Your browser is not supported by khio.no. To view this site please upgrade or use another browser. If you can't use a modern browser, try disabling javascript, which will make khio.no simple, but mostly usable.

Supported browsers: Chrome 117, Firefox (Android) 118, Android WebView 117, Chrome 117, Chrome 116, Chrome 115, Chrome 114, Chrome 109, Edge 117, Edge 116, Firefox 118, Firefox 117, Firefox 91, Firefox 78, Safari/Chrome (iOS) 17.0, Safari/Chrome (iOS) 16.6, Safari/Chrome (iOS) 16.3, Safari/Chrome (iOS) 16.1, Safari/Chrome (iOS) 15.6-15.7, Opera Mobile 73, Opera 103, Opera 102, Opera 101, Safari (MacOS) 17.0, Safari (MacOS) 16.6, Safari (MacOS) 15.6, Samsung 22, Samsung 21

Javascript is disabled. khio.no should still be usable, but the user experience will be simpler.

Fra Ane Thon Knutsens arbeid med sitt ph.d.-prosjekt.
Fra Ane Thon Knutsens arbeid med sitt ph.d.-prosjekt.

PhD in Artistic Research

Doctoral education at Oslo National Academy of the Arts is a three-year full-time study programme, 180 credits, which leads to a PhD in artistic research. The subject areas for the PhD at The Oslo National Academy of the Arts are art and craft, dance, design, fine art, opera and theatre. The education gives the candidate knowledge, expertise and competence in accordance with the Norwegian Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (NQF). The study programme is practice-based. The candidate has access to relevant and qualified supervision in dialogue with an active community of peers and colleagues operating according to international standards.

Artistic practice is at the core of the artistic PhD result. At the same time, the artistic practice is to be accompanied by an explicit reflection, which, when the project is presented, grants others access into the working methods and insights that emerge from the artistic research.

The study programme consists of training component courses (30 ECTS credits) and independent artistic research, that is, the artistic PhD project (150 credits). Courses and the artistic PhD project are required to operate according to advanced professional standards. The artistic PhD project is expected to be at a level of national and international relevance.

The doctoral study programme is the parallel within artistic disciplines to third cycle science-based research training and qualifies for artistic practice and artistic research at a national and international level. Additionally, the competence is relevant to other societal functions where in-depth competence with artistic research is required. In addition to its relevance within the arts, competence at this level will be sought after in public administration, universities and colleges and in the industry.

PhD - research fellow positions

Every year KHiO advertises vacancies as research fellow positions.

PhD in artistic research

Application deadline: 1 December 2023

There will be a digital information meeting on 1 November at 17:30-19:30.
See link to sign up here, Informasjonsmøte om stillingar som doktorgradsstipendiat 2024 - Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo (khio.no)

Presentation from the webinar (pdf)

If you are interested in receiving information about a new announcement, sign up for the newsletter "På KHiO".

See job vacancies.

Attachment for the application in JobbNorge 

Note that you must download the PDF and save it on your computer before you begin filling in the form.

In order to be admitted to the PhD programme, the applicant must usually, at a minimum, have a performing and/or creative Master’s degree within the discipline in question, cf. the second cycle of the Norwegian Qualifications Framework.

The application form will be published two months before the application deadline expires.

Application Form Norwegian - bokmål

Application Form Norwegian - nynorsk

Application Form - English

Frequently asked questions

What type of PhD is this?

From the announcement: «Artistic research at Oslo National Academy of the Arts is expected to be innovative, further the professional fields, and be based on artistic practice.»

There are two different types of PhD degrees in Norway

  • philosophiae doctor (PhD)
  • philosophiae doctor (PhD) in artistic research

Oslo National Academy of the Arts offer a PhD in artistic research.

The core in Oslo National Academy of the Arts PhD is explained in our regulation:

«Artistic practice is at the core of the artistic PhD result. At the same time, the artistic practice is to be accompanied by an explicit reflection, which, when the project is presented, grants others access into the working methods and insights that emerge from the artistic research.»

Do applicants need a master in performing or creative arts?

From announcement: «Applicants must normally have a master’s degree in performing or creative arts in the relevant art discipline, c.f. the descriptions in the second cycle of the Norwegian Qualifications Framework. Based on a special assessment, Oslo National Academy of the Arts may approve other, comparable qualifications as the basis for admission.»

The key is that the competence requirement is an executive / creative master's degree in the relevant subject area/ art field.

Documentation of competence requirement

The competency requirement is usually documented with a diploma, or with other documentation of master degree within the subject area.

If you cannot document this level of competence with a diploma, you may be able to document the same competence requirement (executive or creative master's degree) in another way.

  • Unfortunately, it is not possible for Oslo National Academy of the Arts to make an expert assessment, but what you can consider is whether you are likely to have the same level of expertise as people who have taken an executive or creative master's degree in the artistic field – and how you can document this level of competence
  • Documentation of competence will be measured against the learning outcome of the relevant master's study, eg. Design
  • You can find the learning outcomes described in the curricula for these study programs at khio.no
  • The documentation you enclose must cover all of the learning objectives; This means that this may require quite extensive documentation
  • The documentation is evaluated by experts who are appointed for each individual position as a doctoral fellow
Is the position in Oslo?

From the announcement: «The PhD research fellowship is a three-year full-time position with terms and conditions in accordance with regulations for state employees» «Workplace on a daily basis is at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.»

Yes, the position is in Oslo.

Can two people share a PhD position?

Admission to the PhD programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts requires appointment in position that includes three years of pure doctoral education.

Two people who both need to take the doctoral degree cannot share a position.

Can several people contribute into a doctoral research project?

From regulation § 11-2. Collaborative work:

«It is the responsibility of Oslo National Academy of the Ars to decide whether an artistic doctoral result produced through collaboration between several contributing partners may be submitted for evaluation. In this case, it must be possible to identify the contributions of the individuals involved.
If the artistic doctoral result or parts of the result have been produced in collaboration with other cooperating partners, the PhD candidate must follow the norms for co-authorship that are generally accepted within the academic and artistic community and in accordance with international standards.
A doctoral result containing collaborative contributions from cooperating partners must include a signed declaration that describes the candidate’s contribution to each of the results. The candidate and all the contributors must sign the declaration.»

As of today, Oslo National Academy of the Arts, does not yet have experience with the situation that an artistic doctoral result produced by several others, is handed in for appraisal. Oslo National Academy of the Arts will have to make a concrete assessment, should this situation come up. As the fellow is admitted into a doctoral programme that will lead to a result being assessed, a minimum requirement will nevertheless be that the fellows individual contribution can be identified.

National research school

National Research School in Artistic Research

In cooperation with the Norwegian Academy of Music, the University of Bergen and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Oslo National Academy of the Arts has founded the National Research School in Artistic Research.

The research school is managed by DIKU (the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education). The school provides doctoral candidates with higher education at doctorate level in artistic methods, ethics and reflection.