PhD student positions in Human Geography

Description

The Department of Human Geography engages in world-class research and education covering a broad range of subdisciplines within Human Geography. Today about 45 persons are employed in the department.

The department is advertising two PhD positions in Human Geography. The positions begin on 1 September 2026 and are financed for four years in the form of a full-time appointment as an employee of Uppsala University. The doctoral program encompasses 240 högskolepoäng (“university credits”, equivalent to 4 years of study), of which the PhD dissertation comprises 180 credits and doctoral courses 60 credits.

Current research directions and areas of expertise at the department: We conduct research within a wide range of Human Geography subjects (including urban and regional planning), and we have expertise in a variety of scientific methods, from qualitative to quantitative methods, including GIS and spatial analysis. Applicants are invited to visit our departmental website to review the kinds of research we do in the department (https://www.uu.se/en/department/human-geography/contact). Please note that applicants do not need to contact potential supervisors in the department before submitting an application – the applications are written individually by the applicants and the proposed research projects do not need to be approved beforehand by any of our staff.

Duties

A PhD student’s primary job responsibility is to work toward the completion of the doctoral program, involving four years of full-time study. This includes coursework and all work related to the dissertation. In addition, PhD students may be asked to allocate up to 20% of their time to other tasks in the department, such as teaching and administrative duties.

Position 1: Housing and urban geography

This position is affiliated with the Institute for Housing and Urban Research (IBF). The selected candidate will conduct research focusing on housing and/or urban geography. The candidate will follow the doctoral curriculum of the Department of Human Geography, but the primary placement will be at IBF. More information about IBF is available at: www.ibf.uu.se.

Position 2: Political ecology

This position, with a placement in the Department of Human Geography, is in political ecology, including feminist and decolonial perspectives, but we welcome applications for all types of projects within the field of political ecology.

Qualifications

General qualifications expected: To meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies in Human Geography, you must 1) hold a Master’s (second-cycle) degree in human geography; or 2) have completed at least 240 credits, with at least 60 credits at Master’s level including an independent project worth at least 15 credits; or 3) have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

These qualifications do not need to have been met by the application deadline, but they should be met by June 30, 2026.

Application procedure: A recruitment committee will make an initial selection of applicants through a review of submitted documents and contacts with referees. The selected group of candidates will then be invited to an interview with representatives of the department. The interviews are planned for April. Candidates will be informed of the results of the selection process by mid-May at the latest. General criteria for assessing applications are available by request.

Applications are to be submitted online and should consist of:

A completed, signed application form (available in the online application system).A cover letter (personal statement, max 2 pages). This letter is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to us in a personal, and perhaps creative, way. We would like you to tell us who you are, and explain why you are interested in human geography as an academic subject. We also want you to explain why you are specifically interested in pursuing a PhD in our department.Curriculum Vitae/Resumé including your education, previous employment, and relevant skills.A short description (3-4 pages, including references) of your research plan. This should include a background/introduction to your research question; the actual question(s) you intend to investigate; an explanation as to why this topic is important; a brief review of the relevant literature and your project’s potential contribution to that literature; and a description of potential methods to be employed.Transcript(s) of your academic record/degree(s) to date, including information on courses taken and grades received.At least one example of written (academic) work in English or Swedish.Contact information for two academic references (but not the actual letters).

For more information, please contact:

Professor David Jansson, director of doctoral studies, phone +46-72-999 91 55; e-mail david.jansson@kultgeog.uu.se.

Terms

The terms of employment for doctoral students can be found (in Swedish) in Högskoleförordningen 5 Chapter 1-7 §§ and in the University rules http://regler.uu.se/. The rules of the doctoral program are found in the General Curriculum of the Doctoral Program in Human Geography (Allmän Studieplan, available in Swedish: https://www.uu.se/download/18.773af7981919740a5cc20f8f/1725373119581/SAMFAK 2021-166 Allmän studieplan kulturgeografi.pdf; the English version is available upon request).

About the employment

The position is a fixed-term appointment, in accordance with Chapter 5, Section 7 of the Higher Education Ordinance (HF). The scope of employment is full-time. The starting date is 1 September 2026 or as agreed. Location: Uppsala.

The deadline for applications is March 16, 2026, UFV-PA 2026/58.