Specialisation in Health and Sport Sciences

To be admitted into the PhD programme, the applicant must have second degree education (Master's degree or equivalent) from a Norwegian or foreign university or university college in a subject area which is considered relevant for the research and teaching at the faculty.

This may include

1. the faculty’s own 120 ECTS Master´s programmes,

2. other similar Master´s programmes from other institutions,

or

3. other educations which the faculty considers to be equivalent.

Regulations related to the the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at UiA as well as supplementary regulations regarding the programme in health and sport sciences have been implemented. These further define requirements concerning the application and completion of the PhD programme. See https://www.uia.no/en/research/phd-programmes/regulations-related-to-phd-at-uia

Coursework component i the PhD-program in Health and Sport Sciences 

Usually the required courses are offered every autumn. The elective courses are offered approxomately every second year, - usually sping semester. 

*If more than one of the method courses (ME-618 Qualitative Research Methods, ME-634 Phenomenological Lifeworld Perspective, Methodology and Analysis, and ME-626 General Quantitative Research Methods), are needed, one of them may be approved as an elective course. 
**ME-626 General Quantitative Research Methods/ ME-636 Epidemiology: Concepts and Methodological Approaches, can be replaced by two of the smaller specialization statistic courses or they can be approved as elective courses.

The PhD programme at the Faculty of Health and Sport Science covers all of the faculty's subject areas.

The professional spesialisation takes place in the course of the project through supervision and choice of courses

The aim of the programme is to offer research education within the faculty's thematic research areas. These areas can be divided into public health science, nursing science, psychosocial health, nutrition science, and sport science. Although these are different disciplines they are all related. A link between the different disciplines is the human being and its (physical, psychological and social) potential for health, development and/or achievement. Independent of disipline, all research projects has a foundation in empiricism, and both qualitative and/or quantitative data are explored with appropriate research methods.

With this background, we offer a faculty PhD programme which comprises the faculty's professional interests. An outline of the research that is being carried out at the faculty is found here. The programme contains mandatory courses with a general approach: Philosophy of science, research dissemination, qualitative and/or quantitative research methods and systematic literature analysis. In these more general courses candidates are expected to use their own scientific subjects and themes as background for their work with course tasks, assignments, and presentations. In addition to the general, required courses candidates may choose freely between different more subject-specific courses. It is also possible to follow courses at equivalent level at other institutions.

Details on the coursework component

The contents of the programme consist of a coursework component of 30 ECTS points, where 20 ECTS points are required courses, and a PhD dissertation of 150 ECTS points, with a total of three years full-time work.

The coursework component is planned in parallel to the development of the dissertation throughout the entire study programme. The courses will be held regularly and whenever needed. The courses will generally be taught in English,but may be given in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language. The coursework component will support work on the dissertation, as well as contribute to the necessary academic depth and breadth. The candidate must plan for the completion of the coursework component in consultation with their supervisor(s). The candidate is responsible for signing up for the courses. The course ME-624 Research dissemination runs through the full PhD period, and it is also a social meeting point for the PhD candidates. The candidates are automatically registered for this course. External courses may make up a part of the coursework, but these must be approved by the faculty upon application. For procedures for registering for courses and approval of external courses, see Canvas.

The candidate is encouraged to study abroad during the coursework period. 

The majority of the workload will consist of independent supervised work regarding the research project, most often as part of a research group. The candidate and supervisor must submit progress reports annually in accordance with the PhD regulations.

Regarding the different courses work forms will vary between seminars, lectures, tasks related to individual projects, individual counceling, group work and discussions, practical exercises, candidate presentations with fellow opponents and self study. For more information please confer the course descriptions.

Various types of assessment are used, such as take-home examinations, essays, oral presentations, and oral examinations. See the course descriptions for more detailed information.

The requirements for the dissertation and rules for the assessment of the dissertation are provided in the regulations for the PhD degree at the University of Agder and supplementary regulations for the PhD programme in Health and Sport Sciences.

Candidates holding a PhD degree in Health- and Sport Science are qualified for teaching and research positions in universities and higher education institutions as well as in private/public sectors and organisations.

The PhD degree provides competence also relevant in private business and public management, especially in areas with great demands in the ability to acquire new knowledge, to work independently and goal-oriented and to be able to plan and think critically and analytically.

The study programme leads to the degree Philosophiae doctor (PhD) in Health and Sports Sciences.