The PhD Programme in political science

The dissertation comprises 180 hec, and course work comprises 60 hec. Doctoral students (Ph.D.) that are admitted to the programme are employed at the Department. The Ph.D. Programme is governed by the Higher Education Ordinance, The University’s and the Faculty’s rules and regulations for third-cycle studies, and the General Syllabus.

Doctoral position

Our Ph.D. students are generally employed for four years. Up to 20 percent of doctoral employment can consist of departmental duties, and the employment is extended with the corresponding amount of time. This means that the total time of employment can be a maximum of five years. Periods of sick leave, parental leave, leave of absence and certain representative duties are exempt from the five-year maximum.

Salary

The doctoral salaries are fixed by local agreements at the University of Gothenburg and negotiated with union representatives.

For 2022/23, the starting salary is 28 050 SEK. The doctoral salary increases once the Ph.D. student completes 50, 80, and 100 percent of the Ph.D. programme. The maximum salary (after Ph.D. defense) is currently 34 500 SEK.

Ph.D. students at the University of Gothenburg are state employees and are thus entitled to several benefits and insurances.
Read more about benefits and insurances at the University of Gothenburg.

Supervision

Each Ph.D. student is assigned a main supervisor and an assistant supervisor. Supervisors are appointed in consultation between the Ph.D. student and the Director of Doctoral Studies. Prospective Ph.D. students do not need to contact potential supervisors before applying to the programme.

The dissertation

The dissertation can be written in the form of a compilation, which means several articles and/or papers preceded by an introductory chapter (“kappa”), or as a monograph (i.e. a cohesive book).

Ph.D. students are expected to present their work on several occasions during the Ph.D. Programme:

At the end of the first year of the programme, the Department organizes a prospectus presentation seminar, at which the first-year Ph.D. students present the first draft of their dissertation to the entire Department, and receive questions and feedback from discussants.

When a Ph.D. student has completed around 50 percent of the programme, they present a paper or chapter or their dissertation at one of the Department’s seminar series.

When a Ph.D. student has completed around 80 percent of the programme, they present two chapters (for monographs), or one paper and the introductory chapter (for compilations) of their dissertation at the Department’s General Research Seminar.
Finally, Ph.D. students defend their dissertation at a public Ph.D. defense, where the dissertation is discussed with an opponent, and a grading committee decides whether it will receive a ”pass”.

International networks and contacts

The Ph.D. Programme offers great opportunities for establishing international contacts. For example, doctoral students can participate in research conferences and might also participate in research work at universities abroad.

Future careers

A doctorate in political science can lead to a research career within or outside academia, teaching at different levels within universities, or a career such as a social analyst in the public sector or in politics.