Doctoral Positions in Educational Work and Subject-Matter Education with Specialisations (1-4 positi

Om jobbet

The University of Gothenburg tackles society's challenges with diverse knowledge. 58 000 students and 6800 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract researchers and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The University of Gothenburg addresses societal challenges through diverse knowledge and expertise. With 56,000 students and 6,600 employees, the university is a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive educational programmes attract researchers and students from all over the world. Through new knowledge and perspectives, the University of Gothenburg contributes to a better future.

The Department of Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies (IDPP) has approximately 160 employees and is one of the strongest educational research environments in the Nordic countries. At the department, there is a shared interest in developing knowledge that contributes to a more equitable and sustainable society through education and research. Work at the department includes teacher education and research on education, the teaching profession, instruction, and learning, as well as development initiatives relevant to school practice. We also collaborate with individual schools, municipalities, and the Swedish National Agency for Education.

At the undergraduate level, the department is responsible for the primary teacher education programme and the supplementary teacher education programme (KPU), and contributes to the subject teacher education programme. We also offer two master's programmes: one in didactics and an international programme in Education for Sustainable Development.

We offer doctoral programmes in educational work and subject-matter education with specialisations. This call for applications is part of the department's efforts to strengthen its research environments and develop its activities. For more information, please visit: https://www.gu.se/en/pedagogical-curricular-professional-studies

Research at the department is organised into three main research environments:

Didactic Classroom Studies focuses on teaching, learning, and the content of these processes, studied as a coherent whole.
See: https://www.gu.se/en/research/didactic-classroom-studies

Phenomenography, Variation Theory, and Learning Study explores questions about how to improve students' opportunities to learn specific content, based on the assumption that there are certain necessary conditions for learning to take place. This research investigates these conditions and how they can be created in different educational contexts.
See: https://www.gu.se/en/research/phenomenography-variation-theory-learning-study

Critical Education Research examines education as a social and political institution, including studies of knowledge creation, educational reforms, digitalisation, and the teaching profession. The focus is on how the education system addresses issues of education and democracy in relation to societal challenges.
See: https://www.gu.se/en/research/critical-education-research

The Department of Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies is now announcing up to four full-time salaried doctoral positions in educational work or subject-matter education with specialisations. The positions will be linked to the department's research environments and preferably to current research projects.

Subjects

Educational work is a third-cycle subject that explores various perspectives and aspects of work within educational institutions in society. Research in educational work addresses questions relevant to educational practices, professions, and activities. This includes the conditions under which teachers and students engage in teaching and learning, both in practice and in relation to policy and educational reforms.

Subject-matter education with specialisations is a third-cycle subject focused on teaching and learning with an emphasis on specific content, which is often linked to school subjects, academic disciplines, or professional practice. Research in subject-matter education investigates the prerequisites and conditions for teaching and learning, as well as the relationship between the two. Examples of specialisations within subject-matter education include mathematics, science, technology, social sciences, languages, Swedish, and sustainable development.

Job Duties

Doctoral education involves four years of full-time study leading to a PhD degree. Information about the programme is available on the department's website. The successful candidate will primarily engage in doctoral studies and be affiliated with one of the department's research environments. The work is mainly based on campus. The position may also include teaching, other research activities, and administration (up to a maximum of 20%). In such cases, the employment period will be extended by an amount of time corresponding to these additional tasks.

Eligibility

Eligibility for educational work

To be admitted to doctoral studies in the subject of educational work, the applicant must meet both the general and specific eligibility requirements, as well as having the necessary abilities in other respects to successfully complete the programme.

To meet the general eligibility requirements for doctoral students, an applicant must have:

• completed a degree at the second-cycle level, or

• satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 higher education credits (ECTS), of which at least 60 credits must be at the second-cycle level, or

• acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

Specific eligibility for doctoral studies in educational work requires one of the following:

1. A teaching degree at the second-cycle level, or a teaching degree combined with an independent project (degree project) including at least 15 higher education credits at the second-cycle level.

1. At least 90 higher education credits with a focus on educational practice or work with children and young people, or the equivalent, of which at least 30 credits must be at the second-cycle level, including an independent project (degree project) of at least 15 credits.

Applicants who have acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad, may also be considered eligible.

For applications in educational work focusing on the subject of Swedish, proficiency in spoken and written Swedish is required.

Eligibility for subject-matter education with specialisations

To be admitted to doctoral studies in subject-matter education, an applicant must meet both the general and specific eligibility requirements, as well as having the necessary abilities in other respects to successfully complete the programme.

To meet the general eligibility requirements for doctoral students, an applicant must have:

• completed a degree at the second-cycle level, or

• satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 higher education credits (ECTS), of which at least 60 credits must be at the second-cycle level, or

• acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad.

Specific eligibility for doctoral studies in subject-matter education requires one of the following:

1. A teaching degree, including courses equivalent to at least 60 credits in a relevant subject-matter educational field, and an independent project (degree project) of at least 15 credits at the second-cycle level.

1. At least 90 higher education credits, of which at least 30 are at the second-cycle level, in a relevant subject-matter educational field, including an independent project (degree project) of at least 15 credits at the second-cycle level.

Applicants who have acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way, in Sweden or abroad, may also be considered eligible.

For applications focusing on the subject of Swedish within subject-matter education, proficiency in spoken and written Swedish is required.

Assessment Criteria

Among applicants who meet the general and specific eligibility requirements, selection is based on the applicant's ability to successfully complete doctoral studies. In the assessment, particular emphasis is placed on documented qualifications regarding:

• the quality of the qualifying degree project/thesis

• the quality of the submitted research proposal (see under the heading Application)

Considerable weight is also given to whether the proposed dissertation project is deemed likely to be supported by, and to contribute to, the department's research and its environments. A background in teaching is also considered advantageous-primarily in compulsory school (ages 6-15), and secondarily in other educational settings. Applicants with a doctoral degree, or who can be considered close to such a degree, will not be given priority.

Employment

In conjunction with admission to the doctoral programme, you will be offered employment as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.

• Type of employment: Fixed-term employment, corresponding to four years of full-time study

• Extent: 100%

• Location: Department of Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies, University of Gothenburg

• Start date: By agreement

Regulations governing doctoral employment are outlined in Ordinance SFS 1993:100. Those employed as doctoral students are expected to devote their time primarily to their own studies. The university encourages involvement to a limited extent in teaching, research, artistic research, and administration. Such duties may not exceed 20% of full-time work before the doctoral or artistic doctoral degree is awarded (Ordinance 2014:1012).

Doctoral employment is valid until further notice, but no longer than a specified date and never more than one year after the doctoral or artistic doctoral degree has been awarded. The initial appointment may be for up to one year and can be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time. A person may be employed as a doctoral student for a total of no more than eight years. However, the total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time doctoral studies.

The university applies a local agreement regarding salaries for doctoral students.

General information about what is involved in being a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg can be found on the university's webpages on doctoral studies:
https://www.gu.se/forskarutbildning

Recruitment Procedure

Applications are reviewed by an admissions committee whose task is to rank the applicants. Applicants who are shortlisted may be invited to interview. The final decision on admission is made by the head of department. In accordance with the doctoral study regulations at the University of Gothenburg, only applicants who can be offered appropriate supervision may be admitted to the doctoral programme.

Contact Information for the Position

Questions regarding doctoral studies may be directed to the assistant heads of department for doctoral studies:

• Jonas Emanuelsson - jonas.emanuelsson@gu.se

• Catarina Player-Koro - catarina.player-koro@gu.se

Questions concerning the research environments should be directed to the contact person for each research environment (see the department's website).

Questions regarding the employment may be directed to Katarina Grönbäck, katarina.gronback@gu.se

Application

You can apply for admission to doctoral studies via the University of Gothenburg's online recruitment portal.

Please specify whether you are applying for a position in educational work or subject-matter education with specialisations. In addition, please indicate which of the three research environments your application is associated with.

As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that your application is completed in accordance with the advertisement and that it is received by the university no later than the final day of the application period.

The application must include the following (items with * are mandatory):

1. Cover letter with a brief description of your motivation for applying for the position (maximum 1 A4 page)*
2. Curriculum vitae/Résumé*
3. Academic transcripts verifying general and specific eligibility (e.g. extract from LADOK or equivalent academic records system)*
4. Thesis/degree project of 15 credits at the second-cycle level, as well as a maximum of one additional research-related text (e.g. article, report, or equivalent)*
5. Preliminary research proposal, maximum five A4 pages (see guidelines below and assessment criteria above)*
6. References
7. Any other qualifications the applicant may wish to refer to.

The preliminary research proposal should describe the proposed dissertation project (max 5 A4 pages, 11-point font, excluding reference list) and should include background and aim, previous research, theoretical framework, methodology, and references. The proposal must clearly indicate which research environment the application is directed towards.

Scientific publications, manuscripts, and similar materials that are not available in electronic format should be marked with a reference number and sent to:

Department of Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies
Katarina Grönbäck
University of Gothenburg
Box 300
SE-405 30 GOTHENBURG

Please mark the envelope with the reference number for the position:PAR 2025/215

Application deadline: 2026-01-07

The university works actively to achieve a working environment with equal opportunities, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its activities. In accordance with the regulations of the Swedish National Archives, the university is required to retain application documents for two years after the appointment is made. If you specifically request the return of your documents, they will be sent back after this period; otherwise, they will be disposed of. To staffing and recruitment agencies and sales representatives: The University of Gothenburg uses a contracted advertising agency for recruitment. We kindly but firmly decline direct contact with staffing and recruitment agencies, as well as job advertisement sales representatives.

The University works actively to achieve a working environment with equal conditions, and values the qualities that diversity brings to its operations.

In accordance with the National Archives of Sweden's regulations, the University must archive application documents for two years after the appointment is filled. If you request that your documents are returned, they will be returned to you once the two years have passed. Otherwise, they will be destroyed.

In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.