Admission to Postgraduate Studies
DSV admits postgraduate students for Stockholm University, faculty of social sciences. Postgraduate students follow Stockholm University's established graduate-study program which is further personalised in an individual study plan.
The degree obtained will be a Doctor of Philosophy at Stockholm university.
The admission process takes place twice a year with application dates April 30 and October 15. Announcements are posted at the department's web site and in selected media.
There are 2(3) ways to conduct Ph.D.-studies:
- full time studies - 4 years
- 80% studies with 20% departmental work - 5 years
- 50% studies in 8 years
(1) + (2) includes employment at the department DSV through some formal funding, (3) includes a commitment from the applicant's employer (equivalent) to finance the studies and let the applicant study 50% for a Ph.D. See further Finances.
Criteria for entry
The criteria for entry to the program are to fulfill the general as well as the specific requirements. In addition - the general requirements are specified according to the new statues (valid from July 1, 2007) and transitional for the old statues (valid before July 1, 2007). Transitional general requirements are valid until maximum the end of June 2015.
Transitional general requirements are, and apply only for applicants who have been awarded an academic degree of minimum 120 credits (usually a 3-year Bachelor degree/equiv) before July 1, 2007. The specific requirements apply equally for both groups of applicants, see below. (Note that these 120 credits are the ‘old’ credits, where each study year 40 credits were awarded.)
The general requirements are:
- been awarded a university degree at advanced level (usually a 5 year Master degree), or
- fulfilled the demands of coursework for at least 240 hp credits of which 60 hp credits are on advanced level (usually a 4 year Swedish magister degree, or a 3 year Bachelor and a first year of a Master program), or
- the equivalent
The specific requirements for Computer and Systems Sciences are:
- a minimum of 90 hp credits in computer and systems sciences or equivalent, of which a minimum of 15 hp credits must be a thesis/project work
- In addition, good knowledge and skills in the English language, spoken as well as written.
The specific requirements for Man-Machine-Interaction are:
- a minimum of 90 hp credits in subjects relevant for MMI, such as computer and systems sciences, humanities, behavioural sciences, medical sciences or communication science including also knowledge about the area’s technical as well as human-oriented scientific requisites. Of these 90 hp credits a minimum of 15 hp credits must be a thesis/project work
- In addition, good knowledge and skills in the English language, spoken as well as written.
An additional requirement is the ability to complete the program.
For applicants financed by the industry (employer), a further requirement for acceptance is that a researcher in the department has agreed to act as the candidate's main supervisor.
While processing the application judgments of the success of the candidate's graduate studies are made. The choice between a Licentiate and/or a Ph.D degree may be made upon admission.
Selection
The selection is independent of the intended degree, Licentiate or Ph.D. The qualifications of the applicants are discussed and assessed by a committee consisting of members of the principal advisors chaired by the director of graduate studies. The committee considers the applicant's study merits, and assesses the applicant's maturity and ability to perform independent research work of good quality. Study merits in terms of courses on an advanced level or by individual projects are strongly qualifying. Based on this assessment, the selection is recommended decided upon by the committee considering also available postgraduate slots, as well as available advisor resources. Admission is decided by the head of the department who also appoints a main supervisor and an associated supervisor for the student.
Funding
Investigations of funding possibilities must be made primary to applying for admission, since students admitted to the PhD program will be required to be adequately funded throughout the whole program.
Possibilities are listed below, although none of these forms are simple, straight forward or automatic.- "doktorandtjänst" - PhD position
- "utbildningsbidrag" - the Swedish study grant
- external funds (industry, e.g.)
- departmental teaching or other duties
- grants/scholarships and special funds
Doktorandtjänst, PhD positions, may be combined with departmental duties, to maximum of 20% of full time. The student is usually employed for one year, with prolongation to five years, of which time for studies is maximum 4 years. The salary depends on the level of credits achieved.
Utbildningsbidrag is a scholarship, which can be granted for one year at a time, totally to a maximum time corresponding to two years full-time studies. It is not qualifying for the Swedish pension conditions, and from that point of view, it is less favourable than doktorandtjänst for persons intending to enjoy pension in Sweden. The current money-amounts for doktorandtjänst and utbildningsbidrag are available at Stockholm University web - utbildningsbidrag and doktorandtjänst.
External funds may be funds from various funding organisation, usually for carrying out a project. This form is currently limited for PhD applicants. It may also be in agreement with the applicants employer, certifying that the applicant will be financed during the PhD-studies and will be allowed to devote at least 50% of her/his time for PhD-studies.
Departmental teaching and other duties are combined with doktorandtjänst. Teaching implies usually a work as an assistant in a course, or assisting in demonstrations, laborations, marking exams, etc. Other departmental duties may be, e.g., administrative work. When teaching in combination with doktorandtjänst it is required to take a pedagogic course for university teachers.
There are organisations that award scholarships for doctoral students. There are other special funds applicable, e.g., travel grants, which, depending on the grant, may partly or fully support the postgraduate studies.
Minimum funding
The postgraduate education is free of charge, but the doctoral student has to have his or her living expenses covered. Stockholm University has decided that all doctoral students at the university are guaranteed a minimum level of financing per month equal to the Swedish study grant after tax deduction. As a consequence, our doctoral students at DSV are entitled to a monthly payment of 13,000 SEK for the whole period of studies (4 years full-time).
