Doctoral Candidate in Didactics with a Focus on Religious Education

Högskolan i Gävle · Full-time

Kungsbäcksvägen 47, Gävle, Sweden

University of Gävle has a vision to be the first choice for all who want to make a difference. We offer a broad range of educational programs across multiple subject areas and have approximately 19,000 students and 750 employees on an integrated campus. We are now announcing a doctoral candidate position in didactics with a focus on religious education, leading to a doctoral degree. The position is within the Department of Humanities, where the subjects English, gender studies, religious studies, and Swedish language are located. Doctoral education in didactics is located at the Department of Educational Science within the Academy for Education and Economics, but didactic research is conducted across multiple departments. Didactic research focuses on the relationships between teachers, content, and learning, and addresses questions about the purpose, goals, content, methods, and conditions of instruction. Job Responsibilities The responsibilities include writing a scientific monograph or compiled dissertation equivalent to 160 hp and completing courses totaling 80 hp. The doctoral candidate will also work with teaching and administrative tasks comprising a maximum of 20 percent of full-time work. Such service extends the study period accordingly, and doctoral studies are then conducted over five years of full-time study. The doctoral candidate is expected to perform necessary parts of their work on-site in Gävle and regularly participate in the academy's activities. You will be one of several doctoral candidates in didactics and will be part of the doctoral education environment for didactics. This announcement concerns a dissertation project with a focus on religious education. Religious education is part of the religious studies subject area but is multidisciplinary in character. What distinguishes the religious education research field is that it encompasses a focus on didactic questions concerning teaching about religion and worldviews. This focus includes, but is not limited to, the study of religious knowledge instruction in Swedish schools. The subject of study within the religious education field is thus understood broadly and can include historical and contemporary perspectives on the contextual conditions, curriculum documents, content and implementation of religious knowledge instruction, as well as student learning. Examples of possible research directions include meaning-making in multi-religious or semi-secular classrooms, and teaching about non-Christian religions. Note that the research plan that should be included in the application should demonstrate how you wish to structure your research task. This position is a doctoral candidate employment; see Higher Education Ordinance SFS 1993:100, Chapter 5, for more information. Qualifications Basic eligibility for doctoral education is held by those who have completed a degree at an advanced level, completed at least 240 hp of which 60 hp at an advanced level, or otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge. For specific eligibility in didactics, passed courses at the basic level comprising at least 90 hp in didactics, or equivalent knowledge acquired otherwise, are required. The University may grant exemptions from the requirement of basic eligibility if special reasons exist. Eligibility must be achieved by the final application deadline. The job responsibilities require the ability to work independently and in teams as well as very good communication skills in Swedish and English, both orally and in writing. As a doctoral candidate, you should seek new knowledge and be able to discuss and explain research to people outside the field, nationally and internationally. Selection is based on an overall assessment of your ability to benefit from the education, based on: • relevance of the research plan in relation to the position's focus • formal eligibility • relevance and scope of educational background • quality of the application • quality and relevance of essays/theses • experience of research-related work and other relevant professional experience • competence and focus in relation to the study position • ability to benefit from doctoral education based on preliminary research plan, documents, interview, and any tests • ability to collaborate and contribute to the research group • reference statements However, the sole fact that an applicant is deemed to be able to have previous education or professional activity credited toward the education shall not, in selection, give the applicant preference over other applicants (HF 7 kap 41 §). Application Applications for the study position must be accompanied by: A personal letter motivating why you are applying for the position and describing your scientific interest (max 1 page) Preliminary research plan: (Introduction, Previous Research, Theory, Method, Possible Results and Timeline, max 6,000 words including references). CV/List of merits Degree certificate and extract from Ladok (or equivalent) demonstrating eligibility Thesis, essays, and any other publications relevant to the position Any additional qualifications relevant to the research subject of didactics List of reference persons Please note that incomplete applications will not be considered. For applicants with degrees from foreign institutions: Authorized translation into Swedish or English of all documents must be attached, unless they are prepared in Norwegian, Danish, or English. Contact Jaana Holappa, Department Head, [email protected], 070-1807043 Iulian Cananau, Research Coordinator, [email protected], 070-7102159 Björn Haglund, Study Director, [email protected], 073-070 11 63 Other Information University of Gävle strives for an even gender distribution and active work on equal conditions in all parts of the organization. In connection with this recruitment, University of Gävle has taken a position on recruitment channels and marketing. We therefore firmly decline contact from media sales representatives and similar.