3-4 PhD student positions in Human Geography

Published: 2023-03-09

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 54,000 students, more than 7,500 employees and a turnover of around SEK 8 billion.

3-4 PhD student positions in Human Geography

The Department of Human Geography engages in world class research and education within the entire breadth of Human Geography. Today about 50 persons are affiliated with the department.

The positions begin on 1 September 2023 and are financed for four years in the form of a full-time appointment as an employee of Uppsala University. The doctoral program encompasses 240 högskolepoäng (“university credits”, equivalent to 4 years of study), of which the PhD dissertation comprises 180 credits and doctoral courses 60 credits.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University

Duties
A PhD student’s primary job responsibility is to work toward the completion of the doctoral program, involving four years of full-time study. This includes coursework and all work related to the dissertation. In addition, PhD students may be asked to allocate up to 20% of their time to other tasks in the department, such as teaching and administrative duties.

The terms of employment for doctoral students can be found (in Swedish) in Högskoleförordningen 5 Chapter 1-7 §§ and in the University rules http://regler.uu.se/ . The rules of the doctoral program are found in the General Curriculum of the Doctoral Program in Human Geography (Allmän Studieplan, available in Swedish: samfak.uu.se/digitalAssets/634/c_634316-l_3-k_kulturgeografi-allman-studieplan-samfak-2021_166.pdf ; the English version is available upon request).

General qualifications expected
To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies in Human Geography, you must;

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in Human Geography, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

These qualifications do not need to have been met by the application deadline, but they should be met by 30 June 2023.

Current research directions and areas of expertise at the department
In the selection process of suitable doctoral candidates, we consider specifically to what extent we have resources for supervision and possibilities for external funding for the considered candidates. We conduct research within the full range of Human Geography subjects (including urban and regional planning), and we have expertise in a wide range of scientific methods, from qualitative to quantitative methods, including GIS and spatial analysis. We encourage all applicants to visit our departmental website (www.kultgeog.uu.se ) to review the kinds of research being conducted within the department and to assess the extent to which their research interests relate to our research profiles and research groups (see www.kultgeog.uu.se/staff/ and www.kultgeog.uu.se/research-en/ ).

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines .

Application procedure
A recruitment committee will make an initial selection of applicants through a review of submitted documents and contacts with referees. The selected group of candidates will then be invited to interview with representatives of the department. The interviews are planned for mid- to late May. Candidates will be informed of the results of the selection process by mid-June at the latest. General criteria for assessing applications are described in a separate document (see www.kultgeog.uu.se/education/phd/ ).

Applications are to be completed online and should consist of

• A completed, signed application form .
• A cover letter (personal statement, max 2 pages). This letter is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to us in a personal, and perhaps creative, way. We would like you to tell us who you are, and explain why you are interested in human geography as an academic subject. We also want you to explain why you are specifically interested in doing a PhD in our department.
• Curriculum Vitae/Resumé including your education, previous employment, and relevant skills.
• A short description (3-4 pages, including references) of your research plan. This should include a background/introduction to your research question; the actual question(s) you intend to investigate; an explanation as to why this topic is important; a brief review of the relevant literature and your project’s potential contribution to that literature; and a description of potential methods to be employed. Here you should also briefly comment on how your research interests may relate to the department’s research groups or current research projects.
• Transcript(s) of your academic record/degree(s) to date, including information on courses taken and grades received.
• At least one example of written (academic) work in English or Swedish.
• Contact information for two academic references (but not the actual letters).

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date 2023-09-01. Placement: Uppsala 

For further information about the position, please contact:  Associate Professor David Jansson, director of postgraduate studies, phone +46-72-999 91 55; e-mail [email protected] .

Please submit your application by 21st of April 2023, UFV-PA 2023/913.

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Submit your application through Uppsala University's recruitment system.

Placement: Department of Social and Economic Geography

Type of employment: Full time , Temporary position

Pay: Fixed salary

Number of positions: 1

Working hours: 100 %

Town: Uppsala

County: Uppsala län

Country: Sweden

Union representative: ST/TCO [email protected]
Seko Universitetsklubben [email protected]
Saco-rådet [email protected]

Number of reference: UFV-PA 2023/913

Last application date: 2023-04-21

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