The University of Stavanger invites applicants for a PhD Fellowship in English at the Faculty of Arts and Education, Department of Education and Sports Science. The position is vacant from 01.01.2024.
This is a trainee position that will give promising researchers an opportunity for academic development through a PhD education leading to a doctoral degree. The hired candidate will be admitted to the PhD program in Educational Sciences and Humanities. The education includes relevant courses equivalent to about six months of study, a dissertation based on independent research, participation in national and international research environments, relevant academic communication dissemination, a trial lecture and public defence. Read more about the PhD education at UiS on our website.
The appointment is for three years with research duties exclusively, or four years with both research and 25% required duties. This will be clarified in the recruitment process.
Research topicThe research topic for the position is “Young language learners as active agents in English language education”, with a focus on democracy and citizenship in the English subject in primary or lower secondary education.
The curriculum for English highlights the importance of learner participation, as well as the use of varied and learner-active teaching methods. This aligns with the values and principles of the Core Curriculum, where it is emphasised that “democratic values shall be promoted through active participation throughout the entire learning path”, which is also reflected under the interdisciplinary topic Democracy and Citizenship where school “shall stimulate the pupils to become active citizens”. In the English subject, the interdisciplinary topic Democracy and Citizenship is linked to perspective- taking and learners' understanding that their perception of the world is culturally dependent. Within the interdisciplinary topic, it is underlined that language learning and intercultural communication “can open for new ways to interpret the world, and promote curiosity and engagement and help to prevent prejudices”.
An explicit focus on democracy and citizenship in the English subject is new, and there is little research in the field. The PhD project should shed light on learners' understanding of the interdisciplinary topic and/or learner- active approaches to working with democracy and citizenship in the English subject. The project proposal could for example draw on critical literacy approaches, aesthetic learning processes or arts-based research methods, such as drama methodologies or literary didactic approaches. It is preferrable that the project's methodology contains elements of participatory research in one or more of the project's stages and that the leaners' perspective is in focus. As there is an increasing focus on learner perspectives, learner agency and democracy and citizenship in English language teaching across national contexts, as reflected by the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture, it will also be possible to collect data from Nordic and international contexts.
The research fellow will be affiliated with the strategic programme area for research DEMCI (Democracy and citizenship: participatory research and inclusive education) which has three main focus areas: participatory teaching and research methods with children, use of narrative and aesthetic research methods, and prevention of prejudice through the development of democratic citizenship practices.
The research project will be carried out at the University of Stavanger. It is assumed that the appointee will work full time on the project and that she/he will participate in the academic community at the faculty and university. We also encourage appointees to include an international research stay during the employment period, at a renowned and relevant research institution.
Project proposalAs an applicant, you must prepare a preliminary project proposal for a doctoral project within the subject area, which explains the problem, relevance, theoretical and methodological approach. Your preliminary project proposal (ca. 3000 words) must be written in English and will be included in the application assessment. During the first three months of the employment period, the project proposal and progress plan will be further developed in cooperation with your supervisors and formulated as the final plan for the PhD-project. A project proposal template can be found here.
Qualification requirementsWe are looking for applicants with a strong academic background who have completed a five-year master degree (3+2) within English language teaching methodology, literacy studies or English language, literature and/or culture, or teacher education, preferably acquired recently; or who possess corresponding qualifications that could provide a basis for successfully completing a doctorate.
To be eligible for admission to the doctoral programmes at the University of Stavanger both the grade for your master's thesis and the weighted average grade of your master's degree must individually be equivalent to or better than a B grade. Candidates completing their education (master's degree) in the autumn of 2023 are also welcome to apply.
Applicants with an education from an institution with a different grade scale than A-F, and/or with other types of credits than sp/ECTS, must attach a confirmed conversion scale that shows how the grades can be compared with the Norwegian A-F scale and a Diploma Supplement or similar that explains the scope of the subjects that are included in the education. You can use these conversion scales to calculate your points for admission.
Emphasis is also placed on your:
University of Stavanger values independence, involvement and innovation. Diversity is respected and considered a resource in our work and learning environment. Universal design characterises physical and digital learning environments, and we strive to provide reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities.
You are encouraged to apply regardless of gender, disability or cultural background.
The university aims to recruit more women within the subject area. If several applicants are considered to have equal qualifications, female applicants will be given priority.
Contact informationMore information regarding the position, research topic and program area can be obtained from Head of Department Lars Rune Waage tel: 51833474, e-mail: [email protected], from associate professor Silje Normand, tel: 51831286, e-mail: [email protected] or from associate professor Nina Lazarevic, tel: 93994140 e-mail: [email protected]
Information about the appointment procedure can be obtained from HR-advisor Grete Marnburg, tel: 51833545, e-mail: [email protected].
ApplicationTo apply for this position please follow the link "Apply for this job". Your application letter, relevant education and work experience as well as language skills must be registered here. In your application letter, you must state your research interests and motivation for the position.
The following documents must be uploaded as attachments to your application:
Applications are evaluated based on the information available in Jobbnorge at the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above and that you have attached the necessary documentation.
The documentation must be available in either a Scandinavian language or in English. If the total size of the attachments exceeds 30 MB, they must be compressed before upload.
Please note that information on applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the official list of applicants - see Section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act. If your request is not granted, you will be notified.
UiS only considers applications and attachments registered in Jobbnorge.
General informationThe engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. If your application is considered to be in conflict with the criteria in the latter legislation, it will be rejected without further assessment.
Employment as PhD Fellow is regulated in "Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment for the posts of post-doctoral research fellow and research fellow, research assistant and resident".
Your qualifications for the position, based on documentation registered in Jobbnorge, will be assessed by an internal expert committee. Based on the committee's statement, relevant applicants will be invited to an interview before any recommendations are made. References will also be obtained for relevant candidates. More about the hiring process on our website.
The appointee will be based at the University of Stavanger, with the exception of a stay abroad at a relevant centre of research.
It is a prerequisite that you have a residence which enables you to be present at/available to the academic community during ordinary working hours.
The position has been announced in both Norwegian and English. In the case of differences of meaning between the texts, the Norwegian text takes precedence.
UiS - challenge the well-known and explore the unknownThe University of Stavanger (UiS) has about 12,000 students and 2,200 employees. The university has high ambitions. We strive to have an innovative and international profile, and be a driving force in knowledge development and in the process of societal change. Our common direction is driven by consideration for sustainable change and equitable social development, through new ways of managing natural resources and facilitating better cities and local communities. Energy, health and welfare, learning for life are our focus areas.
In constant collaboration and dialogue with our surroundings, regionally, nationally and internationally, we enjoy an open and creative climate for education, research, innovation, dissemination and museum activities. Academic life at the University of Stavanger is organised into six faculties comprising various departments/schools and National Research Centres, as well as the Museum of Archaeology. We are a member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities. The university is located in the most attractive region in the country with more than 300,000 inhabitants. The Stavanger region has a dynamic labour market and exciting cultural and leisure activities.
Together with our staff and students we will challenge the well-known and explore the unknown.
The Faculty of Arts and Education is the region's most important institution for educating teachers for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, upper secondary schools and higher education. The Faculty also provides basic education in sport, languages, religion and history, as well as eight Master's programmes and a doctoral programme. The Faculty has three national centres: The National Centre for Reading Education and Research (the Reading Centre), the National Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research (The Learning Environment Centre) and the Knowledge Centre for Education (KSU), as well as the Filiorum Centre for Early Childhood Research and Greenhouse – Centre for environmental humanities. In addition, the faculty is one of five university partners in the Center for Special Educational Research and Inclusion (SpedAims)The Faculty collaborates with the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training and local government authorities in respect of further and continuing education. The Faculty has a total of around 3,300 students and 520 employees divided between the Faculty administration, Department of Early Childhood Education, Department of Education and Sports Science, Department of Cultural Studies and Languages, Reading Centre, Learning Environment Centre and Knowledge Centre for Education.
The Department of Education and Sports Science offers primary teacher training and postgraduate education in Education Science. Education Science is an academic focus at the university, and we are prepared to take a larger national responsibility for educating the labor needed in the nation and in the region, within the academic field. There are currently 90 employees and 900 students at the department.
Deadline1st October 2023
EmployerUniversity of Stavanger
MunicipalityStavanger
ScopeFulltime (1 positions) Fulltime (%)
DurationFixed Term
Place of serviceUllandhaug, 4036 Stavanger