PhD studies in Astronomy and Theoretical Physics
These pages are a collection of information and links about PhD studies at the Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics at Lund University.
In Swedish the official name of PhD studies is forskarutbildning which litterally translated means "researcher education."
This page is for PhD studies at the Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics at Lund University. There are also theoretical groups working at the Department of Physics.
Official rules
The rules under which PhD studies fall come from the relevant laws and government regulations (högskolelagen, högskoleförordningen) and the additional rules decided by Lund University and the Faculty of Science. The requirements for each subject are spelled out in a disciple curriculum.
At our department you can obtain a degree in Theoretical Physics, possibly with specialisation Computational Biology, or in Astronomy and Astrophysics. For each of the various PhD studies there exists a discipline curriculum:
Information about the remaining rules can be found on the relevant pages of the faculty of science in Swedish and English.
Local copies can be found below.
People
The persons you will have most contact with are your advisors/supervisors (handledare). Many of the official decisions are taken by the head of the institute and a lot of practical assistance will come from the administrative personnel. These you can all find via the department staff pages.
The people most in charge of the studies are the directors of graduate studies (studierektor för forskarutbildning) and the discipline representatives (ämnesansvarig). Especially the former are the first source of information about PhD studies.
- Director of Graduate Studies: and (coordinator astronomy).
- Discipline representatives (ämnesansvarig):
- Theoretical Physics: Johan Bijnens
- Theoretical Physics, specialisation Computational Biology: Mattias Ohlsson
- Astronomy and Astrophysics: Nils Ryde
Applying for PhD studies
The different research groups at the department announce their positions when there is sufficient financing. You then have to apply to these positions directly, normally via the university's electronic system. We do not accept emailed applications. Announcements are advertised in the usual lists for each research area and also at the faculty of science vacant positions page.
The requirements for being accepted as a PhD student with your own funding are (by law) quite high.
Courses and registration of finished courses
The PhD courses given at the institute are listed in the courses list under "courses at postgraduate level." Registration of the results in LADOK is done with a special form such that the person doing it has all the documentation required. Instructions are included on the top of the form.
For courses at advanced (master) level, participation is automatic in the undergraduate LADOK. You still have to fill in a form to get it registered as counting towards your PhD studies.
Course LADOK registration form: pdf version.
Individual curriculum (or studyplan) and "PhD talk" (doktoransamtal)
The first meeting is with the director of studies and we go through a number of subjects listed in "First PhD talk". The first talk is also when the first individual study plan is setup. This should happen soon after starting your PhD studies. Do not do this yourself unless asked directly by the director of studies.
The individual study plan is updated every term talking with your supervisor, the department representative and possibly deputy supervisor(s). The updating is done via the electronic system: New system from November 2015 and its manual.
Some comments about how to fill this in can be found in the comments on updating/making an individual curriculum, especially concerning the last sections with the general PhD education goals. The faculty has a "lathund" (in Swedish) for possible discussion topics.
Do not forget to transfer the information from the old system.
Doktorandrådet
The PhD student group meeting reports (local acces only).More useful information
- A webpage with information for new arrivals, made by recent new arrivals NewArrivalHelpGuide
- A number of useful links can be found on the pages of the obligatory Introduction to PhD studies in Astronomy and Theoretical Physics course for beginning PhD students.
- Some information specific for Astronomy and Astrophysics.
- Foreign students should have a look at Handbook for visiting staff and scholarship holders and the webpages for international staff
- The university has pages for PhD studies in Swedish and English
- The faculty of science has pages for PhD studies in Swedish and English.
- Faculty of Science PhD student handbook.
Local copies
Most in Swedish only and since the rules change continuously there is no guarantee that these are the last versions (but I try). Links to the faculty PhD education pages can be found above.
- Rules regarding "licenciat" exam: Swedish and request form for licenciat seminar
- Rules regarding plagiarism Swedish
- Discipline curriculums (almänna studieplan)
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