Educational Sciences

The graduate:

• is able to ground the solutions to problems in Educational Sciences from the broader point of view of Social Sciences
• is familiar with the modern approaches to the methodology of research
• is able to plan a study and use research methods and data analysis methods
• is able to effectively work with scientific texts and to create these themselves
• is ready for scientific communication and cooperation with other researchers

Detailed study programme information can be found here. 

What are the career options after the studies?

Graduates are able to follow a number of career options depending on their personal interests. For example they can work as researchers, university lecturers or experts in the field. In any case they are very well equipped to develop a sound professional career based on visionary thinking and critical knowledge of the field.

Admission Deadlines

Summer 2026 Admission Deadlines:

May 18th till June 29th 2026 at 13:00 – submission of applications in SAIS or DreamApply.
July 1st 2026 – admission exam (the exact time will be sent to each candidate individually).
September 1st 2026 – beginning of the studies.

Required Documents

• CV
• Proposal for the Doctoral Thesis signed by the prospective supervisor needs to be added while applying to the programme. Please contact prospective supervisors by sending them a draft of your proposal. This should be done several months before the deadline of submitting your application, as writing a good proposal takes time.
• Recommendation letter from a future supervisor.

Need to be sent by post after filling in the online application form:

• Application cover printed from the online application system.
• Copy of a bachelor’s degree certificate or equivalent + transcript of records (translations are requested if documents are not in English); both copies and translations must be attested by a notary.
• Copy of a master’s degree certificate or equivalent + transcript of records (translations are requested if documents are not in English); both copies and translations must be attested by a notary.
• Proof of English Proficiency
• Copy of the identification page of passport.

Admission exam (interview) is based on the proposal for the doctoral thesis that is agreed with and is approved by the prospective supervisor. Exam points are formed as a result of the points given by all committee members.

You can also find general admission information here. 

A doctoral student without a contract is a student enrolled in doctoral studies who does not have an employment contract with the university for the performance of tasks related to the doctoral thesis. The doctoral student holds student status and is eligible to apply for various scholarships as well as to participate in inter-university mobility programmes.

(Previously referred to as an external doctoral student.)

The aim of the doctoral thesis is to examine the development of reading skills
among learners of Estonian as a second language and the teaching practices
that support this development in Estonian-medium content instruction at the
lower secondary level. The study focuses on the relationships between
subject-specific reading skills, students’ learning motivation, and the teaching
practices implemented by teachers.

The doctoral thesis will be carried out within the framework of the research
project “Supporting Estonian language learning in subject instruction:
An intervention study on developing learners’ communication skills,
reading skills, and motivation“ (2026-2029, funded by the Ministry of
Education and Research and Institute of the Estonian Language). Within the
project, an intervention program will be developed to support students’
communication and reading skills as well as their learning motivation in
Estonian-medium content instruction.

The results of the doctoral thesis will provide new knowledge about the
development of reading skills among learners of Estonian as a second
language in the context of content instruction and help identify teaching
practices that support the development of students’ language skills and
learning motivation in Estonian-medium education.

Supervisors: Professor Piret Soodla, Visiting Research Fellow Ita Puusepp, Professor Reili Argus

The study examines mathematics teaching and learning in the era of artificial
intelligence (AI) from a didactical perspective, focusing on didactical choices,
practices, and instructional design. The aim is to map how the adoption of AI
has transformed mathematics teaching and learning practices, and to analyse
the didactical possibilities of AI in lesson design and in guiding students’
learning. The focus is on the role of AI both as a tool for personalised learning
(e.g. adaptive feedback and explanations) and as a didactical tool for teachers
(e.g. task design and lesson planning), as well as on how these uses influence
the development of students’ mathematical understanding and teachers’
didactical choices.

Supervisors: Professor Katrin Poom-Valickis, Professor Kirsti Rumma

In Summer 2026 it is possible to apply with your own preferred topic after getting approval from one of our supervisors.
In order for you to be able to find a supervisor, please look at our supervisors' fields of research in ETIS and our Study Areas.
If the field of research matches your personal research interests, please contact that potential supervisor by sending your draft of the proposal for the doctoral thesis. Please send your draft at least a couple of months before the admission deadline. You can submit your application only with an approved plan.

Doctoral Student-Junior Research Fellow works at Tallinn University with a workload of at least 0.75 and the content of his/her work is the completion of a doctoral thesis:

• The doctoral student will sign a Junior Research Fellow contract (fulltime workload with a salary of 1700 euros per month and will become an employee of the School of Educational Sciences.
• The period of the studies is 4-6 years (full-time work load position means 4 years of studies).

The knowledge transfer doctoral programme is based on the conduct of research that is of strategic relevance to both the partner institution and Tallinn University. 

• The doctoral student is matriculated at Tallinn University, while the research is carried out at the partner institution, which also provides remuneration for the doctoral student’s work..
• Supervision of the knowledge transfer doctoral student is shared between the university and the partner institution. The supervisor representing the company or institution is not required to hold a doctoral degree.
• The matriculation process is flexible, and the competition for admission does not necessarily have to be public where a suitable candidate has been identified in advance. 
• The agreement is prepared in cooperation with the Doctoral Studies Office of the Research Department. The agreement is concluded between the head of the relevant academic unit at Tallinn University, the knowledge transfer partner, and the knowledge transfer doctoral student.
• The nominal duration of studies in the knowledge transfer doctoral programme is four to eight years, in accordance with the individual study and research plan. The doctoral student’s academic progress is evaluated through the progrress review process.

The Estonian Doctoral School supports cooperation between universities to improve the quality and attractiveness of doctoral studies. The school enables Estonian doctoral students to make interdisciplinary and international research contacts and use self-development opportunities. A separate series of events aims to support the development of supervision skills.

The doctoral school events are open to all doctoral students and their supervisors at Estonian universities who are interested. Within the doctoral school, cross-disciplinary knowledge is shared, and future skills are developed with the support of external experts. Among other things, the doctoral school allows doctoral students to broaden their research horizons and expand their professional network and collaboration opportunities.

Doctoral School events can be found here.

Specific questions regarding the programme should be directed to the School of Educational Sciences: Elina van der Toorn, elinba@tlu.ee, Doctoral Studies Coordinator.