The Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen is inviting applications for a three-year PhD scholarship starting on January 1, 2023, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics (NorS) provides the setting for international research and education from BA to PhD studies within linguistics and language technology, literature, media, culture, and gender studies. More information can be found here: https://nors.ku.dk

Introduction

PhD studies consist of research programmes that qualify students for independent and wide-ranging research, development and teaching at international level. The main emphasis is on PhD students organising and conducting their own research project (under supervision). The programme culminates in the submission of a PhD thesis, which the student must defend in public. The programme is prescribed to 180 ECTS points, corresponding to three years of full-time study.

A PhD opens up a range of career opportunities in academia and elsewhere. As well as writing a thesis, PhD students work in active research environments in Denmark and abroad. They contribute to the academic environment, take research training courses, and convey the results of their research in teaching, at academic conferences, and to the general public.

Job content

The PhD will be part of the project Grammar and agrammatism in Greenlandic (GreenGram), financed by Independent Research Fund Denmark.

This project addresses a challenge raised by the first study of agrammatism in a polysynthetic language, Greenlandic. In this study, we found slow speech rates and short utterances, as expected of agrammatic speech, but almost none of the grammatical problems that gave agrammatism its name. The challenge raised by the study can be formulated in two questions: 1. Can the findings in the pilot study be replicated on a larger set of data collected from a group of well-diagnosed subjects? 2. What makes Greenlandic grammar, and presumably polysynthetic grammar in general, (seemingly) immune to agrammatism? The project brings together linguists, aphasiologists and neuroscientists to answer these questions based on the first coherent functional-cognitive theory of what grammar is. The answer to the second question is a key to understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms behind grammar and agrammatism, and a key to aid Greenlanders with agrammatism.

The PhD project to be carried out by the candidate consists in:

1. Design of experiments to test the ability to produce Greenlandic multiword sentences.
2. Testing and comparison of individuals with non-fluent aphasia, individuals with fluent aphasia, and control subjects.
3. Data analysis.
4. Article and thesis writing (the articles may constitute the substantial part of the thesis).

In addition, the candidate is required to take courses corresponding to 30 ECTS, and to do other academic work, including teaching to an extent corresponding to around 840 working hours.

The PhD project will be carried out in close collaboration with (among others) Associate Professor of linguistics Kasper Boye (PI), Associate Professor of Greenlandic Naja Trondhjem, Professor of Neurolinguistics Roelien Bastiaanse, Professor of Neurology Hanne Christensen, and native speakers of Greenlandic.

It is highly recommended that applicants contact PI Kasper Boye at boye@hum.ku.dk prior to submission of the application.

Qualification requirements

Applicants must have a two-year Master’s degree* (120 ECTS), or equivalent, in Linguistics, Psycholinguistics, Psychology or Greenlandic Studies – or in another field. It is required that the candidate presents documentation for strong qualifications in one or more of the named fields.

*Applicants must, as a minimum, have submitted a Master’s thesis for which they have received pre-approval at the time of application.

The qualifications of applicants with non-Danish Master’s degrees will be assessed to ascertain whether they correspond to the Danish level. For further information, please refer to the website of the Ministry of Education and Research: https://ufm.dk/en/education/admission-and-guidance.

Applicants must possess skills in written and spoken academic English at a high level. If deemed necessary, the department may request that applicants document their English or other language skills.

In addition, the applicants will preferably have one or more of the following qualifications:

• Academic publications and presentations.
• Statistics skills.
• Experience with psycholinguistic testing.
• In-depth knowledge of Greenlandic, related languages or other languages that can be characterized as polysynthetic or agglutinative.

Application

All applications must be submitted online, in PDF or Microsoft Word format, via the link “Apply for the position” at the bottom of the page.

The application must include:

1) A CV

The CV must not exceed 1 page and 2400 characters.

2) A list of publications (if available)

3) An application letter

The letter must not exceed 3 pages and 7200 characters.

The letter must describe i) the applicant’s motivation for applying, ii) the applicant’s qualifications in relation to the PhD project outlined in the GreenGram project description (to be obtained from Kasper Boye at boye@hum.ku.dk), and iii) any ideas the applicant may have for specific studies that fall under the GreenGram project description.

4) Documentation (diplomas and transcripts)

Applicants must upload the following:

1. A copy of their Master’s degree diploma or similar (if this is not available by the application deadline, applicants must document pre-approval of their Master’s thesis)
2. A copy of their Master’s degree transcript
3. A copy of their Bachelor’s degree diploma
4. A copy of their Bachelor’s degree transcript.

Applicants with a degree from a university where the working language is not English or one of the Scandinavian languages must submit a translation of their Master’s diploma and/or diploma transcripts approved by the Danish embassy or consulate in the country where the original document was issued. These documents must be translated into English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish. An official description of the grading scale (and a diploma supplement where relevant) must also be attached.

Chinese applicants must attach a China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Evaluation Committee (CADGEEC) certificate. 

Other relevant material

The applicant may upload up to two academic personal references.

Recommendations, publications, theses, etc. cannot be uploaded.

Assessment criteria

The following criteria are applied when assessing PhD applications:

• The applicant’s application letter in relation to the GreenGram project
• Research qualifications, as reflected in the attached CV and (if available) list of publications
• Educational background in relation to the GreenGram project
• Level (grades obtained) of Bachelor and Master’s studies.

The recruitment process 

After the deadline for applications, the PI of the GreenGram project and the Head of Department consider advice from the Appointment Committee and then select applicants for assessment. All applicants will be notified of whether or not they have been shortlisted. After this, the PI and the Head of Department sets up an expert Assessment Committee to assess the shortlisted applications. The selected applicants will be informed who is serving on the committee. Individual applicants will be offered the opportunity to comment on the committee’s assessment of their application before the appointment is announced.

Enrolment

It is a prerequisite for employment that successful applicants enrol at the PhD School of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Copenhagen.

For further information about the structure of the PhD programme, please refer to: https://phd.humanities.ku.dk/become-phd-student/what-is-it/structure-of-the-phd-programme/

For further information about the guidelines for PhD studies at UCPH, please refer to: https://phd.ku.dk/english/

Remuneration and terms of employment

Appointment as a PhD Fellow is subject to the collective bargaining agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).

We seek to reflect the breadth and diversity of society and encourage applications irrespective of personal background.

The deadline for applications is 22 September 2022, at 23:59 CET.

Any applications or additional material submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

However, changes may be made to the submitted application right up until the deadline.

For further information about the application procedure, please refer to the University of Copenhagen website: https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

For further information about the structure and rules of the PhD programme, please e-mail the PhD Administration at Søndre and City Campus, e-mail: hrsc@hrsc.ku.dk.. Please refer to advertisement number 211-1149/22-2H.

If you have any questions about the academic content of the PhD programme, please e-mail the PhD coordinator at the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics, Helle Kannik Haastrup, mail: h.k.haastrup@hum.ku.dk.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.