Doctoral student in Educational Work with a specialisation in Music Education

Description

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is accepting applications for a doctoral studentship leading to a PhD in Educational Work at the Department of Educational Studies. The doctoral project will specialise in music education. The doctoral student will join the music education research environment at Ingesund School of Music in Arvika and will be part of the Department of Artistic Studies.

The doctoral programme in educational work is one of the university’s largest and includes around 40 doctoral students. Educational work is a cross-disciplinary field of research, dealing with issues related to schools and other educational institutions. The subject covers issues on teaching and learning, subject-specific education and special education. Music education is a broad, international field of research that encompasses areas such as the sociology and philosophy of music education, as well as subject-specific education in music, and may intersect with disciplines such as musicology and the psychology of music.

Duties

The doctoral programme in educational work consists of 240 credits for a Degree of Doctor, and 120 credits for a Degree of Licentiate. As a doctoral student, you will primarily dedicate time to your own studies. You are expected to work independently and be prepared to contribute to the activities and development of the subject 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. Your day-to-day workplace will be based at the Department of Artistic Studies in Arvika, while you will also be part of the doctoral student environment at the Department of Educational Studies in Karlstad.

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, applicants must hold a teaching degree, or in some other way have acquired equivalent knowledge, in the 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). Special weight will be given to a degree in music education or equivalent qualifications, or alternatively, a Master’s degree (60 or 120 credits) in music education. Special weight will also be given to the applicant’s performance in previous studies, the quality of independent projects completed during these studies, the research plan, proficiency in Swedish and English, and whether the applicant intends to be a present and active part of the research environment. The research plan should outline the applicant’s proposed thesis project, which may, for example, focus on music teaching and learning in various formal, informal and non-formal musical contexts, music from the perspective of lifelong learning, the role of music in everyday life and society, or issues related to identity, diversity and gender equality from a music education perspective.

The assessment will also consider the applicant’s ability to approach their work in a structured manner, as well as the ability to work autonomously and show persistence.

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 1 January 2026 or 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. Please note that all qualifications that you wish to refer to must be verified through grades, certificates or equivalent. 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 brief research plan (1,000–2,500 words),
• - any letters of recommendation, and
• - two references, such as a teacher, supervisor, or former or current manager.

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: 26 October 2025

State the reference number: REK 2025/97

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.