Recommended course of study
Required courses (15 credits)
| Required faculty courses | 10 credits over two semesters (spring/fall) |
Research Seminar
PSY9301 - PSY9308
PSY9401 (over 2 semesters)
Midway assessment | 5 credits
You have to choose one seminar with mandatory attendance in three semesters: PSY9301A= first semester, B= second semester, C= third semester + short presentation of project (PSY9401A and PSY9401B are considered part of the seminar series, but run over two semesters, rather than three semesters).
*From spring 2026, if you are unfinished with your mandatory 5 credits of research seminar, you may register for PSY9500A (first semester), PSY9500B (second semester) or PSY9500C (third semester).
Midway assessment: all candidates admitted to the program must undertake a midway assessment. The midway assessment has its own course code PSY9050 (for 0 credits) and is conducted as a mandatory component of the research seminars. The candidate is required to consult the following document for more information about the midway assessment:
Department guidelines for midway assessment
(Spring/fall) |
Elective courses (15 credits)
Elective credits in theory or methods. You can take both internal courses and external courses on the PhD level.
Examples of courses you can take:
PSY9170 PSY9175 PSY9140 PSY9185 | 12 (or 15 credits) |
Presentations/posters (elective)
| 3 credits |
Program structure
Required faculty courses
10 credits
All doctoral candidates must attend an introduction seminar and pass mandatory courses in philosophy of science, research ethics and researcher skills. Read more about the required faculty courses.
Mandatory research seminar
5 credits
A mandatory research seminar: Choose one seminar between PSY9301-PSY9308 (follow over 3 semesters A - C, with short presentation) or PSY9104 (follow over 2 semesters A - B, with a short presentation).
*Beginning spring semester 2026, the course codes PSY9301 - PSY9308 and PSY9401 are replaced by PSY9500 (A - C parts, corresponding to the first - third semester). If you are unfinished with your 5 credits of mandatory research seminar by spring 2026, you may register for PSY9500 (first semester), PSY9500B (second semester) or PSY9500C (third semester) in order to attain your last credits.
PSY9050 - Midway assessment
0 credits
All candidates admitted to the program must undertake a midway assessment. The midway assessment has its own course code PSY9050 and is conducted as a mandatory component of the research seminars. Read more about the midway assessment.
Elective courses
15 credits
Elective credits in theory or methods. You can take both internal courses and external courses on the PhD level (study points for courses external to the Department of Psychology are subject to approval by the Department).
Examples of courses you can take at the Department of Psychology: PSY9170, PSY9175, PSY9140, PSY9185.
Maximum 3 of these credits can be obtained with presentation/poster at academic conferences.
Approval of educational program
The course instructor approves and attests participation in individual courses held by the Department of Psychology. Elective courses can be taken either at the Department of Psychology or other Departments or universities in Norway or abroad. Participation at conferences and seminars may also be counted as electives. The Department, represented by the Head of Research approves external courses within the scope of current guidelines. By application, exemption from one or more of the Department's required courses on the basis of similar courses taken elsewhere may be granted.
Read more about approval of external courses/activities
Overview over PhD courses offered at the Department of Psychology