Each doctoral researcher belongs to one of the University’s doctoral programmes and pursues their degree in accordance with the curriculum common to all doctoral researchers of the programme.
The University of Helsinki Doctoral School has a total of 33 doctoral programmes. The doctoral school coordinates the operations of doctoral programmes and provide education in research ethics and transferable skills common to all doctoral researchers.
The University’s faculties oversee the quality of degrees and award the degrees. Applications for the right to pursue a doctoral degree are submitted to one of the doctoral programmes. Each individual programme may include doctoral researchers from various faculties.
The doctoral degree comprises the doctoral thesis and studies that support research work. If you work on your degree full-time, you can complete it in four years.
The focus of the doctoral degree is on doctoral research. The thesis can be in the form of a monograph or an article-based thesis consisting of scholarly publications dealing with a specific question and a related summary. Doctoral theses with outstanding merits are awarded annually.
The compulsory studies (40 credits) required for the degree in addition to the doctoral thesis are flexibly planned so as to support the doctoral student’s future plans in the best possible way. An individualised degree enables students to develop their expertise as they see fit.
At the outset of doctoral research, new doctoral students choose the research practices best suited to themselves with the help of their supervisors. All doctoral students have the right to receive professional, high-quality supervision.
Doctoral students have at least one supervisor who supports them in carrying out their research. To ensure adequate support, usually at least two supervisors are assigned to each doctoral student.
Read more about the doctoral supervisors of the University of Helsinki in the University's Research Portal. You can search for supervisors using, for example, keywords related to your research. Please note, however, that the portal lists all researchers at the University of Helsinki, including current doctoral researchers, who cannot yet serve as supervisors.
Have you already chosen a doctoral programme? Further information about the supervisors of each doctoral programme and the criteria of supervision is available on the websites of the doctoral programmes.
A thesis committee, assigned to each doctoral student, provides additional support for individual students and their doctoral research. The committee monitors the progress of research and the quality of supervision, in addition to helping the young researcher with career planning. With the support of their supervisors, doctoral students put together a thesis committee at the beginning of their doctoral studies.
Do you want to learn more? The University’s Studies Service provides more information on the supervisory practices for doctoral theses and thesis committees at the University of Helsinki.
Doctoral students are an important part of the research community at the University of Helsinki. Their most important immediate community consists of their supervisors, other researchers in their discipline or research group, as well as other doctoral students in the doctoral programme. Support and advice is available from doctoral education services on all campuses.
Doctoral students also have other opportunities for collegial contacts and networking:
Face-to-face meetings are important in building a sense of community. However, the University of Helsinki and its research community are also active online. Follow the University’s social media channels to keep up-to-date about news and topical events related to the University.