dissertation (MS Word)

Declaration describing the research contribution (MS Word)

PhD on Track (literature, references, publishing) is an online resource primarily aimed at PhD candidates and early-career researchers. Its goal is to provide easier access to information on searching and reviewing scholarly literature, academic writing, and sharing and publishing reports and data. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) support researchers at all stages of their careers, regardless of age and nationality. Researchers working across all disciplines are eligible for funding.

MSCA also promotes collaboration between industry and academia and provides innovative training to enhance employability and career development. MSCA is important for seeking and gaining experience in research projects, as well as facilitating international research stays. The Vancouver Recommendations , also known as the Vancouver Convention or Vancouver Guidelines, were developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) . They provide practical and ethical guidelines for authors. Among other things, the Helsinki Declaration must be followed, and the research project must be approved by an independent ethics committee. The convention is used by over 500 medical journals worldwide and serves as a guideline for co-authorship in all fields at Nord University. Erasmus+

As a PhD student, you are eligible to receive an Erasmus+ grant for a mobility period abroad. Erasmus+ is the European Commission's programme for mobility in education.

Depending on whether you are registered as a student or as an employee ("stipendiat"), you can receive a grant either as a student or as an employee. If you are both a student and an employee, then you can choose either option. See Intranet (iNord) for further information or contact the administrative PhD coordinator at your faculty.

The National Research Ethics Committee s are independent bodies responsible for research ethics issues and investigations of research misconduct across all disciplines.

Research ethics guidelines at Nord University emphasize respect for the human dignity and rights of research participants. The welfare and integrity of participants are fundamental and take precedence over the interests of science and society. Research ethics regulations are an essential aspect of conducting academic research at universities. These regulations are in place to ensure that research studies are carried out in an ethical and responsible manner.

The National Research Course Portal provides an overview of PhD courses in the social science subjects offered at Norwegian universities. The website is the result of a national project on the coordination of PhD courses within the Social Sciences, initiated by the National Conference of Faculties of the Social Sciences.

Vitae (Researcher careers) is a global organisation that supports the professional development of researchers. They work with institutions to achieve research excellence, innovation, and impact. Vitae collaborates with researchers, higher education institutions, research organisations, research funders, and other stakeholders to realize the potential of researchers.

Nord Open Research Archive is the university's open digital repository. According to Nord's Open Access (OA) policy , all scientific journal articles should be made available in the repository through self-archiving.

If you have published in a subscription-based journal, archiving the accepted manuscript version (green OA) is a pathway to open publishing (open access) . The full text should be uploaded in the correct version in Cristin; the University Library (UB) checks the rights before making it accessible. Detailed information about article versions and self-archiving can be found on the UB's website.

According to the university's PhD regulations § 17-3 , all PhD theses should also be deposited in the research archive (read more about the publication of PhD theses ).

Cristin (Current Research Information System In Norway) is Norway's research information system. All scientific publications should be registered in Cristin, and other research-related activities (e.g., conference contributions, opinion pieces) can also be registered. In Cristin, you can also upload full-text scientific publications (articles, book chapters, books) and doctoral theses.

The files are then transferred to the university's research archive, Nord Open Research Archive . The University Library checks the publisher's self-archiving guidelines before making the publication available in the archive.

NDS Privacy Services ' main task is to assist institutions in fulfilling legal obligations related to internal control and quality assurance of their own research.

The General Data Protection Regulation requires that all processing of personal data should be documented. NDS offers:

• Preliminary assessment of research projects involving the processing of personal data
• Follow-up during project changes, expansions, and project completion
• Guidance, training, and informational materials for researchers, students, administration, and management
• Access to tools for managing and controlling the institution's processing of personal data, such as the Message Archive, to ensure internal control of research
• Guidance to research subjects regarding their rights
• Public overview of projects processing personal data.

The Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics (REK) are authorized by the Research Ethics Act and the Health Research Act. REK assesses whether research is conducted in a responsible manner. This involves weighing the benefits and risks and assessing whether privacy is safeguarded.

REK must grant prior approval for:

• Medical and health research projects
• General research biobanks
• Waivers of confidentiality for other types of research

If you are unsure whether your project requires prior approval, you can submit a preliminary assessment. This provides REK with a basis for further guidance.

From Idea to Publication. The Research Handbook is a handbook for medical and health research developed by Oslo University Hospital in collaboration with Haukeland University Hospital, but it also provides advice and tips applicable to other disciplines.

Euraxess is an international researcher mobility portal for job and funding searches, career development, international partnerships, and general information about living and working as a researcher abroad.

Research Council of Norway's research programmes provide an overview of programs or activities that focus on targeted research efforts to generate new knowledge and innovation in a specific field. This can include a discipline, theme, and/or industry.

Research schools are networks for doctoral candidates that offer courses, subjects, seminars, and contribute to networking among the candidates. Nord University is a part of several research schools in various fields of study.

NRSH - The Norwegian Research School in History (NRSH)

DIGIT - The Norwegian Research School on Digitalization, Culture, and Society

PROFRES - The Research School for Practice-oriented and Profession-related Research

NORSI - The Norwegian Research School in Innovation

TBLR - The national research school Text, Image, Sound, Space

The Norwegian Graduate School in Mathematics and Science Education

The National Graduate School Photosyntech

MUNI-HEALTH-CARE

At Nord University, the academic and administrative responsibility for the PhD education is delegated to the faculties. Therefore, questions regarding the PhD program should be directed to the faculty that administers the program you are interested in.

The program coordinator, usually a professor, has overall responsibility for the program, while the administrative coordinator provides administrative support.

PhD in Aquatic Biosciences

Academic responsible:  Steinar Daae Johansen   Administrative coordinator:  Jeanett Stegen

Academic responsible:  Johans Tveit Sandvin Administrative coordinator:  Anneli Maria Watterud

Academic responsible:  Elena Dybtsyna

Academic responsible:  Anne Marit Valle Administrative coordinator (FLU):  Geir Øystein Fjeldavli Administrative coordinator (FSH):  Synnøve Dalmo Tollåli

Department of Research and Development

The Department of Research and Development assists the faculties with common administrative tasks.

Administrative contacts:

Sissel Marit Jensen Grete Ingemann Knudsen

If you wish to pursue a PhD at Nord University, you can apply for an advertised position. See available positions below.

The degree Dr. Philos. (doctor philosophiae) is awarded to academics who have qualified themselves for a doctoral degree without formal supervision. The degree has no normalised timeframe and candidates do not have a relationship with the institut​ion prior to having their doctoral examination approved.

Our PhD programmes

Phd handbook.

The handbook provides information about and regulations for the PhD education that are relevant for potential and current PhD candidates, supervisors and others involved in the PhD education at Nord University.

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• Postgraduate studies – PhD
• Our PhD programmes

PhD programmes at USN

PhD is the highest level of formal education in Norway. We have the following doctoral programmes:

• PhD programme in Humanities and Social Sciences

Duration : 3 years

Duration: 3 År

• Study catalogue

Do you hold a master's degree with a good score and wish to embark on a research programme within humanities, social sciences or education, that qualifies you for a future academic career? Do you want to be certified for professions with a high demand for qualifications and skills? The PhD program in the humanities and social sciences offers a research programme that qualifies candidates for work in academia or other areas in which there is a strong demand for scientific insight and analytical thinking. The research programme is offered in a range of subjects and has different areas of specialisation. Areas of specialisation within the humanities: Linguistics, literature and culture, archaeology, history, philosophy, religion, theology, documentation science and art history, and more. Areas of specialisation within the social sciences: Political science, sociology, anthropology, regional planning and cultural understanding, education, tourism, welfare and social work, gender research, indigenous studies, peace studies, and more.

Mayvi B. Johansen

Senior Adviser

• Telephone: +4777623139
• Campus: Tromsø
• [email protected]

The PhD program in the humanities and social sciences is standardised at 180 credits and is divided between the educational component (30 credits) and the dissertation (150 credits) .

The education component of 30 credits will consist of compulsory and optional PhD courses (8000 level) and include these elements:

• Theory of science and research ethics. Total of 10 credits.
• Research dissemination. Total of 3-5 credits.
• Subject-specific theory and method/academic approaches and positions. Total of 15 credits.

The dissertation must be an independent scientific work that meets international standards for ethics, academic level and method within the subject area. Through the dissertation, the student must be involved in developing new academic knowledge, and the dissertation must be at a level that indicates that it can be published as part of the scientific literature on the subject.

The dissertation can be a monograph or a compilation of several smaller works and an introductory chapter, ie a collection of articles.

Upon completion the student will present a trial lecture on a given topic and a public defence of the dissertation.

Completion of the program requires integration and participation in an active research environment, collaboration with other researchers, and connecting with relevant national and international networks.

PhD students are given close supervision and academic guidance, but must assume responsibility for the planning and implementation of their dissertations.

After graduating, the PhD student will receive the following learning outcomes:

The candidates...

• are in the forefront of knowledge within the theory and methods of their field of study and are able to contribute to its development;
• can discuss theoretical issues within their field of study at an advanced level;
• can connect their own projects to broader scientific discussions and consider the use of different methods and approaches in their research.

The candidates can...

• tackle complex scientific challenges by carrying out cutting-edge research projects within their field of study;
• write different types of academic texts within their field of study and reflect on the writing process;
• participate in academic discussions and provide constructive feedback on scientific work.

General competence

• identify, reflect upon and deal with issues connected to research ethics and conduct research with academic integrity;
• disseminate research and development work orally and in writing through scientific channels and channels targeting the general public;
• contribute independently to complex and innovative projects.

A doctorate degree is Norway's highest education and qualifies for research activities of international standard and for other work in society where high standards of scientific insight and analytical thinking are required, in accordance with good scientific practice and research ethical standards. For example, the education provides qualifications for a further career as a researcher at universities, colleges, research foundations or business and other sectors where research and development is conducted and high demands are placed on knowledge and competence. With a doctorate you can also get positions with work / responsibilities in leadership t and management in knowledge companies; undertake investigative tasks in government and municipal administration; drive knowledge dissemination and teaching; participate in product development and international cooperation; and you have attractive skills in an international labor market.

To be admitted to a PhD program at UiT, applicants must have a master's degree with a good result, either an integrated master's degree of 300 credits or a 120-credit master's degree based on a bachelor's degree of 180 credits..

It is required that applicants should have a grade-point average of B (or equivalent) on their Master’s degree in order to be admitted to the PhD programme. The grade-point average also applies to 300 ECTS points integrated five-year Master’s degrees, in which all courses are to be included in the grade-point average.

In cases where the old Norwegian grade system has been used, the admission requirement is a grade-point average of 2,5.

The academic character of the PhD project (methodology, perspectives and theories) determines the project’s disciplinary affiliation. Therefore, the applicant should apply for admission to the department under which the doctoral project belongs academically, regardless of whether the applicant holds a Master’s degree in a discipline at this department. Language requirements: Applicants must document proficiency in English that satisfies the Norwegian Higher Education Entrance Qualification. Funding Requirements : Admission is contingent on the availability of adequate funding, which as a general rule covers personnel and running costs, and overhead for a doctoral fellow position. For part-time students, it is required that a minimum of 50 % of the student’s working time may be spent on the doctoral degree programme.

Candidates who apply for a doctoral fellow position at the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education are simultaneously considered for admission to the doctoral programme.

If the applicant wishes to write a thesis in a language other than those approved in the Faculty's supplementary rules for the PhD Regulations (point 19), an application for this should be submitted together with the application for admission.

Teaching methods for the courses in the training will consist of either lectures, seminars and / or guidance on written or oral presentation.

Lectures are given by academic staff at the departments and centers at the faculty, or by staff at other faculties, and by external lecturers from other institutions. The teaching methods and scope are described in more detail in the individual subject descriptions. Expected workload for the training component should be a total of 30 credits is one semester (estimated at 750 - 900 working hours). For the dissertation, the teaching method consists mainly of supervision with the appointed Principal and Co-supervisor (s). The supervision include the preparation of a plan for the dissertation and the training component (student's individual education plan), academic dialogue, assistance to the student in establishing professional networks, written and oral feedback on the dissertation text, etc. The PhD student can receive a total of 240 hours of supervision during the course of the research training, including the time needed for preparation and after-school work. This equals 40 hours per semester. In the middle of the course, the student's progression will be evaluated. The mid-term evaluation is organized by the institutes / centers and is usually held as a seminar of half a day's duration.

The teaching language of PhD subjects in the traning componet is Norwegian / Nordic and / or English.

The doctoral thesis should be written in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, English or Sami. The examination language for the trial lecture and the dissertation shall be the language of the dissertation or Norwegian unless the Faculty approves otherwise.

The study program makes use of the following internationalization arrangements:

• English-language teaching and curriculum literature
• Organization for participation in international research schools
• Recognition of International Conference Participation with credits in the training componet
• International PhD student environment (ToDoS)
• Foreign grant for stays at foreign university / institution
• International exchange agreements and cooperation agreements

A stay abroad is recommended for the second or third year of the study years and for a duration of 3-10 months. Staying at a foreign learning institution will be relevant to the student's PhD project and as well gives academic benefit in the dissertation. The Faculty annually announces foreign grants that PhD students can apply to cover additional costs with the implementation of a foreign stay. UiT has exchange agreements with several foreign universities for PhD students. These are usually linked to specific subject areas. For further information, contact the international coordinator at the HSL-faculty.

Our doctoral education (PhD)

Your choice of the University of Bergen for your doctoral education has brought you to an international research university. The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences offers doctoral education (PhD) within the following disciplines: biology, chemistry, earth science, physics and technology, informatics, mathematics, molecular biology and geophysics. We also offer doctoral training in collaboration with several partner institutions.

Main content

Research is the foundation on which the University builds all other activities in which it engages. Research contributes to knowledge growth and development and this, in turn, serves as the basis for facing challenges, solving problems, and making the changes needed in our local and global communities. Education must build on the best possible research.

The University of Bergen offers high quality doctoral education in a range of disciplines. As a PhD candidate, you will meet good research environments where you will take your position as a member of a research group with one or more academic advisors. The University hosts excellent research environments in a broad variety of subject areas and there is ample opportunity for inter- and multidisciplinarity.

Please take a look at the links below for more information regarding the doctoral education (PhD). 

We expect our PhD candidates to be engaged with not only local and national, but also international and global challenges. This requires willingness to adopt interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives.

A doctoral degree awarded by the University of Bergen will be a testimony to your success in winning new knowledge, developing new skills, and gaining broad expertise, all of which qualify you for a multifaceted professional career outside the university or for further academic pursuits.

• Podcast:   PhD Rhapsody is and honest podcast about life as a PhD candidate. Together with our guests we discuss various topics related to academia and our scientific journey, and share stories and experiences.

Admission to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

Rules, forms and guidelines

The PhD degree is governed by a number of rules, regulations and guidelines. On this page you will find the PhD regulations at UiB, the programme description and the agreement form for the PhD programme at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

UiB Ferd Career Center for Early Stage Researchers

When you as a PhD candidate need someone to talk to

The years as a PhD candidate are exciting and professionally developing, but can also be a strenuous time with a lot of work pressure and setbacks. The uncertainty and delayed activity during the corona pandemic can lead to more challenges than you normally experience. In such a situation, many...

Supervision

The PhD programme is a supervised programme. This means that the candidate should be present at the university a significant part of the effective period of study, unless special conditions indicate otherwise.

Training component

The training component (course work) is an obligatory part of the doctoral education and must correspond to at least 30 credits (ECTS). The training component must contain academic and methodological training, training in dissemination, philosophy of science and ethics. It is important that the...

The doctoral education has a nominal duration of three years. A continuous progression is important, therefore, to ensure that you finish on time.

Thesis / PhD project

The research work constitutes the largest part of the doctoral training and is stipulated to take two and a half years of the PhD study period. The research work is documented in the form of a written thesis – as a monograph or a collection of articles including a summary article.

Research Schools

Internationalisation

On this page you can find information about funding for doctoral training activities, scholarships and other internationalization activities of the doctoral training at the faculty.

Submission, assessment and public defence

The defence is an academic discussion between the opponents and the doctoral candidate. The defence itself is open to the public.

The dr.philos degree is an independent degree without supervision and organized training. The dr.philos. and PhD degrees are considered equal in status.

Information for PhD candidates

Information regarding the different stages of doctoral education, from starting the ph.d. programme to final submission and public defence.

The PhD committee

Each department is represented in the faculty ph.d. committee, and the committee is lead by the pro-dean (Dean of reserach). In addition there is one student representative and one ph.d representative.

PhD degree - Information for members of the evaluation committee

This page contains important information, rules and regulations for members of an evaluation committee for the PhD degree. Please see under the heading Related Content at the bottom of the page.

PhD coordinators at the departments

Norway's education system

Education system.

Since 2003 Norway has been following the objectives of the Bologna process in the European higher education. The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area | European Education Area (europa.eu)

• A bachelor’s degree is awarded after three years of study and is equivalent to 180 ECTS credits.
• A master’s degree is equivalent to 120 ECTS credits and is obtained after two years of study, following completion of a bachelor’s degree. The exception are professional degrees within certain disciplines, like medicine, law, and psychology - these are usually six-year programmes.  
• Doctoral Degrees (PhD) are awarded after three or four years of study, following completion of a masters or a professional degree.

Read more Facts about the Norwegian Education system from Statistics Norway (external link).

Credit system

Norway uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). This system helps students to move between countries and to have their academic qualifications and study periods abroad recognised. A year of full-time studies at university level is generally worth 60 ECTS credits and defined as equal to 1,500 - 1,800 hours of study work. This means 1 ECTS is equal to between 25 to 30 hours.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) | European Education Area (external link) 

Grading scale

Grades for undergraduate and postgraduate examinations are awarded according to a graded scale from A (highest) to F (lowest), with E as the minimum pass grade. A pass/fail mark is given for some examinations.