Doctoral Programme in Education, autumn 2025

Language of instruction

Finnish

English

Teaching time

Daytime and evening teaching

Irrespective of time

Planned duration

4 years

Form of teaching

Contact teaching

Independent learning

Blended teaching

Education description

In the Doctoral Programme in Education, you thoroughly familiarize yourself to the chosen research topic of the dissertation, as well as the key theories, research knowledge and research methods in the field of study. Doctoral research conducted in the doctoral programme is focused on one of the priorities of educational research at the Ģ��ֱ��: 1) Learning, learning difficulties and affecting factors, 2) Education, teaching, and interventions, 3) Learning at work and well-being, 4) Childhood and family, and 5) Interactive and technologically enhanced learning environments. During your doctoral studies, you will learn to apply the methods of educational research and to generate new scientific knowledge in the field of research. You will develop skills to work in research and other demanding professional tasks, and to profoundly understand educational phenomena in the society.

A doctoral degree consists of a doctoral dissertation and other doctoral studies. In the Doctoral Programme in Education, you can graduate either as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Education) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) depending on your previous studies.

In a doctoral programme in education, the target degree can be Doctor of Philosophy (Education) or Doctor of Philosophy.

The aim of doctoral studies is to gain a deep understanding of theories, research methods and social and international relevance of the discipline and to develop a wide range of research skills and thereby providing strong competences for independent research work and scientific publication. The studies of the doctoral programme develop scientific and scholarly interaction and networking skills needed for scientific communication and collaboration and other transferrable skills, thus enabling graduates to work in a wide range of and demanding expert positions.

To obtain a doctoral degree, a student admitted to the studies must complete doctoral studies and demonstrate independent and critical thinking in their field of research, as well as prepare and defend a doctoral dissertation in public.

The doctoral degree consists of a doctoral dissertation and other doctoral studies. The curriculum of the doctoral programme in education can be found at /en/for-students/instructions-for-doctoral-students/doctoral-studies/curricula-of-doctoral-programmes.

The dissertation must be an independent scientific study in the field of education. It can be an article dissertation or a monograph. The research must focus on one of the faculty's research priorities in the field of education (see /en/edupsy/research-at-the-faculty-of-education-and-psychology). The dissertation requirements of the Ģ��ֱ��, /en/for-students/instructions-for-doctoral-students/dissertation-and-dissertation-research/dissertation-requirements-from-112025. In the doctoral programmes of the Faculty of Education and Psychology, an article dissertation typically consists of three peer-reviewed articles. At least one article must have been supervised at the Ģ��ֱ�� during the doctoral studies.

Application options

Doctoral Programme in Education, Doctor of Education / Doctor of Philosophy (3-4 yrs)

Application starts

1.4.2025 08:00

Application ends

30.4.2025 15:00

Application procedure

Separate application

Prior education

Foreign Master's degree

University of applied sciences Master's degree

University Master's degree

Admission criteria

Eligibility criteria

You can apply to a doctoral programme if you have completed

a relevant master’s degree awarded by a university;
a relevant master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences; or
a relevant study programme abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for the corresponding level of higher education.

The higher education institution that granted the foreign degree must be an acknowledged part of the country’s official national education system. The institution must be on the list of higher education institutions that are entitled to grant degrees in the country or listed as an acknowledged higher education institution by an international organisation (e.g. UNESCO).

The Ģ��ֱ�� requires that a student selected for doctoral studies has at least a grade of Good (3/5) or equivalent for the master’s thesis if the thesis is evaluated. Please read more at /en/doctoral-education/apply-to-doctoral-studies/eligibility-requirements.

The Ģ��ֱ�� requires that the applicants for doctoral studies have proficiency in Finnish or English at the admission stage. The language proficiency requirements are described in detail at /en/doctoral-education/apply-to-doctoral-studies.

Doctoral programme in Education

In order to pursue a doctoral (or a licentiate) degree in Education you must have in the master’s degree the grade good knowledge (Finnish: hyvät tiedot) in the advanced (laudatur) studies of adult education, special education, education or early childhood education.

Applicants for the target degree of Doctor of Philosophy must have completed basic and subject/intermediate studies (60 ECTS credits) in an educational subject by the application period or other equivalent studies suitable in the field of education. Documentation of studies as well as the supervisor's written statement on the suitability of the studies as educational background studies must be attached in the application to doctoral studies in the doctoral programme in Education. Eligibility given by suitable background studies will be evaluated in the board of the doctoral programme after the application period.

Note: From 1997 onwards, pedagogical studies of at least 60 credits completed at a Finnish university are sufficient for direct eligibility. Vocational teacher training is equivalent to basic studies in education in terms of eligibility and is not, as such, sufficient for eligibility. For international qualifications, the content, level and scope of the educational studies are always assessed on an individual basis.&�Բ��; &�Բ��;

Selection criteria description

Doctoral student admission is based in the following admission criteria:

applicant's basic knowledge of an applicable discipline
applicant's success in studies that provide eligibility to apply for doctoral studies
research topic's suitability for the research strategy of the faculty or department
the level and feasibility of the research and study plan
the availability of expert supervision and the sufficiency of related resources
the applicant's commitment to completing the degree

Doctoral programme in education

Ensuring supervision before submitting an application is one of the selection criteria used to assess applications for doctoral studies in the doctoral programmes of the Faculty of Education and Psychology. Lacking supervision in accordance with the application guidelines may result in rejection of the application.

Admissions procedure

Haku tohtorikoulutukseen

Attachments

All applicants must submit a research plan and a doctoral study plan in doctoral programme's template as attachments to the application. For instructions on writing the research plan and the doctoral study plan can be found in guidelines for applying for doctoral training. Please read more at /en/doctoral-education/apply-to-doctoral-studies/required-attachments.

Please also attach your degree certificate, a transcript of records, translations, a language proficiency certificate and other necessary documents to the application, if the application guidelines so require.

For detailed document requirements and instructions for submitting the documents, see the application guidelines /en/doctoral-education/apply-to-doctoral-studies.

Attachment is uploaded on the application form

Must be submitted by
Apr. 30, 2025 at 03:00 PM UTC+3

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