Research and projects

Postgraduate education offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences is scientific postgraduate education that leads to a doctoral degree consisting of a doctoral dissertation and other postgraduate studies. Doctoral candidates play a significant role in the research communities of the faculty. After graduating with PhDs, the graduates are experts in their field and qualified to work in the most demanding expert positions in society.  

The faculty awards Doctoral degrees, and as is the case with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, the education content of the degrees is largely determined by the discipline of the degree. The Graduate School of the University of Lapland supports postgraduate education, and doctoral candidates have the opportunity to participate in the doctoral programme The Arctic in a Changing World coordinated by the Graduate School. 

An existing right to pursue postgraduate studies is a prerequisite for pursuing a doctoral degree. There are two application periods for doctoral programmes per year. Applicants are required to submit a research plan along with their application. When you are considering postgraduate studies, we recommend that you first contact the professor whose area of expertise is the closest to your research topic and discuss the research topic, research plan and supervision of the postgraduate studies with them. You can find information on people suitable as supervisors and their expertise via our Research Portal. 

More information on applying and schedules can be found on the university’s Doctoral School page. Please also get familiar with our faculty’s postgraduate study guide (linkki lisätään myöhemmin). 

Name and field of teaching 

• Aaltio, Iiris Elina, Management 

• Aikio, Marjut Heleena, Minority and Sámi Culture Research, especially sociolinguistics and anthropology 

• Airaksinen, Timo, Practical Philosophy 

• Alastalo, Marja, Sociology, especially methodology 

• Alasuutari, Pertti Juhani, Sociology 

• Anttila, Anu-Hanna, Sociology 

• Autti, Outi, Cultural Sociology 

• Auvinen, Tommi Pekka, Narrative Management Research 

• Eräranta, Kirsi, Management, especially inclusivity and responsibility in organisations 

• Eskola, Jari Antero, methods of Social and Educational Research 

• Forsberg, Tuomas Antero, International Relations 

• Gorenak, Mitja, Tourism Research, specialising in Human Capital Management 

• Hallikainen, Ville, Tourism Research, quantitative research 

• Hanska, Jan, International Relations and Military Science 

• Harrikari, Timo, Social Work, especially research in childhood and adolescence 

• Haverinen, Riitta Maria, Social Work 

• Heininen, Lassi Kalevi, International Relations 

• Hemmi, Jorma Antero, Tourism Geography 

• Henno, Jaak, Information Technology, teaches multimedia 

• Hinkka, Katariina, Rehabilitation, occupational health care 

• Homanen, Riikka, Sociology of Knowledge 

• Hurri, Heikki Olavi, Rehabilitation 

• Huuhtinen, Aki, Philosophy 

• Hyvärinen, Matti Kalevi, Narrative Research 

• Hyyryläinen, Esa Olavi, Administrative Science, especially comparative research 

• Härkäpää, Kristiina, Rehabilitation 

• Jaakkola, Hannu Ville Tapio, Information Technology, teaches software engineering and information technology applications 

• Jutila, Matti, International Relations 

• Jäntti, Anni, Administrative Sciences, especially public management 

• Järvikoski, Aila Marja Elina, Rehabilitation, especially the psychology and sociology of rehabilitation 

• Järvinen, Janne Tapio, Accounting 

• Kaivo-oja, Jari, Administrative Sciences, especially innovation and foresight research 

• Kallio, Jyrki, International Relations and China Research 

• Kansikas, Juha Antero, Entrepreneurship, especially research of family entrepreneurship 

• Karjalainen, Raija Vappu, Social Policy of Rehabilitation 

• Karjaluoto, Heikki Ensio, Marketing, especially electronic business 

• Kataja, Kati, Sociology, especially research on marginalised groups in society 

• Keränen, Veikko Juhani, Mathematical Modelling and Visualisation 

• Kesti, Marko, Administrative Sciences, especially human resources 

• Kietäväinen, Asta, Rural Sociology 

• Kiuttu, Jorma, Social Medicine, especially family and community medicine 

• Kivimäki, Timo Antero, International Relations 

• Kivinen, Markku Jalmari, Sociology 

• Komppula, Raija Annukka, Tourism Research, especially small businesses in tourism and product development 

• Kortteinen, Matti Mikael, Applied Social Research 

• Kostiainen, Auvo Antero, History, especially history of tourism 

• Kvist, Mårten, Healthcare 

• Käkönen, Jyrki Kalevi, International Relations, especially international relations of the Arctic 

• Laitinen, Ilpo, Administrative Sciences, especially the docent of evaluation and ethics 

• Laitinen, Jorma Kullervo, Social Policy, especially mental health work and social ethics 

• Lamberg, Juha-Antti, Management, especially strategy research 

• Lamminpää, Anne, Rehabilitation and competence improving activities 

• Lehtonen, Mikko Sakari, Cultural Studies 

• Leppiman, Anu, Social Work, especially service design and interaction 

• Leskelä-Kärki, Maarit, Cultural History, especially biography and autobiography research 

• Lindh, Jari, Social Work, especially social rehabilitation 

• Martinelli, Dario, Methodologies of Semiotics and Communication Studies 

• Meklin, Pentti Vilho, Administrative Sciences, especially finances of local authority corporations and financial administration 

• Moisander, Johanna Katarina, Marketing, especially consumption and environmental research 

• Mononen, Tuija, Sociology, especially sustainable natural resource policy 

• Montonen, Tero, Management, especially innovations and entrepreneurship 

• Muller-Wille, Ludger Sebastian, Social Anthropology 

• Multisilta, Jari Antero, Information Technology 

• Murto, Lasse Tapani, Social Policy, especially social welfare 

• Neilimo, Kari Kullervo, Business Economics, especially company analysis 

• Niiranen, Vuokko Arja Annikki, Administrative Sciences, teaches welfare administration 

• Nissinen, Vesa Tapani, Administrative Sciences, especially management and supervisor training 

• Nummela, Niina Mariia, International Marketing 

• Ollila, Seija, Administrative Sciences, especially social and health management 

• Patomäki, Heikki Olavi, International Relations 

• Peltonen, Hannes, Political Sciences, especially international relations 

• Pento, Tapio, Business Economics, especially international marketing 

• Peteri, Virve, Sociology, especially technology research 

• Pohjolainen, Teuvo Sakari, Public Law 

• Pulkkinen, Risto, Northern Ethnography 

• Pyyhtinen, Olli, Sociology, especially social theory 

• Pöntinen, Väinö Seppo, empirical research methods in Social Sciences 

• Rannisto, Pasi-Heikki, Administrative Sciences, especially strategic management and management and development of services 

• Renfors, Sanna-Mari, Tourism Research, especially tourism education 

• Ronkainen, Suvi Kirsi Maarit, research methods in Social Sciences 

• Routamaa, Vesa Matti, Entrepreneurship and Management Research 

• Rusanen, Jarmo Juhani, Regional Data Processing, teaches geographic information systems 

• Ryynänen, Aimo Juhani, Municipal Law 

• Saarelainen, Tarja, Administrative Sciences, especially cooperation between organisations 

• Saarinen, Jarkko, Tourism Research, Sustainable Tourism 

• Salminen, Anna-Liisa, Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy 

• Sarpavaara, Harri, Semiotic Sociology 

• Satama, Suvi, Organisational Aesthetics 

• Satka, Mirja Eila Annikki, Social Work 

• Seikkula, Jaakko Asko Tapio, Psychology, especially family and network central applications 

• Siisiäinen, Martti Eino Juhani, Sociology 

• Sillanpää, Lennard, Political Science 

• Stammler, Florian, Sociology, especially social anthropology 

• Suhonen, Marjo, Administrative Sciences, especially health care management 

• Sänkiaho, Risto Heikki, methodology in Social Sciences 

• Tervo-Kankare, Kaarina, Tourism Research, especially Arctic tourism and changing environment 

• Tiirinki, Hanna, Welfare Service System 

• Tikkanen, Tero Henrikki, Marketing, especially management of marketing 

• Tilli, Jouni, Political Sciences, especially theory of the state 

• Tulkki, Pasi Heikki Juhani, Sociology of Education 

• Tuulentie, Seija Hannele, Sociology, especially environmental sociology 

• Urponen, Helka Anneli, Sociology, especially health sociology 

• Vaha Milla, International Relations, especially theory of international affairs 

• Valokivi, Heli, Gerontologic Social Work 

• Vartola, Juha Veikko, Public Administration 

• Vehkalahti, Kaisa, Cultural and Social History 

• Vehmas, Hanna, Sociology of Physical Exercise 

• Vesa, Mikko, Management, especially strategy and gamification 

• Viinamäki, Olli-Pekka, Administrative Sciences, especially public management 

• Virkki, Tuija, Well-being Work and Violence Research 

• Virtanen, Petri Juhani, Administrative Sciences, especially evaluation research 

• Väyrynen, Kari Antero, Philosophy 

• Väyrynen, Paavo Matti, International Relations 

• Väärälä, Reijo Allan, Social Politics: Labour and Education Policy 

• Ylöstalo, Hanna, Political Sociology 

If you are interested in applying for the Title of Docent at our faculty, please see the Finnish instructions here (add a link).