Admission requirements for doctoral studies
To be admitted to doctoral studies, you must meet both general and specific entry requirements and possess the ability to successfully complete the programme. General entry requirements are as follows: (a) completed a degree at advanced level, (b) completed courses for at least 240 credits, at least 60 of which must be at advanced level, or (c) acquired in Sweden or abroad essentially corresponding knowledge in some other manner. An exemption from the general entry requirements can be granted in special circumstances.
Specific entry requirements are stated in the general study plan for each doctoral studies programme. The specific entry requirements usually consist of the applicant having knowledge within a certain subject area that is needed to be able to benefit from doctoral education.
In addition to satisfying the general and specific entry requirements, the applicant must have the ability to benefit from the programme.
To be admitted to a doctoral programme, you must also be employed as a doctoral student at LiU. This means that, to be considered for admission to a doctoral programme, you must also apply for employment as a doctoral student. Employments as a doctoral student are advertised continuously throughout the year, which is why you must keep yourself updated on which positions are advertised and when the application period ends.
In some cases, it may be another employer who pays for a doctoral student's doctoral programme, for example a municipality, authority or company. The admission process in these cases is slightly different.
Selection among qualified applicants
After the general and specific requirements have been reviewed and assessed, a small group (for example, the intended main supervisor and at least one other person from the department) reviews the application documents and ranks the applicants. The ranking forms the basis for who, and how many, will be called for an interview. Ultimately, it is the department board at the department where the education is provided that makes the decision on who will be admitted to the doctoral education.
A doctorate or licentiate?
Postgraduate education for a doctoral degree comprises 240 credits. After half of the education period, 120 credits, there is the opportunity to complete a licentiate degree. The licentiate degree can either be the final goal of the education or as a stage towards a doctoral degree. In some cases, it is decided from the beginning that the education will end with a licentiate degree in which case the doctoral student is admitted with the final goal of a licentiate degree. The education then comprises 120 credits.
Application to doctoral studies
An application for admission to doctoral studies is to be submitted to the address given in the announcement of positions as doctoral student. Positions as doctoral student are published on the university website under “Vacancies/PhD students”. For more information, please contact representatives of the doctoral education you are interested in.