PhD Fellow in Media Studies
UiB - Knowledge that shapes society
UiB aims to be among Europe's leading universities, internationally recognized for high quality in research and education. As a social institution, we shall contribute to sustainable and democratic development and be an attractive and inclusive place of study and work.
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PhD Fellow
We welcome you to apply for a position as a PhD fellow in media studies at the Department of Information Science and Media Studies. The position is for a period of 4 years. 25% of the total employment time is career-advancing and shall be carried out at the department. This largely includes teaching duties.
This is an open call, but we ask applicants to develop a project that aligns with the academic direction of one or more of the six research groups in media studies:
- Research group for Film, television and visual culture: Researches a spectrum of expressions - film, video, photo, comics, tv - and on fundamental questions in the fields of media aesthetics and visual culture.
- Group for studies of media industry and journalism: Is interdisciplinary and explores various academic perspectives such as investigative journalism, sport and culture; digital technologies; the journalistic role and professional ideology; and conducts investigations of media policy, ethics, economy and the journalism audience.
- Research group for rhetoric, democracy and public culture: Researches how communication is used to argue, persuade, and create or express identity and identification – as individuals, in organizations and in societies.
- The Media Use Group: Researches how people – as audiences, users and citizens – relate to media, and how one relates to each other and to society through media.
- Group for emerging media: Researches changing technologies, forms and use of modern audiovisual media, with a combined focus on new production technologies (e.g., augmented reality, virtual production and AI) and the new use of established audiovisual technologies such as video games and video streaming.
- Group for culture, inequality and democracy (KUD): Researches connections between the culture and media field (understood as audience, use, texts, institutions and politics) and social inequality, with a special focus on implications for democracy, participation and citizenship.
For more information about the research groups and the department, see the department's website: https://www.uib.no/infomedia . Please feel free to contact the leader(s) of the relevant research group(s).
Qualifications and attributes:
- Master's degree in media studies or closely related fields, including equivalent foreign educations. The degree must be completed before the application deadline.
- The minimum requirement for applicants shall normally be B, or better, both on the master's thesis and for the master's degree as a whole.
- Applicants must be able to work independently, have a high work capacity, and enthusiasm for research.
- Applicants must have good written and oral English skills.
- It is an advantage if the applicant masters Norwegian as a language of instruction.
- Personal and interpersonal qualities will be emphasized. Ambitions and potential will also count when assessing candidates.
- The workplace for this position is Bergen, and the work requires you to be physically present at the department daily.
- Relevant candidates will be called for an interview. The language of instruction is normally Norwegian, but some of the teaching is also given in English.
Regarding the position:
About the PhD fellowship: The total PhD period is 4 years, where 25% of the time is career-advancing work, related to research, teaching and dissemination. If you have previously been employed in a recruitment position, a deduction may be made from the employment period.
About the ph.d. education: As a PhD fellow, you shall participate in an approved education program for a ph.d. degree within a timeframe of 3 years. It is a prerequisite that you meet the requirements for admission to the ph.d. studies at the University of Bergen.
As a PhD fellow, you shall participate in the ph.d. education at the Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB. The education has a standard timeframe of 3 years, and leads to a ph.d. degree. For admission, you must have completed a master's degree. The scope of the master's degree must normally be 120 ECTS credits and build on a bachelor's degree of 180 ECTS credits (normally 2+3 years), or an integrated master's degree of 300 ECTS credits (5 years). The master's degree shall normally include independent work of a scope of at least 30 ECTS credits. The master's degree shall normally be within the subject area for which admission is sought.
We offer:
- Exciting and developing tasks in a strong academic environment.
- Position as PhD fellow (code 1017) in the state salary scale. This currently constitutes an annual salary of NOK 593,700 gross. Automatic salary development for up to 4 years with a 3% annual increase.
- Membership in Statens pensjonskasse.
- Good welfare schemes.
The project:
A concise project description of 5-8 pages (including reference list) must be submitted along with the application. The project description shall account for the theme, problem(s), and choice of theory and method. The description shall include a progress plan for the various parts of the research work. Upon employment, the project description will be the basis for admission to the ph.d. education. The faculty has prepared a guide for writing the project description.
The application shall include:
- A short statement about the applicant's research interests and motivation for applying for the position
- Name and contact information for two referees, one of whom must be the main supervisor from the master's thesis or equivalent task
- Project description
- CV
- Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees
- Relevant certificates
- Any list of scientific work (publication list)
- Any publications
- If you have a master's degree from a foreign educational institution, or a 2-year discipline-based master's degree (or equivalent) in a field other than the one you will be affiliated with, you may be asked to submit an overview of the syllabus for the master's degree you have obtained
Application and attachments with certified translations to English or a Scandinavian language must be uploaded in Jobbnorge via the link on this page.
Application deadline: date 01.10.2026.
General information:
Further information about the position can be obtained by contacting the department head: Bjørnar Tessem bjornar.tessem@uib.no
Practical questions regarding the application process can be directed to HR advisor Christine Bresil christine.bresil@uib.no
The person who is employed will be admitted to the faculty's ph.d. education. Any questions about the ph.d. education can be directed to the advisor: Elina Troscenko elina.troscenko@uib.no
Diversity is a strength and enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, belief, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and age.
We encourage men to apply. If several applicants have approximately equal qualifications, the rules for moderate gender quotas apply.
The University of Bergen uses increased transparency in the recruitment of scientific positions. Information about the applicant may be made public even if the applicant has requested not to be included in the applicant list. If the request is not honored, the applicant shall be notified of this.
We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds or gaps in their CV to apply. If you check this box in the application, you may receive positive special treatment. We always invite at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups to an interview. More about the recruitment process here.
Life as a ph.d. candidate at UiB
Astrid Nybø tells about life and the daily work routine as a ph.d. candidate at UiB.
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