About graduate schools

The graduate schools aim to increase the quality and efficiency of doctoral studies, in cooperation with several universities and other partner institutions. The activities of the graduate schools involve both disciplinary and interdisciplinary interests, supporting international cooperation between students in their studies and research.
The graduate schools follow the principles of innovative doctoral training outlined by the European Commission (2011).

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Tartu holds two graduate schools that include the following PhD programmes: 


University of Tartu PhD programmes:

  • Literature and Culture Research
  • History
  • Theology and Religious Studies
  • Germanic and Romance Languages and Literatures (speciality in literature)
  • Philosophy (speciality in history)
  • Russian and Slavonic Philology (speciality in literature)
  • Semiotics and Culture Studies (speciality in culture and nature)

The Graduate School of Culture Studies and Arts (GSCSA) is a joint venture of four Estonian universities:

  • Tallinn University, 
  • University of Tartu, 
  • Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, and 
  • Estonian Academy of Arts.

Between 2016 and 2022 Tallinn University will be the coordinator of the graduate school.

Official homepage of the graduate school for all partner universities.


University of Tartu PhD programmes:

  • Estonian and Finno-Ugric Linguistics
  • Germanic and Romance Languages and Literatures (speciality in linguistics)
  • Russian and Slavonic Philology (speciality in linguistics)
  • Philosophy (speciality in theoretical and practical philosophy, and philosophy of science)
  • Semiotics and Culture Studies (speciality in language)

The Graduate School of Linguistics, Philosophy and Semiotics (GSLPS) is a cooperation between

  • University of Tartu, 
  • Tallinn University, 
  • the Estonian Literary Museum and 
  • Institute of the Estonian Language.

The coordinating partner of the venture is the University of Tartu.

Official homepage of the graduate school.

The graduate schools were both established in 2009.

Between 2016 and 2022 the graduate schools will follow the Institutional Development Programme for Research and Development and Higher Education Institutions (ASTRA).

The graduate schools are part of the University of Tartu ASTRA Project PER ASPERA (2014-2020.4.01.16-0027), which is financed by the (European Union) European Regional Development Fund.
 The financing period of the graduate schools is: 01/01/2016–31/02/2023.