Doctoral studies

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The thesis work comprises 180 hp in total (2025), which includes both work with the summarizing chapter (swe. "kappa") and the sub-studies (swe. "delstudier").

See documents below, which provides guidelines for assigning credits to each sub-study.

Calculating credits for the thesis work (2025) pdf, 166.5 kB.
Valid for students following the General syllabus, versions of 2025-06-24 or later.

Calculating credits for the thesis work (2024) pdf, 155 kB.
Valid for students following the General syllabus, versions previous of 2025-06-24.

Those with a doctoral studentship can conduct departmental duties up to a maximum of 20 per cent of a full-time position. Doctoral students do not receive a salary for these duties, instead their study period will be extended by the time they have spent on departmental duties.

Once the doctoral studentship has ended, the appointment period will be extended by the number of hours reported. Check with the human resources office each semester to ensure that all of your hours have been reported and registered.

Positions on committees, the Doctoral Student Council, boards and so on also entitle the student to an extension. The Vice-Chancellor has approved a calculation model. Certain duties extend the position by a fixed number of days following the model. Others extend the position by two days and two days per meeting. There is a maximum of 40 days per year. Meeting attendance must be confirmed in the meeting minutes or attendance list, or with a certificate from the chair.

Those who do not have doctoral studentships or are externally employed doctoral students will receive hourly remuneration, or as an appointment following the same principles for extension that apply to those with doctoral studentships.

Each applicant must submit a financing plan.

A Government decision stipulates that departments may only admit eligible applicants if their financing is deemed to be secured for the entire period of their studies, and who can devote the majority of their time to their studies so they can be completed within a maximum of eight years.

Hence, each applicant must submit a financing plan. It must include information about when the doctoral studies must be completed and how they will be financed each year leading up to their degree.

The Faculty of Social Sciences guidelines accept the following financing forms for doctoral studies:

Student finance, i.e. employment as a doctoral student, or other form of student financing that amounts to the same as what would be paid out for a doctoral studentship, after tax. There is a limited amount of student finance. The Faculty Board determine how many doctoral students can be admitted with guaranteed student finance throughout their studies before each doctoral position is advertised. This financing is under the condition that the students follow the rate of study as outlined in each individual study plan.

Employment at Stockholm University or with an external employer. In both cases, a written confirmation from the employer must be provided. It must state the duration and scope of the studies that can be pursued during the student’s working hours. As stated above, the doctoral degree must be completed within a maximum of eight years – thus requiring a minimum rate of study of 50 per cent.

New doctoral students at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, are awarded SEK 30,000 to cover thesis-related expenses that may arise during their studies. This grant is separate to the resources available to cover costs relating to the thesis defence. The following rules apply:

1. The grant must be used to cover thesis-related activities that are essential for the doctoral student's progression and thesis work.
2. As part of the work with their individual study plan, the doctoral student and their supervisor must plan how the grant will be used.
3. The director of studies will approve how the doctoral student intends to use the grant, however its use is to be in consultation with the student’s supervisor.
4. The grant cannot be used to cover costs relating to the thesis defence. There are separate resources allocated to this. However, it may be used for a language revision of the thesis.
5. Any unused grant will be returned to the University once the thesis is defended.

Internationalisation

As part of its work with internationalisation, the Department of Psychology wishes to see an increase in the number of doctoral students spending part of their studies abroad in international research environments. Therefore, this grant should (but this is not essential, see point 1 above) be used for this purpose – ideally together with other stipends and/or research grants.

Transitional rules from previous OGRAD application systems

The total amount of funding each active doctoral student has received from previous OGRAD applications will be deducted from the new fixed amount allocated to each doctoral student. Any surplus amount will be the amount that remains for the doctoral student to use up until the day of their thesis defence.

Administrative procedure

When the doctoral student wishes to use their funding, they need to send an email to the director of studies for approval, and cc: their supervisor and finance administrator. Briefly describe how the funding will be used and state the amount.

The finance administrator can provide information about the remaining amount available to the doctoral student.

For invoices and expenses:

• The doctoral student registers their expenses in Primula (cost centre 30312; reference: 308002).
• Invoice address Stockholms universitet, Box: 50741, 20270 Malmö, ref: 308 (+ doctoral student’s name). Book travel through Egencia. The department will be invoiced automatically.
• Any other questions about expenses and finance can be discussed with the finance administrator at the department: hr@psychology.su.se

The general syllabus contains the overall regulations applicable to both the degree of doctor and the degree of licentiate in psychology, including a brief subject description, the intended learning outcomes, and content.

General Syllabus for Doctoral Studies in Psychology, 240 credits (2025)

General Syllabus for Doctoral Studies in Psychology, 240 credits (2024)

General Syllabus for Doctoral Studies in Psychology, 240 credits (2015)

Read more about the background, structure, and guidelines for the compulsory half-time reviews for doctoral students at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University.

Half-time review in doctoral studies

An individual study plan must be established within one month of the doctoral student being admitted.

The plan outlines how many course credits and thesis credits must be obtained each year leading up to the final degree. The doctoral student and their supervisor sign the study plan before handing it to the administrator for doctoral education.

At the end of each semester, the student and supervisor must review whether the study plan has been followed. The director of studies is to be notified of any significant deviations from the study plan. In certain cases, this may result in the doctoral student losing their right to supervision and other resources.

As of 2021, individual study plans are created electronically: disp.su.se/app/start

We have created a summary of the opportunities available to doctoral students wishing to gain international experience.

International opportunities for doctoral students pdf, 359.2 kB.  Updated 2023-09-15.

Digital tools and services is a resource page with information about the various tools and services you may need during your studies. It offers help with how to use them.

Digital tools and services

IT for students

Depending on the type of funding you are receiving, as a doctoral student you are both a university employee and student. Hence, you will often be able to access information and help with IT services from both sides. The IT for students page on the SU website contains a lot of useful information about the IT services available. You can access IT support through Serviceportalen.

You can contact the SU helpdesk (+46 8 16 1999) for urgent IT support, or the Unit for Communication and infrastructure at the Department of Psychology for local support.

IT for students

IT support

IT and telephone support (Intranet, in Swedish)

The PhD Student Council is the subject council for PhD students at the Department of Psychology.

Its task is to draw upon, promote and protect the interests of doctoral students in matters relating to their studies in their field by representing them in the department board and other bodies where doctoral students have the right to representation. The PhD Student Council also works to promote collegiality among doctoral students.

The "PhD Student Council" page on the Athena teaching platform is the PhD students’ internal communication arena.

Doktorandrådets styrelse 2025

The following people have been elected to various positions on the PhD Student Council 2025.

Ordförande HT 2025 / President autumn 2025
Martin Oscarsson, martin.oscarsson@psychology.su.se
Representant i Institutionsstyrelsen / Representative in the Department Board
Representant i Professorsgruppen / Representative in the Professors' Group

Vice ordförande / Vice President
Vakant/vacant
Representant i Professorsgruppen / Representative in the Professors' Group
Representant i Institutionsstyrelsen / Representative in the Department Board

Sekreterare / Secretary
Jón Ingi Hlynsson, jon.hlynsson@su.se

Kassör / Treasurer
Andreas Sarling, andreas.sarling@su.se

Representant i / Representative in Samhällsvetenskapliga fakultetsrådet (SFR)
Clara Plückelmann, clara.pluckelmann@psychology.su.se

Representant i / Representative in Centrala doktorandrådet (CDR)
Vakant

Representant i Rådet för arbetsmiljö och lika villkor (RALV) / Representative in The work environment and equal rights committee
Astrid Hallman, astrid.hallman@su.se

Utbildningsutskottet / Education committee
Annika Andersson, annika.h.andersson@su.se

Teknologikoordinator / Tecknology coordinator
Ida Bekke Rønneberg Nilsen, ida.nilsen@su.se

Koordinator för sociala aktiviteter / Social activity coordinator
Sofia Bracco, sofia.bracco@psychology.su.se

Koordinator för reproducerbarhet och öppen vetenskap / Reproducibility and open science coordinator
Annika Andersson, annika.h.andersson@su.se

Arbetslivsseminarier / Work life seminars
Vakant

Suppleanter
Freja Isohanni, freja.isohanni@psychology.su.se

Melanie Wiehe, melanie.wiehe@su.se

Vakant

Dissertation defence

• Distribution of responsibilities in the defence process
• Book time & place for defense
• ISBN & ISSN
• Nailing page
• Printing of doctoral thesis
• Distribution of doctoral thesis
• Announcement of defence (nailing)

Quick reference guide for public defence of doctoral thesis pdf, 390.4 kB.
Last updated August 2025.