The purpose of the PhD programme in Social Sciences is to develop the candidate’s qualifications for work that sets high standards for scientific competence. The main component of the programme is an independent piece of research at a high scientific level. The organized academic training is intended to support the candidate’s work with the doctoral thesis and to contribute to the required academic depth and breadth, enabling further development of the candidate’s independent and reflective relationship to his or her own research and that of others, and the role of research in a broader context.

A candidate who has completed the PhD programme has achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge:

On completion of the PhD programme in Social Sciences, candidates must: 

• have in-depth academic knowledge within one of the specializations in the PhD programme: Geography, Psychology, Social Anthropology, Social Work, Sociology, or Political Science 
• have deep insight into and be able to assess the appropriateness and application of theories and methods that form the basis for one of the specializations in the PhD programme 
• be familiar with the research frontier of the discipline as well as important trends from a scientific and social perspective 
• be able to contribute to the development of new knowledge, new theories, methods, interpretations and forms of documentation in one of the specializations in the PhD programme

Skills:

On completion of the PhD programme in Social Sciences, candidates must: 

• be able to identify and formulate research questions and conduct research and experimental academic and/or artistic development at a high international level 
• be able to contribute to the development of new knowledge, new theories, methods, interpretations and forms of documentation in the specializations
• independently and critically, be able to evaluate methods and analysis tools and choose between alternative approaches to research questions based on an academic assessment  
• be able to handle complex academic issues and to challenge established knowledge and practice in the specializations 
• be able to communicate complex and advanced theories and results to different audiences  
• be able to provide teaching in the discipline based on their own research 

General competence:

On completion of the PhD programme in Social Sciences, candidates must: 

• be able to communicate the role of their specialization from a holistic and coherent social perspective 
• be able to conduct their research in accordance with recognized ethical standards for research; see Section 4 of the Act on Ethics and Integrity in Research [Forskningsetikkloven].
• be able to identify and critically evaluate relevant ethical issues within their specialization
• be able to disseminate research through recognized national and international channels 
• be able to lead research projects within specified limits and participate constructively in more complex interdisciplinary research projects