About the PhD programme

An individual study plan (ISP) is filled in by the PhD student together with the supervisors at the start of each academic year, and this is the formal study plan for the individual PhD student.

In the individual study plan a follow-up is done how the PhD's studies have gone so far and in this it is also planned what the PhD should do further on in the programme and what supervision is to be given.

In the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) Chapter 5 1-7§§ and more elaborated in the general study plan (ASP) (link to an inofficial translation of the Swedish original) the formal information about the PhD programme in business studies.

Once admitted to the PhD Programme you will be appointed two supervisors, one with the primary responsibility for the candidate’s studies, and one or two deputy supervisors. At least one of the supervisors must have completed training for supervisors.

The role of the supervisor is to guide the PhD student in the writing of a thesis, but also to be a support in the gradual change towards being an independent researcher.

There is no tuition fee for the PhD programme.

All PhDs which are admitted will be fully funded either through an employment or through scholarships. According to the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100) Chapter 5 the department can only admit/employ a PhD student if there is funding for the whole programme. This means that all PhD positions which are given a letter of admission to are fully funded.

The funding can be in the form of an PhD employment funded by the department or external funding such as from a research council or an external employer. It can also be through scholarships. When the funding is through scholarships, the last year will be funded through a PhD employment.

The salary for an employed PhD student is regulated in a local tariff at the university. A PhD funded through scholarships will get the same monthly remuneration.

Some study related costs such as conferences and travels will be covered by funding from the department.

The doctoral studentship is associated with the possibility of teaching or working as a senior researcher assistent for 20 % of the time. This opportunity is given from the second year on. This also means that the study period is prolonged with the same amount of time.

The main part of the PhD programme is to write a doctoral thesis which gives 150 credits (hp). This thesis is either a monography or a compilation thesis.

In the PhD programme in business studies there are PhD courses which give 90 credits (hp).

Four of the PhD courses are obligatory and are read during the first year:

• Perspectives on Science and Research, 7,5 hp
• Qualitative Methods, 7,5 hp
• Introduction to Multivariate Statistics, 7,5 hp
• The Research Process,7,5 hp. The course is given at the Stockholm School of Economics.

For PhDs who are part of a research school other PhD courses may be obligatory.

Other courses are chosen together with the supervisors. External PhD courses can be taken and credited according to the decision of the principal supervisor.

More information about the PhD courses and signing up to these.

Seminars are a central part of the PhD programme and these are for example arranged in the Higher Seminar and in different research groups' seminars.

The PhD student is expected to present at the Higher Seminar, at least twice during the programme, including a final seminar as a preparation for the doctoral thesis defence. The PhD student is also expected to be an opponent or discussant at least once.

Conference participation nationally and internationally is part of the programme, where presentation of a paper is expected, either written alone or together with others.

The final moment in the PhD programme is to defend the published doctoral thesis at a dissertation with an external opponent.

When the courses have been completed and the thesis has been defended at the dissertation it is possible to apply for a PhD degree.