PhD student in Practical Philosophy

Stockholms universitet · Stockholm, Sweden

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The Department of Philosophy at Stockholm University is the largest in Sweden, boasting a lively community of philosophers with a broad range of scholarly interests. The department has a strong international profile: we frequently attract visitors from around the world, regularly invite internationally renowned philosophers to our colloquium, and are involved in several international research networks. We have been repeatedly selected as one of the leading research areas in the humanities at Stockholm University. The department’s strengths within practical philosophy is further augmented by the addition of the Stockholm Centre for the Ethics of War and Peace. Several of our faculty members are associated with the Institute for Futures Studies, which hosts research projects of philosophical relevance, or with the Stockholm Centre for Healthcare Ethics and the Stockholm Center on Global Governance. The department also cooperates with practical philosophy at Uppsala University and the University of Gothenburg through the Norms and Normativity graduate school, which is supported by the Swedish Research Council. Stockholm University has repeatedly selected philosophy as one of its leading research areas.

For more information about us, please visit: the Department of Philosophy.

Subject area

The thesis work will be conducted within practical philosophy. Practical philosophy includes applied ethics, normative ethics, meta-ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of action, philosophy of the social sciences and the humanities (including social ontology and philosophy of economics), philosophy of religion, aesthetics, philosophy of law, decision theory, game theory, and the history of these sub-disciplines.

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

To meet the specific entry requirements, the applicant must have at least 30 ECTS credits in practical philosophy at the advanced level (including an MA thesis). This requirement can also be met by those who have acquired essentially equivalent competence in Sweden or elsewhere. It is further required that the applicant has knowledge of English, including the ability to read, speak and write in this language.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The selection is made with regard to the following criteria:

Previous education in general:

Assessment of both depth and breadth of previous education.

Previous academic work:

Based on a Bachelor’s thesis, a Master’s thesis or other academic papers, the ability of the applicant to benefit from the education is considered in relation to the following assessment criteria:

Critical ability
Analytical ability
Creativity
Independence

The assessment should also take into consideration the aspect of time, that is, to what extent the applicant has shown the ability to meet their previous academic obligations within given time constraints. In addition, the scholarly development of the applicant is considered.

Research proposal:

The applicant shall enclose a research proposal, which should cover the research problem or problems and an outline of the research project. The research plan is assessed according to:

Relevance
Originality
Feasibility within the given time constraints (i.e., full-time work during a four-year period of doctoral studies)

The availability of supervisory expertise.

Ability to collaborate: The ability of the applicant to be collaborative is determined by personal references, certificates or interviews.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Starting date: 1 February 2027, or by agreement.

Contact

For more information, please contact the Head of Department, Professor Gunnar Björnsson, gbjorn@su.se.

Further information about the PhD programme in practical philosophy can be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Johan Brännmark, johan.brannmark@philosophy.su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.

Stockholm University contributes to the development of sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment and the pursuit of truth.