The programme’s doctoral researchers investigate aspects of human reality from a wide range of perspectives, including language and linguistic interaction, cultural and social phenomena, historical change, the essence of values and knowledge, the nature of art and artistic expression, literary fiction and non-fiction, as well as gender and sexuality.
In addition to basic research in the humanities, the programme supports multidisciplinary research where humanistic perspectives and approaches interact with other disciplines, including theology and the educational, natural and social sciences.
By fostering disciplinary expertise and promoting interdisciplinary dialogue, the programme empowers doctoral researchers to explore transformative ideas and make meaningful contributions to the humanities.
The Doctoral Programme in the Humanities encompasses all research areas represented at the University of Helsinki, including area studies, archaeology, art studies, cultural studies, digital humanities, gender studies, history, language studies, literary studies, and philosophy.
The research conducted in the programme covers the entire spectrum of humanity throughout the world and from different eras, from prehistory to the present and even the future.
While promoting innovative research in traditional disciplines, the programme also supports the utilisation of research ideas and results across disciplines.
The research conducted in the doctoral programme includes both empirical and theoretical work, conducted independently or within research groups.
HUM-DP will hold a welcome event for doctoral researchers and supervisors on Thursday, March 5, from 12:15 to 14:00 in lecture room 1 (B116) at Metsätalo. During the event, you will learn more about what the reform means for doctoral researchers and supervisors, get acquainted with the new curriculum of the doctoral programme, and share any wishes you have regarding the new programme.
The registration link to the event has been sent to the programme's email lists.
HUM-DP’s senior advisor Harri Mäcklin is on call on every other Tuesday from 10 to 12 in Kaisa Library, room 4043. You can come to the study clinic to discuss any matters related to your studies. No prior reservation is needed.
The study clinic is open on the following dates:
The Doctoral Programme in the Humanities organized a funding call for doctoral researchers and supervisors for the organization of teaching and other events. The call was open from January 22 to February 10, 2026. A total of 28 applications were submitted, with a requested total amount of over 80,000 euros. The board of the doctoral programme decided to grant a total of 30,000 euros in funding to 18 applications:
| Applicant's name | Name of the event | Granted sum (€) |
| Anna Sundqvist | Kieliteemainen kirjoitusretriitti | 2250 |
| Annukka Paajanen | Feministinen kirjoitusretriitti | 2000 |
| Eero Karjalainen | Svitlana Biedarievan vierailuluento HUM-DP:ssä | 332 |
| Elina Einiö | Lecture by Professor D'Lane Compton (University of New Orleans) | 370 |
| Grace Joplin Ferreira | Reading circle about Neurodiversity research in Finland | 750 |
| Gustaf Malmberg | Writing retreat in Lammi | 5000 |
| Jamie Vesterinen | Antiikintutkimuksen tohtorikoulutettavien kirjoitusretriitti | 5000 |
| Jere Hallikainen | The Brain Abstracted -lukupiiri minkä jälkeen kutsutaan Chirimuuta pitämään luento/keskustelutilaisuus etänä | 748 |
| Kirsi Saarikangas | Kirjoitusretriitti | 5000 |
| Lotta Westerlund | Nordok excursion to Stockholm | 1000 |
| Mari Wiklund | Rasmus Persson's Guest Lecture: "Prosody in interaction" | 1000 |
| Marjut Jyrkinen | SKY/Gender studies MEET | 1100 |
| Marjut Jyrkinen | SKY/Gender studies MEET 2/2026 | 1100 |
| Matti Pihlajamaa | Who does Pride belong to? | 2500 |
| Nely Keinänen | Visit by Dr Scott Newstok | 900 |
| Ricardo Pineda | Research visit by Rik van Gijn (Leiden University) | 900 |
| Riku Luostari | Lukupiiri: Suomalainen hyvinvointivaltio: kohti historiallista synteesiä | 500 |
| Riku Löf | Vastahanka – kriittinen teorialukupiiri | 500 |
A doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in the Humanities comprises of a doctoral thesis and 30–35 credits of additional studies. The studies are divided into discipline-specific studies, aimed to support your research project, and transferable skills training. You can read more about the programme's curriculum and degree structure in the
Most of the studies are completed flexibly through means other than traditional coursework: conference presentations, essays, scientific and popular articles, editing work etc.
Regular courses at the programme include discipline-specific research seminars, where you get to present your own work, receive feedback and spur on your fellow doctoral researchers. You can search for the programme's teaching using
Courses in research ethics and transferable skills are offered throughout the academic year by the
Want to know more? Visit our
The European PhD Network in Philosophy is an international joint scholarly network aimed at promoting the scientific quality and the internationalization of doctoral education in the field of Philosophy, as well as providing doctoral researchers enhanced career possibilities. The main activity of the Net consists of working seminars, which take place twice a year, each time in one of the universities belonging to the Net.
Each participating university chooses one to two doctoral researchers for the duration of a three-year cycle. In order to be eligible for the Net, the applicants must already have been accepted as a doctoral researcher to one of the participating universities. The maximum number of doctoral researchers to be admitted to the Net is 15 and is equally distributed among the partner institutions.
The Doctoral Programme in Philosophy, Arts and Society belongs to the European PhDNet "Literary and Cultural Studies", coordinated by the University of Giessen in Germany. Participants of the PhDNet complete a bi-national cotutelle degree between the Justus-Liebig University of Giessen and one of the other universities participating in the network. In Helsinki, the active disciplines in the network are comparative literature and Finnish literature.
For more information, please see
Langnet is a network for doctoral programmes which aims to connect
The purpose of Langnet is to promote language research and postgraduate studies among universities. Langnet creates connections between universities, research centres and individual researchers. Langnet is a great way for doctoral researchers to access the Finnish communities in language studies. Langnet welcomes all postgraduates, supervisors and PhDs in language-related studies to join the network.
Langnet’s basic activities (the coordinator’s salary) are currently supported financially by all
In 2024–2027 Langnet is administered from Tampere University. For more information, please see
The Una Europa Doctoral Programme in Cultural Heritage (Una-Her-Doc) is a joint-venture of eight of the eleven Una Europa universities promoting interdisciplinarity, internationalization of learning, international networking, and the creation of a transnational research ecosystem in cultural heritage. It offers innovative educational formats, alternative forms of transnational mobilities (joining Una Europa partners on-site or remotely), and multilingualism.
The Una Europa universities participating in Una-Her-Doc are the University of Helsinki, Free University Berlin, University of Bologna, University of Edinburgh, Jagiellonian University Krakow, University of Leuven, and Complutense University of Madrid.
Una-Her-Doc is an opportunity for both current doctoral researchers and those considering doctoral studies at the University of Helsinki. It enables them to complete a bi-national double doctorate (cotutelle) at the University of Helsinki and one of the other participating Una Europa universities. In addition to the double doctoral degree, Una-Her-Doc awards a certificate on cultural heritage co-signed by all participating Una Europa universities to the doctoral researchers who have completed the programme.
For more information, please see