(This is part of a series of conversations I’ve had with PhD students, doctors and teachers here at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History in Lund during the summer of 2022. For some the original conversation were in English, but for some in Swedish. When that’s the case I’ve published a translation as well, and any faults or strange word choices are to be considered mine. The original text is over here.)
To round off this series of posts on PhD studies I asked two of our researchers and teachers here at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History in Lund to give me their thoughts and tips on the application process.
Lovisa Brännstedt has a PhD in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History and is now a researcher at the department, where she also teaches and supervises master students. She has a lot of experience with applications, as research is mainly funded through project grants. Fredrik Ekengren, PhD in Archaeology and lecturer at the department, also our Director of Studies, and supervises both master students and PhD students. They teach a course together and answered my questions together, so what you find below it is their shared knowledge.
If you are thinking about applying, this is a good place to start and although it is not an exhaustive list, most of it is generic to most kinds of applications, not just PhD positions.
“If students consider applying for a PhD, what should they think about? How much impact does the Master’s thesis have on the application? Is there any way to make it stronger after it’s publication?”
“It’s often what students find during their Master’s thesis that makes them want to do further research! If they want to continue with the same topic as in the Master’s thesis, it is important to show progression – that the questions, material, and/or methods are further developed to the point where they justify a larger research project. The Master’s thesis is a major part of the application and its quality is assessed in relation to the time it took to complete it, not just the grade it received. Since applicants come from a variety of countries and departments the criteria for a certain grade can vary a lot.
“When it comes to improvements for the thesis, they cannot be made, but it is possible to try to publish articles based on the thesis and in them correct what did not turn out as you wanted, or take into account the changed state of research if the thesis is a bit older. It also gives you a publication to add to your CV and that makes a difference to the application.
“Talk to your Master’s thesis supervisor about your plans to apply for a PhD and ask for advice. As long as there is not a call for application it is not a matter of bias for them to be helpful. Since it is difficult to get into graduate school, it is always a good idea to apply for all PhD positions, both in and out of the country.
“How should applicants think about the formalities of the application?”
“It is very important to follow the requirements of the call for applications, otherwise you risk being screened out immediately. Stay on schedule! As this is a university position and governed by firm rules, the application procedure is very strict. Also, make sure that your application is sent to the right call, with the right reference number – this is especially important when there are several posts advertised in related subjects. If you apply for the wrong post by mistake, it is not possible to ”move” your application to the right call once the deadline has passed. Therefore, it is also important to find out whether your degree subject and specialisation really match the subject of the advertised post.
“When there are requirements for certain skills in the call, it is always a good idea to show in your CV where in the attached documentation you think these requirements are met. In general, it is always a good idea to make it as easy as possible for the reader of the application.
“Speaking of reading, it is also always a good idea to ask someone you know to proofread the application so that small errors do not detract from the overall impression and so that the text makes sense.
“Many people wonder about the project plan, what should they remember to consider?”
“Since it is most common in the humanities to apply with an individual project (and not as part of an established multi-person research project), it requires a lot of preparation. Think about the basics of your research question and be specific: what do you want to do, how will you do it, why does it need to be done and why are you in particular suited to do it?
“Read up on the current field of research so that you have a good idea of its breadth and depth, as well as the research questions that need to be investigated further.
“Assessors will be looking at what makes your project innovative, and as it is important that applicants can start their project immediately, all the necessary skills and knowledge must be in place from the outset. They will also assess and whether the project is likely to be feasible in four years.
“If you make a timetable, it is best that it is realistic and not too ambitious, aim lower! Showing a realistic timetable is always an advantage.
“Your research idea will be assessed, but also your perception of the current state of research. It is part of the application process that you have already read up on your future research and show it. Show how it could be done and what material are possible to find. That’s why it’s really important to attend the research seminars at the department, so you not only get an idea of what research is done now, but you also get to see how the conversation about research within your subject is conducted and you get to know the research environment and the scholars at the department. This is invaluable if you are thinking about a future in the subjects and can also be a help when applying. You’ll know who to ask, for example.
“What can you do if you don’t get offered the position?”
“It is common to apply many times before you get in, so take this as an opportunity to improve your application. Ask for feedback if you didn’t get it. If you applied at your home department you can always ask people you know there if they would be willing to give you some tips once there’s no longer a conflict of interests or risk of unfair advantage.
“Applications may be ranked differently at different times, but if you apply to the same department more than once and want to apply with the same project, be sure to show in your application that you have taken into account the feedback you received last time. But you should write a project plan that you want to carry out, not one you think the assessors will want to read!
“Any other advice?”
“A final tip is not to wait for a call to start drafting an application, but do it as soon as you have an idea of what you want to write about. Suddenly there’s a vacancy in the department, or that golden opportunity presents itself at a foreign university.”
Thank you Fredrik and Lovisa for your time and insights!
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