PhD student in Media and Communication Studies

The Department of Media Studies is one of the larger departments within the Faculty of Humanities, with just over 80 employees and approximately 850 yearly full-time students. The department hosts four undergraduate and doctoral subjects: Journalism, Media and Communication Studies, Cinema Studies, and Fashion Studies. These are organized into three research collegia: Journalism and Media and Communication Studies; Cinema Studies; and Fashion Studies.
More information about us, please visit: the Department of Media Studies.

IMS announces two PhD positions in Media and Communication Studies starting in August 2026. The application deadline is 15 April.

Subject area

Media and communication studies focuses on the most pressing issues of our time, at the intersection of communication, technology, politics and culture. We explore the basis for and content of mediated communication, its roles in society and everyday life, on local, national and global levels, from historical, contemporary and future-oriented perspectives. Research in media and communication studies at IMS constitutes as a whole a rich melting pot for empirically, theoretically and methodologically leading research that tackles the significance of mediated communication for people as cultural and social beings. Our profile is specifically characterized by a focus on power structures, (in)equality in representation, and the potential and challenges associated with communication technology.

Our research is internationally recognized, while also committed to and sought after in Swedish public debate. We often collaborate with the media and cultural sectors, and with our department’s scholars in journalism studies. All these aspects contribute to a dynamic and strong research environment.

Media and communication research at IMS is conducted in four main areas:

Global media studies
Media practices and technical media studies
Politics, media and communication
Popular culture and celebrity studies.

For more information, see: www.su.se/english/research/research-catalogue/research-subjects/2/media-and-communication-studies.

Applicants are encouraged to relate their proposed project to one or more of the research areas above and to clarify how the project contributes to these and/or to the overarching research orientation of the subject area of Media and Communication Studies at the department.

As a doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Humanities, you have the opportunity to participate in courses offered through a faculty-wide graduate school, with themes shaped by multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration (see www.su.se/english/divisions/doctoral-school-in-the-humanities). The research group in Journalism, Media and Communication is also affiliated with the national research network TRAIN, which focuses on doctoral courses and conferences within Journalism and Media and Communication Studies.

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

To meet the specific entry requirements for admission to the PhD program in Media and Communication Studies, applicants must have successfully completed at least 30 second-cycle credits in Media and Communication Studies, including a thesis of at least 15 credits.

Specific entry requirements also include proficiency in Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, or English. Language proficiency must include the ability to read, speak, and write in one of these languages.

The eligibility requirements may also be met by applicants who have acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in Sweden or abroad.

Any assessment of equivalence is carried out by an admissions committee appointed for this purpose, and decisions are made by the departmental board.

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The following criteria will be used to assess this capacity:

Previous education. Assessment is based on both the breadth and depth of the applicant’s prior studies
Previous scholarly work. Based on bachelor’s and master’s theses and, where applicable, other scholarly work, the applicant’s ability to benefit from the program is evaluated. The timeline is also considered—that is, the extent to which the applicant has demonstrated the ability to complete previous academic tasks within given time frames. The assessment also takes into account the applicant’s scholarly development as reflected across submitted work. Scholarly production is evaluated in terms of critical ability, analytical capacity, independence, and creativity
Research proposal. Applicants must submit a brief outline of their intended research area. The outline should include a problem statement(s) and an outline of how the research will be conducted. The proposal is assessed based on relevance, originality, and feasibility within the given time frame (i.e., a period equivalent to four years of full-time study)
Availability of relevant supervision
Ability to collaborate. The applicant’s collaborative skills are assessed based on, for example, references, certificates, or interviews.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information, please contact Head of Department, Jessika van der Sluijs, jessika.van-der-sluijs@juridicum.su.se. Director of Doctoral Studies, Joel Frykholm, joel.frykholm@ims.su.se. Subject Representative for Media and Communication Studies, Anna Roosvall, anna.roosvall@ims.su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.