For PhD candidates in Health and Medicine

Admission to the PhD programme is formalized through an agreement between the candidate, supervisors, the faculty/department, or potentially an external employer. The agreement is completed after an offer of admission for candidates with external funding. PhD fellows complete the agreement after the project plan is approved.

Please send the agreement form (docx) to healthandmedicine@uis.no

The project plan should be prepared according to the guideline template for the project plan for the PhD programme in health and medicine (pdf). The plan is reviewed by our Doctoral Committee.

Applicants with external funding, and/or who are not employed as a PhD research fellow at the Faculty of Health Sciences, must attach their project plan to be reviewed and approved when applying for admission. Find more details about the admission process.

If you have been granted temporary admission through a PhD fellowship position, you must submit your project plan for review by the Doctoral Committee within 3 months after your starting date.

As an attachment to the project plan, you must submit application for the appointment of your supervisors (docx), supervisors' CVs (3 pgs max), as well as a declaration of supervisor experience (docx).

Submit your documentation to healthandmedicine@uis.no

As mentioned in the section above, the appointment of supervisors is required when applying for admission or your project plan is up for review.

You can also apply for the appointment of additional supervisors or a change of supervisors during your PhD education.

As an attachment to the project plan, you must submit application for the appointment of your supervisors (docx), supervisors' CVs (3 pgs max), as well as a declaration of supervisor experience (docx).

Submit your documentation to healthandmedicine@uis.no

The Doctoral Committee will handle the application.

At the beginning of each semester, the research department organizes the seminar "PhD Get Started" for new PhD candidates. The seminar familiarizes you with the various phases, key milestones, and major challenges in a PhD journey. You will learn more about your rights and obligations as a PhD candidate and receive useful information from different parts of the organization that support you throughout your studies. It's also a great opportunity to meet other new PhD candidates.

New candidates will receive an email invitation for this event.

The main supevisor has the main academic responsibility for the candidate. The co-supervisor(s) must provide supervision and share the academic responsibility for the candidate with the main supervisor. The candidate must be given 90 hours of supervision per year (given a 3-year study period), divided among the supervisors..

Content of the supervision

The candidate and supervisors should maintain regular contact. The supervisors are responsible for monitoring the candidate's academic progress. The frequency of contact should be reflected in the reports to the faculty.

The supervisors are obligated to stay informed about the progress of the candidate's work and to evaluate it against the project plan's timeline.

The supervisors are also required to address academic issues that may delay the completion of the education, ensuring it can be finished within the standard timeframe.

The supervisors should provide advice on formulating and defining the topic and research questions, discuss and evaluate hypotheses and methods, analyze results and their interpretations, and discuss the organization and execution of the work, including structure, language, documentation, etc. Furthermore, they should assist the candidate in navigating academic literature and data sources, such as libraries, archives, etc. Additionally, the supervisors should offer guidance on research ethics related to the dissertation.

Clarification of expectations

Different candidates and supervisors may have varying expectations and preferences for how guidance should be conducted. A mutual understanding of how to work together is a crucial foundation for a productive supervisory relationship. We encourage the supervisor to take the initiative in having a conversation about expectations early in the candidate’s Ph.D. journey and to actively seek clarifications throughout the process.

Feel free to use a conversation and reflection form (PDF) to support the discussion.

The Ph.D. regulations and supplementary rules

The PhD regulations and supplementary rules outline the formal framework for the PhD programme. The documents regulate the admission process, supervision, the instruction component, reporting and mid-term evaluation, thesis, submission, the doctoral examination etc.

We recommmend supervisors familiarize themselves with the PhD regulations and supplementary rules (pdf).

Ethical guidelines for supervision

The University of Stavanger will provide doctoral candidates high quality supervision.
The ethical guidelines for supervisors and employees at the University of Stavanger (pdf) consist of eight sections with examples: respect for the student's personal and academic integrity, balance of power, dual role, confidence and trust, professional integrity, gifts and payments, involvement of third parties in case of conflicts. The faculty is responsible for informing the doctoral candidate about these guidelines when a supervisor is appointed, and the supervisor is responsible for managing and carrying out the candidate's supervision following the guidelines.

Research ethics

Supervisors act as important role models of research ethics and integrity in research environments, and are responsible for guiding and teaching candidates on these topics.

We recommend that our supervisors follow the guidelines given by the National Research Ethics Committee's resource page on the role of supervisors.

Progress report

Each year, both the candidate and the main supervisor must submit their own progress report. The supervisor's report consists of 12 questions regarding the candidate's progress in the program. The form is sent by the Ph.D. administration around the turn of the year. The candidate and the supervisor are to complete the progress reports separately.

Midterm evaluation and pre-submission seminar (50% and 90% seminars)

he main supervisor is responsible for initiating and organizing the midway evaluation and the pre-submission seminar. The main supervisor arranges the participation of an external commentator prior to the seminar and is responsible for ensuring that the candidate follows up on the input and feedback provided during the seminar. After the midway evaluation, a brief report (docx) must be sent to the Ph.D. administration.

For more information, see the faculty's guidelines for the 50% and 90% seminars (pdf).

Propose an assessment committee

The main supervisor is responsible for submitting a proposal for the assessment committee on behalf of the academic unit. The proposal is reviewed by the doctoral committee, which appoints the assessment committee. The committee should typically be appointed before the thesis is submitted. Further information about the process can be found further down on this page under the Completion section.

Change of supervisor

The candidate and supervisor may jointly or separately request the faculty to appoint a new supervisor for the candidate. The current supervisor cannot step down until a new supervisor has been appointed. The appointment of a supervisor is handled by the doctoral committee.

Mobility

According to the regulations, Ph.D. candidates should normally spend at least three months of their study period at a recognized foreign educational or research institution where they can work on issues related to their dissertation. A stay at a comparable Norwegian educational or research institution may substitute for the time abroad if it is deemed academically relevant.

The supervisor plays an important role in helping the candidate by sharing their network and advising on the choice of institution.

The thesis shall be an independent, scholarly work of international standard within the field of study. This requires a high academic level in terms of problem formulation, conceptual clarity, methodological, theoretical, and empirical foundation, documentation, analysis, and presentation. In all these areas, the dissertation must also demonstrate a critical engagement with current national and international research.

The thesis shall contribute to new scholarly knowledge and be of a standard suitable for publication as part of the scientific literature within the field. It may take the form of a monograph or be article-based. Both types of theses must include a summary/abstract at the beginning that outlines the foundation, approach, and overall structure of the dissertation, as well as its main findings, and situates the work in relation to international research in the field. An article-based thesis must further include an introductory chapter (commonly referred to as a "kappe"/synthesis/compilation) that integrates and contextualizes the research articles.

Number of articles in the thesis

If the thesis primarily consists of articles, at least three of the articles must list the candidate as the first author. At the time of submission, at least one article must be accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, at least one article must be submitted, and the remaining articles must be prepared for submission.

For information on thesis submission, please consult the section below under Completion.

Thesis template is available from this link: regulations and forms related to the PhD education

The training component for Ph.D. candidates in health and medicine consists of a coursework component of 30 ECTS credits and a dissemination component.

The training component of the PhD programme in Health and Medicine.

Courses in the PhD programme in Health and Medicine.

Each year, the candidate and supervisor must submit a progress report (cf. the Ph.D. regulations). The doctoral committee reviews the reports which the Ph.D. administration then follows up. The candidate and supervisor must complete and submit their progress reports separately.

The candidate and supervisor will receive a link to the annual progress report via email.

In case of slow progress and/or deviations from the training plan, the doctoral committee may request additional information, initiate follow-up meetings between the candidate and the academic leader of the Ph.D. program.

Annual progress reporting is mandatory, and the doctoral committee may consider enforced termination in cases covered by sections 5-6 to 5-9 of the Ph.D. regulations.

Approximately halfway through the program, a midterm evaluation (50% seminar) should be conducted. As you approach submission, it is recommended to hold a final seminar (90% seminar).

You will submit a draft or manuscript prior to the seminar, which will then be reviewed by an evaluation committee consisting of your supervisor and a commentator not associated with the project. During the seminar, you will present your work and progress, and you will receive feedback from the committee and the audience.

Guidelines for midterm evaluation and final seminar (50% and 90% seminars) (pdf)

The committee must submit a brief report (docx) to healthandmedicine@uis.no after the seminar has been conducted.

The Doctoral Committee acts on behalf of and provides advice to the dean and the faculty board. The dean holds the administrative and academic responsibility for the Ph.D. program in health and medicine.

The Doctoral Committee handles matters related to the Ph.D. program as a whole, as well as issues concerning individual Ph.D. candidates, such as admission, approval of project plans, and appointment of supervisors.

The deadline for submitting matters is 10 working days before the meeting date. Matters should be sent to healthandmedicine@uis.no.

Meeting dates for autumn 2025

• August 28
• September 25
• October 30
• November 27
• December 18

Members of the Doctoral Committee

• Thor Ole Gulsrud: Pro-Dean for Research and Innovation
• Kristin Hjorthaug Urstad: Professor
• Siri Wiig: Professor
• Anne Schanche Selbekk: Associate Professor
• Ingvild Morken: Professor
• Camilla Normand: Associate Professor II
• Kristine Rørtveit: Professor
• Jo Røislien: Professor
• Ingrid Ølfarnes Røysland: Associate Professor (Deputy)
• Janet Bakken: Representative for Doctoral Candidates

Plan for the training component

The plan for the training component is approved alongside the project plan. This occurs at the time of admission for candidates with external funding or in connection with the approval of the project plan for research fellows employed at UiS.

If you wish to make changes to the training component, you must apply for approval. Contact the Ph.D. administration at healthandmedicine@uis.no. Changes to the training component are processed on an ongoing basis.

The training component of the PhD programme in Health and Medicine.

Supervision

The candidate and supervisor may jointly or individually request the faculty to appoint a new supervisor for the candidate. The current supervisor cannot resign until a new supervisor has been appointed. The appointment of a supervisor is handled by the Doctoral Committee.

The application should be sent to healthandmedicine@uis.no using the application form (docx) for changing supervisors.

Changes to the project plan

If you make significant changes to the project plan or progress plan, you should report this to the administration.

Changes to your contact information

Contact the PhD administration at healthandmedicine@uis.no if you get a new email address, postal address, or change your name.

Leaves of absence and reduced working hours to which an employee is entitled under law or collective agreements, as well as sick leave, entitle the candidate to an extension of the admission period. In such cases, the admission period is extended accordingly.

The faculty may also extend the admission period upon a justified application. If an extension is granted, the faculty may impose additional conditions.

The program is designed to be completed in three years of full-time study. The maximum time allowed for completing the program, excluding statutory leaves and mandatory duties, is six years.

For research fellows employed at UiS, the Ph.D. administration is notified by HR when the employment period is extended, and the admission period in the Ph.D. program is extended accordingly. Research fellows employed at UiS can find procedures for determining a new end date in the employee handbook.

Candidates with external funding or those pursuing a Ph.D. while holding a permanent position at UiS must apply for an extension by providing documentation from their employer confirming that the employment period has been extended due to statutory leaves, reduced working hours, or sick leave. Applications should be submitted to healthandmedicine@uis.no.

The faculty organizes a lunch for candidates in the PhD program in health and medicine approximately once a month. The PhD lunch serves as a social gathering combined with some academic input. Candidates receive an Outlook invitation via email.

Do you have suggestions for topics we can address? Send us a tip at healthandmedicine@uis.no.

PhD lunch dates autum 2025:

• August 20, 11-12
• September, 17 11-12
• October 15, 11-12
• November 12, 11-12
• December 17, 11-12

UiS organizes an annual series of courses for PhD candidates designed to help you complete your doctorate. The course series covers a range of topics, including data management, privacy and IT security, how to write a thesis introduction ("kappe"), academic writing and the writing process, publishing from start to finish, stress management and mental health, and planning for international research stays.

Candidates will receive invitations to the courses via email.

Please visit the PhD Complete – Skills to Finalise Your Thesis page on the UiS website.

Resources

The University Library offers various courses and resources for PhD candidates. The library provides advice and guidance on publishing, data management plans, literature searches, and Open Access.

Please visit the library's web page for PhD resources.

Shut up and write

The University Library organizes writing groups for PhD candidates.

Please visit the library's course calendar for more information.

Please visit the UiS web page for research ethics for resources.

The web page holds information on various topics:

• Guidelines for Handling of accusations of potential violations
• Procedures for filing a report on a possible violation
• Guidelines for Authorship
• Guidelines for Secondary Employment
• Contact Information for the Research Integrity Ombud

Candidates employed at the Faculty of Health Sciences also have access to the faculty's intranet page, where links to national guidelines, relevant legislation and regulations, and other useful resources are gathered.

According to UiS’ PhD regulations, PhD candidates are generally expected to complete a research stay abroad lasting at least three months. An international research stay can provide new perspectives and valuable academic benefits by introducing alternative approaches to the PhD project. It can also expand your professional network, contributing to your future research career and fostering international collaboration. Your supervisor or academic environment should be able to provide advice on selecting academically relevant institutions. There are several practical matters to arrange and remember for longer stays abroad, so early planning and preparation are essential.

Mobility often requires additional funding. You must explore options for financing your stay. UiS’ intranet pages on research mobility provide information about various funding sources that may be relevant for employees at UiS. Funders such as the Norwegian Research Council (NFR) and the EU offer specific mobility grants for PhD candidates receiving funding from them. If it is not possible to secure such external funding, UiS has its own scholarship scheme for research fellows who wish to spend three months at an international research institution (mobility funds). Contact the PhD coordinator for information about the application process.

Research fellows at UiS have access to NOK 90,000 in operational funds for the duration of their employment. These funds can be used to cover expenses such as travel, courses and conferences, books, technical equipment, publication costs, language editing, and more.

Contact the UiS' finance department to obtain the project number associated with your position. You will need this number when making purchases related to your doctoral work. For questions about the rules regarding financial transactions or the amount available to you during your PhD program, contact the finance department. Purchased equipment is not personal property.

Candidates with other types of funding must clarify questions regarding operational funds with their employer or funding organization.

As a PhD candidate at the University of Stavanger (UiS), you are represented by the UiS Doctoral Community (UiSDC). UiSDC serves as an interest organization for doctoral candidates, representing them in various decision-making bodies and administrative forums within the university. This ensures that the voices and concerns of PhD candidates are heard and addressed appropriately.

On a national level, PhD candidates in Norway are represented by the Stipendiatorganisasjonene i Norge (SiN), or the Association of Doctoral Organizations in Norway. SiN is a national network that brings together local interest organizations for doctoral candidates and postdoctoral fellows across various Norwegian institutions. It works to address issues of common interest, such as employment conditions, research policies, and career development opportunities.

Read more about UiS Doctoral Community.

In addition to enrolling in a PhD program, candidates have the opportunity to apply for admission to national research schools. These schools aim to enhance the quality and relevance of doctoral education through collaborative networks. They offer specialized courses, academic supervision, and access to professional networks, supplementing the institutions' own doctoral programs. For more information on national research schools and, please visit the Research Council of Norway's page on National Researcher Schools.

The University of Stavanger (UiS) is a partner in the PROFRES research school. PROFRES is a national research school dedicated to practice-near research within three central fields of the welfare state: health, welfare, and education. Established in 2014, PROFRES is funded by the Research Council of Norway for the period 2022–2030.

For more information about PROFRES, including admission procedures and program details, please visit their official website.

The University of Stavanger is also a partner in the Norwegian Research School in Global Health for Sustainable Futures. The principal aim of the research school is to strengthen research training in the field of global health, with a particular focus on addressing health inequities and supporting the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

For more information about Norwegian Reseach School in Global Health for Sustainable Futures, including admission procedures and program details, please visit their official website

The main supervisor is responsible for submitting a justified proposal for the evaluation committee to the faculty. The proposal is reviewed by the doctoral committee.

The main supervisor must confirm with the proposed individuals whether they are willing and available to participate in the committee and obtain the necessary documentation before submitting the proposal to the doctoral committee.

The proposal for the evaluation committee must include:

• A justified proposal for the evaluation committee using the designated form (in Norwegian only) (docx).
• CVs (including a list of publications) and signed declaration of impartiality form (docx) from the proposed members.

The PhD administration informs the department head about the proposal.

The evaluation committee should normally be appointed before the candidate submits their thesis. Since finalizing a proposal for an evaluation committee can be time-consuming, it is recommended that the main supervisor begins this process a few months before the planned submission of the thesis.

The defense should normally take place no later than two months after the committee's recommendation has been submitted. During the process of assembling a proposal for the evaluation committee, the main supervisor must confirm that the proposed members are available to participate in the defense during the specified time frame.

The composition of the assessment committee

The composition of the assessment committee is normally to be such that:

• different genders are represented
• at least one of the members is fired at the university
• at least one of the members is from outside the university
• at least one of the members has a main position at a foreign institution
• all the members hold doctoral degrees or equivalent qualifications,
• the majority in the assessment committee are external members

The proposal must include a justification and demonstrate how the committee collectively covers the academic field of the thesis.

Impartiality

All parties involved in the case are obligated to disclose any relationships with the proposed committee members that may be relevant to assessing impartiality. This includes both professional and familial ties. This obligation applies not only to the candidate and potential committee members but also to supervisors, co-supervisors, the unit leader, and, if applicable, the project leader or funding entity.

In accordance with the supplementary regulations for the PhD program in Health and Medicine, section 7-4, third paragraph, it is further specified that:

The committee members should normally not have:

• Joint publications, presentations, or other research collaborations with the doctoral candidate, one or more of the candidate's supervisors, or co-authors within the past 5 years.
• Joint publications, presentations, or other research collaborations with one or more of the other committee members within the past 5 years.

Before the appointment, the candidate may provide comments on the composition of the committee to ensure that the Doctoral Committee is fully informed about any potential conflicts of interest or other critical factors during its evaluation.

The doctoral committee holds the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the proposed members are not disqualified due to conflicts of interest or overly close relationships with any of the parties involved in the thesis.

Chair/administrator of the committee

The proposal must designate an administrator among the committee members. The committee administrator should preferably be employed at the faculty. Department heads can assist by suggesting potential administrators if the main supervisor seeks input on suitable candidates.

The committee administrator is responsible for organizing the committee's work, ensuring that it begins promptly and that the timeline for the committee’s tasks is adhered to. The administrator shall coordinate the committee’s evaluation of the thesis and clarify the division of responsibilities among the committee members during the defense. Additionally, the administrator must ensure that the committee’s work complies with both the Regulations for the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor at UiS and the Guidelines for the Evaluation of Norwegian Doctoral Degrees (PDF).

The completed training component must be approved before you submit your thesis for evaluation. The application for approval of the completed training component (docx) should be sent to healthandmedicine@uis.no. The application is processed on an ongoing basis by the Vice Dean for Research and Innovation.

The main supervisor or the candidate must notify the faculty that submission is imminent so that the necessary preparations can begin.

Admission procedure:

1. Inform the PhD administration about the planned submission date.
2. Apply for approval of the completed training component (docx) to healthandmedicine@uis.no if not already done.
3. Contact the IT department for assistance with the thesis template.
4. Finalize co-author declarations (docx) and gather other relevant attachments.
5. The application to have your thesis evaluated (pdf) must be sent to healthandmedicine@uis.no. The deadline for submission is 10 working days before the next meeting of the doctoral committee.
6. The application will be reviewed and processed by the doctoral committee.
7. Once approved, the thesis will be sent for evaluation.

The application for thesis evaluation must include:

1. The completed application form for thesis evaluation.
2. Documentation of Approved Training Component
3. Thesis: synopsis (kappe) and articles may be submitted in separate PDF files.
4. Co-author declarations: Required for article-based theses.
5. Documentation of necessary approvals: May be included as appendices in the thesis if applicable.

Time of submission

You should allow 4-5 months from submission to the desired date of defense. The application for evaluation is reviewed by the doctoral committee at its monthly meeting. The thesis is sent to the evaluation committee after the application for evaluation has been approved by the doctoral committee.

The candidate and supervisors must not have contact with the evaluation committee after the thesis has been submitted.

The committee is generally given a 3-month deadline to deliver its recommendation. (This deadline may be extended during holiday periods.) A tentative date for the defense is set no earlier than 4 weeks after the committee's deadline for delivering its recommendation. We typically confirm a tentative date for the trial lecture and defense shortly after the evaluation committee receives the thesis for review.

A submitted thesis cannot be withdrawn until a final decision has been made on whether it is worthy of defense for the degree. After submission, the candidate may apply to the faculty for permission to correct formal errors in the thesis. The application must include a complete list of the errors (errata) to be corrected.

The application to correct formal errors must be submitted no later than four weeks before the committee's deadline for delivering its recommendation and may only be made once.

A template for the application to correct formal errors can be provided upon request.

The application should be sent to healthandmedicine@uis.no.

Within the specified deadline, the assessment committee must submit its recommendation on whether the thesis is worthy of being defended for the degree.

The recommendation may reach one of the following conclusions:

• The thesis is worthy of being defended for the PhD degree.
• Recommendation for minor revisions.
• The thesis is not worthy of being defended for the PhD degree.

The recommendation and any dissenting opinions must be justified. In the case of a recommendation for minor revisions before a final decision, the committee must provide a detailed written overview of the specific revisions the candidate needs to make.

The assessment committee's recommendation is submitted to the faculty, which then forwards it to the candidate. The candidate is given a deadline of ten working days to submit written comments on the recommendation. If the candidate does not wish to submit any comments, the faculty must be notified of this in writing as soon as possible.

Based on the recommendation and any comments from the candidate, the faculty decides whether the thesis is worthy of being defended for the degree, if minor revisions are recommended, or if the thesis is rejected.

For minor revisions, a deadline for completing the revisions is set, which should normally not exceed three months. A new deadline is also set for the committee to submit its final recommendation.

After the thesis has been approved and the defense date has been confirmed, we ask you to complete a form with a brief popular science summary. This will be used to create a description of the defense and the thesis for our website.

Please use this form for submitting a summary.

The doctoral degree is awarded on the basis of:

• An approved scientific thesis and a satisfactory defense in a public doctoral defense (disputation).
• Successful completion of the training component.
• An approved trial lecture on an assigned topic.

An assessment committee assesses whether your thesis meets the requirements for a public defense. Once the thesis is approved, the final date for the trial lecture and defense is set. The trial lecture and defense are usually held on the same day.

The trial lecture and defense must be conducted in the language of the thesis unless the faculty approves another language.

The trial lecture lasts approximately 45 minutes and must be approved before you can defend your thesis. Its purpose is to assess your ability to acquire knowledge beyond the thesis topic and your skill in presenting it in a lecture format. The topic for the trial lecture is announced ten working days before the lecture.

The defense is held later the same day and lasts approximately three hours. You will begin with a brief presentation of your research (20 minutes), followed by an opposition in the form of an academic discussion between you and the two opponents from the assessment committee. You may also receive questions from the audience. After the opposition, the committee deliberates and provides a recommendation on whether the defense should be approved.

Procedure for public defence of PhD dissertations at the Faculty of Health Sciences (pdf).

As a general principle, defenses should be conducted in person at UiS.

It may be permitted to conduct the defense at another academic institution if there are particularly compelling reasons for doing so. Applications to conduct the defense at another academic institution are reviewed by the Dean, the Vice Dean for Research and Innovation, and the Faculty Director. The application must be submitted before the proposal for the assessment committee is reviewed by the doctoral committee. For more information about the application process and guidelines, contact healthandmedicine@uis.no.

The defense dinner is a commonly held celebration in honor of the doctoral candidate after a successful defense. This is a private event, so it is entirely up to you whether to host it and how it is arranged. If a defense dinner is held, it is customary to invite the chair of the defense, your supervisors, colleagues, family, friends, and members of the assessment committee.

After successfully completing and passing the defense, the candidate is formally conferred the degree of Philosophiae Doctor by the Rector of the University of Stavanger. You will receive a digital document with this decision via email.

The diploma is awarded at UiS's annual celebration in early October. This is a formal and festive ceremony where all individuals who have completed their doctorates at UiS over the past year receive their diplomas. Friends and family are welcome to attend. Invitations and registration details for the annual celebration will be sent to your registered email address.