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Doctoral studies
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The purpose of research training
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The highest academic degree
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What qualifications do you need for admission?
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Funding and finance
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How long does it take?
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The most common subjects
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A Mirror for Doctoral Students
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Where can you undertake doctoral studies?
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Graduate schools
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Studying for a PhD at a higher education institution that is not entitled to award third-cycle degrees
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Mobility in Sweden and abroad
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Who chooses to study for a PhD?
The purpose of research training
The general goal of research is to gain knowledge so we may better understand the world we live in and if possible change it for the better.
The following inspirational summary of the general goals of research is given in the report God sed i forskningen, SOU 1999:4, [Good practice in research].
Doctoral studies are one element in the development of knowledge and may perhaps be summarized in the words 'new knowledge' and 'disciplinary and academic training'. Their aim is to produce capable new researchers, whether they will be working in the higher education system or outside it.
The purpose is to train doctoral students in the disciplinary and academic tradition, but above all to develop independent and critically minded researchers.
Doctoral students must learn research methodology, critical analysis and independence in their studies. Research training must therefore
- stimulate them to adopt a disciplinary approach, which includes the ability to formulate questions
- to give structure to a scientific argument
- to find adequate methods and theories for tackling problems and
- to be able to reflect critically on the subject of their dissertation.
Doctoral studies are one aspect of the production of knowledge and may perhaps be summed up with the words new knowledge and disciplinary training. They are intended to produce new, sound researchers — irrespective of whether their careers will be in higher education or elsewhere.
Third stream mission
Doctoral students must also be able to explain and discuss their research with people who do not have specialist knowledge in their fields. In addition to their teaching and research, the higher education institutions also have the important task of cooperating with their surrounding communities and spreading information about what they do, their third-stream mission. This cooperation is important and enhances the exchange of ideas and knowledge between higher education and the world around it.
The highest academic degree
Doctoral programmes conclude with the award of a licentiate degree or a PhD.
A PhD is the most advanced academic qualification awarded in Sweden. It marks the culmination of a programme of doctoral studies that comprise 240 credits, a total of four years of full-time study, in which the doctoral thesis is to account for at least 120 credits.
A licentiate degree corresponds to two years of full-time study and at least 60 credits have to be awarded for a licentiate thesis. It is possible to enrol third-cycle students who intend only to take a licentiate degree.
In recent years about 2,900 PhD's and about 800 licentiate degrees have been awarded each year.
What qualifications do you need for admission?
If you want to be admitted to doctoral studies you need to have completed courses for at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 must be for second-cycle courses and study programmes, or possess a second-cycle degree, a corresponding degree from outside Sweden or the corresponding qualifications.
From 1 July 2007 a new structure has been introduced for higher education and the qualifications awarded in which there are three levels:
- first cycle
- second cycle
- third cycle
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Funding and finance
Different financial conditions
Conditions vary a great deal for doctoral students depending on which faculty they belong to — but there can also be major variations within faculties, or even within the same department.
The most common and secure way of funding postgraduate study is through appointment to a doctoral studentship. Approximately half of all doctoral students have posts of this kind. About 10 per cent have doctoral grants and the rest some other form of funding through their institution of higher education or external funding.
The natural sciences and mathematics
Technology, natural sciences and mathematics subjects are often able to offer doctoral studentships — is easier for them to find external funding for their third-cycle students, and if departments are actually having to compete with other employers for the students, they have to offer conditions that are sufficiently attractive to encourage applications. Medicine, however, is the field with the smallest proportion of doctoral studentships.
The humanities and social sciences
In the humanities and the social sciences **, on the other hand it is becoming more common for doctoral students to receive study grants for the first two years and to be appointed to doctoral studentships for their final two years. This is because doctoral grants cost the departments concerned less than posts so that the financial support available enables more third-cycle students to be enrolled if the first two years are grant funded.
** There are four major disciplinary areas in higher education: the humanities and social sciences (consisting of the humanities, the social sciences, law and theology); medicine (medicine, pharmaceutics, and odontology); the natural sciences; and technology. (The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences is not included in these categories.)
Competition with the labour market
The practical and financial differences may vary a great deal within a single department. Salaries are often higher in medicine and technology than for the natural sciences. In both cases it is a matter of competition with the labour market; graduate engineers and doctors are in greater demand and higher salaries are required to attract them to postgraduate training.
In the engineering sciences about one in ten of newly admitted third-cycle students have industrial studentships, which often means that they are well paid. In other disciplines no more than one per cent are employed by a commercial company.
The finance available for participation in conferences and attendance at external courses etc. also varies in different faculties and departments.
'Shadow doctoral students' more frequent in technology and medicine
At first glance it seems that the toughest conditions, particularly in financial terms, apply in the humanities and social sciences. But there are reports that 'shadow doctoral students' can be found in technology and medical faculties. Read more about 'shadow doctoral students' in the section on Enrolment, under the heading 'Shadow doctoral students'.
Lack of social security arrangements
These are students who have finished their undergraduate programmes and are taken on to do research at a department while waiting and hoping to be admitted as doctoral students. There are unfortunately departments that force students to commit themselves in this way even though there is no intermediary level between second and third-cycle studies. These 'shadow' students have not been admitted to a doctoral programme, and are therefore not covered by any agreements, insurance schemes or legal safeguards. They often finance their studies with stipends and thus lack social security agreements. There is also no guarantee at all that a shadow doctoral student will eventually be admitted to a third-cycle programme.
Departmental duties
Third-cycle students appointed on doctoral studentships or receiving doctoral grants are often given departmental duties (no more than 20 per cent of a full-time post) such as teaching or administrative tasks. For those employed on doctoral studentships these duties may form part of their work while students receiving a doctoral grants may also be given part-time employment as teaching or administrative assistants to top up their income (the period allowed for completion of the doctoral programme is then correspondingly extended). Not all doctoral students are assigned departmental duties — but the experience and teaching qualifications these duties can offer are valuable.
Third-cycle students appointed on doctoral studentships or receiving doctoral grants are often given departmental duties (no more than 20 per cent of a full-time post).
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How long does it take?
The actual period of study stipulated for third-cycle programmes (the time devoted to third-cycle study) is four years for a PhD and two years for a licentiate degree. The average length of time spent on these studies is, however, just under 4½ years for a PhD and just over 2½ years for a licentiate degree.
The total period of study is, however, longer. The total period of study is the total amount of time spent on third-cycle studies irrespective of the degree of activity. Those awarded PhD's have spent an average of 12 semesters on their studies, which corresponds to 6 years. The time taken for a licentiate degree is 3½ years.
The reason why the total period of study is so long is that doctoral students do not spend all their time on their studies. For instance they frequently spend 20 per cent of their time on their departmental duties. And time out from study because of parental leave, illness or for other reasons can also prolong the total period of study.
The total period of study has declined since the 1998 reform of doctoral studies which was intended to make programmes more efficient.
How old are your when you graduate?
Even if your studies are successful third-cycle programmes take time. This is why the age of graduation from these programmes is fairly high. The median age of those awarded PhD's is between 33 and 35. The median age for admission is just under 29. Doctoral students in the natural sciences and technology often begin their studies relatively early and their median age on graduation is about 32, while in the humanities and social sciences they are about 38.
The most common subjects
The two major disciplines of medicine and technology account for just over half of all the PhD's awarded. These two subject together with the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities these subjects account for 90 per cent of all the degrees awarded.
The lowest rate of transfer to third-cycle studies can be found in those qualifying as teachers, in the health sciences and in the fine, applied and performing arts. Variations in the rate of transfer are due to the differences in the characteristics of different degrees. Some programmes primarily offer preparation for a professional career outside higher education while for other an academic career is the natural continuation. Conditions on the labour market may also affect the rate of transfer to third-cycle studies.
A Mirror for Doctoral Students
— what do doctoral students think?
This survey undertaken by the National Agency for Higher Education, Doktorandspegeln 2008, (2008:23 R), english summary, Survey of doctoral students, sheds light on various aspects of third-cycle studies from the point of view of doctoral students.
'Good' or 'very good' the grade given by 80 per cent
80 per cent of the third-cycle students surveyed awarded the grade of 'good' or 'very good' to their doctoral programmes. The proportion of satisfied students is somewhat higher among those at doctoral schools and among doctoral students from abroad but lower, on the other hand, at higher education institution which are not entitled to award their own third-cycle degrees.
Dissatisfaction with introductions
But the survey also shows that there are still some problems. 70 per cent of the students were not satisfied with the introductory programmes students offered by their departments for newly admitted third-cycle, with the information they were given about their rights and obligations or prior information about doctoral studies.
Information shortcomings have concerned both major and minor matters — from where to find office material, the codes needed for copying machines, access to journals etc. to being given somewhere to sit and work. Such off-handed treatment is bound to leave new students exhausted and confused.
Many departments have finally begun to realise that third-cycle students should be treated like any other new employee and that confusion and problems can easily be avoided if the flow of information and communication functions more effectively.
Research ethics
Most doctoral students report that they are acquiring a great deal of knowledge about disciplinary theories and methods but there are some who claim that they are not given enough. Over half of the students say that their awareness of research ethics has only increased very little or not at all.
Supervision
Supervision works well for most doctoral students. A smaller, but not negligible, number of students state, however, that their supervisors only show limited interest in their studies, offer little constructive criticism of their research endeavours or rarely discuss methodological or theoretical issues.
More than 60 per cent of the doctoral students have only discussed their future plans with their supervisors to a limited extent.
Almost one women in five and just under one man in ten state they have found themselves in a situation of dependency on their supervisors that has led to anxiety. And nearly 40 per cent say that they have not received enough supervision.
- 80 per cent of the doctoral students in the survey give their doctoral programme the grade of 'good' or 'very good'
- 70 per cent are dissatisfied with the introductory programme for newly admitted students offered by their departments
- Nearly 40 per cent say that they have not received enough supervision
- Nearly 8 of every 10 doctoral students say that they would opt to begin third-cycle studies again.
Courses offered
The range of courses offered functions satisfactorily for many doctoral students. Almost half state, however, the courses available do not match their desires or needs. A third say that the course have no relevance for the work on their theses.
Little influence
More than half of the doctoral students feel that the atmosphere at their departments is less creative and two out of three state they have little influence in their departments. Half of the doctoral students also say that they feel that what is demanded of them is not clearly defined.
Stimulating studies
Almost 8 out of 10 doctoral students say that they would opt to begin a doctoral programme again if they had to make the choice today and the majority feel that their studies are positive and stimulating. Men are likely to a somewhat greater extent than women, however, to feel that they are accepted as members of the research community.
Where can you undertake doctoral studies?
Higher education institutions
There are 14 state-run universities and 22 other state-run higher education institutions, plus three independent higher education institutions, in Sweden today. The following higher education institutions are entitled to award PhDs, either generally or in certain disciplinary fields:
- Karlstad University
- Karolinska Institute
- KTH - Royal Institute of Technology
- Linköping University
- Luleå University of Technology
- Lund University
- Mid-Sweden University
- Stockholm University
- SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Umeå University
- University of Gothenburg
- Uppsala University
- Växjö University
- Örebro University
- Blekinge Institute of Technology
- Chalmers University of Technology
- University College of Kalmar
- University College of Malmö
- University College of Mälardalen
- Stockholm School of Economics
- Jönköping university
Universities have general entitlement to award qualifications All universities and also the Chalmers University of Technology and the Stockholm School of Economics have a general entitlement to award qualifications, i.e. they may award qualifications in any subject they wish. The other institutions of higher education are authorized to award Licentiate and PhD degrees in one or more specified disciplinary areas.
Permanent resources for research
Links with research are important for the quality of first and second-cycle programmes. In recent years not only universities but all higher education institutions have been allocated permanent research resources. This makes it easier for them to offer a high standard of education by involving teachers in research. But research resources are still much greater at Sweden's traditional universities than at small and medium-sized higher education institutions. On average, 10 per cent of the students who complete their first and second-cycle studies at a traditional university go on to doctoral studies, while the proportion at other higher education institutions is 2 per cent.
Research links play an important role in ensuring that the standard of first and second-cycle courses and study programmes is sound. For some years now not only the universities but all higher education institutions have been given permanent research resources. This improves their possibilities of offering advanced courses and study programmes in which the teachers are themselves undertaking research.
But the traditional universities still have much larger research resources in comparison with the small and medium-sized higher education institutions. On average about 10 per cent of those awarded second-cycle qualifications at the traditional universities go on to third-cycle studies while at the other higher education institutions the figure is 2 per cent.
Graduate schools
Setting up graduate schools is a way of creating a stimulating environment for research at higher education institutions.
Graduate schools may be organized in a great variety of ways. The most important components in graduate schools in Sweden involve improved supervision for doctoral students, cooperation between different subjects and institutions in providing courses and seminars, interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary projects and national and international networks.
16 national
graduate schools
In Sweden there are a number of different graduate schools that are organized in different ways. Some have been started by the higher education institutions themselves while in other cases the initiative has come from a foundation. Since 2001 there have been 16 national graduate schools. Each graduate school has a host institution which undertakes primary responsibility and the responsibility for coordination. A number of partner institutions are linked to them, which means that even the higher education institutions that lack entitlement to award PhD's can offer their students the possibility of beginning third-cycle studies.
| Graduate School | Host university |
|---|---|
| The Graduate School in Mathematics and Computation | Uppsala University |
| The Graduate School in Economics, Management and IT | Uppsala University |
| The Graduate School in Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences | Lund University |
| The Graduate School in History | Lund University |
| The Graduate School in Genomics and Bioinformatics | University of Gothenburg |
| The Graduate School in Language Technology | University of Gothenburg |
| The Graduate School in Genomics and Bioinformatics | Stockholm University |
| The Graduate School in Romance Languages | Stockholm University |
| The Graduate School in Teaching Methodology | Umeå University |
| The Graduate School in Gender Studies | Umeå University |
| The Graduate School in Basic Computer Science | Linköping University |
| The Graduate School in Technical and Scientific Didactics | Linköping University |
| The Graduate School in Health Care and the Social Sciences | Karolinska Institute |
| The Graduate School in Telecommunications | Royal Institute of Technology |
| The Graduate School in Space Technology | Luleå University of Technology |
| The Graduate School in Materials Science | Chalmers University of Technology |
Uppföljning av 16 nationella forskarskolor, (2004:18 R).
Graduate schools for teachers
In 2008 a total of 10 graduate schools were established for teachers who were working in the school system. These will enable teachers to study for 2½ years while still spending 20 per cent of their working hours in the classroom so that they can qualify for the award of a licentiate degree. The policy bill, Research for a better world (Government Bill 2004/05:80) presented another form of supplementary support for graduate schools which will be allocated on the basis of applications to the Research Council and Vinnova.
| Graduate schools for teachers | Higher education institution | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| The Graduate School in history and the didactics of history, 24 places | Lund University | Malmö University College |
| The Graduate School in geography, 25 places | Uppsala University | Dalarna University College |
| Gävle University College | ||
| The Graduate School in the acquisition of reading and writing skills, 15 places | Stockholm University | Gävle University College |
| The Graduate School in geography, general science, physics and chemistry , 10 places | Södertörn University College | |
| The Graduate School in technology, 15 places | Gävle University College | |
| Royal Institute of Technology | ||
| The Graduate School in Swedish with a didactic focus, 8 places | Malmö University College | Lund University |
| The Graduate School in language and learning, 10 places | University of Gothenburg | Stockholm University |
| The Graduate School in history and social sciences, 15 places | Karlstad University | Dalarna University College |
| The Graduate School in natural sciences, mathematics, technology and subject didactics, 25 places | Linköping University | Kristianstad University College |
| Malmö University College | ||
| Umeå University | ||
| Mid Sweden University | ||
| The Graduate School in music teaching and music teaching processes, 10 places | Royal University College of Music in Stockholm | Lund University |
| Örebro University | ||
| University of Gothenburg | ||
| Luleå University of Technology |
Studying for a PhD at a higher education institution that is not entitled to award third-cycle degrees
Higher education institutions that are not themselves entitled to award PhD's can still offer programmes for doctoral students who have been admitted to another institution. This collaboration offers students at these institutions a better possibility of studying for a doctorate. These doctoral students often complain, however, about the lack of supervision, poor contact with their principal supervisor and not knowing where they belong.
The university that is responsible for the third-cycle studies must deal with admission, supervision, syllabus planning and examinations while the higher education institution at which the student is studying must provide the resources for supervision and finance.
More explicit agreements
In many cases the division of responsibilities between the higher education institutions is vague and there is a risk that the student's legal entitlements may suffer. To avoid this more explicit agreements are needed between the higher education institutions. It is important that individual study plans are established and monitored by the faculty board of the institution responsible for admission is one of the conclusion drawn by the National Agency for Higher Education in its report, Rättssäkerheten på högskolor utan relevant vetenskapsområde [Legal rights at higher education institutions without a relevant disciplinary domain], (2006:30 R), summary in English.
Mobility in Sweden and abroad
There is not a great deal of mobility in Swedish higher education and the Government has indicated that this is as a problem that could undermine the standard of Swedish research. As many as 68 per cent of students begin their doctoral studies at the higher education institution at which they completed their first and second-cycle programmes. More details are provided in the National Agency's statistical analysis Övergång till forskarutbildning bland examinerade vid olika lärosäten, 2006/17, only in Swedish, [Transfer to third-cycle studies among those graduating from different higher education institutions] , (number 2006/17).
International contacts offer new perspectives
Research is an international activity and contacts with researchers in other countries is important and vital. Meeting researchers from other countries and other research traditions also offers new perspectives. Spending some period during doctoral studies at a higher education institution abroad is a valuable experience. Many subjects also include field work abroad as part of their programmes.
Every year around 900 Swedish third-cycle students travel abroad to take part in a student exchange of at least three months and about the same number of foreign doctoral students come to Sweden.
Europe and the USA most usual
Swedish higher education institutions have many contacts with their counterparts in other countries. The greatest interest is in studies in other European countries and the US. In the EU and the Nordic countries there are agreements concerning the movement of students, in other cases agreements are made directly between institutions, while many students apply to programmes abroad on their own initiative.
Grants to study abroad
Research councils, research foundations and some government agencies are able to offer grants for study abroad. The research councils also allocate special funds for guest professorships for women and post-doctoral stipends for women researchers.
Erasmus
The EU provided different kinds of support for doctoral students who want to study for periods of various lengths abroad, mainly through the Erasmus programme and in the EU framework programme for research and development.
The EU programme
Although the framework programme often requires international cooperation on a research and development project so that it can be difficult for individual students to get funding, there are a number of grants, some of them for study with internationally recognized research teams. More information about the EU programme and cooperation is available on Vinnova's web-site.
Grants from your higher education institution
The possibilities of getting a grant from your higher education institution for a short or longer period of study abroad vary, but on the whole there is a good chance that you will be able to spend at least a short period abroad.
Supervisors can generally help to get funding for doctoral students to take part in international conferences. If you are employed on a doctoral studentship, you should also get a per diem allowance, although this is rarely possible for those who only have doctoral grants.
Scholarships
You can use the home pages of Lund University, Stockholm University and STINT to look for suitable scholarships.
Another form of international exchange is offered by international publications — every year Swedish researchers publish more than 16,000 scholarly articles in journals all over the world.
Who chooses to study for a PhD?
The first answer to this question is: not many! Barely three per cent of a cohort goes on to third-cycle study, in other words just under 3,000 individuals each year. That is the highest figure for any OECD country and today there are more doctoral students than there were undergraduate students in 1945. About 17,000 doctoral students are actively pursuing third-cycle studies.
6 per cent continue
Just under six per cent of those awarded first or second-cycle qualifications go on to third-cycle studies.
Highest rate of transfer for natural scientists
The transfer to third-cycle studies is greatest for natural scientists and those whose parents have advanced educational qualifications.
- There are about 17,000 students actively pursuing doctoral studies in Sweden
- Sweden has the highest figures in the OECD countries
- 47 per cent of doctoral students are women
- More than half of those beginning third-cycle studies have at least one parent with an advanced educational qualification
- Only 35 per cent come from working class backgrounds
- About 27 per cent of those admitted to third-cycle studies for the first time come from other countries.
An even gender balance conceals differences
About 47 per cent of those admitted to third-cycle studies are women. The gender balance among those admitted has been relatively even in recent years. Women represent about 60 per cent of those in first and second-cycle courses and study programmes and the proportion of women beginning third-cycle studies remained between 48 and 50 per cent during the period 2001-2006. In other words the proportion of men continuing from first and second-cycle studies to the doctoral level is larger than for women.
Differences between different subject areas
There are also major differences between different subject areas. For instance 27 per cent of those beginning in the technological sciences in 2008 were women, compared to 61 per cent in the humanities. There is also a difference in the gender balances for Swedish doctoral students and those from abroad. There are fewer women among those coming from abroad compared with Swedish beginners in third-cycle programmes. You can find out more in the National Agency's report Kvinnor och män i högskolan, [Men and Women in higher education], 2008:20 R, summary in English.
Few PhD students with working class backgrounds
The social composition of doctoral students in Sweden differs considerably from the population as a whole. Students with working class backgrounds are strongly underrepresented.
Of the population at large about 35 per cent have working class origins. Among students in first and second-cycle programmes about 25 per cent have working class backgrounds. The corresponding figure for those beginning third-cycle programmes is only 10-12 per cent according to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education's annual report for 2008, 2008:19 R.
In other words recruitment to doctoral programmes is almost as skewed as to programmes in medicine.
The social composition of doctoral students in Sweden differs considerably from the population as a whole. Students with working class backgrounds are strongly underrepresented. Of the population at large 35 per cent have working class origins. Among students in first and second-cycle programmes about 25 per cent have working class backgrounds. The corresponding figure for those beginning third-cycle programmes is only 10-12 per cent according to the National Agency for Higher Education's annual report for 2008, 2008:19 R [Högskoleverkets årsrapport 2008, 2008:19 R], short version in English.
PhD students whose parents are senior salaried employees are strongly overrepresented. Over half of those beginning third-cycle studies have at least one parent with an advanced educational qualification but this is true of only 20 per cent of the population at large.
PhD students with foreign backgrounds
Among individuals with foreign backgrounds who live in Sweden the transfer to third-cycle studies is lower than for those with Swedish backgrounds, about 18 per cent. This group is, however, represented to a greater extent than individuals with working class backgrounds.
The gender ration among beginners with foreign backgrounds was on the whole the same as for those with Swedish backgrounds. You can find more details in the statistical report from Statistics Sweden, Utländsk bakgrund för studerande i grundutbildning och forskarutbildning 2006/07 (only in Swedish), [Foreign backgrounds for students in first, second and third-cycle programmes 2006/07], UF 19 SM 0801).
About 27 per cent of those admitted to third-cycle studies are students from other countries. During the last decade the size of this group has increased from 14 per cent. Most of them are studying for PhD´s in the natural sciences or technology. About 60 per cent are men.
Page upContact person: Torkel Holmström, e-mail: forename.surname@hsv.se
Phone: +46 8 563 085 00, Fax: +46 8 563 085 50, Mail: doktorand@hsv.se
