PhD Scholarships in Political Science

Do you want a research education as a salaried and institutionally supported PhD student? 

The Department of Political Science and Public Management, University of Southern Denmark invites applications for 3 to 4 PhD scholarships within the research areas political science, public administration, international and regional politics, welfare studies or journalism studies as of January 1, 2025, or as agreed. 

As a PhD student, you will be affiliated with one of the department’s three research sections: Public Administration, Welfare and Politics (PAWP), International and Regional Politics (IRP), or Journalism (JOUR). For more information about the department organization, strategy, research, and teaching, please visit the website.

The Public Administration, Welfare and Politics research section is comprised of the two research fields public administration and welfare studies. The scholars focus on various research areas within public management and administration, comparative welfare studies and social policy as well as comparative politics and political economy. The section also provides high-quality, research-based teaching and supervision in the political science study program and the two professional master study programs in public management, and they disseminate research-based knowledge to key stakeholders. 

The International and Regional Politics research section consists of the Center for War Studies, the Centre for Border Region Studies, and the Danish Centre for Rural Research. They conduct research on different areas such as contemporary security issues, the changing characteristics of war and the relationship between war and peace; European border regions in the past and present; as well as understanding and improving life in rural areas. 

The Journalism research section, consisting of the Centre for Journalism, is centered around two joined research networks; one is focused on rhetoric and journalistic usage of language, the other on social, societal, and political aspects of journalism. The Centre for Journalism offers both bachelor and graduate degrees in journalism, short-term, mid-career courses for journalists, and trains doctoral students. 

The ideal applicant and PhD project proposal

To qualify for a PhD scholarship, you must have a high academic level and be able to outline an original research project. 

The project is individual, but it should be related to the ongoing research areas in the relevant section (see above). The department are open to research proposals within all areas. However, we are especially interested in proposals within: AI, management and leadership and/or Danish politics.

We are looking for candidates who (please also consult the Scholarly Qualification Matrix):

• have a curiosity and a strong desire to generate new research ideas.
• are able to work independently and, in consultation with the PhD supervisor, prioritize the different aspects of the PhD plan, including participation in PhD courses, teaching and supervision of undergraduate students. 
• will apply for smaller grants and/or participate in applications for larger grants.
• have good interpersonal skills.
• are interested in engaging with the national and international research community (your supervisor and the department will support you in this), i.e., participate in conferences and present own work. 
• prioritize being present and taking part in the daily academic and social environments at the department.

When applying, you must enclose a project proposal as well as a suggestion for a supervisor (if possible). When preparing these documents, you are strongly advised to consider the research profile and the staff of the relevant section. Please also consult the general guidelines for preparing a project proposal at the PhD School's webpage.

The department believes in fostering a stimulating and inspiring environment for both faculty members and students. The department's ambition is therefore to recruit, develop, and retain talented scholars committed to both academic excellence and departmental development. Furthermore, the department wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

Requirements and program structure

As a PhD student you will follow an individual PhD plan including course work, conference participation, and teaching. PhD Students typically spend one semester at another research institution, often abroad. The scholarship carries a monthly salary including pension plus office facilities and financial support for conference travels and research visits abroad. Conditions of employment will be in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations).

If selected for the position(s), you will be enrolled in the PhD program in Political Science, Journalism, or Social Sciences. Applications are invited from candidates with a master's degree (the 5+3 program). Candidates who, in addition to their bachelor's degree, expect to have passed 60 ECTS of their master's program by February 1, 2025, are invited to apply for a PhD scholarship within the 4+4 program.

A 5+3 PhD program spans over three years (fully salaried), while the 4+4 program runs for a period of four years. If enrolled in the 4+4 program, your will be enrolled in the PhD program and the master's program parallel to each other. During this period, the pay will consist of the Danish Student Allowance (SU) - if you are entitled to it - and a supplementary salary for job assignments. After completing the master's degree, you will enter a fully salaried PhD scholarship for the remaining two years. Employment as a paid PhD fellow takes place in accordance with the circular of 20 December 2021 on the collective agreement for academics in the state – appendix 5, protocol on PhD fellowships.

For further information about the PhD program, please contact PhD coordinator, Professor Arjen van Dalen, tel. +45 6550 4417, e-mail [email protected]. 

For further information about the Department of Political Science and Public Management, please contact Head of Department Signe Pihl-Thingvad tel. +45 6550 2281, e-mail [email protected].

Application and assessment process

An application must include:

• Application form. 
• A project proposal of no more than 12,000 characters in total, including spaces, notes, appendices, bibliography etc. The project description must be anonymized, i.e., it may not reveal your name or identity in any way. The total number of characters including spaces of the project description must be stated on the first page of the project description.
• An abstract for the above project description of no more than 250 words, to be submitted on a separate sheet/page.
• A motivated application.
• A short statement with a motivated suggestion on who among the academic staff at the Department of Political Science and Public Management could be your PhD supervisor, to be submitted on a separate sheet/page.
• A detailed CV (max 2 pages).
• A copy of your master's degree certificate including all examination results. In case of a 4+4 enrolment, a copy of your bachelor's degree certificate and a transcript of you master's level examination results must be included.
• Information on experience with teaching, dissemination, or scientific publication, if applicable.

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English. 

Documents should not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

If you do not adhere to the above-mentioned specifications, your application may be rejected without further assessment. The department reserves the right to arrive at a decision solely based on the material submitted.

Shortlisting may be used in the assessment process.

Shortlisted applications will be assessed by an internal committee. When the assessment committee has submitted its report, the candidate will receive the part of the evaluation that concerns them. The assessment report is subsequently forwarded to the head of department who assembles an appointment committee and determines if one or more of the qualified applicants should be invited to a job interview. The appointment committee will organize and complete job interviews, and advise the head of department on which candidate(s) should be offered appointment.

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply now" on our website. All files must be in Adobe PDF format. 

Application deadline: 15 October 2024, 23:59 CET.

Read the guideline for applicants.

If you experience technical problems with submitting the application, please contact [email protected] before the application deadline.