Admissions to doctoral studies

The target degrees available within the Doctoral Programme in Food Chain and Health are:

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

• Doctor of Food Sciences
• Doctor of Science (Agriculture and Forestry)
• Doctor of Philosophy

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
• Doctor of Philosophy

Please check which degree is available in the chosen faculty with your background studies. Both the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry have specific instructions about some of the degrees.

The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry may admit the following persons to pursue the degrees of

Doctor of Food Sciences

• Persons who have completed the degree of Master of Food Sciences in University of Helsinki or University of Eastern Finland
• Persons who the coordinating academic estimates to have sufficient field-specific background included in the previous degree. A minimum of 100 ETCS of the field-specific studies in the previous degree are required. 

Doctor of Science (Agriculture and Forestry)

• Persons who have completed the degree of M.Sc. (Agriculture and Forestry) in University of Helsinki
• Persons who the coordinating academic estimates to have sufficient field-specific background included in the previous degree. A minimum of 100 ETCS of the field-specific studies in the previous degree are required. 

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine may admit the following persons to pursue the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

• Holders of the Licentiate of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (formerly the College of Veterinary Medicine) at the University of Helsinki
• Holders of an equivalent degree from a foreign university
• Persons who have been admitted to pursue a licentiate degree in veterinary medicine at a Finnish university or at a university from EU/EEA country
• Veterinarians licensed by the Finnish Food Authority who have completed applicable education abroad in their home country equivalent to a second-cycle university degree or a second-cycle degree from a university of applied sciences

Supervisory arrangements and the quality of the research environment are an important part of the selection criteria. The doctoral programme requires that each applicant must have a supervisor/supervisors when submitting the application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to find a supervisor and discuss and agree on the research and study plans with him/ her. A good starting point for finding a potential supervisor is the University of Helsinki is Research portal.

• A doctoral candidate must have 1–3 thesis supervisors with doctorate degrees.
• At least one of the supervisors must in addition hold the title of docent or have equivalent academic qualifications.
• FoodHealth recommends that at least one supervisor or thesis committee member is from University of Helsinki.
• FoodHealth requires that you have a minimum of one supervisor when you submit your application, but highly recommends that you have two supervisors.
• More information about potential supervisors can be found from contacts & supervision.

You must attach to your application a supporting statement / commitment form (pdf) signed by your supervisors, coordinating academic, and thesis committee members stating the planned supervision arrangements.

Your coordinating academic must be employed by the same Faculty as you are applying for. The coordinating academic is familiar with the instructions concerning doctoral education and doctoral degrees at the University of Helsinki. Your supervisor may also act as the coordinating academic, provided he or she fulfills the above criteria.

Provide the required information on your coordinating academic on the application form and supporting statement although your supervisor would be appointed to the coordinating academic. 

The coordinating academic’s role is

• to ensure the continuity of the supervision arrangements,
• to assist you in acquainting yourself with the rules of doctoral education and the dissertation examination process,
• to make the faculty a formal proposal on the pre-examiners and opponent to be named.

In the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry professors and associate professors may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral candidates. See further information on coordinating academics on the Faculty's doctoral education web site.

In the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine professors and associate professors, and also a few persons appointed by the faculty may act as the coordinating academics for doctoral candidates. See further information on coordinating academics on the Faculty's doctoral education web site.

Please note, that you must have a thesis committee upon applying a doctoral study right.

• The thesis committee consists of at least two experts who are able to assess the progress of the dissertation.
• At least one must hold the qualifications of a docent or equivalent academic qualifications.

Thesis committee members cannot be a relative, close colleague, friend or manager/employee of the applicant or supervisor(s); have not had any joint publications or shared funding with the applicant or supervisor(s) in the last 5 years; have not supervised or been supervised by the doctoral candidate’s supervisor(s) during the last 3 years; and are not currently involved in the thesis project.

It should also be taken into account when assembling the committee that members of the thesis committee cannot later be appointed as preliminary examiners or opponents for the doctoral dissertation in question. See further information on the duties of thesis committee in the university's Instructions for Students.

Your research plan will be evaluated with the following criteria:

• Demonstration of adequate knowledge in relevant fields and potential of the applicant to develop into an independent researcher.
• Scientific relevance and ambition of the research plan, use of relevant methodology.
• Thematic fit of the research plan with the doctoral programme profile.
• Realistic and detailed funding plan (confirmed and/or planned) for both salary and research costs.
• Feasibility of the thesis project within the intended timeframe (net time 4 years)

Your motivation and previous knowledge (e.g. CV or equivalent) are an important part of the evaluation criteria.

Your study plan must be included with your application. Please acquaint yourself with the doctoral programme’s degree requirements available in the Instructions for students.

NB! Choose the doctoral programme from the site's degree programme menu:

• Doctoral Programme in Food Chain and Health (FoodHealth)