Language skills
Programme length
Three and a half years.
Study mode
Face-to-face learning
Application status
International students:
Students with Icelandic or Nordic citizenship:
Master's degree with First Class grades or equivalent qualification.
210 ECTS credits have to be completed for the qualification. Ph.D. thesis is 180 ECTS credits and mandatory courses in the research area are 30 ECTS credits. In addition candidates may be required to take up to 60 ECTS credits in courses if it is considered necessary to enhance the student's knowledge in the field of his research project. Candidates who have completed both a BA and a MA degree from a University in Iceland are required to take part of their studies at a University abroad.
The following documents must accompany an application for this programme:
- CV
- Statement of purpose
- Research proposal
- Study plan
- Reference 1, Name and email
- Reference 2, Name and email
- Certified copies of diplomas and transcripts
- Proof of English proficiency
Form for the Letters of recommendation
Further information on supporting documents can be found here.
Applicants must explain their goals for the doctoral program, and why they believe themselves academically qualified to engage in doctoral studies, e.g., because of good performance in studies, including:
- undergraduate and graduate studies
- participation in research projects
- published articles
- challenging projects
- professional experience
- interesting research
- interest in specific jobs upon completion of their studies, etc.
An applicant must also specify:
Whether studies will be full-time or part-time (percentage)
The courses planned. Here the student states fields of emphasis she/he deems necessary to strengthen.
Financing plan.
Here the applicant reports grant applications, loans, own financing, work or other relevant things.
Request for a supervisor (if relevant) along with reasons. See information regarding professional requirements for doctoral student's supervisors under the quality standards and requirements for doctoral programmes at the University of Iceland.
PhD applicants must hand in:
A brief description of the project in Icelandic and English.
- 100 - 150 words
A description of the planned research project, about 2000-4000 words, in addition to a list of references, in the language in which the dissertation will be written following the faculty's rules.
The following shall be stated:
- goals, the state of knowledge and scientific value
- a description of the implementation (procedures)
- a schedule with information on the main benchmarks and programme completion
- the plan for the publication of the results and the site of publication
- a list of references
The description must be clear, realistic and scheduled (months and quarters). The project name (working title) shall be descriptive of the research. The division of the research into subjects shall be included (a rough summary of the contents), such as division into chapters or division of the dissertation into articles.
A description of the method/methods to be applied in answering the project's research questions. It is imperative to relate and explain how the research proposal and the main research questions differ from existing research (domestic and foreign) for the same or similar research fields, and what the novelty of the research is.
Finally, the applicant must state why he or she deems the research to be important for the research field’s development in the Icelandic and/or international context.
Please note that from 1 July 2026, the Disability Studies programme will move from the School of Social Sciences to the School of Education.
Programme structure
Check below to see how the programme is structured.
This programme does not offer specialisations.
- Year unspecified
- Fall
- Ph.D. Thesis in Disability Studies
- Independent study in disability studies
- Ph.D. seminars in the School of Education, fall term
- Spring 1
- Research Ethics
- Ph.D. Thesis in Disability Studies
- Ph.D. seminars in the School of Education, spring term
- Interim evaluation
- Summer
- Ph.D. Thesis in Disability Studies
Year unspecified | Fall
Ph.D. Thesis in Disability Studies (FFR571L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description
PhD thesis
Language of instruction: Icelandic
Self-study
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified | Fall
Independent study in disability studies (FFR039F)
Free elective course within the programme
6 ECTS, credits
Course Description
PhD-students in disability studies can apply for an independent study. In this reading course the student explores literature in relation to the topic of her/his PhD-research. This includes empirical studies, scholarly concepts or theories.
The student sets out his / her own plan of study in collaboration with the supervisor, who is in most cases also the student‘s PhD-supervisor. The student searches for sources, analyzes them, criticizes, and applies the information to present knowledge in a way that contributes to one or more aspects of the PhD-research. The supervisor consults with the student to decide on the requirements for the final written report in terms of form and content.
Students can only receive credits for this course once during their PhD-studies. The student does not register for the course until the teacher has approved in writing (e.g. by e-mail) his / her role as supervisor.
Language of instruction: Icelandic
Self-study
Year unspecified | Fall
Ph.D. seminars in the School of Education, fall term (UMD815F)
Free elective course within the programme
3 ECTS, credits
Course Description
The seminars are organized for doctoral students at the School of Education. The seminars provide students with the opportunity to present parts of their research to fellow doctoral students, who will play a part in the review process as peer-reviewers. Faculty members of the School of Education and guest-researchers will take part in the seminars.
Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Research Ethics (MVS211F)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
5 ECTS, credits
Course Description
In this course on research ethics special emphasis will be on research ethics in both health sciences as well as social sciences. Good conduct in research will be in focus as well as ethical dilemmas related to studies using both qualitative and quantitative method of research. Icelandic regulations and ethical committees regarding research in Iceland will be introduced.
Language of instruction: Icelandic
Face-to-face learning
Online learning
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Ph.D. Thesis in Disability Studies (FFR571L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description
PhD thesis
Language of instruction: Icelandic
Self-study
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Ph.D. seminars in the School of Education, spring term (UMD815F)
Free elective course within the programme
3 ECTS, credits
Course Description
The seminars are organized for doctoral students at the School of Education. The seminars provide students with the opportunity to present parts of their research to fellow doctoral students, who will play a part in the review process as peer-reviewers. Faculty members of the School of Education and guest-researchers will take part in the seminars.
Language of instruction: English
Year unspecified | Spring 1
Interim evaluation (UMD020F)
Free elective course within the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description
Interim evaluation of research project
A formal interim evaluation of the research project shall take place no later than two years after commencement of studies. In a report on the research project being presented by the student for evaluation, the theoretical premises underpinning the research shall be stated; the report shall also include a summary of prior research in the field, a description of the acquisition and processing of data and a timetable for the research project.
A doctoral student shall submit a request to the doctoral studies supervisor that an interime evaluation of the research project take place, with three months’ notice.
The Doctoral Board shall receive for discussion a reasoned opinion from the supervisors as to whether s/he shall be given the opportunity to receive such an evaluation.
The interim evaluation of the research project is carried out by an evaluation committee comprised of the supervisors and two external examiners, who are experts in the research field in question and shall hold, as a rule, a position outside the School of Education. These external examiners are expected to meet those requirements made of supervisors (cf. Article 11). An evaluation of the project and the doctoral student’s performance shall be made and a report submitted to the Doctoral Committee. This report shall outline whether the doctoral student’s knowledge and research competence are deemed satisfactory and what the student must do to respond to the comments of the evaluation committee (cf. procedure on intermediate evaluation of research projects).
Language of instruction: Icelandic
Year unspecified | Summer
Ph.D. Thesis in Disability Studies (FFR571L)
A mandatory (required) course for the programme
0 ECTS, credits
Course Description
PhD thesis
Language of instruction: Icelandic
Self-study
Part of the total project/thesis credits
Year unspecified
- Fall
- FFR571LPh.D. Thesis in Disability StudiesMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse Description
PhD thesis
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis creditsFFR039FIndependent study in disability studiesElective course6Free elective course within the programme6 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionPhD-students in disability studies can apply for an independent study. In this reading course the student explores literature in relation to the topic of her/his PhD-research. This includes empirical studies, scholarly concepts or theories.
The student sets out his / her own plan of study in collaboration with the supervisor, who is in most cases also the student‘s PhD-supervisor. The student searches for sources, analyzes them, criticizes, and applies the information to present knowledge in a way that contributes to one or more aspects of the PhD-research. The supervisor consults with the student to decide on the requirements for the final written report in terms of form and content.
Students can only receive credits for this course once during their PhD-studies. The student does not register for the course until the teacher has approved in writing (e.g. by e-mail) his / her role as supervisor.
Self-studyPrerequisitesUMD815FPh.D. seminars in the School of Education, fall termElective course3Free elective course within the programme3 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe seminars are organized for doctoral students at the School of Education. The seminars provide students with the opportunity to present parts of their research to fellow doctoral students, who will play a part in the review process as peer-reviewers. Faculty members of the School of Education and guest-researchers will take part in the seminars.
Prerequisites- Spring 2
MVS211FResearch EthicsMandatory (required) course5A mandatory (required) course for the programme5 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionIn this course on research ethics special emphasis will be on research ethics in both health sciences as well as social sciences. Good conduct in research will be in focus as well as ethical dilemmas related to studies using both qualitative and quantitative method of research. Icelandic regulations and ethical committees regarding research in Iceland will be introduced.
Face-to-face learningOnline learningPrerequisitesFFR571LPh.D. Thesis in Disability StudiesMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionPhD thesis
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis creditsUMD815FPh.D. seminars in the School of Education, spring termElective course3Free elective course within the programme3 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionThe seminars are organized for doctoral students at the School of Education. The seminars provide students with the opportunity to present parts of their research to fellow doctoral students, who will play a part in the review process as peer-reviewers. Faculty members of the School of Education and guest-researchers will take part in the seminars.
PrerequisitesCourse DescriptionInterim evaluation of research project
A formal interim evaluation of the research project shall take place no later than two years after commencement of studies. In a report on the research project being presented by the student for evaluation, the theoretical premises underpinning the research shall be stated; the report shall also include a summary of prior research in the field, a description of the acquisition and processing of data and a timetable for the research project.
A doctoral student shall submit a request to the doctoral studies supervisor that an interime evaluation of the research project take place, with three months’ notice.
The Doctoral Board shall receive for discussion a reasoned opinion from the supervisors as to whether s/he shall be given the opportunity to receive such an evaluation.The interim evaluation of the research project is carried out by an evaluation committee comprised of the supervisors and two external examiners, who are experts in the research field in question and shall hold, as a rule, a position outside the School of Education. These external examiners are expected to meet those requirements made of supervisors (cf. Article 11). An evaluation of the project and the doctoral student’s performance shall be made and a report submitted to the Doctoral Committee. This report shall outline whether the doctoral student’s knowledge and research competence are deemed satisfactory and what the student must do to respond to the comments of the evaluation committee (cf. procedure on intermediate evaluation of research projects).
Prerequisites- Summer
FFR571LPh.D. Thesis in Disability StudiesMandatory (required) course0A mandatory (required) course for the programme0 ECTS, creditsCourse DescriptionPhD thesis
Self-studyPrerequisitesPart of the total project/thesis credits
If you still have questions, feel free to contact us.
School of Social Sciences
Open weekdays 9 am - 3 pm
PHD Coordinators
Kolbrún Eggertsdóttir,
Head of Quality Administration
Sigrún Daníelsdóttir Flóvenz
Project manager
