Fully Funded PhD in War Studies at Swedish Defence University Swedish Defence University in Sweden

The Swedish Defence University is inviting applications for fully funded PhD positions in War Studies at the Department of War Studies (IKV). The programme is a four-year full-time doctoral education (240 ECTS), with the possibility of extension if teaching or other departmental duties are included.

Research areas include War Studies, Security Studies, Political Science, International Relations, Peace and Conflict Research, Military Science, and related social science approaches to defence and conflict. The call includes several positions: War Studies without specialisation, Russian Warfare, Gender, Peace and Security, and Logistics. The Russian warfare track focuses on Russian military power, force development, command and control, operational planning, doctrine, strategy, and defence-related technology. The gender track is centered on feminist security studies and gendered dimensions of war, defence, and security. The logistics track focuses on civil defence, military defence, preparedness, and supply chains, including data collection from the war in Ukraine and peace-time civil defence activities in the Nordic countries.

Eligibility requires a Master’s degree or equivalent, at least 240 ECTS credits, including 60 ECTS at postgraduate level, plus 90 ECTS in the social sciences and at least 30 ECTS in War Studies or a closely related subject such as International Relations, Peace and Conflict Research, Security Studies, or Political Science. Applicants must have strong English skills in speaking and writing. For the Russian warfare specialisation, reading proficiency in Russian is required. Previous independently authored academic theses or equivalent are used in assessment, and professional military education is considered a merit.

The positions are fully funded. Civilian doctoral students start at SEK 32,600/month, and doctoral students receive up to SEK 30,000 per year for travel, literature, and other programme-related expenses. Teaching and departmental duties may be included up to 20% of full-time work, with corresponding extension of the employment period.

Deadline: 24 August 2026. Applications must be submitted through the Swedish Defence University recruitment system and clearly state which position(s) you are applying for. Reference number: Ö 308/2026.