Skip to main content

Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences

Tampere University

Understand society!

Type

Postgraduate degree (University)

Degree earned

Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Social Sciences

Planned duration

4 years

Extent of studies

240 ECTS

City

Tampere

The Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences provides you with versatile abilities to successfully perform expert tasks that require extensive and in-depth understanding of the interaction between society and individuals, and to work in academic research and teaching positions in Finland and abroad. Doctoral education concentrates on your own area of speciality, but it also provides an extensive understanding of the operation of society and people in our changing world. The postgraduate studies strengthen your theoretical and methodological skills, prepare you for acting in a multidisciplinary research environment and expert groups, as well as helps you to develop skills in research ethics and abilities required in working life.

The purpose of doctoral education is to adopt scientific thinking, which aims at the truth and includes adopting a critical stance, as well as learning ethically sustainable scientific practices, and mastering the diverse skills of a researcher. As a researcher with a doctoral degree, you are familiar with the theories and methods in your own research tradition and have an extensive grasp of social research and related research questions. You are also able to apply different approaches and methods in your research, reporting and administrative work as well as in expert and management tasks in the public and private sectors. As an expert with a doctoral degree, you understand the greatest social changes of our time and are able to seek solutions to social problems and ask questions which have not been posed yet. Doctors graduating from the Doctoral Programme in Social Sciences find jobs in research, education, development, planning, and supervisory tasks. It is easy for them to find employment.

Carefully read through the admissions requirements before applying. For additional questions on applying, application documents and application process, please email: soc.doctoralstudies.tau(a)tuni.fi. Professor in Charge of the Doctoral Programme is Päivi Honkatukia (paivi.honkatukia [at] tuni.fi).

Questions on research plans and prospective supervisors:

  • Criminology and Criminal Policy: Research Director Noora Ellonen (noora.ellonen [at] tuni.fi (noora[dot]ellonen[at]tuni[dot]fi))
  • Gender Studies: Associate Professor Hanna Ylöstalo (hanna.ylostalo [at] tuni.fi)
  • Peace and Conflict Research: Professor Tarja Väyrynen (tarja.vayrynen [at] tuni.fi (tarja[dot]vayrynen[at]tuni[dot]fi))
  • Social Anthropology: Professor Laura Huttunen (Laura.Huttunen [at] tuni.fi (laura[dot]huttunen[at]tuni[dot]fi))
  • Social Policy: Professor Marita Husso (marita.husso [at] tuni.fi)
  • Social Psychology: Associate Professor Melisa Stevanovic (melisa.stevanovic [at] tuni.fi
  • Social Work: Associate Professor Suvi Raitakari (suvi.raitakari [at] tuni.fi
  • Sociology: Professor Semi Purhonen (semi.purhonen [at] tuni.fi (semi[dot]purhonen[at]tuni[dot]fi))
  • Youth Research: Professor Päivi Honkatukia (Paivi.Honkatukia [at] uta.fi (paivi[dot]honkatukia[at]tuni[dot]fi))