About PhD studies

PhD studies comprise 240 third-cycle credits, which correspond to four years of full-time studies. The programme includes courses and seminars, as well as a research project that will result in a scholarly thesis – the doctoral thesis. You defend the thesis at a public seminar.

When you have completed PhD studies, you can apply for your doctoral degree (PhD), which is the highest academic degree you can be awarded. You can also apply for a licentiate degree after earning 120 credits.

After PhD studies, you can, for example, work as a researcher at a university or company.

Subjects

Subjects within the Faculty of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Astronomy and Astrophysic
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Chemical Physics
• Environmental Science
• Geobiosphere Science, with specialization in Geographical Information Science
• Geobiosphere Science, with specialization in Lithosphere and Palaeobiosphere Sciences
• Geobiosphere Science, with specialization in Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science
• Geobiosphere Science, with specialization in Quaternary Sciences
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Mathematical Statistics
• Mathematics
• Medical Radiation Physics
• Molecular Biophysics
• Numerical Analysis
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Physics
• Theoretical Chemistry
• Theoretical Physics
• Theoretical Physics, with specialization in Computational Biology

There is a general syllabus for each subject that lays down the framework of the third-cycle study programme.

General syllabi on the faculty of science internal website

Graduate schools

Graduate schools within the Faculty of Science:

• Admire (advanced microscopy research environment – admire.lu.se
• Agenda 2030 – sustainability.lu.se
• Bioeconomy – cec.lu.se
• ClimBEco (biodiversity and ecosystem services in a changing climate) – climbeco.lu.se
• Compute (scientific discovery using computers) – compute.lu.se
• Geneco (genomic ecology) – biology.lu.se
• IBIO (lntegrative biology)
• Qdetailss (high quality detection and analysis of liquid and solid samples) – kilu.lu.se
• XANADU (X-rays and neutrons for advanced sustainability research)

Qualifications and admission

Admission to PhD studies requires both general and specific qualifications. The general requirements are that you have a Master’s degree or have completed courses worth at least 240 credits (of which at least 60 second-cycle credits), or have in some other way acquired equivalent knowledge. In addition to general requirements, there are specific requirements for each subject. The specific requirements can be found in the general syllabus for each subject.

General syllabi on the faculty of science internal website

PhD studies can be conducted in various forms, but the most common is that you have a doctoral studentship and are part of a research team. There is no particular application period for PhD studies, as vacant doctoral student positions are advertised continuously.

Vacant positions at Lund University – lunduniversity.lu.se