Doctoral students

The handbook is primarily aimed at PhD students and supervisors at the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Stockholm University and is intended to provide a general overview of practical information relating to doctoral studies.
It is a guide, not a manual, which means that the information is concise and that references and links to other documents are frequently provided.

The handbook

The department only admits students to doctoral programmes leading to a doctoral degree, not to a licentiate degree.

Local admission regulations supplementing the University’s admission regulations for third-cycle programmes:

Admission regulations Dept. 172 pdf

Admission regulations for third-cycle programmes at Stockholm University

Entry requirements and prior learning requirements

Applicants are eligible for admission to third-cycle programmes if they meet both the general entry requirements and the specific entry requirements. Furthermore, applicants must be assessed as possessing the general ability required to successfully complete the programme.

General entry requirements

General entry requirements for admission to third-cycle programmes are met by those who have obtained a degree at advanced level, completed course requirements totalling at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 credits must be at advanced level, or who have otherwise acquired, either in Sweden or abroad, knowledge that is essentially equivalent.

Specific entry requirements

Specific entry requirements for admission to third-cycle programmes in Asian Languages and Cultures and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures are met by those who have successfully completed a Master’s programme in one of the specialisations included in the subject Asian Languages and Cultures (Japanese, Korean and Chinese), or Middle Eastern and North African Languages and Cultures (Arabic).

Entry requirements may also be met by those who have acquired essentially equivalent competence, either in Sweden or abroad.

Recommended prior knowledge

Students are expected to have a good command of reading and writing in the relevant language and in English. In addition, it is desirable for students to have practical experience (e.g. as an exchange student) in the relevant language area.

Faculty of Humanities guidelines

Stockholm University's regulations for third-cycle education and summative assessment

For Doctoral students there is both a general study program (ASP) for all Doctoral students within the main areas of Asian languages and cultures and Middle Eastern languages and cultures, and an individual study program (ISP) for each student.

General study plan

Third cycle education (Doctoral studies) is regulated by a general study plan that has been approved by the Faulty of Humanities:

General Study Plan for Doctoral Studies in Asian Languages and Cultures

General Study Plan for Doctoral Studies in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures

Individual study plan

There must be an individual study plan for every active Doctoral student.

The aim of an individual study program is to help you complete your studies within the appointed time (that is, while you are employed at the Department).

You will plan your individual study program with your supervisor at the beginning of each academic year. It has to be handed in to the person responsible for third cycle education in early September every year.

ISP-form

ISP-form follow-up

Instructions and comments to ISP-form

Assessment and changes

The Supervisors’ Council assesses and approves the individual study programs and then reports them to the Department Board.

Courses at the Faculty of Humanities

The Faculty of Humanities at Stockholm University offers thematic studies and free-standing courses at doctoral level in the humanities.

If you have been admitted as a doctoral student, you are entitled to supervision for the total duration deemed necessary to complete the prescribed programme of 240 higher education credits (hp), unless the Faculty Board of Humanities decides otherwise pursuant to Chapter 6, Section 37 of the Higher Education Act (HF).

A principal supervisor and an assistant supervisor are appointed for each doctoral student at the start of their doctoral studies.

Choosing a supervisor

The principal supervisor is appointed by the Departmental Board on the recommendation of the department’s supervisory committee. The assistant supervisor is appointed by the supervisory committee.

Changing supervisors

A doctoral student who so requests shall be permitted to change supervisors. A request to change supervisors must be submitted to the Departmental Board.

Supervision meetings

The supervisor and the doctoral student shall discuss the general structure of the studies and, prior to the start of each academic year, draw up a detailed programme for the coming year’s studies.

The supervisor must ensure that the scope of the research is defined in such a way that the studies can be completed within the standard duration of study.

Regular and ongoing contact (meetings, email, telephone) between the supervisor and the doctoral student must take place from the very start of the doctoral programme.

Both the doctoral student and the supervisor must be well prepared for the meetings.

Scope of supervision

The time estimated for supervision naturally includes not only the hours during which the supervisor and doctoral student meet, but also all the work the supervisor carries out in connection with the thesis.

The scope of supervision for the principal supervisor is estimated at 80 clock hours per year.

The scope of supervision for the co-supervisor is estimated at 30 clock hours per year.

The dissertation must demonstrate the doctoral student’s ability to independently tackle the chosen research topic in a scientifically satisfactory manner.

Structure of the thesis

The dissertation shall be structured as a coherent, unified scholarly work (monograph-style thesis). The research and the results obtained shall be presented in a manner of such quality that the thesis is deemed to meet reasonable standards for acceptance in a peer-reviewed academic series or journal.

Other requirements

In addition, the following requirements must be met for the thesis to be approved:

• an independent piece of work that contributes something new
• the aim, research question and methodology are presented and justified
• the methodology is applied correctly
• the state of the art is presented in such a way that previous research is distinguished from the author’s own contributions
• the data must be presented and its scope justified
• notes, bibliography, etc. must be scientifically sound and carefully formulated
• the structure must be logical and consistent
• the language used must be acceptable
• the results must be summarised

Language of the dissertation

The dissertation must be written in English (preferably), or alternatively in Swedish.

Summary

A doctoral thesis written in English must include an abstract in Swedish. This abstract must be sufficiently detailed to enable a reader with no knowledge of the language of the thesis to gain a clear understanding of the thesis’s purpose and main content, the academic methodology employed and the results achieved. References must be made to the various chapters of the thesis.

For theses within the main field of Asian Languages and Cultures, a summary must also be written in Chinese, Korean or Japanese – depending on the specialisation.

The doctoral student’s supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the summaries contain the prescribed content.

The assessment of summaries shall be included in the assessment of the thesis as a whole when awarding a mark.

Abstract – summary in English

Each doctoral thesis must be accompanied by a concise summary in English (‘abstract’) of no more than 500 words. The summary must:

• state the title of the thesis, the language in which it is written, the author(s), and the university and department
• summarise the content of the thesis in accordance with the outline: problem, methods and results
• include keywords and other information relevant to literature searches in automated information systems.

A doctoral dissertation involves a student on a doctoral programme, who has written an academic thesis, defending it in public. The thesis is subject to critical and academic scrutiny by an expert, known as an external examiner.

Defending your dissertation at Stockholm University

As your dissertation work nears completion, the manuscript must be discussed to determine whether a public defence can be recommended. There are also a number of practical details to be arranged, involving many different parties at the university.

Defending your thesis at Stockholm University

After the defence – degree certificate

You apply for your doctoral degree certificate using an application form or digitally via Mina Studier. You (the doctoral candidate) are responsible for ensuring that the department reports to Ladok that the defence has been approved and that all courses required for the doctoral degree have been completed.

After the defence – graduation ceremony for doctoral candidates

Following the defence, it is time for the graduation ceremony; a public and solemn ceremony at which doctoral degrees are awarded. The graduation ceremony is held once a year at Stockholm City Hall, and everyone who has been awarded a doctoral degree is invited. The ceremony usually takes place at the end of September.

Conferment of doctoral degrees

The PhD Candidates' Council protects the PhD students' interests and is represented on the Department Board by a Chairperson and a Deputy Member.

It is both interesting and important to be involved in the activities of the PhD Candidates' Council in order to be able to influence your own situation and also to take part in the development of the Department.

Director of Doctoral Studies:
Isa Blumi
Phone: +468162512
E-mail: studierektor.ufn.asien@su.se