What is a doctoral research fellow?
The nominal length of a PhD degree is 3 years of full-time study. A doctoral research fellowship entails a 3-year employment relationship with a workplace at the Faculty. Research fellowships at the Faculty are normally awarded for a period of three years and do not include teaching duties.
When can you apply?
In order to apply for a post as a doctoral research fellow at the Faculty of Theology, there must be one or more vacancies. Advertisements for vacant posts may have an open subject of research, they can be associated with a specific discipline/subject area, or they can be related to an externally funded research project. This will be specified in each case.
The Faculty of Theology normally advertises for 2–3 doctoral research fellows in a year.
How do I apply for a doctoral fellowship position?
Before applying for a doctoral research fellowship it is important that you read the description of the vacant post carefully. This will specify how to submit your application and the application deadline.
An application should consist of the following:
- letter of application and project description
- CV, including a list of any publications
- copies of relevant diplomas/certificates
Applications are submitted electronically. See the link to the application form in the relevant vacancy listing.
Project description
The project description must be a maximum of 10 A4 pages, and should demonstrate the applicant’s knowledge of academic literature in the field and the main issues therein.
Read more about the requirements in our template for project descriptions.
Criteria for applying
Admission to the PhD programme normally requires a cand. theol. degree, a Master's degree from a study programme at the Faculty of Theology, or the equivalent. The degree must have been awarded by the date of application.
It is essential that the applicant has gained sufficient basic knowledge and skills in their previous studies to be able to carry out the relevant project. The connection between the first degree, the project, the faculty’s research portfolio and its capacity for supervision will be a determining factor in the faculty’s assessment of applications.
Before applying, you should familiarize yourself with the following document:
Supervisors
Successful applicants without a formal affiliation with and approval from a supervisor will be allocated a supervisor by the faculty. Employment as a doctoral research fellow and admission to the PhD programme are conditional on the faculty having the supervisory competence and capacity in the field your thesis relates to. Supervisors are normally faculty employees.
PhD programme
Successful doctoral research fellow applicants will automatically be admitted to the faculty’s PhD programme. Admission to the PhD programme is formalized through the PhD contract, which is a written agreement that regulates the parties’ rights and obligations during the admission period. The contract is signed by the PhD candidate, the supervisor and the faculty.
The PhD programme comprises organized research training within the Faculty of Theology’s field of research. The programme is open to interdisciplinary projects based on one or more of the subjects covered in the programme.
How are the applications assessed?
An expert committee is appointed to consider applications for doctoral research fellowships. Applications are assessed in line with the following criteria:
- Project quality: the academic quality of the project, relevance and innovation with regard to research, relevance for the academic environment at the Faculty of Theology and feasibility within the framework of the PhD programme and position as a PhD Candidate.
- Suitability: the applicant’s academic background, grades and completion skills.
The expert committee's report is confidential and is not sent to the applicants. The individual applicant may, however, contact the faculty and ask for a copy of the assessment of their application.
The expert committee's report is sent to the selection committee, which conducts interviews with the strongest applicants. In addition to issues related to project and completion skills, interviewees will be assessed for suitability, including in relation to required duties in the form of teaching. The selection committee also conducts subject-related strategy assessments and priorities by ranking applicants and making recommendations for a grant. Final decisions on appointments are made by the appointments committee.
The process normally takes at least 3 months.
If your application is successful, a start date will be agreed between you and the faculty.