Doctoral Programme in Humanities and Social Sciences

Specialisation in History, Ethnology, and Cultural Anthropology examines societies and communities across different periods and contexts, with particular attention to cultural, political, social, and economic phenomena. Within this specialisation, you may conduct doctoral research in Economic History, Ethnology, Cultural Anthropology, Finnish History, and General History, as well as on themes that cut across the disciplines.

Doctoral research in Finnish history engages in in-depth and groundbreaking analyses of Finland's past and that of its neighbouring regions. Economic history focuses on questions of welfare and equality, as well as the historical development of institutions, businesses, and management practices. Research in General History emphasizes international, transnational, and comparative perspectives, particularly in the fields of political, intellectual and conceptual history. In Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, research focuses on themes such as memory, identities, everyday life in communities, digitality, and human–environment relations.

The target degree in this specialisation is Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The specialisation representative of History, Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology is (information will be updated on the page later).

In the specialisation of Language Studies and Communication Studies, you may conduct doctoral research in Applied Language Studies, Applied Linguistics, Communication, English Language, Finnish Language, Finnish Sign Language, German Language and Culture, Intercultural Communication, Journalism, Romance Philology, Russian Language and Culture, and Swedish Language, as well as on themes that cut across the disciplines. The specialisation is organized in cooperation between the Department of Language and Communication Studies and the Centre for Applied Language Studies. 

The target degree in this specialisation is Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The specialisation representative of Language Studies and Communication Studies is (information will be updated on the page later).

Specialization in Music, Arts, and Cultural Studies brings together nine disciplines – Literature, Creative Writing, Museology and related cultural environment studies, Music Education, Music Therapy, Musicology, Contemporary Culture Studies, Art History and Art Education – into a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary whole. In this specialization, psychological, sociological, societal, historical, art theoretical, experimental, and technological approaches create a multidisciplinary critical understanding of different forms of art and culture as part of individuals' experiences and societal phenomena. The research themes reflect art and culture as forces of change, as well as the physicality, emotionality, mediality, and multimodality of music, art, and cultural products. The research examines human well-being, identity, cognition, lived experience, emotions, affects, environments, cultural heritage, games, cultural activities, and processes of meaning-making through an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on theories and concepts from music, the arts, and critical cultural studies. Methodological development and the utilization of technology are an integral part of the research in this specialization. 

The target degree in this specialisation is Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The specialisation representative of Music, Arts, and Culture Studies is (information will be updated on the page later).

During the doctoral studies in the specialization of Social Sciences and Philosophy, you will delve into the theoretical and methodological questions of your discipline and participate in academically and/or societally timely discussions. Depending on your discipline, adopted approach, and research questions, your research may have a theoretical or an empirical emphasis. Specialising in Social Sciences and Philosophy, you may conduct doctoral research in Cultural Policy, Development Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Social and Public Policy, Social Work, and Sociology, as well as on themes that cut across the disciplines.

The target degrees in this specialisation are Doctor of Social Sciences (DSocSc) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

The specialisation representative of Social Sciences and Philosophy is (information will be updated on the page later).