The studies Philosophy of Science and General Research Skills – or more informally joint studies – are open to all ULapland doctoral researchers and constitute a part of the doctoral degree. Joint studies provide doctoral researchers with a possibility to build their expertise towards being able to independently and critically apply research methods in creating new academic information. These courses also provide opportunities for doctoral researchers to build their expertise in other ways to advance their researcher skills.

Joint studies are divided into four modules:
1. Critical thinking and argumentation
2. Research methods
3. Orientation and researcher’s skills
4. Ethics.

Please note that as a general rule, doctoral researchers are expected to select studies from each of the four content areas. However, to ensure flexibility, there are no set credit requirements for the individual categories. Each skill area may include either individual or multiple study units.

Doctoral degree requirements vary between faculties, so detailed information on the Philosophy of Science and General Research Skills studies included in each doctoral degree can be found in the faculty-specific study guides.

Read the course descriptions and register via the Peppi system

The thematic studies are divided into three modules:

1. Introduction to Arctic research
2. Research seminar
3. Current issues in Arctic Research

The first two modules – Introduction to Arctic Research, and Research seminar – include only one course each, making them the core courses of the programme. Core courses are taken by all doctoral researchers of the programme. The third module – i.e. Current Issues in Arctic Research – consists of two elective courses.

Read the course descriptions and register via the Peppi system

Doctoral researchers at the University of Lapland can complete courses offered by other Finnish universities utilizing national co-operation in doctoral education (Doctoral +/ Tohtori+) or Doctoral courses website by following the instructions:

1. Find a suitable course
2. Discuss applying for the course with your main supervisor.
3. Apply for the course according to the instructions provided by the university offering it (see university instructions below).
4. If accepted, complete the course and apply for substitution in Peppi (see instructions)

Doctoral + (Tohtori+)
The University of Lapland is part of the national co-operation in doctoral education collaboration, which allows doctoral researchers to apply the right to pursue doctoral courses at another Finnish university as part of their doctoral degree. These studies are free of charge for doctoral researchers, and no invoicing takes place between the universities.

You can find instructions of the universities on how to apply for courses here (links will be added when available):

• Aalto University
• Svenska Handelshögskolan (Hanken)
• University of the Arts Helsinki
• University of Eastern Finland
• University of Helsinki
• University of Oulu
• University of Turku
• University of Vaasa
• Åbo Akademi

Doctoral courses in Finland
As a doctoral researcher at the University of Lapland, you can take courses organized by partner universities free of charge. The courses are listed on the website Doctoral courses in Finland where you also find the application instructions of each university.

Doctoral researchers from other Finnish universities can complete studies at the University of Lapland utilizing national co-operation in doctoral education (Doctoral+ / Tohtori+) or Doctoral courses website.

Doctoral + (Tohtori+)
If you have a doctoral study right and have registered as present at Aalto University, Hanken, University of the Arts Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, University of Helsinki, University of Oulu, University of Turku, University of Vaasa, or Åbo Akademi, you can apply for a non-degree study right to complete course that will be included in your doctoral degree at your home university. The course offerings are found in the Study Guide. Applications for courses must be submitted well in advance using an electronic form. Before granting the study right, the teacher responsible for the course will be asked to confirm whether your application can be accepted on the course or not.

Doctoral courses in Finland
If you are a doctoral researcher at the doctoral courses in Finland partner university, you can take University of Lapland’s courses listed on the website Doctoral courses in Finland where you also find the application instructions of each university.

We collect feedback from all our courses to constantly monitor the quality of our course offerings and to make improvements where necessary. Our feedback system fosters an open culture of feedback and development.

1. The responsible teacher collects feedback from doctoral researchers who have completed the course.
2. Based on the feedback, the teacher prepares a reflective summary and submits it to the coordinator of the Doctoral School.
3. The coordinator compiles the feedback from all courses and forwards it to the steering group of doctoral education, which takes the feedback into account in the development of teaching and doctoral programmes.