The Department of Education and Special Education (IPS) announces one full time position as PhD student in Education or Pedagogical Work. The Department of Education and Special Education has approximately 170 teaching staff and 40 doctoral students. Information about the Department of Education and Special Education is available at: http://ips.gu.se/english

The position is connected to the project Developmental Trajectories during Childhood: Linking Mind and Brain to Educational Practices funded by VR / UVK (2014-2468) and with a specialization in mathematics. As a part of the project an experimental intervention study will be conducted in Grade 2. The study examines the effects of a math intervention, also developed within the project.

The overall project is implemented by the Gothenburg AMBLE (Arena for Mind Brain Learning and Environment). AMBLE consists of senior researchers with interdisciplinary expertise and extensive research experience. An overarching objective of AMBLE is to understand how the brain's basic functions affect psychological processes and how environment, experiences and learning affect the brain. In the two interventions linguistic and mathematical abilities will be related to neurophysiological measurements.

Job assignments

In the intervention approximately 600 students from 30 classes will participate. The training will be carried out 30 minutes a day, three days a week for 18 weeks. Students will be tested before and immediately after the completed intervention and one year later. In each class, work will be led by a teacher and a special needs education teacher.

The PhD student will actively participate in designing training materials, compile test batteries, conduct testing and collect and analyze data. The service also includes recruiting schools to the project, and training teachers in implementing the intervention. The service thus involves trips to schools in different municipalities.

Data are analyzed in collaboration with the supervisors and the results are reported in the form of scientific articles, to be included in the thesis. Sub-studies from the dissertation work will also be presented at international conferences. The thesis must be written in English.

The PhD student shall primarily devote time to the completion of the third-cycle programme and the doctoral degree it is expected to lead to. The position consists of coursework; in-depth studies of the subject; active participation in the research environment’s seminars; design and completion of a research study. The department supports presentation of results at national and international conferences.
The PhD position shall be full time, but the position may include departmental duties corresponding to up to 20% of the total number of working hours over the course of study.

Eligibility
The qualifications for education on a doctoral level are: degree in advanced level, at least 240 university points, of which 60 are on an advanced level, or in an other way acquired similar knowledge.

See more information about General Programme Syllabus for PhD Programme at http://www.ufn.gu.se/english/education/postgraduate-studies.

Applicants who are qualified for admission to third-cycle studies must meet the conditions first for general entry requirements, second for specific entry requirements, and also otherwise possess the necessary ability to complete the course.
General entry requirements, Education and Pedagogical Work
A person meets the general entry requirements if he or she has been awarded a second-cycle qualification or has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240credits, of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle.

Specific entry requirements, Education
Ninety credits, of which at least 30 credits were awarded for second-cycle courses or study programmes in Education, are required for the special entry requirements. The applicant is also required to have authored or co-authored an advanced level thesis of at least
15 credits.
Specific entry requirements, pedagogical Work
A first-cycle qualification with specialization in educational practice, teacher training, child and youth activities or their equivalent is required for special entry requirements. The applicant is also required to have authored or co-authored an advanced level thesis of at least 15 credits.

Eligible applicants include those who have acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Assessment

Regulations for the evaluation of qualifications for education at a doctoral level are given in SFS 1998:80. To get a PhD position the student must at the same time be admitted to the PhD study Programme.

Admission is competitive, based on an overall assessment of the applicant’s submitted document. The selection among eligible applicants is made with consideration to their ability to acquire the education according to criteria stated in the general study plan. More specifically, particular emphasis is placed on the Bachelor and Master thesis, as well as on the enclosed declaration of research interest in relation to the project. The assessment particularly considers the applicants’ ability to independently conduct their research.

It is a prerequisite that applicants have deep knowledge of the Swedish language and good knowledge of school mathematics for the first grades. The field work requires excellent social and communicative abilities. The qualified candidate will also be proficient in English, because both oral and written communication mainly takes place in English within the project. The field work will involve travel outside our central towns why driving license is essential.

A PhD position shall be full-time, but departmental duties may amount to a maximum of 20% according to the regulations.

An admissions panel will rank the applications. The highest ranked candidates may be invited for an interview. The Head of the Department makes admission decisions.

Further Information
http://www.gu.se/english/about_the_university/announcements-in-the-job-application-portal/?languageId=0&disableRedirect=true&id=19144&Dnr=748097&Type=E
Application Deadline : 15 March 2016