Doctoral student in Educational Measurement - ,

The department of applied educational science (TUV) has approximately 115 employees working in teaching, research and commission service. The research is concerned with applied education broadly, and cover areas such as conditions for learning in different contexts, information technologies for learning, educational measurement and evaluation. The current position is placed in the section of the department doing research and development in the area of educational measurement. For more information about the department, please see https://www.umu.se/en/department-of-applied-educational-science/

Specialization of the doctoral studentship
Within the subject Educational Measurement, we do research related to quality issues (reliability, validity, fairness) in large-scale educational tests. Both the Swedish test for admission to higher education (SweSAT) and Swedish National Tests are developed at the department, and the doctoral student will preferably work with data from one or both these test environments. The doctoral student position will either be focused on test adaptation for different groups of test-takers and how different adaptations may influence test characteristics and test performance, or issues related to digitalization of tests: opportunities, challenges and consequences. Within both these areas, there are opportunities to formulate different research questions and use different research methods. The specific focus of the doctoral project will be jointly decided by doctoral student and supervisor.

Qualifications
To be admitted to doctoral studies, the applicant must meet both general and subject specific entry requirements. 
Applicants meet the general entry requirements for doctoral studies if they have been awarded a second-cycle (Master’s) qualification, have passed courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second-cycle (Master’s level), or has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

Applicants meet the subject specific entry requirements for admission to studies in Educational Measurement at the third-cycle (doctoral) level if they have passed at least 90 credits in one of the following subjects: educational measurement, pedagogy, psychology, sociology or statistics, or have equivalent and proven knowledge.

Assessment criteria
Applicants are ranked with reference to their capacity to benefit from and complete the programme. Assessment is based primarily on prior study results, with particular consideration given to degree projects or equivalent, and the quality of the research plan and its relevance for the subject area. 

High level of English proficiency is required.

Terms of employment
Doctoral students will primarily devote themselves to their education at third-cycle level. Employment as a doctoral student is for the time necessary for the completion of research studies at a normal rate of study, which corresponds to a full-time position for four years. The initial contract of 12 months may be extended by up to a maximum of two years at a time, providing that the doctoral student’s individual study plan has been followed. Doctoral students may work with teaching and administration up to a maximum of 20 percent of their full-time employment. In such cases, the period of employment is extended with the equivalent time spend on teaching/administration, up to a maximum of one additional year.  

Doctoral students are affiliated with the Postgraduate school in the educational sciences, coordinated with the doctoral training programme at the relevant department. Doctoral studies begin at the start of the autumn semester, 29 August 2022.  The place of work is Umeå University. Doctoral students are expected to actively contribute to the research environment.

The doctoral student will have their employment at the Department of Applied Education and the department is responsible for the subject-specific research training and for supervision. Please see the general syllabus (in Swedish) for more information: https://www.umu.se/globalassets/organisation/fakulteter/samfak/institutionen-for-tillampad-utbildningsvetenskap/forskarutbildning/allman-studieplan-beteendevetenskapliga-matningar.pdf

According to The Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 12 §2, a decision of appointment to a doctoral studentship cannot be appealed.

Application
Applications are submitted in the e-recruitment system Varbi, found via the University’s page for open positions: https://www.umu.se/en/work-with-us/open-positions/

An application must contain:
1. Curriculum vitae, including name and contact information of two reference persons
2. A letter in English, Swedish or another Scandinavian language that states the relevance of your previous merits and your motivation for undertaking research training leading to a PhD in educational measurement.
3. Research plan in English, Swedish or another Scandinavian language – must not exceed 15000 characters including spaces – that contains: purpose and research problem, previous research, implementation: that is, method, material and theory, relevance and time plan
4. A transcript from the Ladok student registry, a degree certificate, and/or equivalent attested copies of your academic transcripts proving that general and specific requirements are met
5. Copies of relevant BA and MA theses and other relevant publications

Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Please note: the Swedish version is the official version of this advertisement. In the case of any differences in information between this translation and the official version, the latter takes precedence and is the legally binding document.

Additional information
For more information about the Department of Applied Educational Science and the research discipline, contact Professor and Deputy Head of Department, Bert Jonsson, bert.jonsson@umu.se,  +46907867612 

For more information about the doctoral programme in Educational Measurement, contact docent Hanna Eklöf, hanna.eklof@umu.se, +46907867851