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[zauberberg]

I'm moving this from the "Is Europe..."-tread.  My apologies if this has been discussed before, but I could not find much in the archives (perhaps I am not searching in the right way).  I know you can only offer opinions, but I am interested to hear general impressions as well as specific information anyone might have.

I am a Scandinavian who have done all my training (BA and MA) in North America, and I had planned to apply for the Ph. D. here as well. However, recent events in my family makes it necessary (and desirable) for me to return home, possibly for years.  So I have stared to consider whether a doctorate in Scandinavia could be a possibility, but I wonder how "portable" such a degree would be if I wish to return to North America in the future?  I'm in a humanities field, and would consider the universities in Oslo, Bergen, Lund, Uppsala, Copenhagen, and perhaps Helsinki.

[donstefano]

In my field, the Scandinavian countries have extremely good reputations (Politics/economics/management). Some of the really big names are Scandinavians, and they are all very well connected with American Universities. The people I know appear to have had very rigourous doctoral training. In my field, NO/DK/SE are top countries. FI somewhat less.

[starfleet_grad]

Get yourself a copy of the country studies for Denmark, Norway, and Sweden from AACRAO.

http://www.aacrao.org/publications/catalog/wes.cfm

These guides discuss in detail how a Scandinavian degree transfers to the United States and also mention how doctorates from the various countries are usually treated. Many universities use these books to determine whether to admit a student or hire an employee, but the books are just guides. At the end, the university (or state law as it were) has the final word.

[zauberberg]

Donstefano, this is good to know although poli-sci is not my field.  Starfleet_grad, that is excellent advice! I will order the books. Thank you both!

[northernacademic]

It's hard to answer the part about how a Scandinavian PhD is valued back in the US because I haven't gone back to the US, but from personal experience your combination of the US BA and MA with at least a Swedish PhD gives you many potential advantages. With the MA you have had a lot of intensive coursework, and in Sweden you would come in ahead of the game relative to students with a magisterexamen. Research-wise, with a degree in Sweden you will be far ahead of your American peers with a PhD. I do not know which field you are in, but the dissertation work is in most cases partly or fully a publication ready piece. Further, as you know being a PhD students is considered a job (doktorandtjänst) and you are paid as such. It is a more humane system by far and in the long run Scandinavian researchers are at least as productive as American (and more so when you take into consideration that people here really do take their 6-7 weeks of vacation and many really do go home at 5 pm). There is no tenure track, so long-term security in the form of a permanently funded position is a bit harder to achieve.

At the same time if you go to Scandinavia for a PhD and want to leave the door open to return to work in the US then you must think strategically as to what things to do to develop merits in both systems. This can be by bringing in a co-advisor for your dissertation from the US so that you have an American contact for future job applications. Go to international conferences where you can create a profile, and also seek to publish in English in international journals regardless of the format for your dissertation. Oftentimes universities have an exchange agreement with universities in the US, which could receive a stipend for - that is, go and take courses for a term back at a US university. You can keep doors open if you think carefully and search for opportunities.

Lycka till. Det finns många bra möjligheter om du letar.

[zauberberg]

Thank you, expat_scand, this is great help.  I do know that the PhD is paid in both Sweden and Norway (stipendiat), and it is indeed alluring, although the application process seems a little confusing since I don't really know the system anymore.

Jeg er norsk, men hadde ikke hatt noe i mot en svensk grad:) Takk for svar!