Doctoral student in Political Science - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is accepting applications for a doctoral studentship leading to a PhD in Political Science at the Department of Political, Historical, Religious and Cultural Studies. Research in political science primarily revolves around democracy in a broad sense. It specifically addresses issues related to governance of the public sector, spanning from local to international levels, where different types of critical perspectives of power are applied. The subject’s current research themes are artificial intelligence, gender equality, climate and environment, risk management, and regional development. Our research has close ties with the Centre for Societal Risk Research (CSR) and the Centre for Social Science Didactics (CSD). Cross-disciplinary collaboration is part of both education and research.

Duties

As a doctoral student, you will primarily dedicate time to your own studies. The doctoral programme comprises 240 credits for a Degree of Doctor and 120 credits for a Degree of Licentiate. The doctoral appointment is a paid position that offers a combination of studies and work, and a great opportunity for a potential career in academia. Doctoral students are expected to work independently and be prepared to contribute to the activities and development of the discipline and the department. Teaching and administrative duties may also be included upon agreement, but will not constitute more than 20% of full-time. Work as a doctoral student allows for great freedom and flexibility in terms of how you structure your day. It takes commitment, discipline and a structured approach in order to successfully complete a doctoral thesis. Experienced supervisors offer guidance and support along the way. To contribute to a positive work environment and further the department’s activities, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for a doctoral studentship, applicants must meet the general and specific entry requirements (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35). To meet the general entry requirements, applicants 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 awarded in the second-cycle, 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 third-cycle studies in Political Science, the applicant must have completed courses in Political Science totalling at least 120 credits, of which 30 credits are earned at master’s level and include a degree project of at least 15 credits. An applicant can also meet the specific entry requirements by in some other way having acquired the prerequisite knowledge described above, in Sweden or abroad.

Admission and assessment criteria

To be eligible for doctoral studies, the applicant must be considered to have the ability required to benefit from the programme (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35). Admission is based on individual assessment. The assessment will focus on the applicant’s performance in previous studies, the quality of independent projects of research nature completed during these studies (in particular at master’s level), the research plan and whether the applicant intends to be a present and active part of the research environment. The research plan should outline an intended research project and describe the purpose, theory, method and material.

Weight will be given to personal qualities such as being reliable, stable and having self-insight, as well as the ability to:

• take own responsibility
• structure and drive processes forward
• take initiative and start activities and achieve results within set time frames
• stay calm, stable and controlled in stressful situations
• plan, organise and prioritise work in a structured and efficient manner
• set and keep time frames.

Terms

Upon admission to doctoral studies, the person will be offered the appointment of doctoral student (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5, Sect. 3). 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 by agreement.

The salary for the doctoral studentship corresponds to the standard level of salary for doctoral students and progresses in accordance with a local collective agreement.

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, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, 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.

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 or equivalent
• where applicable, copies of publications or certificates for other qualifications
• a research proposal of 1,000-2,500 words and a summary (approx. 300 words)
• any letters of recommendation
• two references, such as a teacher, supervisor, or previous or current superior.

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
HR-administratör
651 88 KARLSTAD

Application deadline: September 9, 2024

State the reference number: REK 2024/60

Applicants with qualifications from abroad

If you have qualifications from a university outside Sweden or if they have not been recognised by a Swedish authority before, it is important that you attach degree certificates and official transcripts to facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications.
Provide a contact for the degree-awarding institution (phone number or email) who can verify your qualifications.

We look forward to your application!

Karlstad University has chosen advertising channels for this recruitment and firmly declines any contact with advertising or recruitment agencies.