Phd Programme

Thinking of applying for a PhD position? Find the answers to your questions here

How do I get a PhD position at Kolding School of Design?

In Denmark, a PhD position is typically a paid position. Kolding School of Design has a limited number of vacant PhD positions each year.
You can find the vacancies here. In addition, Kolding School of Design collaborates with several external parties on Industrial PhD positions funded by The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation. Finally, it is possible to self-fund a PhD.

In which subject areas can I get a PhD position at Kolding School of Design?

Kolding School of Design's research is centred in laboratories within the school's strategic focal areas: Sustainability, Social Design and Play & Design. In order for us to guarantee high-quality supervision, your project must be placed within one of these three areas. More information about the laboratories is available on the website. 

Lab for Sustainability and Design
Lab for Social Design
Lab for Play and Design

What is required to apply for a PhD position at Kolding School of Design?

The qualification requirement is a completed Master's degree or a completed degree equivalent in level and scope to a Master's degree (120 ECTS credits).

I graduated from Kolding School of Design prior to 2010 and hence do not have a Master's degree. Can I still apply?

Yes. When you apply for a PhD position at Kolding School of Design, a Master's degree or a degree equivalent in level and scope to a Master’s degree is required.

If you want to apply for a PhD position at Design School Kolding you must submit a 4-6 page project description.

The project description must include the following items:

a motivated application that explains the research that is the focus of the project, as well as your qualifications in the field

a preliminary research plan, including an assessment of the project's feasibility as well as a work and a time schedule

an account of the empirical material that forms the basis of the project

research questions

the theoretical basis of the project

the methodology

a brief state of the art (an overview of existing knowledge in the field)

references/bibliography

considerations regarding publication and dissemination of the research results.

What is a research question?

The research question had to be very clear indeed meaning a concrete question that could be answered by conducting an inquiry which involved experiments in design. A research question is not a “how might we” question. It is based on an understanding of theory and empirical data and seeks to close a gap in the knowledge in the field e.g. “If theory X is reliable, and this data A,B,C is well-founded then what is the relation between X and some new thing Y?”. That would be a plausible formula for a research question. Any research question that can be answered with a yes or no is not the basis for a design PhD.

What font and font size should I use?

The project description should be 4-6 standard pages (each of about 2400 keystrokes). There are no formal requirements regarding font and font size.

How do I ensure that my PhD project will be considered?

Explain why you believe your project should be completed at a design school and how it relates to design research.
Read the ‘call’ carefully and write within the framework that is laid out.
Read about the school on the website and pay attention to the research strategy and strategic research areas.

Do I need to identify a supervisor before submitting my PhD application?

No. Your supervisor will be selected after your application has been accepted.

What is my expected salary?

A PhD scholarship is usually a 3-year employment relationship. Your salary depends on your seniority. Once your appointment has been confirmed, you will be placed on the salary grade that is commensurate with your seniority.

How many days of the week should I plan to spend at the school?

We expect an active presence in the research environment, corresponding to two-three working days a week.

Should I reside in Kolding?

No. But we expect an active presence in the research environment, corresponding to two-three working days a week.

Submission of PhD dissertation without prior enrolment in the joint PhD programme at Kolding School of Design and Aarhus School of Architecture.

A dissertation can be submitted for assessment without prior enrolment in the joint PhD programme at Design School Kolding and Aarhus School of Architecture, provided Design School Kolding determines that the candidate has acquired comparable qualifications, and that the subject area is within Design School Kolding's research foci in Social Design, Sustainability and Design for Play.

The total cost is DKK 65,000. *
This amount must be paid in two instalments:
1) DKK 5,000 for an initial evaluation and the associated administration costs, at which time it is decided whether the dissertation is of sufficient quality to initiate an actual assessment.
2) DKK 60,000 provided Kolding School of Design determines that the dissertation meets the requirement for an assessment. This amount covers printing of the dissertation, two external examiners and one internal examiner, including travel and accommodation in connection with the defence presentation.

* Please note that if, for example, travel expenses for the external examiners or similar costs exceed the estimate, this amount can be increased. This will always occur in dialogue with the candidate. Conversely, the amount will be reduced if the costs are significantly lower than estimated.

In connection with an application for an initial assessment, it must be stated if the PhD thesis has previously been submitted at another institution.