Past, Space and Environment in Society Doctoral Programme

A student admitted to the doctoral programme is expected to obtain the following degree according to their major subject:

• Finnish History, Doctor of Philosophy
• General History, Doctor of Philosophy
• Geography, Doctor of Philosophy
• Human Geography, Doctor of Social Sciences/ Doctor of Philosophy
• Environmental Policy, Doctor of Social Sciences/ Doctor of Philosophy

A candidate also may decide in agreement with their supervisor to complete the intermediate-stage Licentiate degree (Licentiate of Philosophy, Licentiate of Social Sciences). The Licentiate degree is voluntary and not an obligatory part of the doctoral degree studies.

As a human geography and environmental policy major student, you can also complete a doctorate in philosophy. You can choose the degree to be completed either during the application phase or during your studies, however, at the latest before submitting your dissertation research for pre-examination.

Scientific doctoral education leads to a doctoral degree. You can also complete a licentiate degree.

Eligibility

According to the Universities Act of Finland (558/2009, Chapter 5, Section 37), eligible for studies leading to a doctoral degree shall be

• a person who has completed an applicable higher university or polytechnic degree
• a person who has completed an applicable education abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for corresponding higher education
• a person whom the university judges otherwise to have sufficient knowledge and skills for the studies.

There is no term fee for doctoral education in the University of Eastern Finland.

If you are applying for a doctoral study right in a field of research which has not been the main field of you Master's degree, the faculty may require you to complete supplementary studies to ensure that you are qualified to take part in doctoral studies. Possible supplementary studies are specified when the right to doctoral studies is granted and cannot be included in the doctoral degree.

Admission criteria

In terms of proposed dissertation topics, the preference is for applications that concern the core areas of research defined in the research focus of the department. However, applications related to other areas of research may also be approved if a competent supervisor can be appointed from existing staff for the research work. The main supervisor must be a professor or adjunct professor (docent) of the Department of Geographical and Historical Studies.

Eligibility for further education is generally based on a grade of cum laude approbatur for a master's degree or a similar qualification for further study, a grade of 3/5 on a numerical evaluation or a grade corresponding to a good reputation statement. The requirement can be deviated from based on the evaluation of the management team of the doctoral program, referring to the applicant's research plan. If necessary, the management team can request a separate confidential written evaluation of the applicant and the research plan from the person appointed as the supervisor. Exceptions may be made in instances whereby the applicant’s research plan is evaluated as exceptionally promising by a proposed supervisor and the Board of the Doctoral Programme.

The Board of the Doctoral Programme processes the applications after each application deadline.

Criteria for assessing the applications include:

• Quality of the research plan: innovativeness of the research topic, feasibility of the research plan and personal study plan, clarity and implementation methods of the research plan.
• Scientific and practical relevance of the research topic.
• Previous results from the Master’s or equivalent studies.
• International orientation and language skills required in the studies.
• Statement of support from the professor or adjunct professor who has been proposed as the applicant’s main supervisor (if not agreed upon in advance).

Eligible applicants for doctoral studies must have sufficient English skills in order to complete the doctoral studies. The applicant can verify her/his English skills with an attachment to the application. These attachments must include a degree diploma, transcript of studies and a Diploma Supplement if the applicant has:

• English as foreign language included in at least a Bachelor-level degree conducted in a Nordic country (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) or in an EU/EEA country.
• At least 20 ECTS university-level studies in the subject of English Studies completed in a Nordic or in an EU/EEA country
• Master's thesis written in English when Master's degree is completed in a Nordic country or in an EU/EEA country.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree completed in English language in a Nordic country or in an EU/EEA country or Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States.
• Doctoral Degree completed in a Nordic country or in an EU/EEA country or Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States.   
• Secondary education and final examination completed in English (for example International Baccalaureate) in a Nordic country or in an EU/EEA country or Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States.

In other case, the applicant is to prove her/his language skills in English with an English language test:  

• TOEFL paper-based: Total score 600 and Writing 4.0
• TOEFL Internet-based: Total Score 100 and Writing 22
• IELTS (Academic) on paper, on computer or online: Overall Score 6.5 and Writing 5.5
• PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English), min. 59 points
• C1 Advanced (CAE), pass levels A, B or C / C2 Proficiency (CPE), pass levels A, B, C or level C1 Certificate
• National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI). Skills level 5 or 6 in the reading comprehension, writing and speaking subtests.

Please note that a statement written by the applicant, prospective supervisor, English teacher, etc., is not an adequate proof of the applicant's sufficient English skills

For more information on the tests, please contact the language testing organizations.

The maximum number of the students in the doctoral programme or annual intake of students is not restricted.

When applying for doctoral degree studies, a research plan must be enclosed with the application. The student prepares the plan with his/her supervisors, and it must be approved by them. The research plan must cover the entire licentiate thesis or doctoral dissertation. If the research topic and materials change substantially, a new plan must be made. If the changes are significant, approval must be sought from the faculty. The research plan is usually drafted in Finnish or English. Maximum length for the research plan is six (6) pages and reference list.

The research plan must include the following information:

1. Title of the research and the name and contact information of the postgraduate student

2. Background 

• A short summary of the background to the research with necessary sources (including the theoretical and methodological basis)
• A description of earlier research related to the topic
• A description of what remains unknown about the research topic and an explanation of the research’s relevance on a national and/or international scale

3. Aims

• The research hypotheses
• The aims of the research clearly defined and presented

4. Data and methods

• Description of the research methods and materials used, and the grounds for choosing the particular methods
• A description of how the materials will be handled and used (also after the research has been completed)

5. A description and a schedule for the different stages of the work

• A working plan, a plan for different stages of the work
• The funding plan and funding sources of the research

6. The ethical aspects of the research

• Whether the research requires statements from ethics committees or statutory research permits; possible permits should be attached to the research plan

7. Publication plan

• The means and mode of publishing and/or presenting the research results

8. An estimation of the applications and the social significance of the research results

9. References

• A list of the research field’s principal literature used for the research

10. The names of the persons and units participating in the research project

Visiting doctoral students who already has the right to study at a foreign university, can apply for a temporary study right from UEF. The study right can be admitted to visiting foreign doctoral students, who already have a permission for doctoral studies in their home university. The study right of a visiting doctoral student does not allow a student to complete doctoral degree at UEF, but can participate in teaching and complete studies (e.g. get rights to the study information system Peppi). There are no fees associated with the right to study.

If a change of major or doctoral programme requires a change of faculty, the student must make a new application for doctoral study rights in accordance with the application instructions and deadlines for the doctoral programme in question.

If a doctoral studen wishes to change his/her major within a doctoral programme or degree, he/she may apply for a change in his/her study right on a separate form. Where necessary, a new research plan, commitments of supervisors and certificates of previous studies must be attached to the application. It will be ascertained in conjunction with processing the application whether the applicant meets the selection criteria for the discipline in question. The new study right will be granted on the decision of the Dean and, under the same decision, the old study right will be revoked. In this case, it is not necessary to adhere to the doctoral programme application deadlines.

If a student wishes to change his/her doctoral programme without changing faculty or major, the recommendation of the main supervisor is sufficient.

Applicants must discuss their doctoral degree studies and the supervision of their doctoral dissertation with their prospective supervisor PRIOR to applying for the right to pursue studies. Only after having received the consent from the supervisor, the applicant can submit the application. For each doctoral candidate at least two supervisors are appointed. One of the supervisors must be a professor or docent at the University of Eastern Finland. Alternatively, a person who has equivalent scientific competence to a professor or a docent and is a member of the staff at the faculty can be appointed as a supervisor. Remember to contact your supervisors long before the application process.

Persons in the department able to work as main supervisors

History:

• Pieter Dhondt, Docent, university lecturer
• Kimmo Katajala, Professor
• Jukka Korpela, Professor
• Arto Nevala, Docent, senior university lecturer
• Kati Parppei, Docent, university lecturer
• Tuomas Räsänen, Associate professor
• Pasi Tuunainen, Docent, university lecturer

Geography:

• Moritz Albrecht, Docent, University researcher
• Alfred Colpaert, Professor
• Paul Fryer, Docent, university lecturer
• Jarmo Kortelainen, Professor
• Timo Kumpula, Professor
• Ari Lehtinen, Professor
• Ilkka Pyy, Docent, university lecturer
• Minna Tanskanen, Vice dean, senior university lecturer

Environmental policy:

• Simo Häyrynen, Docent, university lecturer
• Juha Kotilainen, Docent, university lecturer
• Tuija Mononen, Docent, university researcher
• Irmeli Mustalahti, Professor
• Taru Peltola, Assistant professor
• Lasse Peltonen, Professor
• Rauno Sairinen, Professor

Karelian Institute:

• Ismo Björn, Senior researcher
• Petri Kahila, Research Director
• Jussi Laine, Professor
• Maria Lähteenmäki, Professor
• Teemu Makkonen, Professor
• Maarit Sireni, Senior researcher

Roles and responsibilities of a doctoral student and supervisor (shared with the Philosophical Faculty/Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies)

At least two supervisors are appointed for a doctoral student. For a justifiable reason a supervisor can be changed or additional supervisors can be appointed. Examples of justified reasons are that the theme of the research project has been changed or readjusted or that the research project is not making satisfactory progress. The proposal for replacing a supervisor may be made by the student or by the supervisor.

Replacement of a supervisor is agreed on between the parties, and the final decision is made by the Dean.

Doctoral student’s roles and responsibilities

• register each year as being present or absent,

• ensure that his/her research plan is updated and to commit to undertaking research

• prepare a doctoral study plan on the basis of the research topic, the scientific objectives of the degree and his/her personal aims, e.g. career goals, and ensure that it is updated when necessary

• submit to the supervisor, without undue delay, documentation concerning study attainments based on scientific activities

• familiarise himself/herself with good scientific practice and research ethics principles (UEF's Ethical Guidelines for Teaching and Studying; Responsible Conducting of Research, TENK), and comply with these principles in carrying out studies and conducting research for the thesis

• utilise guidance and take into account feedback received from the supervisor

• participate during his/her studies in the activities of the scientific community and in scientific discussion and postgraduate education

• bear responsibility for obtaining financing (e.g. foundations, funding by a company and other supplementary financing, UEF doctoral school) and request, where necessary, a statement by the supervisor in good time, before the deadline for applications

• submit the manuscript of the doctoral dissertation for scrutiny by the plagiarism detection system prior to pre-review, apply for permission to defend her/his doctoral dissertation, , publish the doctoral dissertation and apply for the degree certificate

Supervisor’s roles and responsibilities

• supervise the student’s doctoral research and assist him/her in structuring the various stages of the research work

• provide guidance in preparing a personal plan for doctoral studies in such a way that the plan meets the objectives of the degree, the personal aims of the student and the doctoral programme’s curriculum

• submit, without undue delay, the student’s study attainments for registration

• familiarise the doctoral student with the ethical issues of conducting research, good scientific practice and the principles of managing research data

• commit to supervision: address the elements and principles of the doctoral research, provide the student with feedback and monitor and support the progress of the student’s doctoral studies

• facilitate the doctoral student’s integration in the national and international scientific community and encourage him/her to create a peer support network

• support the doctoral student in applying for funding, and write recommendations and statements in accordance with the possibilities, ensure that the research fills the context- and form-based criteria required of the thesis in question before it is submitted for review or pre-review

• go through and evaluate the comparative results provided by the plagiarism detection system on the manuscript of the doctoral dissertation

The right to pursue doctoral studies does not include funding or a contract of employment or teaching tasks at the University. However, full-time doctoral students need funding to cover their costs of living and potential research costs (travel costs, research material etc.). Funding options should be discussed with the supervisor already when planning to apply for a doctoral study right and creating a research plan.

Doctoral studies can be funded for example by a scholarship, by working as a researcher in a research project, by working as a doctoral candidate at the University of Eastern Finland (doctoral student position), or by studying part-time while at work. Doctoral students apply for funding themselves.

Read more about funding options of doctoral studies on Kamu Student handbook.