PhD Program in Education.

The PhD program in Education at the Linz School of Education is a "structured doctoral degree program"

Students in the doctoral degree program not only learn to independently conduct research, they also expand and deepen their professional expertise in educational sciences by completing current research at a PhD level.

The whole program is embedded in a continuous support structure consisting of three main elements: Research colloquium, personal support and signing a Memorandum of Understanding, as well as additional courses and events.

 

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PhD in Education

Degree:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Duration:

6 semesters

ECTS:

180 Credits

Language:

English

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Career Prospects

Graduates of the PhD program in Education (PhD) can pursue an academic career, work at research institutions, in the field of educational administration as well as at other post-secondary educational institutions.

Your Benefits

Research Colloquium

All PhD students meet every four to six weeks as part of a "Research Colloquium" (6 ECTS credits / semester) coordinated by Professor Zsolt Lavicza (usually on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning).

The "research colloquia" consists of a mix of workshops about research methods, seminars on key topics in educational research, and lectures by international guest professors (for example, in winter semester 2018/19, Professor Jürgen Baumert, Berlin). Students unable to attend individual research colloquia (for example, conducting field research in other countries) will be eligible for audiovisual participation.

Students in the program come from different countries in Europe as well as from around the world. The working languages in the program are English and German.

The "Research Colloquium" offered at the beginning of your studies has been designed to help you develop a sound research proposal. After one year at the latest, you must present your application in the colloquium to have it approved by the faculty.

Personal Support and Declaration of Intent

Each student will select an academic supervisor at the Linz School of Education (and, if appropriate, a second supervisor, from another university. International students can, for example, choose a second supervisor at a university in their respective home country). The student and the supervisor will sign a 'declaration of intent' designed to outline the student's needs, prerequisites, intermediate steps and support services in detail.

Additional Courses

In addition to the research colloquium, students must take additional courses worth 17.5 ETCS credits. These courses can be lectures at Johannes Kepler University Linz, courses completed at other international universities or summer school programs offered at recognized universities and scientific associations.

The "Research Colloquia" are complemented by guest lectures given by international experts. If your expertise is related to your dissertation topic, you can also book it for individual supervision meetings.

"Letters of Intent" often include the intention to attend international conferences to present your research, the background for your research, and findings and in turn receive feedback as well as additional input from conference attendees.

Admission Requirements and Application Process

  1. Do you have a research-based Master's degree (or Diploma degree) in one of the corresponding fields required for educational research? Contact the Admissions Office for details regarding admission requirements.

  2. Contact the Linz School of Education, opens an external URL in a new window to submit an initial concept to conduct your PhD research. The concept should be between 5 and 10 pages in length and contain detailed information pertaining to your research topic, corresponding literature in the field, and the way you intend to conduct research (methods, sampling, existing tools, etc.) as well as a preliminary schedule.

  3. If your concept is considered relevant and feasible, a "Letter of Intent" will be signed to allow enrollment. During the first semester, the "Letter of Intent" (for example regarding the academic supervisor, etc.) may be revised but the letter must be finalized by the end of the first semester.

Additional Information

  • No tuition fees for EU citizens.
  • Tuition fees are € 726.72 per semester for non-EU citizens.

The average cost of living in Linz is approximately € 400 per month at the student dorm "Raab-Heim".

Still Have Questions?

Do you need help registering or do you have questions about the program? Contact the JKU's Office of Student Information and Academic Advising (SIBS)!

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