Doctoral Positions in Political Science (3–4)

Department of Political Science

The Department of Political Science is an open and socially engaged institution, located in the city centre and at the heart of public debate. Our research focuses on:

• Elections and democracy
• Corruption
• Forms of government
• Globalization
• Environment and politics
• European politics

The department hosts several prominent research programs, including:

• Center for Environmental Political Studies (CEPS)
• Quality of Government (QoG)
• Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem)
• Governance and Local Development (GLD)
• Swedish Electoral Research Program

We offer education at all levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate. Teaching is conducted in both Swedish and English. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in the department, which has around 180 employees.

More information: https://www.gu.se/en/political-science

The Department of Political Science is currently seeking up to four qualified and motivated individuals for doctoral student positions in Political Science.

General information about doctoral studies at the University of Gothenburg: https://www.gu.se/en/doctoral-studies

Duties

A doctoral student conducts research and contributes to the development of knowledge within the discipline. Doctoral students are expected to:

• Develop research ideas independently
• Communicate research findings orally and in writing

The aim of the doctoral studentship is to provide the knowledge and skills required to conduct independent research in political science and to contribute to the discipline through a doctoral dissertation. Doctoral students are also expected to develop the ability to apply their expertise in postdoctoral research or other professional roles.

Doctoral studies comprise four years of full-time study and lead to a doctoral degree.

As part of the employment, doctoral students may undertake departmental duties corresponding to up to 20% of full-time employment, distributed throughout the study period. These duties extend the total study period accordingly and usually include teaching at first- and second-cycle levels, as well as possible research and administrative work.

Eligibility

Doctoral education requires both general and specific eligibility, as defined in the general syllabus for the subject.

General Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Completed a degree at second-cycle level, or
• Completed course requirements totaling at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits are at second-cycle level, or
• Acquired equivalent knowledge in another way, in Sweden or abroad

Specific Eligibility Requirements

According to the Higher Education Ordinance (Ch. 7, Sec. 40) and the General Syllabus for Third-Cycle Studies in Political Science (GU 2024/3687), applicants must have:

• At least 60 higher education credits in Political Science, or
• Equivalent qualifications

Second-cycle studies in other social sciences or related disciplines may be considered equivalent in scope and depth.

Please note: The department cannot provide eligibility assessments for individual applicants before the application deadline.

Assessment Criteria

Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be assessed based on their ability to complete doctoral studies. Assessment is primarily based on:

• A writing sample, evaluated for the ability to formulate, delimit, and analyze a research problem and present novel findings
• A research project statement outlining research interests and intended doctoral thesis topic (maximum 2,500 words, approx. 6 pages)
• Academic transcripts
• Previous academic merits

The selection process includes interviews, and applicants may be asked to submit letters of recommendation at a later stage.

Admission and Employment

Upon admission to doctoral studies, the candidate will be employed as a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.

Employment conditions are governed by Ordinance SFS 1993:100.

• Initial employment: up to 1 year, renewable for up to 2 years at a time
• Maximum employment duration: 8 years, equivalent to 4 years full-time doctoral education

Employment details:

• Type: Fixed-term employment
• Duration: Four years, full-time
• Extent: 100%
• Placement: Department of Political Science, Gothenburg
• Starting date: 1 September 2026

The University applies a local salary agreement for doctoral students.

Important: Doctoral studies require physical presence at the department. If a residence permit is required and cannot be presented by the start date, the department reserves the right to revoke the admission decision.

Selection Process

All applications are reviewed by an admission committee led by the Director of Studies for the PhD Program. The formal admission decision is made by the Head of Department.

• Final admission decisions will be announced in April
• Decisions cannot be appealed

Contact Information

Kristina Gurok
Program Coordinator
Email: phdprogram@pol.gu.se
Phone: +46 31 786 5855

Johannes Lindvall
Assistant Head of Department, PhD Programme
Email: johannes.lindvall@gu.se
Phone: +46 31 786 1224

Application

Applications must be submitted via the University of Gothenburg recruitment portal.

The application must be complete and submitted in English by the deadline.

Required Application Documents

1. Introductory letter (maximum 1,000 words, preferably shorter), consisting of four paragraphs:
   • Presentation of yourself
   • Presentation of your qualifications
   • Presentation of the intended research project
   • Motivation for applying to the Department of Political Science and its doctoral programme
2. Curriculum Vitae, including publication list (if applicable)
3. One writing sample
   • Normally a master’s thesis or revised version
   • May also be another academic paper, article, or book chapter
   • Must be in Swedish or English
   • Translations must include the original text
4. Research project description
   • Maximum 2,500 words (approx. 6 pages), including abstract, excluding bibliography
   • Must demonstrate familiarity with relevant research and scientific problem formulation
   • Further instructions: https://www.gu.se/en/political-science/doctoral-studies/open-for-application-doctoral-studentship-positions
5. Verified academic transcripts and diplomas
   • Bachelor’s and master’s level
   • Translations required if not originally in English
   • EU degrees must include a diploma supplement

Recommendation letters:
Do not submit unless explicitly requested. Applicants are encouraged to identify two potential referees in advance.

Application Deadline

29 January 2026