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Third-cycle subjects

At Mälardalen University, doctoral education is conducted within the university's four Schools. On this page you will find our third-cycle subjects and the associated general syllabus. In the general syllabus, you can read more about what is included in the specific third-cycle subject, the entry requirements required to be admitted and the overall structure of the education.

Business Administration is a scientific subject that is focused on studying how companies and other organizations try to manage limited economic, social and environmental resources to create value, both internally and in relation to external actors. In the Swedish tradition, Business Administration is a multidisciplinary subject with several sub-disciplines such as: financial and management accounting, marketing, strategy, international business, entrepreneurship, organisation and management practices.

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Director of Doctoral Education: Linda Höglund

Within the third-cycle subject of the Caring Sciences, the health and caring of humans during the entire life cycle is in focus. In the Caring Sciences the possibilities for individuals and groups of maintaining or regaining good health, as well as the capability to deal with changes in health, are studied. The interplay and the relationship between the individual and/or their close relatives and the staff concerned, as well as health care facilities to support the individual and their close relatives, are important perspectives. Research is described and problematised from an individual, group or societal perspective, and has a cross-professional interest in which preventive, supportive, nursing and rehabilitating/habilitating measures are included.

Research in the Caring Sciences has points of contact with research in the Public Health Sciences, Work Life Sciences and in Social Work. This can lead to synergy effects, which can increase understanding of the third-cycle subject area.

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Director of Doctoral Education: Helena Blomberg

The subject of Computer Science is a broad subject embracing the theoretical and empirical studies of computer systems, their construction and applications. The subject deals with methods and theories for computers and their applications.

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Director of Doctoral Education: Federico Cicozzi

Didactics deals with matters concerning education, teaching and learning in preschool, school, adult education and teacher education. The various needs, experiences and living conditions of children, youths and adults are in focus, as are also management, leadership, the teaching profession and school development. Research in didactics has points of contact with research in education and special needs education. This can lead to synergy effects in research findings, which can increase understanding of the third-cycle subject area of Didactics

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Director of Doctoral Education: Louise Sund

The subject of Electronics spans over a wide area, with everything from quantum physics to information technology. The subject is an important part of the research specialisation of Embedded Systems and is represented by the subareas of dependable data collection, especially of physiological signals, signal treatment of measurement data and artefacts, as well as wireless communication of sensor data for dependable and safe communication

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Director of Doctoral Education: Federicco Cicozzi

The subject of Energy and Environmental Engineering is built up and developed by the research in the research specialisation of Future Energy. This research programme is mainly technologically oriented towards renewable energy as well as the efficiency of resources in the process industry and buildings. Studies carried out within the subject are experimentally or theoretically oriented.

The research in Future Energy focuses on renewable energy in the form of biogas, solar energy and biomass, more efficient use of energy and reduced emissions within both industry and for households, and also smarter modelling for optimisation, decision data and management.

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General syllabus Energy- and Environmental Engineering doctoral students admitted before 2014-09-30 Pdf, 511.8 kB.

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Director of Doctoral Education: Konstantinos Kyprianidis

In Industrial Economics and Organisation, research in technology, economics and the social sciences is brought together. This research has a particular focus on industrial regeneration, an area of great socio-economic significance in view of the restructuring of the economy brought about by globalisation and technological development. The research is carried out in close cooperation with the private sector and society in general

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Director of Doctoral Education: Linda Höglund

Research in Industrial Systems concerns the development of sustainable products, production systems, services and associated digital technologies. Industrial Systems research requires interdisciplinary skills and competences, including elements from both computer science and product and production engineering. The research has an engineering perspective and is concerned with investigating opportunities, challenges, and solutions related to the adaptation, integration and implementation of technologies as well as organizational and management issues within industrial systems. The subject includes the development of approaches, methods, models, techniques, and tools related to the industrial systems.

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Director od Doctoral Education: Ulrika Florin

Innovation and Design is an interdisciplinary research programme at MDU in which knowledge of the development process from idea to the finished product is enhanced, with a profile towards technology and often with an industrial focus. Examples of our areas are: management of innovation collaboration between different actors, communication and information processes, as well as development and operation of sustainable production systems and their interface towards product development. One of the goals is by means of co-production to bring about global descriptions of development processes or by developing methods, approaches and prerequisites to carry out improvements.

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Director od Doctoral Education: Ulrika Florin

During the last few decades the importance of mathematics has further increased owing to the rapid developments in computer technology, together with a growing awareness of the applicability of mathematics in life sciences, the humanities and the social sciences. This has also given rise to new mathematical research problems which, together with intrascientific questions, contributes towards driving mathematics forwards.

The third-cycle subject of Mathematics/Applied Mathematics embraces the entire research domain of mathematics, including mathematical analysis, geometry, algebra, logic, discrete mathematics, computational mathematics, probability theory and statistics. The third-cycle subject also includes those applications within other subject areas which make a substantial contribution to mathematical theory. Such applications can be within environmental, energy and resource optimisation but also within other areas.

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Director of Doctoral Education: Linus Carlsson

In Physiotherapy with a behavioural medicine perspective, work is carried out with a client-centred approach where biological, psychological and social factors of importance to the client’s state of health are treated equally from the client’s perspective. Human behaviour, which also embraces thoughts and feelings, in relation to movement and activity is studied. Physiotherapy which is based on a behavioural medicine perspective comprises knowledge of human behaviour in movement and activity in the understanding of lifestyle, health and living conditions.

Behavioural medicine principles are fundamental, that is to say knowledge of how behaviour affects the structure, movement and functions of the body, and how illness or injury can affect behaviour. The subject is characterised by a view of human behaviour and ability to move from a biopsychosocial paradigm, and the field of study is characterised by the view of humans as a biological, thinking, feeling and social being. Knowledge of interaction and communication in changing behaviour are important components of the subject. Evidence-based behavioural change techniques, together with other physiotherapeutical treatment methods, are used and are a part of the unique skills in behavioural medicine in physiotherapy.

The scientific basis of the subject of physiotherapy comprises the effect of biomechanical, physiological, pathological, psychological, social and contextual factors on behaviour in movement and activity, as well as the importance of behaviour to the lifestyle, health and welfare of individuals.

Research in physiotherapy focuses on questions related to the state of health and illness within the biopsychosocial paradigm and from a behavioural medicine perspective

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Director of Doctoral Education: Helena Blomberg

In the third-cycle subject of Public Health Sciences, the importance of lifestyle, the environment, the structure of society, working life and the healthcare system to public health is studied.

This has a particular focus on a sustainable lifestyle based on the global sustainability goals (Agenda 2030). The subject also includes studies to promote an egalitarian development of health. Public Health Sciences is an inter- and multidisciplinary subject and uses concepts, methods and theories in particular from epidemiology as well as from the social and behavioural sciences. In this research, quantitative as well as qualitative methods and combinations of both of these are used.

Research in the Public Health Sciences has points of contact with research in the Caring Sciences, Physiotherapy, Work Life Sciences and Social Work. This can lead to synergy effects, which can increase understanding of the third-cycle subject area in question.

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Director of Doctoral Education: Helena Blomberg

Social Work is a social science subject concerning the study of social change in societal conditions and problem-solving in human relations. Its purpose is to promote the welfare of humans.

Within the third-cycle subject area of Social Work, the study of people’s health and welfare is carried out. The research encompasses people of all ages and different genders who find themselves in socially vulnerable situations or who have special needs. In Social Work the societal conditions for the welfare of humans is studied, as well as the vulnerability of individuals or groups and the resources for maintaining or regaining a well-functioning life situation.

Research in Social Work comprises different theories and methods for studies in social, cultural and organisational contexts. The research can be described and problematised from an individual, group, societal or global perspective, and has a cross-professional interest embracing reactive and protective but also preventive, supportive, nursing and rehabilitating/habilitating measures.

Research in Social Work has points of contact with research in the Public Health Sciences, Work Life Sciences and in the Caring Sciences. This can lead to synergy effects, which can increase understanding of the third-cycle subject area in question

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Director of Doctoral Education: Helena Blomberg

Third-cycle studies in Work Life Studies are conducted at MDU within the third-cycle subject area of Health and Welfare.

Work Life Studies at MDU is a multidisciplinary subject with a point of departure in the Social Sciences and the Humanities (Behavioural Science, Economics, Public Health, History). Work Life Studies include the scientific study of social processes in work and of the conditions and opportunities in working life over time – from the individual, workplace, organisational and societal perspectives. The importance of work for the development, wellbeing and health of people is of central importance. Participation and the gender perspective have a particular significance for studies in and outside of the welfare service sector. Globalisation, ethnic, cultural and social diversity are other processes of central importance in working life today.

Research in Work Life Studies deals with theories and methods for studying social processes that concern individuals, groups and organisations in working life. Development, change and prevention measures are in focus.

Research in Work Life Studies has points of contact with research in the Public Health Sciences, the Caring Sciences and in Social Work. This can lead to synergy effects in research findings, which can increase understanding of the third-cycle subject area in question

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Director of Doctoral Education: Helena Blomberg