The programme takes in the following three perspectives as its point of departure: a culture and media analytical perspective, a literature analytical perspective and a language and interaction analytical perspective.
The doctoral programme in language and culture is multi- and interdisciplinary. It comprises 90 ECTs of courses and a doctoral dissertation of 150 ECTs.
About the programme
The courses make up two blocks
- Compulsory foundation courses amounting to 30 ECTs, which everyone studies
- Elective courses amounting to 60 ECTs, which are different according to the student’s specialisation
There are four foundation courses, each 7.5 ECTs
- The Philosophy of Science: Linguistics and Literature (LiLi), an introduction to methodology and the philosophy of science within language and literary subjects
- Literary Theory
- The Nature of Language
- The Analysis of Culture and Media
The following are an integral part of writing a dissertation
- During the first term, doctoral students present their research project outline at a research seminar.
- In the second term, doctoral students write a research plan and present it at another research seminar.
- At later stages of the dissertation-writing process, doctoral students present their work at a higher seminar and at least one refereed conference.
- Doctoral students defend a preliminary version of their dissertation at a 60% seminar with one external opponent.
- About half a year or more before the final defence, doctoral students defend the penultimate version of their dissertation at a final seminar. This version is discussed by an external opponent and fellow PhD students.
- Finally, doctoral students defend their dissertation at a public defence, where it is reviewed by an external opponent appointed by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and assessed (a pass or fail) by an examination board consisting of (customarily three) external experts in the field.
- The dissertation is printed in the series Studies in Language and Culture and published electronically by Linköping University Electronic Press.
The current general syllabus, the criteria for article-based dissertations and a timetable for doctoral studies are available (in Swedish) under the heading “Allmän studieplan” (general syllabus) in the Swedish version of this webpage.
