University of Gothenburg Doctoral Studentships in Political Science 2020 for International PhD Students

The Department of Political Science is currently looking for qualified and motivated individuals for up to four doctoral studentship positions (PhD students) in Political Science.

Application Deadline: 4th February 2020

Eligible Countries:

To be Taken at (Country):

About the Award: A doctoral (PhD) student is expected to conduct research and to contribute to the development of knowledge within the discipline. Expectations towards a doctoral student include the capacity to develop independent ideas and communicate research results in oral and written form.

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The aim of the doctoral (PhD) studentship is for the doctoral (PhD) student to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to conduct research autonomously within Political Science and to contribute to the development of knowledge within the discipline through the production of a scholarly thesis. Another aim is for the doctoral (PhD) student to develop an ability to later apply the acquired knowledge and skills within post-degree research or other qualified professional work.

The position is limited to four years in duration and is carried out on a full-time basis unless there are acceptable reasons to the contrary (minimum 50%). The position may include departmental duties, such as teaching, corresponding to up to 20% of a full-time post over the course of study. If such tasks are carried out, the duration of the appointment will be extended accordingly.

Field(s) of Study:

Type:

Eligibility:

To be eligible for the position, the applicant must meet both general and specific entry requirements.

An applicant meets the general entry requirements for third-cycle (PhD) studies if he/she has obtained (Higher Education Ordinance Ch.7, Sec.39):

1. a degree at the second-cycle level (MA level, or equivalent),
2. at least 240 higher education (university) credits, of which at least 60 must be at the second-cycle level, or
3. largely equivalent knowledge acquired in other ways in Sweden or abroad.

In Sweden, 240 university credits equal four years of successfully completed full-time studies.

According to the Higher Education Ordinance Ch.7, Sec.40, an applicant meets the specific entry requirements for third-cycle (PhD) studies if he/she has obtained at least 60 higher education credits (one year of full-time studies) in Political Science or has equivalent qualifications.

Applicants who have acquired largely equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad will also be considered to meet the specific entry requirements.

Finally, although not a formal requirement, we encourage successful applicants to acquire sufficient competency in the Swedish language to be able to actively participate in seminars and other activities at the Department, within a two-year period.

Selection Criteria:

According to the Higher Education Ordinance Ch.7, applicants will be assessed based on their estimated ability to benefit from the study programmes and on the Department’s supervisory resources. We will base this assessment primarily on the following:

1. Relevant work, which will be assessed in terms of ability to formulate, delimit and analyse research tasks and present research results.
2. A draft of the intended research project stating the applicant’s research interest(s) and planned focus area of his/her doctoral thesis. In addition, the project draft must demonstrate familiarity with previous and current research as well as an ability to formulate scientific problems. Maximum 2500 words (approx. 6 pages).
3. Academic transcripts.
4. Previous merits.
5. The selection process may include interviews
6. Applicants may be asked to provide letters of recommendation

Admission to doctoral (PhD) studies may also be granted within a framework where the University of Gothenburg does not serve as employer (external position, so-called samverkansdoktorand). The assessment process for these applicants is the same as for other applicants. A special agreement will be developed in these cases.

The Head of Department is in charge of all admission decisions at doctoral level (PhD). The final admission decision will be announced during April. Decisions cannot be appealed.

Number of Awards: 3-4

Value of Award: Salaries for doctoral students are regulated in a local agreement at the University.

Duration of Award: 4 years

How to Apply: Please register your application electronically under ‘Apply online’. In order for the application to be considered complete it must include:

• 1) An introductory letter of 1000 words maximum (approx. 2 pages), preferably shorter. The letter should consist of four paragraphs in the following order: a) a short presentation of yourself. b) a short presentation of your merits, c) a short presentation of the intended research project and d) a short account for why the Department of Political Science and/or the doctoral studies programme is of interest to you.
• 2) CV including a list of publications (if applicable).
• 3) One writing sample. Normally, this would be a master’s thesis, but it could also be a revised version of the thesis, or another paper, article or book chapter for example, or equivalent work. The texts must be submitted in Swedish or English. Any translated versions must be accompanied by the original text and translated in their entirety.
• 4) A description of the intended research project indicating the applicant’s research interests and planned focus area of his/her thesis and research. The project description must demonstrate familiarity with previous and current research as well as an ability to formulate scientific problems. 2500 words maximum (approx. 6 pages) including abstract, excluding bibliography. Further directions for the description can be found on our website.
• 5) Verified copies of academic transcripts and evidence of other relevant qualifications, if applicable. Please note that you need to submit detailed academic transcripts that specify your finished courses, credits and degrees. If English is not the original language, you need to submit both the original and an English translation. For degree transcripts from universities within the EU, please provide a diploma supplement.
• 6) Applicants may be asked to provide recommendation letters later on in the process. If so, we will contact you during week 12-13 and ask you to provide two recommendation letters. Please get in touch with two persons who may write a recommendation letter for you and ask them to prepare for submitting the letters following the instructions on our website during the above-mentioned weeks. Please do not submit any recommendation letters before we contact you and explicitly ask you to.

It is for the applicant to make sure that the application is complete. No changes/additions are allowed after the last date of application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

All electronic documents must be submitted in PDF format. 

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