UiB shall be among Europe's leading universities, internationally recognized for high quality in research and education. As a societal institution, we shall contribute to sustainable and democratic development and be an attractive and inclusive place to study and work.
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https://youtu.be/i4SDcLir6OcFor its involvement in the Center for Digital Narrative, the Department of Information Science and Media Studies invites applications for a PhD position in game studies commencing February 1, 2027, or as agreed upon. The position is for a fixed-term period of three years.
We are seeking a PhD fellow who will study games and interactive digital narratives from the player perspective, focusing on how players or player communities construct and make sense of games and interactive applications as narrative experiences through playful participation.
Relevant approaches may combine player studies with game analysis and co-design, with attention to new areas of applied social research.
The Department of Information Science and Media Studies is a multidisciplinary department at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Bergen, covering research on media and information technology from the social sciences, humanities, and computer science. This PhD position is located at the Center of Excellence in Digital Narrative (CDN), a world-leading center of research excellence funded by the Research Council of Norway. The center investigates emerging forms of digital narrative and how cultural contexts are reshaping their use and function.
The PhD fellow will work in the research group Computer Games and Interactive Digital Narrative. The aim of the research group is to advance our understanding of how agency, interactivity, and play shape human experience of digital narratives. The research group focuses on how digital narratives function in games by studying new narrative structures and player experiences, and is attentive towards narratives not only as structures but as cognitive models of sensemaking, including questions of how player communities experience stories and how they may use stories for making sense of games and game culture.
Candidates are advised to familiarize themselves with the Center of Digital Narrative research areas, as described on the center website.
The main purpose of the PhD position is to complete a doctoral degree, which qualifies for independent research and other forms of employment that demand specific competency. The duration of the PhD position is three years.
As a PhD candidate, you must participate in the Faculty of Social Sciences’ educational programme. The PhD programme comprises a training component corresponding to 30 ECTS, amounting to one semester. In total, this means that 2.5 out of three years are allocated to working on the research project itself.
Experience in any of the following areas is advantageous:
Applicants will be evaluated according to admission requirements in The Faculty of Social Sciences' PhD Program.
Applicants must submit a proposal for a research project that will result in a doctoral dissertation, as well as a progress plan for the project. Admittance to the PhD programme will be based on the research proposal.
In assessing the applications, the academic quality and feasibility of the proposed PhD project and the academic qualifications of the candidate will be considered. Further emphasis is placed on strategic considerations, motivation, and the applicant's personal eligibility.
Apply electronically via the link "APPLY FOR THIS JOB". Applicants are required to use the electronic CV form.
The application and attachments must be in Norwegian, another Scandinavian language, or English. Documents in other languages must be accompanied by certified translations into English or a Scandinavian language. Please ensure that all attachments are in either Word or PDF format and are uploaded to Jobbnorge within the application deadline.
Shortlisted candidates will be called in to an interview.
Applications submitted without a project description or applications sent as e-mails will not be considered. Only submitted documents will be subjected to an expert assessment.
Application dealine is October 15, 2026.
For further information about the appointment process, click here.
Applicants who have already held a PhD position at the University of Bergen are not eligible to apply for this position.
The employment period may be reduced for candidates who have previously been employed in a recruitment position at other institutions.
The PhD position demands that the applicant has their regular workplace at the University of Bergen and comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.
Detailed information about the position can be obtained by contacting the PI of the Computer Games and Digital Narrative research group at the Center for Digital Narrative, Professor Kristine Jørgensen at kristine.jorgensen@uib.no, phone: +47 55 58 41 13.
Practical questions regarding the application procedures should be directed to Adviser – HR, Gudrun Horvei, gudrun.horvei@uib.no.
Appointed research fellows will be admitted to the PhD programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Questions about the programme may be directed to Adviser Elina Troscenko, elina.troscenko@uib.no
Diversity is a strength that enables us to solve our tasks even better. UiB therefore needs qualified employees regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, worldview, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and age.
We encourage men to apply. If multiple applicants have approximately equivalent qualifications, the rules pertaining to moderate gender quotas shall apply.
The University of Bergen applies the principle of public access to information when recruiting staff for academic positions.
Information about applicants may be made public even if the applicant has asked not to be named on the list of persons who have applied. The applicant must be notified if the request to be omitted is not met.
The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at all times.
We encourage applicants with disabilities, immigrant backgrounds, or gaps in their CV to apply. By indicating such circumstances in your application, you may receive favourable consideration. We ensure that at least one qualified applicant from each of these groups is invited for an interview as part of our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity. For further information about the recruitment process, click here.
Marion Claireaux tells about life and work as a PhD candidate at UiB.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrtp6VxMeJ4&index=2&list=PLf8ZIYfAO0qjhROTj6SthDbSScg0lSO6GThe University of Bergen is a renowned educational and research institution, organised into seven faculties and approximately 54 institutes and academic centres. Campus is located in the centre of Bergen with university areas at Nygårdshøyden, Haukeland, Marineholmen, Møllendalsveien and Årstad.
There are seven departments at Faculty of Social Sciences. Read more about the faculty and departments.