Doctoral Programme in Health Sciences

Following post graduate degrees can be taken in the Doctoral programme in Health sciences:

• Licentiate of Philosophy, Doctor of Philosophy,
• Licentiate of Philosophy (Pharmacy), Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacy),
• Licentiate of Health Sciences and Doctor of Health Sciences,
• Doctor of Medical Science and Doctor of Odontology.

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.

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.

Students with suitable background education and a MSc or licenciate degree can be accepted as PhD students in the programme (need for supplementary studies will be assessed on a case-by-case basis).

In nursing science, only students, who have performed advanced studies in the discipline of nursing science, can be accepted as PhD students. In addition, the amount and quality of intermediate and advanced studies in research methodology (quantitative and qualitative methods, statistics) or otherwise proven methodological skills are taken into account in the selection process.

The skills of eligible applicants to any of the doctoral programmes provided by the Faculty of Health Sciences and their commitment to a successful completion of their doctoral studies are assessed according to the following joint criteria, which constitute the admission criteria of the programme:

• the innovativeness, scientific and practical importance of the research subject and its suitability to the research profile of the research site and the doctoral programme
• quality, clarity and feasibility of the research plan
• the applicant's evidence of previous research work, e.g. working as a researcher, scientific publications
• research funding
• success in MSc studies or corresponding studies
• the language skills required for the studies

The adequacy of supervision, the expertise and commitment of supervisors are also taken into account in the selection process. Applicant's ability, motivation and commitment to doctoral studies can also be assessed through interviews.
 
Following documents should be attached to the application:

• Research plan, approved by supervisors and the person in charge of the subject
• Copy of the basic university degree certificate and a transcript of earlier academic records. In case applicant’s MSc, or equivalent, degree is not completed the applicant should submit a transcript of academic records and a personal study plan for completing the remaining studies of that degree as well as state the estimated time of master’s graduation in the application form.
• CV, including the list of publications if any.

PhD studies are available in eight subjects in the Doctoral programme in Health sciences. The subjects, persons in charge and contact information are presented below.

• Epidemiology: Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen
• Geriatrics: Eija Lönnroos
• Nursing science: Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen
• Public health: Jussi Kauhanen
• Sports medicine: Heikki Tikkanen
• Nutrition: Ursula Schwab
• Occupational health: Tuula Oksanen
• General practise: Pekka Mäntyselkä

Study right to doctoral studies in Finland does not include scholarship or funding. 

1. The applicant discusses the possibility to pursue doctoral studies in the department or school with the potential supervisor or with the person in charge of an academic subject. Further information may also be asked from the contact person of the doctoral programme.

2. The applicant discusses the research topic, doctoral studies and their completion, funding, as well as other supervisors with the main supervisor. The prospective doctoral student and the supervisors must negotiate and agree on responsibilities and commitment to supervising the student's research project. 

3. Each applicant must have a minimum of two supervisors. All supervisors must have a doctoral degree and the main supervisor must hold, at the minimum, the qualification of a docent or have a corresponding scientific qualification. At least one of the supervisors must be employed by the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Eastern Finland.  All supervisors must give their written consent on the research plan.

4. The prospective doctoral researcher draws up a research plan. Please, see further instructions in ‘Research plan’

5. The right to pursue doctoral studies is applied at Studyinfo site. Please note: Partially filled application form cannot be saved. You have to have all the obligatory attachments ready once you start filling the application form. Following documents should be attached to the application: 

• Research plan, which consist of a cover page + four pages (including the list of references). The supervisors must give their written consent on the research plan in the cover page. Please, see the instructions.

• Copy of the basic university degree certificate and a transcript of earlier academic records. In case applicant’s MSc, or equivalent, degree is not completed the applicant should submit a transcript of academic records and a personal study plan for completing the remaining studies in the previous degree as well as state the estimated time of master’s graduation in the application form.

• CV, including the list of publications if any.

In addition

• Statement by the Main Supervisor on the applicant's ability based on their degree to complete a doctoral degree and the need to undertake any supplementary studies. Download a template.

• Certificate or proof of English language skills (for foreign applicants)

Processing of the application

- Applications are evaluated and decisions are made within approximately one month after the call ends.

- Faculty requests amendments to the application if needed. The dean decides whether the right to pursue doctoral studies should be granted on the basis of a proposal made by the doctoral programme within approximately three months from submitting the application. 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. The faculty communicates its decision to the applicant, the supervisors, the Student and Learning Services and the doctoral programme. The applicant must confirm the right to study in the study info site within seven days from the decision being sent. 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. 

When applying for doctoral degree studies, a research plan must be enclosed with the application. The student prepares the plan with his/her supervisors, and it must be approved by them. The research plan must cover the entire licentiate thesis or doctoral dissertation. If the research topic and materials change substantially, a new plan must be made. If the changes are significant, approval must be sought from the faculty. The research plan is usually drafted in Finnish or English.

The research plan can include the following information, for example:

1. Title of the research and the name and contact information of the postgraduate student
2. Background
   • a short summary of the background to the research with necessary sources (including the theoretical and methodological basis)
   • a description of earlier research related to the topic
   • a description of what remains unknown about the research topic and an explanation of the research’s relevance on a national and/or international scale
3. Aims
   • the research hypotheses
   • the aims of the research clearly defined and presented
4. Materials and methods
   • a description of the research methods and materials used, and the grounds for choosing the particular methods
   • a description of how the materials will be handled and used (also after the research has been completed)
   • a working plan, a plan for different stages of the work
5.  Schedule and funding plans
   • a description and a schedule for the different stages of the work
   • the funding plan and funding sources of the research
6. The ethical aspects of the research
   • the ethical aspects of the research (e.g. whether the research requires statements from ethics committees or statutory research permits; possible permits should be attached to the research plan)
7. Publication plan
   • the means and mode of publishing and/or presenting the research results
8. Applications of research results
   • an estimation of the applications and the social significance of the research results
9. References
   • a list of the research field’s principal literature used for the research
10. The names of the persons and units participating in the research project

When applying to the doctoral programmes in the Faculty of Health Sciences the research plan (1+4 pages) consists of a cover page, which includes signatures of all supervisors and the head of the discipline, and of a research plan which maximum length is four pages. 

Funding plan is a compulsory part of the application. The funding plan is written to the research plan and to the application form. Funding should be planned with the supervisors. Funding for own salary and for research costs should be described in the funding plan. 

Research funding can be applied from various foundations as grants or from university as paid doctoral research positions. Funding may also be available from established research projects.

More information on different funding options in Kamu.