UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Student Research Programme in PsychologyTromsø, Norway
DEGREE TYPE
Graduate Pathway
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Dec 2025*
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
Request tuition fees
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* non-EU/EEA applicants: 1 december| EU/EEA and swiss applicants: 1 march
Key Summary
Introduction
The Student Research Programme in Psychology is a gateway to a research career and the shortcut to a doctorate.
A year in the Student Research Programme in Psychology gives you, as a student interested in research, a solid basis for further PhD studies.
During the year as a Student Research Programme student, you get to work on a research project of your choice. You receive close follow-up and guidance from our renowned researchers in a superb academic environment. Along the way, you will further develop the ability to think critically and innovatively and learn more ways to use your educational training.
Program description
- Duration: 3 years
- Credits (ECTS): 240
- Admission requirements: The Student Research Programme in Psychology is an offer for students in the professional or master's study programmes in psychology at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. It is required to pass examinations in all previous courses in the regular study programme at the time of application in order to be able to apply for admission to the Student Research Programme in psychology. The grade requirement is C on average on previous courses. Furthermore, grade C is recommended in methods/statistics courses.
- Application code:
- Nordic applicants: 3020
- EU/EEA and Swiss applicants: 7132
- Non-EU/EEA applicants: 2073
- Nordic applicants: 3020
- EU/EEA and Swiss applicants: 7132
- Non-EU/EEA applicants: 2073
When completed, the Student Research Programme in Psychology will provide a basis for independent research with a view to undertaking a later PhD degree. It will also provide students with knowledge, skills and competence in research, scientific methods and scientific thinking.
The programme amounts to 120 credits (ECTS) in addition to the regular master's programme in psychology.
Admissions
Curriculum
Program Structure
The Student Research Programme in Psychology consists of:
- Educational component (30 ECTS)
This includes compulsory courses in scientific theory/ethics, scientific design and methodology, scientific and general dissemination (a total of 10 ECTS), PSY-8016 Research presentations (3 ECTS), as well as optional topics/activities related to the subject area for research work. The educational component is regulated by the current study plan for the PhD programme.
- PSY-3031 Research article (90 ECTS)
Based on the student's research, the research article will be prepared in active collaboration with supervisors and other researchers. The article should preferably be published in an international journal with peer review. The student must be a first or second author.
Additional information
The student has one research year, during which they don’t take part in the tuition of the master's program in psychology. The programme also runs in the Summer semesters, and part-time in parallel with the master's or professional study programmes in psychology, until the submission of the research article in the last semester.
It is recommended to complete most of training part during the research year. This especially applies to compulsory PhD courses and other research activities that require absence from ordinary studies, such as study stays abroad.
The programme is supported by the Norwegian Research Council, and students in the programme receive NOK 200,000 in scholarships.
The Faculty of Health Sciences awards students Summer scholarships, support for travel and other operating funds to students participating in the programme.
Teaching and Assessment
Personal supervision from the appointed supervisor, lectures, seminars and written study assignments are work and teaching methods used in the Student Research Programme in Psychology.
Educational component
The educational component consists of both compulsory and optional courses, so that it will vary how much self-study and lectures/seminars etc. will be included for the student. For more information, please refer to the study plan for the PhD programme in health sciences, as well as to the course description for PSY-8016 Research presentations.
PSY-3031 Research article
- Self-study and research
- Supervision-Writing
- Submission of an article or a manuscript
- Oral examination
For more information, refer to the course descriptions for PSY-3031.
General teaching methods
The student's knowledge-building takes place in close relation to a supervisor. The education component is given primarily as lectures followed by home exams. In addition, the student can participate in group work, present their own research in their research group and/or at special seminars, professional conferences, etc. Students gain knowledge of the entire process from data collection, analysis, article writing and publishing the first article.
Program Outcome
Learning Outcomes
When completed, the Student Research Programme in Psychology will provide a basis for independent research with a view to a later PhD degree and will provide the student with knowledge, skills and competence in research, scientific methods and scientific thinking.
General learning outcomes for the Student Research Programme in psychology:
The candidate:
- Has a well-developed ability of critical appraisal, including the ability to critically appraise own and others’ research findings in the pursuit of new knowledge
- Has a good overview of national and international channels of dissemination of research within his/her specific research area
- Can present own research projects and results in relevant channels of dissemination
- Has knowledge and experience in active participation in a research group
- Can identify relevant research ethics issues
- Has the ability to participate constructively in academic discourses within one’s own field of competence
- Can accurately describe all parts of a research project in accordance with the generally accepted scientific standards, and on a level that documents sound knowledge within the field of one’s research.
The programme enables the candidates to get a deeper understanding of psychology as science, as well as to develop skills in critical thinking, research methods, individual work and teamwork, as well as writing and presentation. In the Student Research Programme in psychology, the candidate has acquired a deeper understanding of research. In this programme, the candidate has completed a research project within a particular field of psychology. This has resulted in a paper of 90 credits (ECTS), which may become the first part of a future PhD degree. The last 30 credits (ECTS) in the programme is the mandatory and elective courses needed to fulfill the Phd degree.
Career Opportunities
Job Prospectives
The Student Research Programme in Psychology will prepare students for a shortened PhD education and provide a basis for a research career. Successful completion of the Student Research Programme in Psychology, as well as completing the regular study programme, makes the student qualified for further PhD studies, other research work and teaching assignments.