UiT The Arctic University of Norway
PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences
- Tromsø, Norway
- Harstad, Norway
PhD
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Mar 2027*
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2027
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* UE Students: 1° March 2027| Extra-UE / SEE students: 15 November 2026
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By contacting the school, you'll get access to free priority counselling for any study and application questions.
Key Summary
About: The PhD programme at UiT The Arctic University of Norway covers humanities and social sciences (linguistics, literature and culture, archaeology, history, philosophy, religion, documentation science, art history; political science, sociology, anthropology, regional planning and cultural understanding, education, tourism, welfare and social work, gender research, indigenous studies, peace studies, and more). You apply via advertised positions or external funding, join an active research environment, collaborate with other researchers and networks, receive close supervision, and plan and complete your dissertation.
Career Outcomes: A doctorate qualifies you for academic and research careers and for roles requiring scientific insight and analytical thinking, and international cooperation roles, including researcher, university faculty, policy advisor, R&D manager, public sector analyst, and research communicator.
The PhD program in the humanities and social sciences offers a research programme that qualifies candidates for work in academia or other areas in which there is a strong demand for scientific insight and analytical thinking. The research programme is offered in a range of subjects and has different areas of specialisation.
Areas of specialisation within the humanities: Linguistics, literature and culture, archaeology, history, philosophy, religion, theology, documentation science and art history, and more.
Areas of specialisation within the social sciences: Political science, sociology, anthropology, regional planning and cultural understanding, education, tourism, welfare and social work, gender research, indigenous studies, peace studies, and more.
In order to become a PhD student at UiT you have to either apply for a position that is advertised, or be employed at an external institution that will fund your PhD study. The positions are advertised at Jobbnorge and EURAXCESS.
Program description
- Duration: 3 years
- Credits (ECTS): 180
- Degree Name: Philosophiae Doctor in Humanities and Social Sciences
Completion of the program requires integration and participation in an active research environment, collaboration with other researchers, and connecting with relevant national and international networks.
PhD students are given close supervision and academic guidance, but must assume responsibility for the planning and implementation of their dissertations.
Program Structure
The PhD program in the humanities and social sciences is standardised at 180 credits and is divided between the educational component (30 credits) and the dissertation (150 credits).
The education component of 30 credits will consist of compulsory and optional PhD courses (8000 level) and include these elements:
- Theory of science and research ethics. Total of 10 credits.
- Research dissemination. Total of 3-5 credits.
- Subject-specific theory and method/academic approaches and positions. Total of 15 credits.
The dissertation must be an independent scientific work that meets international standards for ethics, academic level and method within the subject area. Through the dissertation, the student must be involved in developing new academic knowledge, and the dissertation must be at a level that indicates that it can be published as part of the scientific literature on the subject.
The dissertation can be a monograph or a compilation of several smaller works and an introductory chapter, ie a collection of articles.
Upon completion, the student will present a trial lecture on a given topic and a public defence of the dissertation.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods for the courses in the training will consist of either lectures, seminars and/or guidance on written or oral presentation.
Lectures are given by academic staff at the departments and centres of the faculty, by staff at other faculties, and by external lecturers from other institutions. The teaching methods and scope are described in more detail in the individual subject descriptions. The expected workload for the training component should be a total of 30 credits in one semester (estimated at 750 - 900 working hours).
For the dissertation, the teaching method consists mainly of supervision with the appointed Principal and Co-supervisor (s). The supervision includes the preparation of a plan for the dissertation and the training component (student's individual education plan), academic dialogue, assistance to the student in establishing professional networks, written and oral feedback on the dissertation text, etc.
The PhD student can receive a total of 240 hours of supervision during the course of the research training, including the time needed for preparation and after-school work. This equals 40 hours per semester.
In the middle of the course, the student's progression will be evaluated. The mid-term evaluation is organized by the institutes/centres and is usually held as a seminar of half a day's duration.
Exchange
The study program makes use of the following internationalization arrangements:
- English-language teaching and curriculum literature
- Organization for participation in international research schools
- Recognition of International Conference Participation with credits in the training componet
- International PhD student environment (ToDoS)
- Foreign grant for stays at foreign university/institution
- International exchange agreements and cooperation agreements
A stay abroad is recommended for the second or third year of the study years and for a duration of 3-10 months. Staying at a foreign learning institution will be relevant to the student's PhD project and also give academic benefit in the dissertation. The Faculty annually announces foreign grants that PhD students can apply to cover additional costs with the implementation of a foreign stay.
UiT has exchange agreements with several foreign universities for PhD students. These are usually linked to specific subject areas. For further information, contact the international coordinator at the HSL faculty.
Learning Outcomes
After graduating, the PhD student will receive the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
The candidates...
- are in the forefront of knowledge within the theory and methods of their field of study and are able to contribute to its development;
- can discuss theoretical issues within their field of study at an advanced level;
- can connect their own projects to broader scientific discussions and consider the use of different methods and approaches in their research.
Skills
The candidates can...
- tackle complex scientific challenges by carrying out cutting-edge research projects within their field of study;
- write different types of academic texts within their field of study and reflect on the writing process;
- participate in academic discussions and provide constructive feedback on scientific work.
General competence
The candidates can...
- identify, reflect upon and deal with issues connected to research ethics and conduct research with academic integrity;
- disseminate research and development work orally and in writing through scientific channels and channels targeting the general public;
- contribute independently to complex and innovative projects.
Job Prospectives
A doctorate degree is Norway's highest education and qualifies for research activities of international standard and for other work in society where high standards of scientific insight and analytical thinking are required, in accordance with good scientific practice and research ethical standards. For example, education provides qualifications for a further career as a researcher at universities, colleges, research foundations or business and other sectors where research and development are conducted and high demands are placed on knowledge and competence.
With a doctorate you can also get positions with work/responsibilities in leadership and management in knowledge companies; undertake investigative tasks in government and municipal administration; drive knowledge dissemination and teaching; participate in product development and international cooperation; and you have attractive skills in an international labour market.