Doctoral Programme in Forests and Bioresources (FORES) is a thematic, multidisciplinary programme covering forests and sustainable use of forests. With a strong international focus, our programme covers all fields of forest sciences and research training for postgraduate students with an interest in the forest-based bioeconomy, renewable resources and biomaterials. With a unique profile at the University of Eastern Finland, ours is the only doctoral programme in Finland focused on forests and renewable resources and biomaterials provided by them.
We have about 80 students and every year about 10 students complete their doctoral studies. The main language of the programme is English.
The director of the programme is Professor Jyrki Kangas, and the coordinator is Marjoriitta Möttönen (contact information below).
Research
Doctoral education in forest sciences is multidisciplinary. In our doctoral programme you familiarize yourself with advanced and systematic studies and with your own research to the scientific research methods and applications in the area of forest sciences.
Our programme covers all fields of forest sciences. Forest sciences also have close relations with e.g. biology, environmental sciences, physics, chemistry, statistics, economics, social sciences and technological sciences.
In our doctoral programme, you can develop and apply different research methods on questions related to the forests and on the renewable resources provided by the forests.
How to apply?
The degrees available in our programme are Doctor of Science (Agriculture and Forestry), Licentiate of Science (Agriculture and Forestry) with Forest Sciences as the major subject and Doctor of Philosophy with Forest Sciences as the major subject.
According to the Universities Act of Finland (558/2009, Chapter 5, Section 37), eligible for studies leading to a doctoral degree shall be:
- a person who has completed an applicable higher university or polytechnic degree,
- a person who has completed an applicable education abroad which in the awarding country gives eligibility for corresponding higher education,
- a person whom the university judges otherwise to have sufficient knowledge and skills for the studies.
There is no term fee for doctoral education in the University of Eastern Finland.
If you are applying for a doctoral study right in a field of research which has not been the main field of you Master's degree, the faculty may require you to complete supplementary studies to ensure that you are qualified to take part in doctoral studies. Possible supplementary studies are specified when the right to doctoral studies is granted and cannot be included in the doctoral degree.
You can apply to our doctoral programme if you have (1) the relevant background education, (2) a research plan, and (3) adequate knowledge in support of your doctoral degree studies. Before submitting an application for the doctoral programme, you must agree about the supervision and be able to name (4) at least two supervisors for your research project.
All supervisors must hold a doctoral degree and at least one must be a professor, associate professor or assistant professor/senior researcher (Tenure Track) at the School of Forest Sciences. If a person other that a professor, associate professor or assistant professor/senior researcher (Tenure Track) is proposed as the main supervisor for a doctoral dissertation, his or her up-to-date list of publications must accompany the application.
You can apply to the doctoral programme if you have completed a relevant qualification in Finland or abroad and if the doctoral programme confirms that you have adequate knowledge and methodological skills for completing a doctorate or a licentiate in forest sciences. The required Master’s degree can have been obtained in any field. Sufficient proficiency in English is required.
To be eligible for pursuing the doctoral programme you must:
- have completed a Master’s degree or an equivalent foreign degree in the field of agriculture and forestry, or
- have completed another Finnish or foreign degree equal to a Master’s degree and you are able to demonstrate adequate knowledge and methodological skills for pursuing your studies, or
- have completed a relevant polytechnic Master’s degree and you are able to demonstrate adequate knowledge and methodological skills for pursuing the doctoral programme, or
- have completed an applicable course abroad which, in the awarding country, confers eligibility for corresponding higher education, where the doctoral programme confirms that the candidate has adequate knowledge and skills for completing your studies.
In points (2), (3) and (4), the suitability of the content of previous qualifications as well as the adequacy of the knowledge and methodological skills in question are verified and approved by both the supervising lecturer at the School of Forest Sciences and the board of the doctoral programme. You may be admitted onto the doctoral programme only if your proposed doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis is relevant to the theme of the doctoral programme and if the application is recommended by supervisor(s) who belong to the teaching staff of the School of Forest Sciences and agree to act as supervisors for the research project detailed in the research plan. Arrangements for supervising research projects should be, therefore, agreed on well in advance and directly with lecturers.
In case you are a non-Finnish applicant, you must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English when submitting your application. The sufficient proficiency can be demonstrated by providing evidence of any of the following:
- PTE (Academic) passed with at least 59 points, or
- TOEFL with PBT passed with at least 580 and writing passed with at least 4/IBT 90 and writing passed with at least 2, or
- IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of at least 6.5 and writing passed with at least 5.5, or
- You have completed all prior studies in English. If you have completed your prior studies in English, you must attach to the application a statement from the educational institution indicating that the language of instruction was English, or
- You have completed the English test of the Finnish matriculation examination (IB Diploma or English as A1 language), or
- You have completed primary education in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States.
1. Study the instructions, study requirements and guidelines concerning the doctoral programme issued by the university, the faculty and the programme, which can be found on these web pages and in Kamu.
2. Discuss the possibility to pursue doctoral studies at the School of Forest Sciences with the potential supervisors or with the coordinator/head of the doctoral programme.
3. Discuss the research topic, doctoral studies and their completion, as well as other supervisors with the future main supervisor. Each doctoral student must have at least two supervisors. You and your supervisors must negotiate and agree on responsibilities and commitment to supervising your research project. The supervisors must give their written consent on the application form. Draw up a preliminary research plan. You must indicate in the application the doctoral programme for which you are applying the right to study.
4. The prospective doctoral student applies for the right to pursue doctoral studies using an application form at the Studyinfo.fi. The required application attachments:
- A copy of the basic university degree certificate, and other documents which may affect the granting of a study right.
- A transcript of earlier academic records.
- A preliminary research plan approved by the main supervisor. See the detailed instructions for writing a research plan.
- A supervisors' agreement (form in Finnish/form in English).
- If necessary, a statement from the Comittee on Research Ethics and a permission for the use of laboratory animals (more information about ethical issues here).
5. The application for pursuing doctoral studies is processed by the relevant doctoral programme.
6. The faculty decides whether the right to pursue doctoral studies should be granted on the basis of a proposal made by the doctoral programme. When the right to study is granted, the faculty decides on any supplementary studies required, confirms the research topic, appoints the supervisors and approves the research plan and the personal doctoral study plans. The faculty communicates its decision to the applicant, the supervisors, the Student and Learning Services and the doctoral programme in question. Similarly, negative decisions and their justifications are communicated to the applicant, the supervisors and the doctoral programme. In addition, the applicant is provided with instructions on how to appeal the decision.
7. After having been granted the right to pursue doctoral studies, you must immediately register as a doctoral student as will be instructed upon the admission. In subsequent academic years, the registration must be carried out by mid-September.
8. You must submit a personal doctoral study plan to the coordinator of the Doctoral programme (Marjoriitta Möttönen) within 3 months after receiving the study right. Please use the provided study plan template.
Application periods
Our doctoral programme is open for admissions throughout the year. You will be notified about the admission results usually in approximately one month from submitting the application.
Accepting the Study Right and Registration
According to the one-place-per-student provision, a student may accept only one study place per academic year in a degree programme leading to a higher education degree. In practice, this means that a student accepted to a doctoral programme is required to notify the university of whether he or she will accept the offered study place or not. This notification should be made by filling out and returning a form that is included in the university's letter of acceptance. A student accepted to a doctoral programme is required to return the form to the university's Admissions Office by the deadline indicated. If the student fails to return the form by the deadline, he or she will lose the study place. A new study place can be obtained by re-applying for admission only.
New doctoral students must accept the study right and then register as a student in the university's Student Services. You can find instructions for registration in Kamu. Registration for the next academic year must be completed before 15 September through a student information system WebOodi, e-mail or phone (p. +358 29 445 8900). Please note that in order to maintain your study right you must register to the university each year.
A student who fails to register annually during the registration period will be removed from the university registers and he or she will need to re-apply for admission as a student using a separate form. The student will also be charged a re-registration fee.
In our programme you will do your research under supervision. You need to have at least two personal supervisors who need to have a doctoral degree and at least one of them has to be a professor, associate professor or senior researcher/assistant professor (tenure track) of the School of Forest Sciences (see the list below). You will often make your research in research groups which include several doctoral students under the same research area and supervisors, which supports efficient and quality doctoral education.
The list of teaching staff of the School of Forest Sciences
Email: firstname.lastname@uef.fi, unless indicated otherwise.
Professors (specialisation):
- Hujala, Teppo (forest bioeconomy foresight)
- Kangas Jyrki (forest bioeconomy)
- Kouki, Jari (forest ecology)
- Kärenlampi, Petri (wood technology)
- Maltamo, Matti (forest mensuration)
- Palander, Teijo S. (forest technology; Email. teijo.s.palander(at)uef.fi)
- Pappinen, Ari (forest protection)
- Peltola, Heli (silvicultural sciences)
- Pukkala, Timo (forest planning and inventory)
- Pykäläinen, Jouni (forest economy and policy)
- Tokola, Timo (forest information systems)
- Turunen, Ossi (wood materials science)
- Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina (forest soil science)
Senior researchers and associate professors (specialisation):
- Haapala, Antti (wood materials science)
- Heinonen, Tero (silviculture and forest management)
- Kilpeläinen, Antti (silvicultural sciences)
- Korhonen, Lauri (forest mensuration science)
- Laurén, Ari (process-based modelling of terrestrial ecosystem functioning, associate professor)
- Lehto, Tarja (forest soil science)
- Mola, Blas (biomass and bioenergy)
- Packalen, Petteri (optimization of multi-functional forest management, associate professor)
- Tikkanen, Jukka (forest policy, research director)
- Tikkanen, Olli-Pekka (forest pathology and entomology)
- Vastaranta, Mikko (digitalization and knowledge leadership in forest-based bioeconomy, associate professor)
The right to pursue doctoral studies does not include funding or a contract of employment or teaching tasks at the University. However, full-time doctoral students need funding to cover their costs of living and potential research costs (travel costs, research material etc.). Funding options should be discussed with the supervisor already when planning to apply for a doctoral study right and creating a research plan.
Doctoral studies can be funded for example by a scholarship, by working as a researcher in a research project, by working as a doctoral candidate at the University of Eastern Finland (doctoral student position), or by studying part-time while at work. Doctoral students apply for funding themselves.
Read more about funding options of doctoral studies on Kamu Student handbook.
Application period
Our doctoral programme is open for admissions throughout the year. You will be notified about the admission results usually in approximately one month from submitting the application.
What is Studyinfo.fi?
Studyinfo.fi is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland.
Studies
A doctoral dissertation can be a scientific account based on independent research, which is deemed to increase knowledge in the field in question (a monograph).
A doctoral dissertation can consist of a sufficient number, determined by the university, of scientific publications discussing the same set of problems (article-based or compiled dissertation). They can be either published or intended/accepted for publication, and are outlined in a separate summary.
The structure of an article-based or compiled doctoral dissertation is as follows: a doctoral dissertation in the form of a collection of research articles typically contains 3-5 peer-reviewed scientific articles, of which at least two or at least 50% must have been published or approved for publication in international, scientific peer review series; the dissertation must include an account of the author's contribution to joint publications.
A licentiate or a doctoral degree consists of the following elements:
- A doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis.
- Postgraduate studies (30 ECTS): Transferable skills studies (5 ECTS) and Studies in the discipline and field of research (25 ECTS).
In addition to licentiate/doctoral studies, you may, if necessary, be required to complete supplementary studies (see below).
Required studies
You studies need to include at least 30 ECTS of which a min. of 5 ECTS should be transferable skills studies and 25 ECTS studies in discipline and field of research as described below. You need to submit your study plan to the Administration Service Center of the Faculty of Science and Foresty within three months after receiving your study right for postgraduate studies. Please use our programme's study plan template. Before signing and submitting your doctoral study plan to the Faculty of Science and Forestry, please submit it to Marjoriitta Möttönen, the coordinator of FORES, for pre-checking.
Transferable skills studies (5 ECTS)
The general transferable skills studies should include (1) ethics of science (1145003 Research ethics, 1 ECTS) and (2) management of a research project (1145006 Research project management, 2 ECTS). In addition, transferable skills studies may include scientific communication and immaterial rights or other general transferable skills courses provided by the UEF Doctoral School. Descriptions of the courses provided by the UEF Doctoral School each year can be found in WebOodi (UEF Doctoral School > Doctoral School of the University of Eastern Finland).
Studies in the discipline and field of research (25 ECTS)
Studies in the discipline and field of research are largely elective. Elective studies in the discipline and field of research must support your efforts to complete the doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis. They should also include "3514001 Postgraduate Research Seminar, Forestry" in which you present your research plan or your research related to your doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis.
Optional forms of study that can be included in the studies within the discipline and field of research include the following:
- Completing the courses in the theory of science and methodology, the associated lectures and exercises.
- Reviewing scientific research and methodology related to the topic of the doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis and preparing written summaries for the supervisor or sitting examinations on key works (max. 4 ECTS) *(1).
- Preparing advanced-level courses related to the topic of the doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis and teaching them (max. 4 ECTS) *(2)
- Participation in the international scientific conferences (a poster or oral presentation) (max. 1-2 ECTS) *(3)
- Publication in scientific peer-reviewed journal related to your doctoral dissertation/licentiate thesis (which will not be included in your doctoral dissertation/licentiate thesis) (max. 4 ECTS) *(4)
* You need to make a written application which includes detailed information about the activity, e.g. which literature and/or methodology has been studied and/or the topics, authors and number of pages of the included literature (1); the name of the course and the number of teaching hours (2); the name, date and place of the conference and the name of your presentation/poster in it (3); the name of the article and the publication series and your own contribution in that etc. (4) to the coordinator of FORES (Marjoriitta Möttönen) after which the director of FORES may approve those to be included in your postgraduate studies.
In addition to courses provided by the University of Eastern Finland, corresponding courses arranged by other Finnish (Please note that JOO study rights are awarded only in special cases for doctoral students) and foreign universities and institutes of higher education can be approved as transferable skills studies or studies in the discipline and field of research. Other courses suitable for doctoral studies are provided, for example, by the Nordic university network NOVA.
Supplementary studies
In addition to doctoral studies (30 ECTS), you may be required to complete supplementary studies in case your previous degree was not related to forest sciences. The maximum scope of required supplementary studies is 60 ECTS, depending on your earlier qualifications and other knowledge and methodological skills required for pursuing the doctoral programme. The purpose of supplementary studies is to provide you with adequate skills for completing a doctoral dissertation or a licentiate thesis in the field of forest sciences. Supplementary studies should be listed separately in your doctoral study plan.
RPL practices in postgraduate education
The Doctoral Programme in Forests and Bioresources applies the recognition and accreditation of prior learning (RPL) practices. Only (1) advanced-level courses completed in a Finnish or a foreign university or (2) skills and abilities acquired in scientific research projects may be recognised as RPL units and included in the Doctoral Programme studies. RPL units can be approved as either studies in the discipline and field of research or transferable skills studies. RPL units can also be approved as supplementary studies. However, earlier studies already included in your previous qualifications cannot be approved as RPL units. Any approved RPL units need to listed in your doctoral study plan. The teacher of the School of Forest Sciences who supervises your doctoral dissertation or licentiate thesis project and the head of the doctoral programme approves any RPL units that can be counted towards the doctoral studies when approving your doctoral study plan.
In questions regarding postgraduate education, please consult:
- Head of the administration (student affairs) Kaisa Laitinen, room Natura 348, tel. +358 (0) 50 432 7573, kaisa.laitinen@uef.fi
- Coordinator Marjoriitta Möttönen, room Borealis 365, tel. +358 (0) 50 442 3031, marjoriitta.mottonen@uef.fi
In addition, the Doctoral School of the University of Eastern Finland organises "1145018 Doctoral Studies, Career and Networking Skills" throughout the year. It consists of independent Moodle-assignment and a series of seminars. The exact timetable and description can be found in WebOodi (UEF Doctoral School > Doctoral School of the University of Eastern Finland > 1145018 Doctoral Studies, Career and Networking Skills (1 ECTS)).
Technical advisor for Dissertationes Forestales and distribution of doctoral dissertations:
Marjoriitta Möttönen, tel. +358 (0) 50 442 3031, marjoriitta.mottonen@uef.fi
Student representative/contact person:
- Representative: Sini Rantanen, sini.rantanen@uef.fi)
- Vice representative: Kaisa Vainio, kaisa.vainio@uef.fi
Contact persons at the Faculty of Science and Forestry
Head of Academic Affairs Kaisa Laitinen, kaisa.laitinen@uef.fi, tel. 050 432 7573, room Natura 348, Joensuu campus
- general doctoral student counselling (Joensuu and Kuopio)
- application for doctoral studies (Joensuu)
- update of research plan and supervisors (Joensuu)
- appointment of opponent and custos (Joensuu)
- specialization in medical physics, Hospital Physicist (Joensuu and Kuopio)
Coordinator Anna-Leena Nylund, anna-leena.nylund@uef.fi, tel. 040 355 2882, room Snellmania 2153, Kuopio campus
- application for doctoral studies (Kuopio)
- update of research plan and supervisors (Kuopio)
- permission to proceed to public examination of doctoral thesis (Joensuu and Kuopio)
- appointment of opponent and custos (Kuopio)
- acceptance of doctoral thesis (Joensuu and Kuopio)
Executive Assistant Satu Turunen, satu.turunen@uef.fi, tel. 040 355 3698, room Snellmania 2145/2, Kuopio campus
- appointment of preliminary examiners (Joensuu and Kuopio)
Study Secretary Taru Nylund, taru.nylund@uef.fi, tel. 040 355 3042, room Technopolis G5-019, Kuopio campus
- degree certificate (Joensuu and Kuopio)
You can find information for different phases in the doctoral education on Kamu Student handbook:
- Doctoral education at the University of Eastern Finland
- Starting doctoral education
- Doctoral curriculum and study requirements
- Internationalisation in doctoral education
- Guidance and support in doctoral education
- Support for doctoral research
- Funding of doctoral education
- Wellbeing of doctoral researcher
- Permission for public examination and pre-examination of doctoral dissertation
- Publishing of doctoral dissertation
News and events
Dissertations in Forests and Bioresources
Upcoming examinations in Forests and Bioresources
Administration and contact information


Programme board








Timo Tokola
Professor, Vice-Head of the School of Forest Sciences
+358504015835

Eeva-Stiina Tuittila
Professor, Vice-Head of the School of Forest Sciences
+358504424299