About PhD studies in Denmark

Since 1993, the standard duration of PhD studies in Denmark has been three years. This requires you to have  graduated from a five year Masters programme in the same or a closely related discipline or that you have some other comparable qualifications.

Flexible process

There is also the option of starting on an integrated Master's and PhD process, the so-called flex process, which starts 12 months on in a Masters program (4+4 scheme), or immediately after graduating with a Bachelor's degree (3+5-scheme).

Read more about the flexible process

Requirements

You are required to take relevant courses or similar educational modules equivalent to six months of studies during the process and this predicates that during your studies, you attend active research environments, also away from the institution to which you are admitted, either by study tours to other, mainly foreign institutions, or in or some other way. Finally, students are required to gain experience in teaching or some other kind of knowledge outreach.

Special circumstances

PhD studies are normally full-time but in special circumstances, part-time studies may be possible on application with your reasons. In special cases, it may be possible for a thesis to be considered with a view to acquiring a doctorate without, or with abbreviated, preceding studies but this requires you to have gained professional commercial qualifications that are comparable to PhD studies.

Completion 

A PhD is awarded in recognition of the fact that the person to whom it is awarded has completed PhD studies and has satisfactorily defended a doctoral thesis in a public viva, has demonstrated the ability to independently run a scientific project using scientific methods appropriate to the subject and has further helped promote research at a level corresponding to the international standard for doctorates within the discipline concerned.