Doctoral Programme in Information Studies and Interactive Media, 240 cr

Learning outcomes for doctoral degrees:

As set out in the Finnish Government Decree on University Degrees, the objectives of doctoral education are that the student:

1) develops an in-depth understanding of his or her own field of research and its social significance;

2) gains the knowledge and skills to apply scientific research methods independently and critically and produce new scientific knowledge within her or his field of research;

3) becomes familiar with the development, basic problems and research methods of her or his field of research;

4) gains such knowledge of the general theory of science and of other disciplines relating to her or his own field of research as enables him or her to follow developments in them;

5) develops sufficient communication and language skills and other competencies that will allow him or her to take on challenging expert and development positions and engage in international cooperation.

The Doctoral Programme in Information Studies and Interactive Media prepares students for careers in the specialised fields of information studies and interactive media research. Information studies explore not only the acquisition, management and use of information but also the organisation, mediation and storage thereof. The field seeks to develop concepts, methods and systems that enable information to be easily accessible and understandable to those who need it. The themes that stand out as key research areas within our programme in this field are information retrieval, information practices, information literacy and learning, learning technologies as well as records and archives management. In interactive media, the key research areas are the analysis of media change and its possibilities, the questions of new media design and implementation, the cultures of use and interactive media as part of society. Internet research, game studies, research exploring the open information society and questions about the research and design of social media services are further priorities in the field of interactive media. The demand for doctoral education in these fields is growing as the information and media professions and related research and development activities continue to evolve.

The doctoral programme is based on Tampere University’s long-term education and research activities in information studies and interactive media that have received widespread national and international recognition. We maintain close ties with the Tampere Research Center for Information and Media (TRIM). Research undertaken in these fields at Tampere University has been continuously rated as outstanding. Upon successful completion of the doctoral programme, you will have the knowledge and skills to generate new scientific knowledge pertaining to the design, use and development of information and communication technologies. The programme is not only closely connected with research on human-technology interaction as outlined in the University’s strategy but also aligned with the University’s strategic focus on research on topical social phenomena and on supporting pioneering and multidisciplinary approaches in research. As the doctoral programme is a member of the international iSchools organisation, we expect our doctoral candidates to pursue high-quality research that meets international standards of excellence.

Doctoral degree

The following post-master degrees are offered at the Doctoral Programme in Information Studies and Interactive Media (in accordance with Government Decree on University Degrees 794/2004):

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Licentiate of Philosophy (an optional intermediate step towards the doctoral degree)

The major subject of the Doctoral programme is Information Studies and Interactive Media.

Doctoral degree consists of studies supporting the research work (40 ECTS) and a doctoral dissertation (200 ECTS) as follows:

1. General academic competences, min. 10 credits

· research skills

· scientific expertise

· communication skills

· pedagogical skills

Mandatory: Research ethics

2. Discipline- and field-specific studies, min. 25 credits

· competencies relating to a specific field of research

· competencies relating to a specific discipline

Doctoral dissertation  (200 ECTS)

Learn more:

Doctoral dissertation

Planning doctoral studies (personal study plan)

Gaining credit points in doctoral studies