Doctoral program in Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden

Welcome to the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication. Thank you for your interest in the doctoral program. JMG is a nationally leading centre for journalism and media research and education in Sweden. Established in 1990 through a merger between the School of journalism and the Section for Mass Communication at the Department of Political Science at University of Gothenburg, JMG pursues a broad research agenda with journalism research at its core. The doctoral program bridges the departments top-ranked undergraduate programs in journalism and media studies and its ongoing research activities and programs. The current research agenda at JMG focuses on journalism, audience studies, crisis communication and political communication, gender and journalism, media discourse, media and cultural industries, and media history. Journalism research does, however, often serve as the focal point of most of the research activities at JMG, regardless of area. Candidates who are interested in any of the above mentioned areas of research are particularly encouraged to apply for the doctoral program. The doctoral program The doctoral program at JMG is open to students specializing both in journalism and in media and communication research. Swedish PhD studies differ from postgraduate education in many other countries. Most importantly, there are no tuition fees. When a candidate is accepted to the program he/she is appointed to a four year doctoral studentship position. The position entails becoming a member of staff and all doctoral candidates receive a salary and full employment benefits. The university thus employs the doctoral candidate as a staff member and pays a salary while the doctoral candidate undertakes their PhD studies. In return, the doctoral candidate provides some departmental and teaching duties (no more than 20% of a full-time position). These basic principles also apply to international students. A PhD involves a total of four years of full-time study. The PhD program consists of two parts: the courses and the thesis, forming a total of 240 ECTS credits, in which the doctoral thesis accounts for 180 credits. The four years thus consist of one year of course work and three years of working on the doctoral thesis. However, most doctoral students teach for 20% of full time, extending the total time for completing their PhD degree to five years. The course curriculum consists of two parts: required courses in research methods and theories in journalism, media and communication, and optional courses that the student chooses with regard to their interest and specialization. The optional courses may be cross-departmental, collaborative courses that JMG arranges in partnership with other universities, and international courses. All doctoral students are encouraged to take courses abroad or at other Swedish universities and to attend international conferences in their field. When a candidate starts the PhD program, an Individual study plan (ISP) is set up. The ISP is an agreement between the PhD candidate, the supervisor and the faculty, setting out the agreed rights, duties and expectations between the actors. The individual study plan includes an outline of the structure of the studies, information about funding, a research plan and details of the courses, conferences and seminars the candidate participates in. The ISP is revised and reviewed once a year, to monitor how the studies are progressing.

The doctoral degree is awarded after the successful completion of the doctoral studies - that is, when the candidate has passed the course elements of the program as well as the public defense of the doctoral thesis. Admission requirements Admissions take place once a year, usually in the spring. Due to the funding requirements, JMG only admits a few candidates each year and each candidate has to go through a formal application process. To be eligible to apply for a doctoral studentship position in Journalism, Media and Communication the candidate must have a Masters degree with a strong Masters thesis in Journalism, Media and Communication studies, or in a related field. The thesis must present the results of independent research. Students need to have completed courses for at least 240 credits, of which at least 60 credits must be for Masters level studies. When the student does not have a degree in journalism or media and communication studies, the masters thesis must display a significant focus on journalism and/or media research. The thesis must be written in English or Swedish. The applicant must also display a strong interest in pursuing academic research in the field of journalism and media studies. The quality of the Masters thesis/theses is of particular importance and it is essential that candidates demonstrate a capacity for theoretical and empirical work in their submitted publications. The future PhD thesis will be written in English so a candidate must have a very good command of English to be considered for the available PhD positions. JMG accepts international students, so it is not necessary to be proficient in Swedish to be eligible to apply. A candidate must meet all the previously specified requirements to be considered for a position. How to apply To begin the application process for the doctoral program, the candidate must submit his/her application within the stated application period. All PhD positions are publicly announced by the University and at the time of the announcement, instructions on how to apply will be published on the universitys web page. Candidates should, however, always check both the Universitys website and the Departments web page for any additional notices and specific forms and instructions about the application process. The application must include a CV with certified copies of relevant documents (transcripts are required for all college or university degrees and courses), a copy of the candidates Masters thesis, a written statement of purpose (explaining the nature of the interest in journalism and media studies and the reasons for pursuing the degree), a research proposal for the doctoral dissertation (maximum 5 pages), and two letters of recommendation or contact information of two reference persons. This is a highly competitive process and The Admissions Committee examines individual applications for evidence of probable success in an academically demanding doctoral program. The chosen candidates are those deemed most likely to successfully complete the program within the given time. The selection process takes place in two stages. First the admissions committee, headed by the Director of graduate studies, reviews the submitted applications and then the most promising candidates are selected for further examination. In the evaluation and ranking of candidates, the committee takes into account the applicants previous education record, the quality of their Masters thesis and, if applicable,

additional academic publications submitted with the application, such as published articles in peerreview journals. The most prominent candidates are shortlisted and called to an interview. The application period for the doctoral program in Journalism, Media and Communication commences on April 1 2013 (with the formal announcement being made on the Universitys web page) and the final date for submitting an application is May 6, 2013. A candidate may however choose to send in the copy of his/her Masters thesis at any time until the end of the spring semester 2013 (June 7 2013), thus allowing students who graduate in June 2013 to be able to apply to the program. The final decision on admissions is made in June, and the new doctoral candidates typically start the program on September 1. For more information about the program or the admission requirements, please contact the Director of graduate studies, Professor Monika Djerf-Pierre, monika.djerf-pierre@jmg.gu.se.