Doctoral position in English

Do you want to complete a PhD programme with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable collegiality and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a PhD student position at Uppsala University.

The Faculty of Languages at Uppsala University engages in teaching and research across a wide range of classical and contemporary languages, literatures and cultures, as well as linguistics and computational linguistics. This diversity of linguistic, literary and cultural orientations constitutes a core of humanities research and lays a solid foundation for fruitful collaborations within the faculty, but also with other disciplines and society at large.

The Department of English comprises five profile areas within both teaching and research: English Linguistics, English Literature, American Literature, Irish, and the Swedish Institute for North American Studies (SINAS). Research is conducted in all of these profile areas. The doctoral programme in English is divided into three sections, one with a specialization in English Linguistics, one with a specialization in English Literature, and one with a specialization in American Literature. We are looking for a PhD student in English within one of these three specializations. We welcome applications within all areas of the subject of English, including dissertation projects that have connections to the department’s Celtic section, the Swedish Institute for North American Studies, and/or the teaching and didactics of English.We encourage applicants from all countries to apply for the position.

At the Department of English, PhD students are integrated into the research environment. They are also expected to become part of domestic and international networks by, for instance, attending conferences where they present their research. Abstracts of recently defended PhD dissertations are available online.

Duties

The doctoral studies correspond to a four-year full-time programme, for which the PhD student receives a salary as an employee at the Department of English. However, teaching and/or administrative duties may comprise up to 20% of the position. The PhD student is also expected to participate in and contribute to the department’s activities. The PhD dissertation must be written in English.

The PhD student will work full-time in the doctoral programme in Uppsala and is expected to participate actively in the department’s activities, such as research seminars, workshops, and staff meetings. The position gives the PhD student access to all Swedish social benefits, such as paid parental leave. If the position involves teaching or administrative duties, it is extended by the corresponding time. All PhD students have access to their own office space and are expected to be present at the department during working hours.

Requirements

To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies, you must

• hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree, or
• have completed at least 240 credits in higher education, which include at least 60 credits at Master’s level in a subject that is relevant to the PhD programme and an independent project worth at least 15 credits, or
• have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

To be eligible for doctoral studies in English, you must also meet the requirements for a Master’s degree in English or have the equivalent competence. In addition, eligibility for the programme requires advanced reading skills in English and any other languages that are necessary in order to make full use of international scholarship that is required for the PhD student’s research. Applicants who have gained roughly equivalent competence in other ways in Sweden or abroad are also considered to meet these eligibility requirements. For more information, see the General study plan for doctoral studies in English.

Assessment Criteria

Admittance to the doctoral programme is decided on by the Head of Department after consultation with the department’s PhD supervisors, who compile a shortlist of applicants. The ranking of applicants is based on a qualitative, holistic assessment of their ability to complete a PhD programme in English and contribute to a positive development of the department’s activities. Special weight will be accorded to the quality of the applicants’ degree projects and research plans. The assessment also takes into account the department’s ability to provide qualified supervision for an applicant’s proposed thesis project. Shortlisted applicants will be called to interviews.

Note that there is a great deal of competition for PhD positions at Uppsala University and that a Master’s degree or the equivalent competence at the time of applying is a prerequisite.

Additional Information

Doctoral education is regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 5, §§ 1–7) and in Uppsala University’s internal regulations.  Doctoral education in English is regulated in the general syllabus for the subject. 

More information on the doctoral programme is available at the Department of English’s website. To access the information, select “Study” and then “PhD Programme”.

The Application

The application should be written in English. Information on what a complete application should contain is available here. 

About the Position

This is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance (Chapter 5, § 7). It is a full-time position. The start date is 1 September 2026 or according to individual agreement. The position is placed in Uppsala.

For further information about the position, please contact Adam Hjorthén, Director of Doctoral Studies, studierektorfueng@uu.se.

You are welcome to submit your application no later than 2 March 2026, UFV-PA 2025/3790