Doctoral degree programmes and major subjects

The Doctoral Degree Program in Human Sciences at the University of Oulu offers you an interdisciplinary and inspiring research community to implement your doctoral thesis research under expert supervision. Whether you would like to do research on languages, the Arctic; the Past from the viewpoints of Archeology, History or History of Science and Ideas; communication within human communities and beyond, as approached by Communication Studies, Cultural Anthropology, or e.g. Environmental Studies, we shall build for You a set of doctoral studies that will meet your needs. For more detailed information on ongoing research projects and the possibilities of your interests to link with them visit the websites of Faculty of Humanities and our Disciplines.

• Major subjects: Archaeology, English Language, German Language and Culture, History, History of Science and Ideas, Information Studies, Literature, Cultural Anthropology, Logopedics, Swedish Language, Saami Culture, Sami Language, Finnish language, Science Communication
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 20 credits; 2021-22 onwards 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Pentti Haddington
• Faculty of Humanities
• Human Sciences Doctoral Programme

Are you interested in how humans grow, develop, learn, and interact with their social, cultural and ecological environments in a rapidly changing world? Do you wish to understand how the interplay of biology, ecology, culture and society affects humanity? The multidisciplinary doctoral program of education and psychology delivers high-quality research to address the needs of societies in change, with a focus on Northern communities. Find more information about our research from the Faculty of Education website.

• Major subjects: Special Education, Educational Psychology, Educational Sciences, Music Education, Psychology, Sociology and Gender Studies
• Degrees: Doctor of Philosophy (Education), Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Doc. Pauliina Rautio
• Faculty of Education
• Human Sciences Doctoral Programme

The doctoral degree programme in the Oulu Business School (OBS) covers the following disciplines of the school’s curriculum: accounting, economics, finance, international business, management, and marketing.

The OBS doctoral degree programme provides its students with thorough and systematic training and supervision with the goal of generating profound business competence that can be used both in high-quality research in academic careers, and in varied expert positions outside academia. The studies allow developing capabilities of generating new and relevant knowledge, as well as integrating and applying knowledge across business disciplines, and gaining good professional communication skills.

The OBS doctoral training involves collaboration with the other faculties at the University of Oulu and with national doctoral programmes. Often, the students have the possibility to connect to joint projects where research involves interaction with varied organizations in both private and public sectors. The students are encouraged to engage in international cooperation and networking, and study and do research outside Finland. Research visits are facilitated by the networks built during the doctoral studies and through collaborative consortia like SCANCOR.

Find more information about our research from the Oulu Business School website.

• Major subjects: Management, International Business, Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Economics, Business Analytics
• Degree: Doctor of Science (Economics & Business Administration)
• Extent of studies: 50 credits; 2022-23 onwards 40 credits
• Degree programme director: Associate Professor Jaakko Simonen
• Oulu Business School
• Human Sciences Doctoral Programme

How does climate change impact Arctic nature, communities, and economies? Why are some places and regions growing and developing, while others are declining and suffering? What explains the location of different services, and how can their accessibility be modelled and developed? How regions, identities and borders are transforming? What are the conditions and constraints for economic development to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the well-being of people and nature in future? What would make the tourism economy locally and globally responsible and sustainable?

Questions and research problems like this are typical of doctoral studies in geography at the University of Oulu. A doctoral degree in geography provides excellent ground and capacity to solve these kinds of important, diverse and sometimes ‘wicked’ research problems and questions. In doctoral studies, it is possible to specialize in the fields of regional development and regional policy, political geography, physical geography, tourism geographies and geoinformatics.

The scientific research carried out in the Geography Research Unit is of a very high standard and internationally acknowledged. The research unit has had a long-standing the Academy of Finland Center of Excellence, and in the external evaluation of research at the University of Oulu in 2020,

the unit achieved an overall grade of outstanding (6/6). In international discipline evaluations, geography is, without exception, the highest-rated field in the University, which supports high-quality doctoral education in geography at the University of Oulu.

• Major subject: Geography
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 25 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Jarkko Saarinen
• Faculty of Science
• Human Sciences Doctoral Programme / Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

The aims of doctoral training in architecture is that the doctoral student becomes well-versed in his/her own field of research and its social significance and gains knowledge and skills needed to apply scientific research methods independently and critically and to produce new scientific knowledge within his/her field of research. The doctoral student in architecture becomes conversant with the development, basic problems and research methods of his/her own field of research and gains such knowledge of the general theory of science and of other disciplines relating to his/her own field of research as enables him/her to follow developments in them.

Find more information about our research from the Oulu School of Architecture website.

• Major subject: Architecture
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: University lecturer Aulikki Herneoja
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

In the Biology doctoral programme, it is possible to study and do research in ecology, genetics and physiology. Research in ecology is focused on evolutionary, behaviour, population, molecular and community ecology and on adaptation to north, with strong links to conservation biology. In genetics and physiology, most of the research at present is at the fields of genetics of adaptations, evolutionary genetics, developmental biology and biotechnical applications. One of the emerging fields is studies of ancient DNA.

Studies can be completed in English and in Finnish. The study plan is written and presented in English and the doctoral thesis is written in English.

Career possibilities include for example a researcher, university lecturer and expert or consultant in companies, government and research institutes. Biologists of Oulu University has plenty of collaboration with national and international research groups, universities, research institutes (such as Natural Resources Institute Finland, Parks and Wildlife Finland, The Finnish Wildlife Agency, Finnish Environment Institute), companies and governmental organisations.

• Major subject: Biology
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 30 credits, 2024-25 onwards 25 credits
• Degree programme director: University researcher Laura Kvist
• Faculty of Science
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

The research units of physics and astronomy of the University of Oulu conduct internationally state-of-the-art research in their disciplines. The research topics of the Nano and Molecular Systems (NANOMO) Research Unit include nanomaterials for sustainability, materials characterization methods, atmospheric physics, quantum computing, biomedical physics, and physics didactics. Experimental materials research, carried out in synergy with computational research, utilizes international large-scale facilities (e.g. synchrotrons).

NMR Research Unit develops and applies modern experimental as well as computational and theoretical magnetic resonance methods to characterize physical properties of molecules, materials and nanosystems and to reliably interpret the acquired data. The methods are utilized in many disciplines, e.g., for the development of carbon-neutral cements, studying cancer cell metabolism and understanding the role of aerosols in climate change.

In the Space Physics and Astronomy Research Unit, Space Physics studies solar activity and its effects on the heliosphere, the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, atmosphere, and climate. In Astronomy, the topics include the evolution and structure of galaxies, planetary ring systems and high-energy astrophysics. The doctoral training programme in Physics and Astronomy aims to train independent scientists in the aforementioned disciplines.

Doctoral students receive excellent knowledge and skills for experimental and computational/theoretical research and the use of related infrastructures. In addition, they learn to work in an international research environment and create international networks. The training program provides excellent starting points for a researcher's career as well as teaching and expert positions in universities, research institutes and industry around the world.

• Major subjects: Physics, Astronomy
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits, 2024-25 onwards 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Academy Research Fellow Matti Silveri
• Faculty of Science
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

Over the past decade, mining and mineral exploration have increased significantly in Finland, especially in the northern part of the Fennoscandian shield. Several mines have recently been opened and new ones are under development. In response to a shortage of experts in mining, the Oulu Mining School of the University of Oulu is strengthening its profile in the area of Arctic mineral resources and their sustainable usage. At present, the unit is the only nationally and internationally known mining teaching and research centre in Finland.

The aim of the doctoral degree program in Geosciences and Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing is to provide doctoral researchers the capability to work successfully in academic environment and perform expert duties relevant to society and mining industry in Finland and abroad. Doctoral students get deep knowledge in their specific fields and obtain a broad view of the Earth's geological processes, a general view of the mining industry activities and problems and understanding of the environmentally friendly and socially acceptable mining practices. A general goal of doctoral studies is to adopt scientific thinking and good scientific practice, to obtain a wide range of skills and to network with researchers and industry representatives. The main subjects may be 1) Geosciences, specialization is Geology and Mineralogy (e.g economic geology) and Soil Geology 2) Mining and beneficiation technology, specialization is Mining Technology and Enrichment Technology and Geophysics. The employment opportunities for graduates specialising in mining are good.

• Major subjects: Geology, Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing
• Degrees: Doctor of Philosophy (in majors Geology; Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing), Doctor of Science (Technology) (in major Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing)
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Elena Kozlovskaya
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

• Major subject: Chemistry
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: University lecturer Minna Tiainen
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

• Major subject: Mechanical Engineering
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Jari Larkiola
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

• Major subject: Geography
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 25 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Jarkko Saarinen
• Faculty of Science
• Human Sciences Doctoral Programme / Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

Mathematics, the Queen of Science, is the key to problem solving in science and elsewhere. Doctoral education in Mathematical Sciences provides the necessary skills for conducting scientific research related to exact sciences and applications. In the Doctoral degree program of mathematical sciences, you will prepare a dissertation in pure mathematics, applied mathematics or statistics. Inside these domains you may specialize e.g. to mathematical analysis, inverse problems or computational mathematics and statistics. You will be a part of an active research group and an international research community. Find more information about our research from the website of the Mathematical Sciences Research Unit.

• Major subject: Mathematical Sciences
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits, 2024-25 onwards 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Associate professor Patrik Waldmann
• Faculty of Science
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

Doctoral studies in process and environmental engineering focus on the sustainable use of natural resources. The aim of doctoral studies is to provide in-depth information on current scientific research results and innovations in their field, which enable successful work in companies and research institutes. The content of the training is planned specifically for each doctoral researcher.

Find more information about our research from the research units' websites: Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Fibre and Particle Engineering, Chemical Process Engineering, Process Metallurgy and Environmental and Chemical Engineering.

• Major subjects: Process Engineering, Environmental Engineering
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Juha Tanskanen
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

In the doctoral training of civil engineering, practice meets theory, and a multidisciplinary approach is applied to research problems. Doctoral training offers a technical foundation anchored in theory that will allow doctoral researchers to follow the career paths in the most challenging built environments.

Current research activities in the Research Unit of Civil Engineering are concentrated in the following areas:

• good indoor air and health of buildings
• transport systems
• earth and foundation construction
• structural design and computational mechanics
• construction automation, digitalisation, robotics and data modelling

Many of these directly tackle problems of public importance, such as reconditioning of infrastructure, mitigating of natural or man-made disasters, and environmental problems.

• Major subject: Civil Engineering
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Antti Niemi
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

The doctoral degree programme in industrial engineering and management (IEM) gives you a wide understanding and deep competence in developing organizations and applying versatile scientific methodsin a rapidly changing environment. Industrial engineering and management discipline combines engineering and technology, business economics methods, and the human factors and behaviour. IEM is unique in its multidisciplinary approach and the integrative nature provides value and enhances efficiency and effectiveness in organisations.

The IEM research focuses specifically on the following areas: operations and supply chain management, project business, product management, well-being at work and productivity. Conducting doctoral studies in IEM provides you not only with outstanding competence in your research area, but also widely applicable working life skills and ability to understand business phenomena that are valuable assets also outside academia. As a doctor in IEM your future career can be in business management, strategic development, RDI lead or research positions. Read more about the possibilities offered by industrial engineering and management: www.oulu.fi/en/industrial-engineering-and-management

• Major subject: Industrial Engineering and Management
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 40 credits
• Degree programme director: University researcher Hannele Lampela
• Faculty of Technology
• Technology and Natural Sciences Doctoral Programme

The Doctoral Degree Programme in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine is embedded in the UniOGS framework of the Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme . The Doctoral Degree Programme gives postgraduate education in Cell and Molecular Biology, Developmental biology, Molecular Medicine, Molecular Genetics, Population Genetics, Structural Biology, Bioinformatics, Biobusiness and Bioethics. The major objective of the doctoral studies is to adopt a scientific way of thinking, to internalize the principles of good scientific work, and to gain a multitude of research skills enabling to execute independent research work.

Find more information about our research from the website of the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine.

• Major subject: Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
• Degrees: Doctor of Medical Science, Doctor of Dental Science, Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 20 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Thomas Kietzmann
• Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
• Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme

A doctoral degree consists of general and transferable skills courses, field-specific studies and doctoral thesis work. The purpose of general and transferable skills courses is to introduce the student to the foundation of scientific research and research methods, scientific thinking and writing, the ethical foundation of scientific research work. Field-specific studies are aimed to give the in depth understanding about his/her own field of research and research methods.

Find more information about our research from the Faculty of Medicine website.

• Major subject: Oral Health Sciences
• Degrees: Doctor of Medical Science, Doctor of Dental Science, Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 20 credits
• Degree programme director: Doc. Virpi Harila
• Faculty of Medicine
• Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme

The doctoral degree program in Medicine covers a broad spectrum of fields from clinical medicine to basic sciences, social sciences and engineering linked to medicine. The interdisciplinary nature of the University of Oulu enables seamless cooperation between different disciplines within the University.

Medicine is a research-intensive and rapidly developing field in which a doctoral degree is seen as a good tool to develop one's own competencies. About a fifth of physicians do doctoral studies and nearly a fourth of doctoral thesis comes from the field of medicine at the University of Oulu. Doctoral training provides excellent possibilities for various leading positions in the field of health.

The strengths of medical research at the University of Oulu's include the close location of University Hospital to the University, as well as unique population study data (www.oulu.fi/nfbc/) and extensive international collaborative projects. Most of the research groups in the field of medicine belong to the Medical Research Centre (www.oulu.fi/mrc/) and some also to the Biocenter Oulu (www.oulu.fi/biocenter/). Local collaboration and research resources enable research ranging from the cellular and molecular level to clinical, epidemiological and public health research.

Find more information about our research from the Faculty of Medicine website.

• Major subjects: Medicine, Medical Physics and Technology
• Degrees: Doctor of Medical Science, Doctor of Dental Science, Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 20 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Terhi Tapiainen, substitute: Prof. Jouko Miettunen
• Faculty of Medicine
• Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme

The Doctoral degree (PhD) in Health Sciences in the University of Oulu provides a high level of doctoral education and produces competitive researchers and academic specialists for professional contexts. The Doctoral degree is carried out during four years of full-time studies or six years of part-time studies.

Find more information about our research from the Faculty of Medicine website.

• Major subjects: Nursing Science, Health Management
• Degree: Doctor of Health Sciences
• Extent of studies: 20 credits; 2021-22 onwards 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Maria Kääriäinen
• Faculty of Medicine
• Health and Biosciences Doctoral Programme

Electrical engineering is one of the key enablers for digitalization and electrification. Electronics devices and systems such as mobile phones, computers, autonomous electric vehicles, solar power plants or medical imaging devices are all based on electronics. By studying and becoming the doctor of technical science in electrical engineering, you get the latest know-how of the field and capability to develop more sustainable and better technology to solve global challenges by your work.

Find more information about our research from the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering website.

• Major subject: Electrical Engineering
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Tapio Fabritius
• Faculty of Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Doctoral Programme

Do you want to make the world a better place? Information processing science is a discipline on the creation and utilisation of information and communications technology. Research in Information Processing Science focuses on three topical areas of Software Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction and Persuasive Systems Design.

Find more information about our research from the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering website.

• Major subject: Information Processing Science
• Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Associate prof. Marianne Kinnula
• Faculty of Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Doctoral Programme

Communications Engineering Doctoral Degree Program provides path to talented researchers and students to advance to the highest academic degree in the field. Oulu is well-known city for its high-quality and groundbreaking technological innovations in wireless communications engineering. From cell phones to smart phones, from wireless broadband to cognitive radio networks, communications engineering is integral in creating the wireless future.

Centre for Wireless Communications (CWC) conducts world-class research and provides education in the field of wireless communications engineering. Established in 1995, CWC provides high quality bachelor, master and doctoral level education in wireless communications and radio frequency (RF) engineering. It consists of two research units: CWC - Radio Technologies and CWC - Networks and Systems. These units provide doctoral students supervision and education in communications engineering doctoral degree program.

Research areas cover radio frequency engineering, signal processing and machine learning for wireless systems, wireless communications engineering for different layers, networking, and various vertical applications of wireless systems, technologies, and networks. CWC employs personnel of almost 200 including 17 professors, 15 other senior scientists, more than 30 postdoctoral researchers and over 70 doctoral students. CWC leads national 6G Flagship program which paves the way to the next generation mobile systems.

• Major subject: Communications Engineering
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Mika Ylianttila
• Faculty of Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Doctoral Programme

The Doctoral Degree Program in Computer Science and Engineering provides you with high-quality training as a member of a unique international and multidisciplinary research environment. Upon graduating as a Doctor of Science (Technology) or a Doctor of Philosophy, you will have the skills that qualify you to work in demanding expert positions in academia, industry and public sector.

The research fields covered by the degree program include artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, crowd computing, cyber and information security, data science, design research, distributed and edge computing, human-computer interaction, machine learning, machine vision, perception engineering, robotics, ubiquitous computing, and XR/AR/VR. They are conducted in the following research units in the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering: BISG (Biomimetics and Intelligent Systems Group), CMVS (Center for Machine Vision and Signal Analysis), and UBICOMP (Center for Ubiquitous Computing).

• Major subject: Computer Science and Engineering
• Degrees: Doctor of Science (Technology), Doctor of Philosophy
• Extent of studies: 30 credits
• Degree programme director: Prof. Janne Heikkilä
• Faculty of Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering
• Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Doctoral Programme