History and cultural heritage are central themes of the programme. The thematic and interdisciplinary analysis of these themes ranges from historical change, memory and politics of history to the material, intangible, textual, oral, auditive and visual culture as well as to the built environment. History and culture are approached locally, regionally and globally, and the exploration covers a wide time-span from pre-historical times to the recent past and even the future. Interdisciplinary humanistic perspectives (including archaeology, art history, European ethnology, folklore studies, history, study of religions) are combined with the approaches of education, law, and theology.
The programme employs the theories and methods of history and cultural heritage studies but it also promotes their innovative combinations. To learn more about the different disciplines brought together by the programme, please visit their websites.
A doctoral degree in the programme comprises of a doctoral thesis and 40 credits of additional studies. The studies are divided into discipline-specific studies, aimed to support your research project, and transferable skills training.
Most of the studies are completed flexibly through means other than traditional coursework: conference presentations, essays, scientific and popular articles, editing work etc. Want to know more? Visit our study planning instructions for current doctoral students at the university's Instructions for Students.
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.
Courses in research ethics and transferable skills are offered throughout the academic year by the University of Helsinki Doctoral School.
The doctoral programme for History and Cultural Heritage organizes a yearly summer school for doctoral students in late August or early September. The summer school is meant for doctoral students in all stages of their research and it will focus on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary questions in the areas of history, culture, and cultural heritage from methodological and thematic angles. The summer school consists of lectures and working in groups, and reading pre-assigned materials. Each participating doctoral student should provide a working paper beforehand to be discussed in the work groups.
The doctoral programme for History and Cultural Heritage organises a workshop every spring for doctoral students who are in the early stages of their dissertation work. The workshop consists of joint sessions on questions specific to the early stages of dissertation work, and smaller group sessions discussing each participant's research plans.
Participants are expected to provide a short research plan (3 pages) about a week before the event. The research plan should focus on a question or an issue that is the most topical one for you at the moment. In addition to the research plan, you should provide a disposition of the doctoral thesis and a short report on the current stage of your dissertation work.
The doctoral programme organizes Hoffice days for communal writing. The idea of the Hoffice day is to have 45-minute independent working periods and 15 minute breaks. In the beginning of the day everyone can tell their day's aim to others. During the breaks, you can present questions to the colleagues and the supervisor of the day. There will be time for questions also at the end of the day. The Doctoral Programme provides a lunch and a smoothie. Think of your aims for the day, take your laptop, and and come and write together with your peers!
The programme also organises annual writing retreats. At the two or three-day retreats, you will spend solid chunks of the day distraction-free, just writing. In addition, you will have the opportunity to share the joys and pains of writing with other scholars in brief workshops and informal discussions during the retreat.
The Doctoral Programme in History and Cultural Heritage participates in the Una Europa Doctoral Programme in Cultural Heritage (Una-Her-Doc). 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.
Una-Her-Doc contributes to the education of experts in different fields of the cultural heritage sector for jobs in academia, consultancy, NGOs, heritage and culture institutions, the private sector, European administration, and others. It supports the development of a European profile for young professionals who aspire to work on cultural heritage topics in a European and international environment. Una-Her-Doc facilitates contacts and enables its participants to learn from professionals in the European cultural heritage sector. It offers high quality interdisciplinary educational materials co-produced by the Una Europa universities.
Una-Her-Doc creates international cohorts of doctoral researchers, regularly interacting with each other in workshops, transnational research teams or in joint courses and seminars. The programme offers flexible and adjustable content, allowing doctoral researchers to build their own doctoral career in concert with their supervisors and co-supervisors.
The teaching team of Una-Her-Doc involves thesis supervisors, professors and researchers working in the field of cultural heritage studies at all eight participating Una Europa universities. Renowned academics from institutions outside of Una Europa and professionals working in the cultural heritage field will also be involved as guest lecturers.
The framework of the study programme includes:
The Una-Her-Doc programme is meant for doctoral researchers of different disciplinary backgrounds:
Una-Her-Doc itself is not a degree programme. All UH doctoral researchers participating in Una-Her-Doc must hold or apply for a doctoral study right at the Doctoral Programme in History and Cultural Heritage via the standard doctoral admissions process.
If you are a doctoral researcher in the Doctoral Programme in History and Cultural Heritage:
If you are a prospective applicant wishing the University of Helsinki to be your home university as a doctoral researcher:
If you are a doctoral researcher from one of the other Una Europa universities involved and wishing the University of Helsinki to be your host university:
More information on the Una-Her-Doc programme, its requirements, and application process can be found on the Una Europa website.
For further information about the programme, application documents and procedure, please contact