Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies Comparative Literature, Doctoral degree, 240 ECTS Cultural Studies, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Icelandic Linguistics, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Icelandic Literature, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Translation Studies, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Faculty of Languages and Cultures Danish, Doctoral, 180 ECTS English, Doctoral, 180 ECTS French Studies, Doctoral, 180 ECTS German, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Second Language Studies, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Spanish, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology Applied Ethics, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Archaeology, Doctoral, 180 ECTS History, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Philosophy, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies Theology, Doctoral, 180 ECTS

Upon completion of a Master’s degree with a first-class grade (7.25), or an equivalent qualification, a student may apply for admission to a doctoral programme in the subject in which the Master’s degree was taken. A student who has completed a Master’s degree or other equivalent qualification in a different subject than the one applied to, from another University of Iceland faculty or another university with the equivalent of a first-class grade, may also apply for admission to a doctoral programme. In such cases, the doctoral studies committee, in consultation with the department/faculty and prospective supervisor, shall assess information on the applicant’s previous studies and research. Students may be required to take further studies (courses or individual projects) as deemed necessary. Such additional or preliminary requirements must be recorded in the University student IT system. The supervisor shall determine when the doctoral candidate has satisfied these preliminary requirements and ensure this information is recorded in the student IT system. Students wishing to commence a doctoral programme directly after completing a Master’s degree may apply before they obtain their degrees if the faculty in question can confirm that they are likely to complete their programmes with a satisfactory grade by the end of the current semester. If an application is accepted on this condition, the student may commence doctoral studies. However, if the condition has not been met after one semester of the doctoral programme the student shall not be permitted to continue. The student’s academic record is then closed in the University student IT system with no credits registered, and the student must apply again if he or she wishes to pursue the programme. Before an application can be accepted, the proposed supervisor must have agreed to fulfill the role. Applicants may, when preparing their applications, directly contact academic staff at the School of Humanities and ask them to take on the role of supervisor. A student may also contact the head of department or head of subject for assistance in finding a supervisor.

How to find a supervisor?

You may search for supervisor by key-word specialisation in "Find staff" on top of UI website. You can also look supervisor up by name, School or Faculty.

Online application form

The University Online Application System gives each applicant an ID number that can be used to monitor the status of the application.User interfaces in Icelandic or English are available. If the ID number is lost please contact student registration admisson@hi.is On the online application form, you will be required to provide the following details: Program selection: from a drop-down menu of graduate programs selected Personal information including a scan (PDF file) of your passport. Previous education: degrees awarded with dates and subject(s). References: provide names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of two referees. Referees should write one letter of recommendation. Please ask your referees to send their letters of recommendation directly to the University of Iceland. Name of your supervisor in the University of Iceland Supporting documents to be uploaded: Curriculum Vitae (CV) Certified transcripts of degree certificates and previous academic records Overview of your goals and expectations Study and research plan Written confirmation from supervisor Declaration of the end of MA studies if applying before the MA degree has been approved Please ensure that all requested supporting documents are submitted no later than two weeks after the application is submitted. Further information about the studies, admittance requirements, etc. can be found in the course catalogue. Applicants for the Ph.D. program at the School of Humanities: Required to find a departmental coordinator/supervisor and are advised to contact the teachers in the field they are interested in to find a supervisor. Required to have an idea for a research project before applying. Once the application has been submitted, the applicant may monitor its status via the University of Iceland Online Application Portal under the “Applications – Overview” tab Applicants will be notified of their application results in the Application Portal under the “Applications – Overview” tab. If the applicant is accepted into the program, a reply letter will be attached to the Application Portal under the “Applications – Overview” tab. See further information on the application process.

Curriculum Vitae - CV Certified transcripts of degree certificates and previous academic records, if you studied somewhere other than the University of Iceland. Certified transcripts of degree certificates should be submitted to Student Registration. University of Icenland Student Registration Sæmundargata 4 102 Reykjavík ICELAND Overview of your goals and expectations (maximum 1 page). Study and research plan in four sections on a special form: I. General description of the research project, its goals and research questions, as well as the student’s academic reasons for undertaking the project (maximum 5 pages). II. Draft study plan (maximum 2 pages). III. Financial plan. IV. Bibliography (maximum 5 pages). It is important to take particular care over this part of the application. (See information and form for study and research plan below). Written confirmation from supervisor. The confirmation (½ to 1 page) should state that: she or he has accepted to supervise the project, has read and approved the study and research plan and how the research falls within the research field of the supervisor, who is recognised as an active specialist in the relevant field of scholarship and has published writings related to the prospective doctoral students project in an area with stringent academic requirements. The supervisor should submit the confirmation directly to the office of the School of Humanities. Note! The School of Humanities has adopted the requirements of the University of Iceland on a maximum number of 4 PhD students for each supervisor. Supervisors can therefore only accept new PhD students if they have 3 or fewer PhD students already. Declaration of end of MA studies. If the applicant plans to start the doctoral programme immediately after the end of a MA programme it is possible to apply before the degree has been approved. In this case, a declaration from the relevant faculty must be attached, declaring that the applicant is likely to finish the MA programme with sufficient grades to enter the doctoral programme within the current semester. If the supervisor is not a member of academic staff at the faculty the applicant must, in consultation with the supervisor, find an academic member of staff at the faculty who has completed a doctorate or equivalent to act as tutor and a member of the doctoral committee. The tutor’s confirmation must be included in the application. The department may require samples of your essays. If the application meets formal requirements, it will be sent to the faculty or department to be discussed in detail. Finally it is sent to the doctoral studies committee for processing. Responses will be sent to the applicant by email. See Articles 4 and 5 of the Regulation on Doctoral Study at the School of Humanities.

Study and research plan

A well-written study and research plan is an essential part of a good application for doctoral studies. The applicant should complete it in collaboration with her or his prospective supervisor. There are four sections to a study and research plan: The first section is a research plan, a maximum of 5 pages long (Times New Roman or similar, font size 12, 1.15 line spacing). It must explain the objectives of the proposed doctoral research and the research questions, the current status of knowledge in the field and the student’s academic reasons for undertaking the project (the bibliography is not included in this section). The second section shall present the proposed organisation of study (1-2 pages). Financial plan (maximum 1 page). Short description of how the studies will be financed – own financing, loans or grants. If by grants please indicate through which fund. Bibliography (maximum 5 pages). It is important to write a clear and detailed application. The application must be realistic, but at the same time demonstrate ambition and the applicant’s passion for the subject. Follow this form for the study and research plan.

With an application for a doctoral programme, a transcript and diploma from your previous university studies both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels must be submitted. If official records are not available in English, the originals should be accompanied by a certified English translation. Note that a translation cannot be submitted instead of the original records; the original records must be submitted as well. Explanation of grading system of university degree(s) in English. Supporting documents need to be submitted in one of the following ways: With an electronic signature in PDF format Only pdf documents are accepted with application that are digitally signed by the institution and coming from trusted Adobe parties. The document can be attached in the online application form or sent to admission@hi.is. Certified documents on paper Signed and stamped in color by the appropriate institution or an official party, e.g. the magistrate. The documents must be sent by post to the: University of Iceland Student Registration Saemundargata 4 102 Reykjavík Iceland. It is also possible to hand them to the Service Desk in the University Centre which is in the same building as Studen Registration. Direct online verification database or electronic validation portal This applies f.ex. to governmental or institutional online verification portals. Applicants are required to provide information on the location of the portal and include any information (such as reference number) that is part of the verification process. Students are responsible for all fees associated with this process. Documents issued by a country's service portal. Third-party service portals such as Parchment, GradIntelligence, National Student Clearing House, Digitary and Open Certs. Access to the portal is sent to admission@hi.is. Applicants are responsible for all fees associated with this process. Make sure that any reference numbers that is needed for the online verification is included in your email. Applicants who are finishing or have finished an undergraduate programme at the University of Iceland after 1980 do not need to submit certified transcripts or diplomas from that study. Application documents should not be sent to any other address at the University of Iceland. Photocopies or scanned transcripts are not valid documents. Please ensure that all requested supporting documents are submitted no later than two weeks after the application is submitted. Applications will not be processed until hard copies have arrived.

Regulation on doctoral study and doctoral degrees at the School of Humanities Standards and Requirements, Quality of Doctoral Programmes

Doctoral Studies Committee

The School of Humanities doctoral studies committee shall oversee doctoral studies within the School and ensure consistency in work procedures and criteria, requirements and responsibilities that make up programmes and their frameworks. Following an academic discussion within the faculty/department in question, the committee shall discuss and process applications in accordance with Article 5 of the Regulation on doctoral study and doctoral degrees at the School of Humanities. The committee shall confirm study plans and research proposals and changes thereof, confirm choices of supervisor and others on doctoral committees and also choices of special tutors where appropriate, cf. Article 9 of the Regulation. Having received nominations from the faculty in question and confirmation from the Graduate School, the doctoral studies committee shall appoint opponents, receive their verdicts and follow up requirements for improvement, should there be any. The committee shall also perform any other tasks regarding doctoral studies the School dean or School board may assign it. See article 2 of the Regulation on doctoral study and doctoral degrees at the School of Humanities. Representatives 2022-2023: Ólöf Garðarsdóttir, dean of the School of Humanities (chair) Ragnheiður Kristjánsdóttir, Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology Gunnþórunn Guðmundsdóttir, Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies Gísli Magnússon, Faculty of Languages and Culture Sólveig Anna Bóasdóttir, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies Sigrún Hannesdóttir, doctoral student representative Eiríkur Smári Sigurðarson, director of research Romina Werth, the coordinator for doctoral studies, is secretary of the committee

Hugdok - Association of Doctoral Candidates and ECRs at the School of Humanities FeDoN – University of Iceland’s Association of PhD students and Postdocs

Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies Comparative Literature, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Cultural Studies, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Icelandic Linguistics, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Icelandic Literature, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Translation Studies, Doctoral, 240 ECTS Faculty of Languages and Cultures Danish, Doctoral, 180 ECTS English, Doctoral, 180 ECTS French Studies, Doctoral, 180 ECTS German, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Second Language Studies, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Spanish, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology Applied Ethics, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Archaeology, Doctoral, 180 ECTS History, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Philosophy, Doctoral, 180 ECTS Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies Theology, Doctoral, 180 ECTS

Doctoral studies School of Humanities

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The School of Humanities offers a wide range of research-related doctoral studies. The objective of a doctoral programme is to provide doctoral students with extensive and solid training in research, enable them to conduct independent academic work, acquire new knowledge, and communicate it.

Doctoral programmes in the Faculty of Philosophy, History and Archaeology, Faculty of Languages and Cultures, and the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies are 180 ECTS and 240 ECTS in the Faculty of Icelandic and Comparative Cultural Studies.

Applicants for the Ph.D. program at the School of Humanities:

Required to find a departmental coordinator/supervisor and are advised to contact the teachers in the field they are interested in to find a supervisor.
Required to have an idea for a research project before applying.

Note! The School of Humanities has adopted the requirements of the University of Iceland for a maximum number of 4 PhD students for each supervisor. Supervisors can therefore only accept new PhD students if they have 3 or fewer PhD students already.

If the supervisor is not a member of the academic staff at the faculty the applicant must, in consultation with the supervisor, find an academic member of staff at the faculty who has completed a doctorate or equivalent to act as a tutor and a member of the doctoral committee. The tutor’s confirmation must be included in the application. The department may require samples of your essays.

Application deadline for students outside of Nordic countries is 1 February. Note! You need to have a supervisor before you apply.

Those who have Icelandic Social Security or Nordic citizenship have to 15 April to apply for autumn semester and 15 October to apply for spring semester.