Doctoral Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

A Licentiate of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy (Humanities and Natural Sciences) degree can be completed in the following major subjects: 

• History 
• Geography 

A Licentiate of Science in Economics and Business Administration, Doctor of Science in Economics and Business Administration, or Doctor of Philosophy (Economics and Business Administration) degree can be completed in the following major subjects: 

• Marketing 
• Management 
• Accounting and Finance 

A Licentiate of Laws, Doctor of Laws, or Doctor of Philosophy (in the field of law) degree can be completed in the following major subjects: 

• European law
• Financial law
• Administrative law
• Welfare law
• International law
• Labour law
• Criminology
• Constitutional law
• Family and inheritance law
• Procedural law
• Criminal law
• Social law
• Legislative studies
• Constitutional law
• Property law
• General jurisprudential studies
• Environmental law 

A  Licentiate of Health Sciences, Doctor of Health Sciences, or Doctor of Philosophy (in the field of health sciences) degree can be completed in the following major subjects: 

• Health and Human Services Informatics 
• Health Management Science 
• Health Economics 

A  Licentiate of Social Sciences, Doctor of Social Sciences, or Doctor of Philosophy (in the field of social sciences) degree can be completed in the following major subjects: 

• Health and Human Services Informatics 
• Social Management Science
• Social Pedagogy
• Social Psychology
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Social Policy
• Human Geography
• Environmental Policy  

A Doctor of Philosophy (in the field of social sciences) degree can be completed in the following major subjects: 

• Border studies

A person who has completed a relevant Master's degree awarded by a university, a relevant Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences, or relevant international education that provides eligibility for equivalent higher education studies in the respective country can be admitted to studies leading to a scientific or artistic postgraduate degree. (University Act 558/2009, Section 37)  

A person can be selected for a doctoral programme if they have  

• a Master's degree, a Master’s degree awarded by a university of applied sciences, or equivalent international education, as well as university-level studies relevant to the doctoral research subject, which may be included in or outside the degree 
• two supervisors agreed upon before submitting the application  
• a research plan meeting the criteria presented below and  
• English language skills according to the criteria presented below 

Applications from eligible applicants are evaluated based on the following components:  

• primarily the research plan; as well as 
• other experience that supports the research: previous research work or scientific publications, international orientation and language skills required for research, work as a researcher, acquired funding or funding plan  
• success in previous studies. 

Research plan 

The scientific quality of the research plan is evaluated based on the following criteria: 

1. The scientific level and research objectives of the research plan (research problem, research tasks) 
2. The scientific and/or societal significance of the research topic 
3. The connection between the research framework, research questions, and research methods, as well as the mastery of concepts and research literature 
4. The plan for data collection and analysis methods 
5. The scope, realism, and feasibility of the research plan, including the schedule, publication, and funding plans. Consideration of the dissertation phase in relation to the target time (pre-examination phase in three years). 
6. Consideration of ethical aspects related to the research and its implementation; for example, good scientific practice, data protection impact assessment, and ethical considerations in data management and collection. 

Length of the research plan: 5–10 pages, plus references 

English language proficiency

Applicants must prove their English language skills when applying. They must either (1) meet the language proficiency criteria (see below), or (2) reach the minimum required language test results to be considered eligible to the University of Eastern Finland. No exceptions will be made and no waivers regarding the language proficiency requirements are given. 

(1) Applicants who hold one of the following do not have to take an English language test

• English as foreign language included in at least a Bachelor-level degree conducted in Nordic country (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) or in an EU/EEA country;  
• At least 20 ECTS university-level studies in the subject of English Studies completed in a Nordic or in an EU/EEA country;  
• Master's thesis written in English when Master's degree is completed in a Nordic country or in an EU/EEA country;  
• Secondary education completed in English language in EU/EEA -countries, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand or in Switzerland.   
• A Bachelor’s, Master’s or higher degree in English language completed in EU/EEA -countries, or in one of the following countries: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Dominica, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Ruanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South-Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe.  

The degree/programme must be taught and assessed entirely in English. If you verify your language skills with your education degree, the language of instruction must be clearly indicated on the educational documents.   

Online studies or studies completed on offshore campuses outside the accepted countries/area cannot be used to indicate language skills, even if the degree-awarding institution is in one of the accepted countries.  

Attach to the application applicable degree certificate, Diploma Supplement and the transcript of the academic record.  

(2) All other applicants have to take one of the following language tests  

• TOEFL iBT, overall score 92, min. 22 in writing   
• IELTS (academic) overall score 6.5, min. 6.0 in writing  
• PTE (academic), overall score 62, min 54 in writing  
• C1 Advanced overall score C or 180, with min. 162 in writing   
• C2 Proficiency overall score level C1 or 180, with min. 162 in writing  
• National Certificate of Language Proficiency YKI-test: level 5 in all different subtests (reading comprehension, writing and speaking). It is possible to combine different examinations.   

No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted.  

TOEFL, IELTS and PTE certificates are valid for two years from the day they are issued. The language test results must be verifiable from the online verification service of the organizer.  

Supplementary studies 

Supplementary studies may be required for a student whose prior education is in a field other than the intended major or when it is deemed appropriate for implementation of the research plan. The supplementary studies are defined in the admission decision and their scope is up to 30 ECTS credits. They are completed in addition to the degree studies and cannot be included in the doctoral degree. 

The applicant must discuss their doctoral studies and doctoral thesis supervision with their prospective supervisor well in advance of applying for study right. The applicant must obtain the supervisor's consent to act as a supervisor before submitting the application. At least two supervisors will be appointed for the doctoral candidate. One of the supervisors must be a professor, associate professor, docent, or a person with equivalent qualifications from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. The other supervisor must hold a doctoral degree.

Start preparing to apply for the doctoral studies well in advance. Familiarise yourself with the admission criteria of the doctoral programme. Contact the potential supervisors at an early stage and discuss your planned research with them. The research plan is the most important part of the application for doctoral study right, so we recommend that you start preparing for it early. The research plan is independent work, but the persons who have agreed to be your supervisors will guide you in its preparation. Contact your supervisors in good time so that they can provide feedback on your research plan. If you have any questions, for example, about the admission criteria of the doctoral programme, please contact the doctoral programme’s applicant advisory service well in advance. See the contact information at the bottom of the page.

The right to pursue doctoral studies does not include funding or a contract of employment or teaching tasks at the University. However, full-time doctoral students need funding to cover their costs of living and potential research costs (travel costs, research material etc.). Funding options should already be discussed with the supervisor when planning to apply for a doctoral study right and creating a research plan. 

Doctoral studies can be funded, for example, by a scholarship, working as a researcher in a research project, working as a doctoral candidate at the University of Eastern Finland (doctoral researcher position), or studying part-time while at work. Doctoral researchers apply for funding themselves. 

Read more about funding options for doctoral studies in the Kamu Student Databank.