phd political science stockholm university

PhD Programme in Political Science

The PhD programme in political science focuses on developing research skills, with coursework and work on a doctoral thesis at its core.

The programme spans four years, including a mandatory year of coursework and development of a research plan. PhD candidates at Uppsala University are university employees and often contribute to teaching or administration, which can extend the program to a total of five years. A PhD in political science from Uppsala holds significance for advanced academic research, teaching roles, and professional opportunities beyond academia.

Are you interested in applying for the PhD programme in political science?

Admission: when and how.

New doctoral students are admitted as the result of a process that starts with a call, i.e. new positions are advertised. A call is made regularly, approximately once a year. Normally, positions are advertised in December or January, with deadline for applications in February. The number of positions advertised depends upon available funding. Candidates are evaluated and ranked (top candidates) by a committee. To come in question a candidate must be shortlisted by this committee. The formal decision to admit someone is taken by the Head of Department.

The department sometimes engages in PhD programme collaboration with other departments or universities. On these occasions, the procedures for admissions can be somewhat different.

External funding can be used to finance shortlisted candidates, but must be approved by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Uppsala University.

Who is eligible?

Eligibility is defined in terms of academic degrees and scores (i.e. the number of scores on specific levels and in specific disciplines) There are two types of eligibility requirements that applicants need to meet, general and special eligibility.

General eligibility is possessed by anyone who has obtained a degree at advanced level, fulfilled course requirements for at least 240 ECTS points, of which at least 60 ECTS points at advanced level, or otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad.

For special eligibility for admission to graduate studies in political science the applicant is required to have satisfactory results on courses carrying 90 ECTS points in political science. Special eligibility is also possessed by anyone who has otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad. More details on required qualifications can be found in the general curriculum.

We require very good oral and written proficiency in English. Applicants who have not attended a master's programme where the language of instruction has been Swedish or English have to verify English language proficiency by submitting a certificate of results from internationally recognized language tests, such as TOEFL or IELTS.

The Application – what documents are to be submitted?

The application must contain the following:.

• Curriculum Vitae.
• A brief cover letter (max 500 words) indicating your motives for applying.
• A research text, preferably an MA-thesis, authored by the applicant. The writing sample can be in English or Swedish. If the text is co-authored, it must be accompanied by a co-author statement and complemented by a single-authored secondary research sample.
• A self-reflection statement where the strengths and weaknesses of the research sample is discussed (max. 1000 words).
• Transcripts of academic records to demonstrate qualification for admission.
• Contact information for two academic references (address, email address, and telephone number). No recommendation letter should be included.

The application may need to contain the following:

• A secondary research text authored by the applicant. It is mandatory to submit a secondary research text when the applicant’s primary research text is co-authored. In other cases, a secondary research sample is voluntary. The secondary writing sample can be in English or Swedish. If the text is co-authored, it must be accompanied by a co-author statement.
• A co-author statement that should describe the independent research contributions of the applicant and each co-author. The statement should be signed by the co-author(s).
• Certificate of English language written and oral proficiency from internationally recognized test such as TOEFL or IELTS. Applicants that have attended an MA-program where the language of instruction has been English or Swedish do not need to submit test scores.

Please note that the list of required documents may be updated at the time of a new call for applications. Note also that our application is digital, i.e. the documents you are submitting are uploaded in the application tool Varbi.

Basis of evaluation

Applicants who meet the minimal requirements for admission are evaluated based on their expected ability to profit from advanced graduate training and to produce, with proper training, independent high-quality academic research. Consequently, the evaluation is primarily based on submitted examples of the applicant’s prior research production.

The examples of own research submitted are evaluated with the purpose of obtaining an informed judgment about the applicant’s research talents. Hence, the submitted work should preferably demonstrate those talents in as clear a manner as possible rather than have the form of literature reviews. Ideally, the work should be of such a quality that it (with minor revisions) would be publishable as research articles in scholarly journals (if not already published). The evaluation is based on an independent reading by members of the admission committee, where previous grades or other evaluations are left without consideration.

Besides the evaluation of prior research production, the applicant’s performance in prior course work is taken into consideration. Applicants should therefore include clear records of what they have accomplished in this regard, the grades obtained, and (for courses taken outside the Swedish university system) a certified explanation of the grading system used.

The admission committee presents its evaluations on a senior faculty meeting. The final decision is taken by the Head of Department (Prefekten) based on the advice of the senior faculty meeting. Applicants admitted to the programme are contacted as soon as possible, and the decision is communicated to all applicants.

The Head of Department may decide to admit more doctoral students than advertised. This requires that financing for the whole programme is assured and that the student has been top ranked among applicants by the faculty meeting. External funding has to be approved by the university.

Outline of the PhD Programme in Political Science

Doctoral studies in political science are conducted within a four year programme comprising 240 ECTS credits and concluded with a doctoral degree. The programme includes 60 ECTS credits in courses that are mandatory for all students and are normally taken the first year. The PhD thesis corresponds to 180 ECTS credits. A maximum of 20 % of the position as PhD student may involve administrative and/or educational responsibilities at the department (not included in the PhD programme). This means that most students take five years from admission to examination.

The research project for the thesis does not have to be formulated from the start. The research plan is developed as part of the first year of the programme. This is done within an introductory group headed by two department faculty and involving all new PhD students. The research plan is normally presented at the research seminar one year after admission. Activities in the introductory group are coordinated with the first year courses and will also introduce the student to research, administration and social activities at the department.

Financial support and salary

PhD candidates at Uppsala University are university employees. Once you are admitted, you will not have to pay any tuition fees, but you will receive a salary, social security and an office space.

Supervision

Each PhD student has two supervisors. The faculty responsible for the introductory group function as supervisors until the research plan has been presented. Hence, students are normally assigned permanent supervisors only at the beginning of year two. This also means that potential supervisors should not be contacted before applying. Admitting PhD students to the department is a faculty responsibility, and no single supervisor can admit students to the program (cf. the procedure described under Application).

The first year includes four mandatory courses:

Central Analytical Perspectives (15 credits)

This course introduces PhD students to core analytical perspectives in political science research. The four analytical perspectives that will be addressed in the course are the political-theoretical perspective, the rationalist perspective, the constructivist perspective, and the institutional perspective.

Methods (15 credits)

This course provides PhD students with a good understanding of relevant problems in the theory of social sciences as well as with knowledge about quantitative methods, comparative methods and case studies, and discourse analyses. It is organized together with the PhD program in political science at Stockholm University.

Foundations, Achievements, Conclusions (7,5 credits)

In this course you will read and discuss work that constitute foundations of/for political science as well as work that has generated major achievements. The aim is to provide an intellectual history of foundations and achievements and to reflect together.

Reviewing Prior Research (15 credits)

The objective of this course is to familiarize students with the concept of literature review, practice finding and critically reviewing literature and, as a final step, write a literature review related to their own planned dissertation topic.

Applied Methods (7,5 credits)

In this course, students work with a selected method that they consider using in their dissertation work. A methods paper is written and presented at a conference where PhD students from other political science departments in Sweden participate.

The PhD thesis

The PhD thesis may be a book (monograph) of 150-300 pages, or a collection of three or more journal articles with an introduction. The PhD student should plan the three years of work on the thesis together with his/her supervisors. Often, working on the thesis includes several field trips or other studies abroad. Students can keep their salary during such research trips, but usually they have to finance other costs with external scholarships. Drafts of the thesis are presented to the faculty research seminars at least twice. An internal committee of professors from the department decides when the manuscript is ready for public defense.

Examination: the Public Defence

The programme ends with a public defence of the PhD thesis. An external commentator (“opponent”) is invited to discuss the thesis and point out its strengths and weaknesses. After approximately two hours of discussion between the author and the commentator, the chair of the public defense opens up the floor for questions from the audience. When the discussion is over, a committee of three professors, two external and one from the department, decide if the thesis passes or not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to submit a research plan in my application?

A: No, you do not need to submit a research plan!

Q: Are you sure?!

A: Yes, our PhD students write and present their research plans during the first year of the programme.

Q: Do I need to establish contact with a supervisor before applying?

A: No, our PhD students work with temporary supervisor during year one. Once the PhD students have presented their research plans, the department will assign permanent supervisors.

Q: Am I eligible ?

A: We do not evaluate merits beforehand. Requirements are described under "The Application – what documents are to be submitted?" above. Please note that the wording “otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad” allows for some flexibility. Subjects closely related to what we traditionally refer to as political science may be of relevance. If you find yourself in that category, please argue your case in the application, providing information of your merits as well as stating the reason they should be regarded as equivalent!

Q: How do I finance my PhD?

A: PhD students are employed fulltime with a fixed monthly salary.

See current doctoral student ladder here

Q: I have a scholarship /I have my own funding , can I be accepted as a PhD student without having to go through the usual admission process?

A: No, all PhD students need to apply in one of our formal calls and be short-listed in order to be admitted. There are no other ways to be admitted. Please also note that all external funding must be accepted by the faculty of Social Sciences.

Visiting PhD Students

The Department of Government welcomes visiting PhD students from all over the world. Visitors have the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of activities, e.g. lectures, seminars and graduate courses at the department. Due to availability, we can also offer work space at the department, and IT facilities.

The department does not provide financial payments to visitors. Hence, visiting PhD students should normally apply for research funding schemes through their home department.

How to apply for as visiting PhD student status at the Department of Government, Uppsala University:

1. Before submitting the formal application, it is essential for the visiting PhD student to have identified and corresponded with a full member of the department that is willing to act as an academic mentor during the stay. The department mentor must be an established member of the academic staff in a relevant field. The mentor will usually not provide formal academic supervision. The Director of Graduate Studies can help prospective visitors to establish an initial contact.

2. The formal application should enclose the following documents:

• Documentation of enrolment in a PhD programme
• Specification of the topic of your PhD project (max. 1 page)
• A letter motivating the choice of Department of Government, Uppsala University as a suitable place to carry out your research, and an outline of the work which you propose to undertake while based at Uppsala. Specify the time period you wish to stay at the department (max. 2 pages)
• Supervisor reference(s) from your home department (must state that the stay is recognised as an integral part of your PhD project)
• Short CV (max 2 pages).

3. Send your application to the Director of Graduate Studies.

4. Based on the application and available resources during the period you wish to visit the department, the Director of Graduate Studies and the Head of Department will take a decision and communicate it to the applicant.

Development Research School

International cooperation between Uppsala universitet, Lunds universitet, Göteborgs universitet och University of Ghana.

Read more about Development Research School

Public Defences

at the Department of Government

Doctoral Theses

Elin Bjarnegård, Director of PhD Studies [email protected] Telefon: 018-471 1691

Katrin Uba, Deputy Director of PhD Studies [email protected] Telefon: 018-471 33 02

Application for the PhD programme

Application period is closed.

General Curriculum for the PhD Programme in Political Science

Related pages

• Publish your thesis
• Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony
• The Doctoral Board of Uppsala University External link, opens in new window.
• Policies and regulations at Uppsala University External link, opens in new window.
• Scholarships for current students Opens in new window.

The Voice of Political Science around the World

Ph.D. Student Position in Political Science with orientation towards Climate Change and International Cooperation

Stockholm University

Deadline: Mon, 16 Nov 2020

Contact: [email protected]

The Department of Political Science is a dynamic and strong education- and research department at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Stockholm University. The Department aims to be nationally leading and internationally prominent within its field of research and education.

The Department announces one vacant position in the doctoral program with an orientation towards Climate Change and International Cooperation. The PhD position is fully funded for 4 years and is co-funded by the research program Mistra Geopolitics, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and the Department of Political Science, Stockholm University. The position is placed at the Department of Political Science. The planned entry date is 1 February 2021.

Project description The PhD position will be part of a research project “Anticipating the future: humanitarian aid in a changing climate”. The PhD thesis project is designed individually but it is expected to align with the project’s main aim to analyze how supranational and non-state actor in the field of humanitarian aid relate to as well as incorporate current and anticipated climate-related security risks.

We are particularly interested in candidates with demonstrated skills in comparative and qualitative methods. The candidate must have demonstrated excellent skills in academic written English. Particular weight in the assessment will be placed on previous experience working with climate and environmental challenges in relation to security.

The project is part of the research program Mistra Geopolitics which is a consortium between six universities and research institutes in Sweden. The program aims to deepens the analysis of geopolitical challenges and opportunities in relation to global environmental change, sustainable social change and transformative technologies (for more information, please see: mistra-geopolitics.se ). Researchers within the program actively participate in public debates, and accepted PhD students are expected to the interested in research communication and collaboration with society.

The Ph.D. student will be part of the Mistra Geopolitics Research School which is hosted by the Department of Political Science (for more information, please see: www.statsvet.su.se/forskning/politik-och-lärande-om-miljö/projekt/mistra-geopolitics-research-school ).

Qualification requirements In order to meet the general entry requirements, the applicant must have completed a second-cycle degree, completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

In order to meet the specific entry requirements, the general syllabus for doctoral studies in Political Science at Stockholm University, the applicant must have:

• completed higher education equivalent to 150 Swedish university credits, including studies at the advanced level (master’s level) of at least 60 Swedish university credits in the politicalscience subject, or the equivalent education,
• a completed written academic, independent work with a least the grade ’pass’, equivalent to at least 15 Swedish university credits in the political science subject, or an equivalent subject
• completed additional 90 Swedish university credits, or the equivalent, of higher education in subjects relevant to the graduate programme, and
• proficiency in English corresponding to at least 550 credits on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Understanding Swedish is not a requirement at the time of admission. The applicant should, however, be prepared within a couple of years to carry out teaching and administrative tasks that require knowledge and usage of the Swedish language.

The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

Selection The selection is based on the applicant’s ability to successfully pursue the research education. Selection criteria and admission regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University are available at: www.su.se/english/education#Admissions and are specified further in the General Syllabus for PhD studies in Political Science, available at the department’s website ( www.statsvet.su.se/english/ ).

Terms of study funding During the first 6 to 12 months, the admitted PhD student will normally be funded by a tax-free scholarship. After that period of time, we provide taxable scholarships.

Only a person who will be or has already been admitted to a third-cycle programme may be appointed to a doctoral studentship.

The term of the initial contract may not exceed one year. The employment may be extended for a maximum of two years at a time. However, the total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study.

Doctoral students should primarily devote themselves to their own education, but may engage in teaching, research, and administration corresponding to a maximum of 20 % of a full-time position.

Please note that admission decisions cannot be appealed.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact For more information, please contact Application administrator Christian Antoni Möllerop, telephone: +46 8 16 30 94, [email protected] , or Associate Professor Niklas Bremberg (project leader), [email protected] .

Union representatives Ingrid Lander (Saco-S), telephone: +46 708 16 26 64, [email protected] , Alejandra Pizarro Carrasco (Fackförbundet ST/Lärarförbundet), telephone: +46 8 16 34 89, [email protected] , [email protected] (SEKO), and PhD student representative, [email protected] .

Application Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Please include the following information with your application

• Your contact details and personal data
• Your highest degree
• Your language skills
• Contact details for 2 references

and, in addition, please include the following documents

• Cover letter – describe briefly who you are and why you are motivated to become a PhD candidate in political science
• CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of degree projects/theses
• Research proposal (no more than 3 pages) describing:

– which research task you want to pursue within the position

– why and how you wish to address this research task

– what makes you suitable for the project in question

• Degree certificates and grades confirming that you meet the general and specific entry requirements (no more than 6 files)
• Certificate in English corresponding to at least 550 credits on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This criterion does not apply for students who have completed their education at a Swedish university, where English proficiency is a general eligibility requirement
• Degree projects/theses (no more than 3 files).

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.

You are welcome to apply!

Stockholm University contributes to the development of sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment and the pursuit of truth.

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