PhD-programme in Health and Sport Sciences

Spring 2024

Planned PhD-courses

ME-624 Research Dissemination in Health and Sport Sciences: Scientific presenting and practice, 7,5 ECTS

Seminars spring 2024:
Thursday 25. and Friday 26. January in Kristiansand
Thursday 21. and Friday 22. March in Grimstad
Thursday 13. and Friday 14. June in Kristiansand

ME-626 General Quantitative Research Methods, 5 ECTS

Week 6 (5.-9. February) 2024 in Kristiansand

HEL618 Clinical Studies: Planning and Implementation of Clinical Resarch, 5 ECTS

Week 9 (26. February-1. March) 2024 in Grimstad

HEL620 Introduction to Public Health, 5 ECTS

Week 11 (11.-15. March) 2024, in Kristiansand

EX-606 Researching Health and Sport Sciences: Philosophical and Methodological Foundation., 7,5 ECTS

Week 15-18 in Kristiansand on these days:
8. and 9. April
15. and16. April 
22. and 23. April (one of these days will be in Grimstad)
29. and 30. April

HEL606 Recovery in Mental Health and Substance Abuse - Perspectives and Practices,
5 ECTS
Week 22 (27.-31. May) 2024 in Grimstad

Autumn 2023

ME-624 Research Dissemination in Health and Sport Sciences: Scientific presenting and practice, 7,5 ECTS

Seminars:
Thursday 31. Aug. and Friday 1. Sept. (Krs)
Thursday 26. and Friday 27. Oct. (Grm)
Thursday 7. and Friday 8. Dec. (Krs)

EX-606 Researching Health and Sport Sciences: Philosophical and Methodological Foundation, 7,5 ECTS:

Course days:
4. and 5. Sept., 11.-14. Sept., 18. and 19. Sept., 25., and 26. Sept. in Kristiansand

(this course is a new and revised version of  EX-605 Philosophy of Science in Health and Sport Sciences)

ME-618 Qualitative Research Methods, 5 ECTS

Week 45 (6.-10. Nov.), in Grimstad

ME-617 Systematic Reviews and Evidence Synthesis, 2,5 ECTS

Week 41 (9.-11 Oct.), in Kristiansand

HEL619 The Science of Behavior, 5 ECTS

Week 47-48 (20.-27. Nov.), in Grimstad / zoom

To be admitted into the PhD programme, the applicant must hold a second-degree (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 education at the faculty. This includes (1) the faculty´s own 120 ECTS master’s programs, (2) equivalent master´s programs from other institutions, or (3) other educations which the faculty considers to be equivalent.

The criteria for admission are grade B or above in the master’s thesis and normally an average grade of B or above in relevant courses in the master’s programme. In special circumstances, the application may be assessed on an individual basis if the applicants document scientific competence beyond the master’s degree and is able to document that it is likely that they will be able to complete the current research project and the PhD programme.

Applicants who are found to have insufficient prior knowledge in methodology, statistics or other relevant subject areas may be required to sit for additional examinations at the graduate level or be given a list of required reading which will then be tested by a paper or an oral examination. In cases where the required prerequisite knowledge is not met at the time of admission, this must normally be tested and approved within six months of admission.

The project description (maximum ten pages) is the basis for the faculty PhD committee’s assessment of the applicant’s ability to complete the programme, and the faculty’s competence and capacity to provide the necessary teaching and supervision.

Applications for admission are accepted throughout the year.

Regulations related to the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at UiA as well as supplementary regulations regarding the programme in health and sport sciences have been implemented. These regulations further define requirements concerning the application to and completion of the PhD programme. See here for a full explanation of the regulations related to PhD at UiA . 

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

The Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences offers one PhD programme and PhD education which applies to all the faculty’s four departments. The overall purpose of the programme is to provide the PhD candidates with a thorough theoretical and methodological knowledge, along with the experience of completing a substantial piece of original scientific work (the PhD thesis) of international standard. With this background, we offer a PhD programme which comprises the faculty's professional interests. You can see the outline of the research that is being carried out at the faculty here.

The PhD degree is awarded based on:

• Approved completion of required coursework component
• Approved academic thesis
• Approved trial lecture on an assigned topic
• Approved public defense of the PhD thesis (disputation)

The doctoral degree programme comprises a total of 180 ECTS credits, equivalent to three-year full-time studies. Individual agreements of four years of study with a work component, can also be accepted. The candidate will be enrolled in a relevant specialisation.

The PhD programme offers the following specialisations:

• Health and Nursing Science
• Psychosocial Health
• Public Health
• Sport Science and Physical Education

The specialisations are described in more detail below, including the coursework component.

The faculty strongly encourages the PhD candidates to plan for shorter stays abroad during the programme.

The coursework component

The programme consists of a coursework component of 30 ECTS credits, that is 15 ECTS credits mandatory core courses, 15 ECTS credits elective courses, and a PhD dissertation of 150 ECTS credits. 5 ECTS credits of the elective courses must be a relevant scientific methods course.

The coursework component is carried out in parallel with the development of the thesis throughout the entire study programme. External courses and PROFRES/NAFOL/NutriNOR or other research school courses, if applicable, can be included in the course component.

All candidates must complete the mandatory core courses EX-60x Researching Health and Sport Sciences: Philosophical and Methodological Foundations (7,5 ECTS) and ME-63x Research Dissemination in Health and Sport Sciences: Scientific presenting and practice (7,5 ECTS).

Mandatory core courses and elective methods courses are provided by the faculty. Specialisation courses within the fields of each specialisation are provided by each specialisation committee. Further descriptions are found below.

The courses will be offered regularly and will generally be taught in English but may be given in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language. The coursework component will support the candidate’s thesis work, 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). It is the candidate´s own responsibility to sign up for the courses. The course ME-624 Research dissemination: Scientific presenting and practice (7,5 ECTS) runs throughout 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 component, but these must be approved by the specialisation committee upon application. Information regarding procedures for registering for courses and approval of external courses, see Canvas.

The PhD thesis

The thesis must have a distinct topic and may consist of either a set of at least three scientific articles (in general) with a summary or one collected work (monograph). The candidate must be the primary author of the majority of the articles in the thesis. The thesis must be of a standard that warrants publication in the research literature of the field and be in accordance with current norms. In general, when the thesis consists of articles, at least two of the articles must have been accepted for publication in scientific peer-reviewed journals.

Upon completion of the programme, the candidate will:

Knowledge

• be in the academic forefront in the candidate’s subject area and be able to apply critical perspectives and methods that can contribute to a broad understanding of this subject area
• be able to assess the appropriateness and application of scientific thought and practice
• be able to contribute to the development of new knowledge and be widely oriented about the methodological options and their requirements and limitations so that the candidate can justify choices made in connection with the dissertation

Skills

• be able to handle complex academic and scientific questions and challenge established knowledge in the candidate’s field
• be able to formulate problems, plan, and carry out research and professional development work in the candidate’s scientific field
• be able to offer teaching and supervision in the candidate’s field above master's level

General competence

• be able to disseminate the results of research and development
• be able to identify relevant ethical problems and carry out research with professional integrity
• be able to manage complex interdisciplinary tasks and projects
• be able to assess the need for innovation as well as initiate and lead it
• be able to take part in national and international discussions in the candidate’s scientific field
• have achieved qualifications for research and other work which demands high academic standards, insight, and competence within the candidate’s scientific field

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

Course work will vary between seminars, lectures, tasks related to individual projects, individual counselling, group work and discussions, practical exercises, the candidate’s presentations for fellow candidates acting as opponents, and self-study. See the course descriptions for more information.

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.

The PhD degree will qualify for careers in academia, as well as in both private and public sector.

Upon successful completion of the programme, the candidate is awarded the degree of PhD in Health and Sport Sciences, with specialisation in the chosen scientific field.