PhD Positions at the Special Education Institution

The Special Education Institution conducts research from a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature that characterizes special education as a scientific subject.

The special education research addresses conditions for participation and learning from a societal, organizational, group, and individual perspective. The focus is to investigate how educational environments can support or hinder development, learning, and socialization among children and adults.

We investigate how difficulties can be prevented by studying the interaction between individuals and environments, identifying protective and risk factors at different levels for people with disabilities, individuals in socially vulnerable situations, and children and students in need of support.

The research includes studies of democracy, values, human rights concerning issues of inclusion and participation, as well as questions about how favorable educational environments are created for all children and youth. Other questions studied involve what different disabilities may mean for the individual and the context they are part of.

More information about us can be found at: http://www.specped.su.se (http://www.specped.su.se).

Research Training Subject

The PhD positions are funded by the Swedish Research Council, Dnr: 2025:06968, national research school in special education focusing on interventions in schools. The research school is coordinated by Stockholm University in collaboration with Linköping University, University of Gothenburg, and Mälardalen University. The research school combines multidisciplinary research, and the PhD projects can thus originate from various scientific perspectives on students' learning and participation.

Two PhD candidates will be admitted to the doctoral training in special education at Stockholm University. The PhD projects will address how universal and targeted interventions can be tailored to students' cognitive, emotional, and/or linguistic needs. The PhD candidates will participate in teaching within the special teacher programs throughout their education. For more information about the research school's focus, see: https://www.su.se/enheter/specialpedagogiska-institutionen/nyheter/nyhetsartiklar/2025-11-14-vetenskapsradet-beviljar-32-miljoner-till-forskarskola-i-specialpedagogik (https://www.su.se/enheter/specialpedagogiska-institutionen/nyheter/nyhetsartiklar/2025-11-14-vetenskapsradet-beviljar-32-miljoner-till-forskarskola-i-specialpedagogik).

Eligibility Requirements

To be admitted to doctoral education, the applicant must have basic and specific eligibility. The eligibility must be fulfilled by the last application date.

You have basic eligibility if you have completed a degree at the advanced level, or have completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (hp), of which at least 60 hp at the advanced level, or in some other way acquired equivalent knowledge within or outside the country.

Specific eligibility for doctoral education in special education is granted to those who have: completed courses of at least 90 hp in special education or in a subject relevant to doctoral education in special education; at least 15 of the higher education credits must consist of a thesis at the advanced level; or in some other way acquired equivalent knowledge within or outside the country. Instruction is provided in Swedish and English.

The eligibility must be fulfilled by the last application date.

Selection

Selection among applicants is made with regard to the ability to benefit from doctoral education. The criteria used to assess this ability are:

• familiarity with the research area
• analysis and layout in previous work
• methodological and scientific ability
• familiarity with the research area of the dissertation
• ability to express oneself in writing in an academic genre.

The assessment will be based on the research plan, previous studies and grades, quality of the independent work, references, relevant experience, and the applicant's written motivation for the application.

Previous education, work experience, and academic work in the field of special education, particularly in intervention, are meritorious. Given the focus of the research school, the research projects should develop knowledge relevant to teacher education.

Read more about the assessment process in the General Study Plan on the website: https://www.su.se/specialpedagogiska-institutionen/forskning/börja-forska (https://www.su.se/specialpedagogiska-institutionen/forskning/b%C3%B6rja-forska).

https://medarbetare.su.se/vart-su/styrning/regelboken/utbildning/antagningsordning-for-utbildning-pa-forskarniva (https://medarbetare.su.se/vart-su/styrning/regelboken/utbildning/antagningsordning-for-utbildning-pa-forskarniva)

About the Position

We offer a fixed-term employment as a PhD student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The employment period may not exceed what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a PhD student, you will primarily focus on your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work in education, research, and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20%).

A new employment as a PhD student is valid for a maximum of one year, and the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University is committed to being a workplace that is free from discrimination and provides equal rights and opportunities for all.

Contact

Further information is provided by the contact person for the research school at Stockholm University, Professor Jenny Wilder, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), or by the program director for doctoral education, Iris-Corinna Schwarz, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).

Application

You apply for the PhD position via Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the requested documents in the application form. As an applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that your application is complete in accordance with the advertisement and that it reaches the university by the last application date.

Instructions for applicants can be found on the website: https://www.su.se/om-universitetet/jobba-på-su/att-söka-en-anställning (https://www.su.se/om-universitetet/jobba-p%C3%A5-su/att-s%C3%B6ka-en-anst%C3%A4llning).

Stockholm University contributes to the development of a sustainable democratic society through knowledge, enlightenment, and the pursuit of truth.