Third cycle subject areas

The doctoral programme in ageing and social change aims to deepen the doctoral student’s knowledge in the field. The student is expected to independently plan and carry out a qualified research project, as well as present and disseminate the research results.

Doctoral studies in ageing and social change

The Institute for Analytical Sociology (IAS) is unique in offering the first coherent postgraduate training in Analytical Sociology. The program aims to broaden and deepen the doctoral student's knowledge in the subject of analytical sociology and to make the doctoral student well prepared for independent work in the field.

Doctoral studies in analytical sociology

Business administration is a complex and multifaceted field of research. At LiU, research is conducted in close collaboration with companies and industry in four areas: Accounting, auditing and finance; Marketing and innovation; Management, knowledge and projects; and Entrepreneurial organisation and entrepreneurship.

Doctoral studies in business administration (in Swedish)

Business law regulates economic life with the aim of safeguarding the advantages of a market economy and limiting its harmful effects. At LiU, we educate future legal professionals with a focus on the business sector.

Doctoral studies in business law (in Swedish)

At Child studies, we conduct research about children and childhood from a child perspective. As a doctoral student, you become part of an interdisciplinary and vibrant research environment that will support and challenge you in your thesis work.

Doctoral studies in child studies

The aim of doctoral studies in cognitive science is that the student should acquire deeper knowledge in the field, and to thoroughly prepare the student for independent work in research and development.

Doctoral studies in cognitive science

At the culture and society research environment, a doctoral programme is offered that is either four years (240 credits) or two years (120 credits) in length and leads to a PhD degree or a licentiate degree in culture and society. The programme normally requires full‑time study (at least half‑time) and regular attendance at the department.

Doctoral studies in culture and society

Disability and society is an interdisciplinary field that addresses issues related to disability and impairments from a range of disciplines within the social and behavioral sciences, the humanities, medicine, health care, the natural sciences, and engineering.

Doctoral studies in disability research

Economics is the study of how limited resources are managed. We conduct research on intuition, reflection, and emotion in economic decision‑making. As a doctoral student, you will gain advanced knowledge of economic theory and method, critical awareness, proficiency in research methodology, and experience in conducting independent research.

Doctoral studies in economics (in Swedish)

The research at Environmental change is problem-oriented and strives to be of social relevance. The research environment is interdisciplinary and encompasses both natural and social sciences and the humanities. This also characterizes the PhD program.

Doctoral studies in environmental change

Ethnicity, migration, citizenship, working life and welfare. The study and research of ethnicity and migration is an entirely interdisciplinary field that involves ethnographic, quantitative and text‑interpretive methods, policy analysis, and more.

Doctoral studies in ethnic and migration studies

The doctoral programme in gender studies provides advanced analytical competence in gender studies. Its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary character offers strong opportunities to work with and analyse gender in a wide range of contexts after completing the degree.

Doctoral studies in gender studies

History is a critical cultural and social science distinguished by its particular focus on long‑term perspectives, on the relationship between continuity and change, and on the temporal situatedness of historical processes.

Doctoral studies in history (in Swedish)

Doctoral studies in information systems aims to increase the depth of your knowledge within the field of study and prepare you for independent work in relevant research and advanced development.

Doctoral studies in information systems

The doctoral programme in language and culture is multi- and interdisciplinary. It takes its point of departure from three main perspectives: i) literary studies, ii) linguistics and interaction analysis and iii) cultural analysis.

Doctoral studies in language and culture

The doctoral programme in pedagogy with a focus on work and working life centres on a fundamental aspect of many people’s lives. Research in this field provides opportunities to explore the conditions for learning and development in the workplace.

Doctoral studies in pedagogy with a focus on working life

The Division of Philosophy and Applied Ethics (FTE) is an internationally competitive, interdisciplinary center for cutting-edge research in philosophy with strengths in philosophy of science, phenomenology, normative and applied ethics, metaethics, and political philosophy.

Doctoral studies in philosophy

Political science is the study of the state in a broad sense. It concerns democracy, politics, power, and public administration. At LiU, a substantial amount of research focuses on politics.

Doctoral studies in political science (in Swedish)

Doctoral studies in psychology offers extensive opportunities to study different aspects of human behaviour. Several research groups are active here, focusing on areas such as young children’s memory, internet‑based therapy, decision‑making, and how people behave in groups.

Doctoral studies in psychology

The doctoral programme in social work aims to give students in-depth knowledge of social work and allow them to develop the knowledge and skills needed to carry out independent research, and contribute to advancing knowledge of social work by producing a scientific thesis.

Doctoral studies in social work

The doctoral programme in sociology has a focus on work and working life. As a doctoral student, you therefore have extensive opportunities to delve into a continually relevant field that has a significant impact on people’s everyday lives.

Doctoral studies in sociology with a focus on working life

The doctoral programme in statistics is intended to provide graduate students with a deep, foundational education in statistics, along with further in-depth knowledge in the student’s chosen area of specialisation.

Doctoral studies in statistics

A broad overview of theories and methods is connected to an in‑depth analysis in which they are critically examined. The doctoral programme at Tema T provides the knowledge and skills needed to understand, investigate, and critically assess the development and use of science and technology.

Doctoral studies in technology and social change

In addition to the general learning outcomes for doctoral education in Sweden, the doctoral programme in welfare law focuses on the contents and function of the judicial system in order to construct and maintain welfare institutions that respect fundamental values such as the rule of law, equality, and the integrity of the individual. Welfare law is also known as social law.

Doctoral studies in welfare law

Medical science is a very broad field that encompasses all areas of research within medicine and the health sciences.

General syllabus - medical science

 

Research in applied physics aims to apply the methods, models and approaches of physics in various fields of science, such as surface and molecular physics, biotechnology, lab-on-a-chip, organic electronics, self-organising materials, and polymeric and soft materials.

Doctoral studies in applied physics

Doctoral studies in biology provides knowledge in biology, in particular with regard to environmental surveillance, conservation biology, animal welfare, evolution genetics, and domestication processes.

Doctoral studies in biology

Biomedical engineering sciences is characterised by its interdisciplinary profile, where research and education take place in the scientific field between medicine and technology.

Doctoral studies in biomedical engineering sciences

Chemistry includes four specialisations: physical chemistry, materials chemistry, organic chemistry, and protein science.

Doctoral studies in chemistry

Computer Science is an interdisciplinary subject area, covering everything from basic studies of algorithms, computational processes, and knowledge representation to informatics and computer linguistics.

Doctoral studies in computer science

Design is about future opportunities! Our design research covers many different activities, from scientific studies to experiments, often in innovative combinations guided by the desire for in-depth knowledge about the essence of design and how it may develop in the future.

Doctoral studies in design

Doctoral studies in electrical engineering covers a wide range of methods for analysis, modeling and design within automatic control systems, electronics, eelecommunications and computer vision.

Doctoral studies in electrical engineering

Research in this field focuses on tomorrow’s competitive companies and organisations. We have a broad interest in business and organisational development processes which help create profitable and sustainable organisations.

Doctoral studies in industrial engineering and management

Infra Informatics deals with issues relating to the planning, design, utilisation, management, and analysis of infrastructure and systems for transporting people, goods, and telecommunications.

Doctoral studies in infra informatics

Doctoral studies in materials science, with a particular link to condensed matter physics and nanotechnology, are focused on experimental activities on materials, including computations and modelling of these materials.

Doctoral studies in materials science

Within mathematical sciences we study questions of a mathematical character, either from a purely theoretical perspective or directed towards practical applications. In either case, the mathematical problem and its properties is the main focus. The research is based on mathematical proofs and/or computer-assisted calculations.

Doctoral studies in mathematical sciences

Mechanical Engineering is a discipline of engineering sciences based on classical mechanics. In a broader sense, it covers disciplines from product development and design engineering to construction materials and computational mechanics.

Doctoral studies in mechanical engineering

Sustainable system analysis incorporates the subjects energy systems, and environmental technology and management. We analyse questions from an energy and/or environmental point of view by applying a system perspective on sustainable development.

Doctoral studies in sustainable system analysis

Research within this area has a broad scientific profile, sharing a common core of mathematical modelling, numerical methods and computer simulations.

Doctoral studies in theory and modelling in natural sciences

The subject deals with data collection, processing, synthesis, and communication using vision, hearing, and other senses, as well as the methods and tools used in such activities.

This subject covers data collection and processing, synthesis, and communication by help of sound, vision, and other senses, but also methods and tools useful for these purposes.

Doctoral studies in visualisation technology and methodology

As a scientific field, mathematics education aims to understand and contribute to the further development of mathematics teaching and mathematics learning at all levels of education, as well as to investigate the role of mathematics in people's opportunities to understand and act in an increasingly complex world.

Doctoral studies in mathematics education

The doctoral programme in pedagogic practices focuses on research in and about preschool, school, and teacher education. The dissertation projects are relevant to schools and teacher education, and the doctoral students are given opportunities to teach.

Doctoral studies in pedagogic practices

The research field of pedagogic practices with a subject‑didactic orientation is characterized by its interdisciplinary and practice‑oriented nature.

Doctoral studies in pedagogic practices with a subject-didactic orientation (in Swedish)

Pedagogical research covers many areas, examining individuals and groups of different ages and across different societal contexts.

Doctoral studies in pedagogy

Education for those interested in developing knowledge about adult education, popular education and vocational education within one of Europe’s leading research environments in adult learning.

Doctoral studies in pedagogy with focus on adult learning

The doctoral programme aims to give students in-depth knowledge in the didactics of technology and natural sciences and allow them to develop the knowledge and skills needed to independently carry out research in the field of the didactics of technology and/or natural sciences.

Doctoral studies in science and technology education