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PhD

Are you a PhD student interested in developing your career in or outside academia? Here you will find information on what we can offer and how you can develop your career.


Scientific position: PhD

A PhD position is a 3-year educational position. The PhD education leads to a PhD degree, which is the highest level of education at Danish universities. A PhD program can start after a bachelor's or master’s degree with or without other credits. It is possible to get enrolled in a PhD programme while you are still at your master's level in which case the PhD programme and position will be extended by 1-2 years.

  • The versatility in a PhD degree gives a solid range of skills and experiences and will thus qualify you for jobs in both the private and public sector.
  • A PhD degree is usually needed if you want to pursue a research career in academia or industry.
  • Generally speaking, you will attain skills which are necessary to solve societal challenges, and which are highly needed in society.

Read more about the application process at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences.

What is a PhD position?

During your PhD education you will work on a PhD research project under the supervision of one or more senior scientists. You will interact with research groups outside AU, including staying at other, mainly foreign, research institutions, as well as participate in local and international PhD courses and conferences. It is also possible to do an industrial PhD, where you will be employed by a company, working on a collaborative project with supervision from both company and AU.

The specific skills and experiences, which you obtain through the PhD programme depend on your PhD project’s scientific content and method, your course activities etc. Throughout the PhD project you will train your skills in and get experience with quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as obtain specialized knowledge within a scientific field.

Through the PhD education you will learn to map and comprehend a large and complex field of research and determine the quality of its scientific findings. You will participate in scientific discussions, teaching and dissemination. Early in the PhD programme you will be trained in project planning and management as well as evaluation and adjustment of projects based on intermediate results and sparring with supervisors and peers. Furthermore, you will train your collaboration skills e.g., through writing publications or activities in national and international research groups.

During your PhD programme you will get the opportunity to focus on your career development e.g., by attending career workshops as part of the onboarding programme at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences, by discussing career opportunities and plans through a structured framework for dialogue with your supervisor or by seeking out guidance counselling at AU Career PhD and JR.

What does it take?

Read more about the admission criteria  to become a PhD student at the Faculty of Natural Sciences here (under Assessment criteria).





Access the Vitae career tools

Vitae is a career platform containing advice and knowledge on developing as a researcer and how to support or supervise others in their career.  Aarhus University is a member of the Vitae Community, so all AU researchers have access to the full suite of online resources. 

Sign in and register to Vitae with your AU institutional email domain, and you will have unlimited use of professional development and training materials.