Diaconia, Values of Professional Practice

To be admitted to the PhD program in Diaconia, values and professional practice, a master's degree (120 ECTS) or equivalent in diaconia and health and social sciences and/or leadership is required.

For applicants with a different academic background at the same level, the applicants' project profile will be given weight.

See our pages for research education for information about, and application processes for, the PhD programs at VID.

The PhD programme focuses on studies of professional practice in health and social services in the public and private sectors as well as within the Church and non-profit organizations.

The programme adopts diaconia and values as the main perspective, and the interdisciplinary nature of the programme promotes an innovative approach to the diaconal research field.

Diaconia. Diaconia is understood, firstly, as designating diaconal organizations and churches and their role within and alongside other actors in the welfare state. And secondly, as a Christian tradition which, along with other traditions, has contributed and continues to contribute to the foundational values, impulses, and intuitions of the welfare state and welfare practices globally.

Values. In continuation of the second of these senses, the programme is especially concerned with the norms and ideals that guide and/or influence health and welfare services as well as attitudes, preconceptions and implicit notions that can be studied in practice.

Professional practice. Professional practice designates the empirical field of studies of the programme and concerns the performance of professional work in complex landscapes and at individual, collective, and organizational levels.

The PhD programme is committed to the renewal, development, and expansion of practice-oriented, interdisciplinary research in professional practice and diaconal studies.

The programme structure comprises a training component of 30 ECTS credits. The programme offers two compulsory courses, in “Diaconia, Values, and Professional Practice” (10 ECTS) and the “Philosophy of Science and Research Ethics” (10 ECTS), while the remaining 10 ECTS credits can be chosen from among courses on methodology and research methods offered by VID or by other accredited institution.

Candidates admitted to the programme may, in addition, apply for membership to one of the national research schools with which the Centre is affiliated. Research schools offer a range of accredited PhD courses as well as other workshops, seminars, and research activities. For more information, see:

• Courses held by the Research School Religion Values Society
• Courses held by The Nordic Graduate School of Educational Research (formerly WNGER II)
• PROFRES
• Partners in Care

The Centre for Diaconia and Professional Practice is responsible for the organization and administration of the PhD program in Diaconia, Values ​​and Professional Practice at VID Specialized University and is committed to creating a space for the development of practice-near, interdisciplinary research and education.