Three doctoral studentships in subject-specific education (biology, English, Swedish)

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Are you a practicing teacher or a teacher education graduate with an interest in how teaching can be developed based on research? Would you like to further specialise in your subject while contributing to school development? Then a doctoral studentship within the graduate school BEPPE might be the next step in your professional career.

Karlstad University is announcing three doctoral studentships within the graduate school BEPPE.
 

• One doctoral studentship with admission to the doctoral discipline of Biology
• One doctoral studentship with admission to the doctoral discipline of English
• One doctoral studentship with a specialisation in Swedish, with admission to either Comparative Literature or Educational work. 

The graduate school on subject-specific education models in primary school (BEPPE)

The graduate school BEPPE aims to contribute to more systematic knowledge about how several scientifically established, yet mutually distinct, subject-specific education models function across different subjects and school contexts, and how they can be integrated into teacher education and primary education. As a doctoral student, you will conduct research on applied teaching practices in primary school, with a close connection to teacher education and school practice.

The graduate school is jointly organised by Karlstad University and the University of Gothenburg and currently has a total of nine doctoral students.

We welcome applications from teacher educators, schoolteachers and those who are otherwise interested in conducting research on teaching and learning within the advertised areas of specialisation. Applicants can be at an early stage of their careers – the key point is an interest in teaching, learning and school development in interaction with research. BEPPE offers a dynamic environment with opportunities to establish international networks, participate in conferences and engage in exchange programmes abroad. More information about the graduate school and its specialisation (in Swedish): BEPPE

Subject environments

The graduate school is a part of Karlstad University’s research environment that focuses on subject-specific education. The research environment includes Rose (Research on Subject-specific Education) and three research centres: CSL (Centre for Language and Literature Education), CSD (Centre for Social Science Didactics ) and SMEER (Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education Research). The subject-specific education perspective involves a particular interest in teaching and learning within specific subjects or subject areas. As a doctoral student, you will be affiliated with one of our research environments specialising in subject-specific education.

Duties

You will primarily dedicate time to your own studies. The doctoral programme comprises 240 credits for a Degree of Doctor and 120 credits for a Degree of Licentiate. The doctoral appointment is a paid position that offers a combination of studies and work, and a great opportunity for a potential career in academia. Doctoral students are expected to work independently and be prepared to contribute to the activities and development of the discipline and the department. You are given the opportunity to deepen your interests in collaboration with others. Teaching and administrative duties may also be included upon agreement, but will not constitute more than 20% of full-time. Work as a doctoral student allows for great freedom and flexibility in terms of how you organise your tasks. This requires commitment, drive and the ability to structure your work to successfully complete the doctoral thesis. To contribute to a positive work environment and further both the department’s activities and your own development as a researcher, we expect you to be a present and active part of the day-to-day operations and workplace community.

Entry requirements and admission

To be eligible for a doctoral studentship, applicants must meet the general and specific entry requirements (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 35).

To meet the general entry requirements, applicants must have been awarded a second-cycle qualification, satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle, or acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 7, Sect. 39).

Specific entry requirements vary between subjects, and the requirements are specified in the relevant syllabus. Depending on your educational background, admission may be granted to different third-cycle subject areas with separate syllabi. Current syllabi, including specific entry requirements, are available at https://www.kau.se/en/research/doctoral-studies/graduate-programs/research-education-subjects

In addition to the general and specific entry requirements, the doctoral studentships also require proficiency in a Nordic language (Swedish, Danish or Norwegian), as well as English, due to the nature of the research.

Assessment criteria:

The assessment of eligible applicants is based on the criteria listed below.

Special weight will be given to documented qualifications related to

• the quality of the qualifying degree project/thesis
• the quality of the submitted research plan and its relevance in relation to the focus of the graduate school

Considerable weight will be given to

• the extent to which the applicant intends to be physically present and active in the research environment
• personal qualities, such as the ability to work independently and demonstrate persistence, initiative and strong teamwork skills
• a good command of English

Experience of teaching, primarily in primary schools and, secondarily, in other educational settings, is considered a valuable qualification.

Terms

Upon admission to doctoral studies, the person will be offered the appointment of doctoral student (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5, Sect. 3). The position comprises four years of full-time studies consisting of research only. If teaching or other departmental duties are included, the appointment will be extended by a corresponding period, up to a maximum of five years full-time. The position is fixed-term, one year initially, followed by possible extensions of a maximum of two years at a time (Higher Education Ordinance, Chap. 5), starting 1 October or according to agreement.

The salary for the doctoral studentship corresponds to the standard level of salary for doctoral students and progresses in accordance with a local collective agreement.

Admission is granted subject to approval.

Application

Submit the application via the University’s web-based recruitment tool, Varbi.

Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application in accordance with the advertisement, for providing translations of any documents written in a language other than Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or English, and for ensuring that the documentation allows for objective and qualitative assessments. A complete application should be submitted by the application deadline. An incomplete application may jeopardise a fair assessment of qualifications.

The application should include:

• a cover letter where the applicant details the reasons behind their interest in the position, no more than 1 page
• a list of qualifications (CV)
• degree certificate with a complete transcript of the courses included, or a certified list of completed courses with grades and dates
• a thesis/degree project comprising at least 15 credits at the Master’s level and, if available, one additional research-related text (e.g., an article, report or equivalent)
• a preliminary research plan in which the intended doctoral project is described in a maximum of five A4 pages, 11-point font, excluding reference list. This should include background and purpose, previous research, theoretical background, method and references. It should also state the third-cycle subject area to which you wish to be admitted. Since the plan is preliminary, the initial draft will be further developed in collaboration with the supervisor.
• two references, such as a teacher, supervisor, or former or current manager
• other qualifications relevant to the position

Attach all the documents and publications you wish to be considered to the electronic application (do not just provide links). Name each uploaded document to clearly indicate its content. Documents that cannot be submitted electronically should be sent to the following address:

Karlstads universitet
HR-administratör
651 88 KARLSTAD

Application deadline: June 21, 2026

State the reference number: REK 2026/12.

Applicants with qualifications from abroad

If you have qualifications from a university outside Sweden or if they have not been recognised by a Swedish authority before, it is important that you attach degree certificates and official transcripts to facilitate the recognition of foreign qualifications.
Provide a contact for the degree-awarding institution (phone number or email) who can verify your qualifications.

We look forward to your application!

Karlstad University has chosen advertising channels for this recruitment and firmly declines any contact with advertising or recruitment agencies.

This translation carries no legal weight.

HR Excellence in Research
Karlstad University received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research award September 2020. The award is issued to employers with a stimulating work environment and good conditions for researchers and its continuous improvement. The award also conveys the university’s commitment to fair and transparent recruitment as well as favorable professional development for researchers. Read more: kau.se/hrs4r

1. Martin Stolare, [email protected]

1. Denita Gustafsson, OFR/S, Fackförbundet ST, [email protected]
2. Madeleine Wiker, Sveriges lärare OFR/S, [email protected]
3. Per Hurtig, Saco, [email protected]