About doctoral studies

Salary Progression

Your salary is set in accordance with the Faculty of Social Sciences’ regulations on doctoral student salaries.

Doctoral student salaries follow a separate salary scale, known in Swedish as doktorandstegen. Your salary increases when you have completed 50 per cent and 80 per cent of your doctoral studies, as documented in your individual study plan. The salary increases are based on the doctoral student salary scale that applies at the University of Gothenburg.

Teaching Duties

Teaching on the department’s bachelor’s and master’s programmes in social work may also form part of your duties.

Swedish is the official working language 

It’s important to note that the official language at the department of social work is Swedish. And as such the vast majority of doctoral courses, work meetings, lectures and seminars are held entirely in Swedish.

Applying for a Doctoral Position

Doctoral students in social work are normally admitted every two years. Vacant doctoral positions are advertised on the University of Gothenburg’s vacancies page. 

Applications submitted by email are not accepted.

University’s portal for vacant positions

In some cases, doctoral positions may also be advertised in collaboration with a specific research project or an employer in the field of social work.

Selection Process

1. A selection committee assesses the applicants’ qualifications and submitted work. Applicants are selected based on their ability to successfully complete the doctoral programme.
2. The committee ranks the applicants and interviews the most suitable candidates.
3. Its recommendation is then discussed with the supervisors’ committee, which consists of teachers and supervisors involved in the doctoral programme.

Admission Decision

The Head of Department makes the final decision on admission.

Admission decisions cannot be appealed.

The Department has a doctoral students’ council that represents doctoral students and addresses matters concerning their studies and working environment.

You may also participate in forums and working groups that contribute to the development of the Department.

In consultation with your supervisors, you decide whether to write a monograph or a compilation thesis. 

• A monograph is a single, coherent scholarly work.
• A compilation thesis consists of several scholarly articles accompanied by a summarising introductory chapter.

In addition to working on your thesis, you take courses together with other doctoral students. The Department does not currently offer doctoral courses in English. However, English-speaking doctoral students may take suitable courses offered by other departments, universities in Sweden or universities abroad.

Seminars are a central part of doctoral studies and give you opportunities to broaden your knowledge, discuss research and receive feedback on your work.

Your thesis project is discussed at three seminars during your doctoral studies. These seminars provide feedback and support from researchers and colleagues at the Department at different stages of the thesis process.

You can also participate in the Department’s research networks and attend national and international conferences.