Closing date: 31 January 2020.

The Department of Linguistics is one of the bigger departments at the Faculty of Humanities with about 70 employees. The activities consist to the largest amount of research, of which a large part is being funded externally.

As a PhD student at the Faculty of Humanities you have the opportunity to participate in the Faculty’s Doctoral School, which offers themes and courses characterized by interdisciplinarity and cooperation across subject borders. The Doctoral School also gives you the chance to improve the quality of your education thanks to the interchange provided by the community of PhD students from other subjects and departments.

Project description
The position as PhD student is linked to the project ”The multilingual situation of deaf refugees in Sweden”. The project is funded through the Swedish Research Council’s grants for research on migration and integration (dnr 2019-02115).

The aim with the project is to generate knowledge about deaf adult refugees’ language situation. Because many of the deaf refugees are language delayed due to having had no or limited access to any language during childhood, the project more specifically aims to study how deaf refugees above the age of 18 use language in social interaction. In addition, the project will examine the characteristics of deaf refugees’ process of acquisition of Swedish Sign Language and Swedish. The project consists of two sub-projects: i) Language use in social interaction, in which the linguistic interaction in classrooms where deaf refugees are instructed will be examined with the help of sociocultural theories and through an ethnographic approach; and ii) Language acquisition and development of Swedish Sign Language and Swedish, where data will be created in the form of language production with the help of different stimuli and tests.

For the announced position, experience of research related work in the field of sign language (Swedish Sign Language, other national sign language and/or International Sign) and a written language, as well as of research related work from the fields of deaf childrens and adults language acquisition and bi- or multilingualism is a special asset.

Experience of interaction studies is also an asset.

Qualification requirements
In order to meet the general entry requirements for doctoral studies, the student must have completed a second-cycle degree, completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or acquired equivalent knowledge in another way in Sweden or elsewhere.

Under special circumstances, the Faculty Board of Humanities may grant an exemption from the general entry requirements for an individual applicant.

An applicant meets the specific entry requirements for doctoral studies in Linguistics if he or she has received a passing grade on course work of at least 30 higher education credits from the second cycle in Sign Language/Linguistics, including a degree project of at least 15 credits on a topic relevant to the proposed research plan.

In addition, the applicant is required to be proficient in the language of the proposed doctoral thesis (English, Swedish, or Swedish Sign Language, cf. Sections 5.4.1 & 8.6). Proficiency is demonstrated in the research plan and other relevant parts of the application (such as undergraduate theses, publications, grades and certificates). Applicants with a research plan in Sign Language must further be proficient in a sign language.

The entry requirements can also be met by students who have acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

Selection
Selection from among applicants who meet the entry requirements for doctoral studies in Linguistics is made with reference to their ability to benefit from the training. The selection is based on the following criteria:

Education in general. Assessment of the depth and breadth of the applicant’s previous education.
Scholarly production. On the basis of the applicant’s degree projects from the first and second cycle and, where applicable, other scholarly production, the applicant’s ability to benefit from the training is assessed according to the following criteria: critical ability, analytical skills, creativity, independence, and scholarly precision.The assessment should also consider the aspect of time, that is, to what extent the applicant has demonstrated the ability to complete previous academic projects within specified time limits. In addition, based on a comparison of the academic works, an assessment is made of the applicant’s academic development.
Research plan. In connection with the application, the applicant must describe his/her proposed field of research in a research plan. The research plan should contain one or more research problems and an outline of the research project. The research plan is assessed on the basis of: relevance, originality, potential for completion within the specified time limits (i.e. a period equivalent to four years of full-time study).
Available supervisor skills.
Ability to collaborate. The applicant’s ability to collaborate is assessed on the basis of, for example, references, certificates or interviews.
Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University are available at: www.su.se/rules and regulations.

Terms of employment
Only a person who will be or has already been admitted to a third-cycle programme may be appointed to a doctoral studentship.

The term of the initial contract may not exceed one year. The employment may be extended for a maximum of two years at a time. However, the total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study.

Doctoral students should primarily devote themselves to their own education, but may engage in teaching, research, and administration corresponding to a maximum of 20 % of a full-time position.

Please note that admission decisions cannot be appealed.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact
Candidates are encouraged to contact the project investigator Ingela Holmström, ingela.holmstrom@ling.su.se, before applying in order to get more information and to discuss the project.

Further information about the position can be obtained from the Director of Studies Sofia Gustafson Capkova, telephone: +46 8 16 34 88, sofia@ling.su.se.

Union representatives
Ingrid Lander (Saco-S), telephone: +46 708 16 26 64, saco@saco.su.se, Alejandra Pizarro Carrasco (Fackförbundet ST/Lärarförbundet), telephone: +46 8 16 34 89, alejandra@st.su.se, seko@seko.su.se (SEKO), and PhD student representative, doktorandombud@sus.su.se.

Application
Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University’s recruitment system. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

Please include the following information with your application

Your contact details and personal data
Your highest degree
Your language skills
Contact details for 2–3 references
and, in addition, please include the following documents

Cover letter
CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of degree projects/theses
Research proposal for the actual project described above (no more than 5 pages)
Degree certificates and grades confirming that you meet the general and specific entry requirements (max 6 files)
Letters of recommendation (max 6 files)
Degree projects/theses (max 6 files).

https://www.su.se/english/about/working-at-su/phd?rmpage=job&rmjob=10984&rmlang=UK