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Graduation
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
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ECTS-Points
180
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Learning format
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Duration
6 semesters
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Admission requirements
Diploma or master's degree
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Language
English
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Study location
Krems (AT)
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Curriculum
All PhD candidates are either employed in internationally funded research projects hosted by the Department for Migration and Globalisation or seconded from partner organizations. PhD researchers benefit from intensive supervision, strong methodological training, and access to leading scholarly networks from around the world. They become part of a vibrant and supportive academic community that combines research excellence with strong societal engagement.
Our PhD program in Migration Studies offers PhD students opportunities to conduct cutting-edge research that is societally and politically relevant within an academic environment characterized by a culture of genuine mutual support.
Univ.-Prof. Dr.
Julia Mourão Permoser
PhD Coordinator, Department for Migration and Globalisation
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„Our Program in Migration Studies supports doctoral researchers in developing their academic profile through rigorous training, close engagement with leading scholars, and participation in a dynamic research community.“
Univ.-Prof. Dr.
Mathias Czaika
Head of Department for Migration and Globalisation
PhD Researchers / Projects
Benefit from our PhD program
- Our PhD program in Migration Studies is accredited by AQ AUSTRIA, ensuring that our curriculum meets rigorous academic standards and providing our students with a certified PhD degree recognized globally.
- As a research-led institution, our PhD program is designed to immerse students in cutting-edge research methodologies and theories, empowering them to contribute original insights to the field and advance academic discourse on migration-related issues.
- Our commitment to small class sizes and intensive supervision ensures personalized attention and meaningful interactions between students and faculty, facilitating research and collaboration.
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accredited/certified
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research-led
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networking
Curriculum
contents
The PhD’s program curriculum is crafted to provide a rigorous foundation in migration studies while remaining responsive to evolving research methodologies and trends. PhD students engage deeply with the core theories, concepts and debates that define the field, complemented by interfisciplinary perspectives and insights from current developments. This balanced approach ensures that gratuadates are not only grounded in the disciplinary canon but also well-prepared to engage with innovative and emerging research paradigms. The currciulum comprises compulsory and electiev modules provided yb DEMIG’s core faculty, with some courses also offered by other departments. Externally attended courses can be recognized depending on thematic fit and comparable workload. Students are encoutraged to bring their own expertise into the classromm, fostering a learning envirosnment enriched by diverses backgrounds and prespectives.
structure
The PhD program Migration Studies is a three-year (six semester) course.
The program earns 180 ECTS. The coursework comprises 30 ECTS credits; the 6 scientific colloquia 12 ECTS, the PhD Thesis 133 ECTS credits, and the oral defense (viva) 5 ECTS.
The PhD program encourages the cumulative dissertation format, consisting of three scholarly papers and a framework text that integrates the individual contributions. The option to submit a monograph as a dissertation is also available.
Modules PhD Migration Studies
PhD Coordinator and Management
Faculty
Core Faculty
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Mathias Czaika
Head of Department, PhD Co-Coordinator - Department for Migration and Globalisation
Application
The PhD program Migration Studies targets the next generation of scientists with a genuine interest in the field of migration research. Admission to the PhD program Migration Studies requires a Master’s Degree in the social sciences or related disciplines. and proficiency in English (min. level C1)
A defining feature of the PhD program is that all PhD students are fully employed as researchers within the department with contracts of 30 hours per week for the duration of the three year program, or seconded from partner organizations. We currently do not admit unfunded students and we do not offer university-sponsored grants.
Interested candidates should check our website for vacancies (link) or contact faculty about the possibility of developing a project proposal for competitive indiviudal funding (e.g. from the Lower Austrian Science Fund, the Austrian Academy of Science, the Austria Science Fund, Marie Curie, etc.).
Admission to the PhD program "Migration Studies" follows a two-stage process:
- Announcement of third-party funded PhD positions
- Selection procedure by the PhD Commission
The PhD Commission selects students on the basis of their application documents and the presentation of their dissertation project. Applicants are required to submit a detailed project proposal outlining their disseration topic, research questions, theoretical framework, methodological approach and intended outcomes. They then participate in a formal hearing conducted by an evaluation panel composed of three to four core faculty members, each of whom independently completes a standardized evaluation form. Based on the aggregated asseements, the program’s faculty decides whether to admit the candidate. In many cases, this internal selection process ins compelemented or precede by an additional external evaluation tied to third-party funding.
Required application documents are
- Letter of motivation
- Curriculum Vitae
- Master's degree certificate
- Project proposal
- Recommendation letters and references
- Proof of identity (passport, identity card)
Any questions?
We’re here to help.
Dipl.-Päd.
Tanja Schraml, MA
Administrative assistant
Or contact us directly.
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