Karlstad University / Department of Educational Studies

Sapere Aude—dare to be wise—is our motto. Our students and employees develop knowledge and expertise that enrich both people and the world around them. Our academic environment is characterised by curiosity, courage and perseverance. Gender equality, diversity and a democratic approach form the foundation of our organisation. We are located in an active and scenic region and we promote sustainable development in close collaboration with the wider society.
 
Karlstad University has a total of approximately 1,400 employees and 17,300 students spread across two inspiring campus environments in Karlstad and Arvika.
 
More information at: kau.se/en/work-with-us

Description

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is accepting applications for five doctoral studentships, including two focusing on mental health in pupils, leading to a PhD in Educational Studies at the Department of Educational Studies.

The doctoral studentships are a part of the doctoral programme in gifted education for teacher educators, as financed by the Swedish Research Council between 2021-2026. The doctoral programme on gifted education will develop knowledge on gifted education regarding pupils in Swedish pre-school, primary school and secondary school, a field that is relevant to teacher education as well as research in educational sciences. The doctoral programme will examine an area which has not received enough attention in Swedish teacher education and research, where national initiatives and evaluations indicate a large need for development. The aim of the graduate school is to build capacity in Sweden, in terms of research on inclusive teaching for gifted pupils. Karlstad University (KAU), Mälardalen University (MDH) and Stockholm University (SU) will admit, supervise and educate a total of nine doctoral students who will receive subject specialisation through their research as well as three doctoral courses being developed within the doctoral programme. Advertisements and admissions will be handled separately at KAU, MDH and SU, although there may be some consultation during the admission process.

Otherwise, the doctoral students will follow the programme syllabus for the doctoral programmes at their respective universities. Karlstad University will admit five doctoral students in Educational Work.

More information about the doctoral programme: https://www.kau.se/en/gifteddp

Duties

A doctoral student is mainly expected to engage in doctoral studies. The doctoral programme consists of 240 higher education credits, including the doctoral thesis, and 120 higher education credits for a degree of licentiate. A doctoral student works independently and is prepared to contribute to the discipline’s and Department’s activities as well as conduct teaching and administration. Such duties may not constitute more than 20% of full-time. To contribute to a positive work environment and the department’s activities, the doctoral student will be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

Potential subjects for a doctoral thesis related to educating gifted pupils may include: identification, documentation, differentiation, mental health and life circumstances of children and youth, impact evaluation of measures taken by schools. The research projects must be related to preschool, primary school or secondary school.

Entry requirements/prerequisites

To be eligible for doctoral studies, the applicant must meet the general and specific entry requirements (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35). To meet the general entry requirements, the applicant must have been awarded a second-cycle qualification; satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were at master level; or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 39).

To meet the specific entry requirements for a doctoral student in Educational Work, the applicant must hold a Bachelor of Arts in Education or in some other way have acquired equivalent knowledge, in the country or abroad.

Admission and assessment criteria

Admission is based on individual assessment of the applicant’s qualifications, such as previous study results and the quality of any independent written projects from previous studies that are included in the application. An assessment will also be made of the applicant’s presumed ability to benefit from the doctoral programme. A research plan should therefore be included in the application. The research plan should be approximately five pages and outline the intended doctoral thesis project and its relation to the above-stated specified research focus on gifted education.

The research plan will be evaluated both in terms of academic quality and in terms of relevance for the research domain in question. Special weight for the two doctoral positions with focus on child and adolescent mental health will include a background in psychology, public health science, behavioural science or equivalent.

The doctoral studentship in Educational Work involves active participation in existing research and seminar environments. For this reason, the applicant needs to exhibit the ability to work both independently and in a group. In addition, applicants should be proficient in spoken and written Swedish and English.

Terms

Upon admission to doctoral studies, the person will be offered the appointment of doctoral student (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5, Sect. 3), provided the necessary approval is given. The position comprises four years of full-time studies, or five years at a study rate of 80% with 20% teaching or other departmental duties. The position is fixed-term — one year initially, followed by possible extensions by a maximum of two years at a time. Start date 03 January 2022, or by agreement.

The salary for the doctoral studentship corresponds to the standard level of salary for doctoral students at Karlstad University.

Further information

Karlstad University places great value on the enriching presence of diverse backgrounds and gender balance in the organisation. We welcome applicants with different cultural backgrounds, gender identities, functional abilities, and life experiences.

Application

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi. Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications. Include two references, such as a teacher, supervisor, or previous or current manager.

The application should include:

  • a cover letter where the applicant details the reasons behind their interest in the position,
  • - a list of qualifications (CV),
  • degree certificate with a complete transcript of the courses included, or a certified list of completed courses with grades and dates,
  • copy of Master’s thesis (60 or 120 ECTS credits) or similar,
  • where applicable, copies of publications or certificates for other qualifications.
  • a brief research plan (approximately 1000 words),
  • possibly letters of recommendation.

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content.

Documents that cannot be submitted electronically should be sent to the following address:

Karlstads universitet
Registrator
651 88 KARLSTAD

Application deadline: 24 October 2021

State the ref.no: REK 2021/191.

We look forward to your application!

Type of employment Temporary position
Contract type Full time
First day of employment By agreement
Salary The standard level of salary for doctoral students at Karlstad University
Number of positions 5
Full-time equivalent 100 %
City Karlstad
County Värmlands län
Country Sweden
Reference number REK2021/191
Contact
  • Henrietta Huzell, Prefekt, 054-700 13 42
  • Valerie Margrain, Professor, 054-700 24 44
Union representative
  • Thomas Bragefors, SACO, 054-700 17 14
  • Denita Gustavsson, OFR, 054-700 14 34
  • Tony Ingemarsson, Lärarförbundet, 054-700 14 04
Published 17.Sep.2021
Last application date 24.Oct.2021 11:59 PM CEST

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