The goal of a PhD education is to enable the candidate to conduct research at a high international level. The research will be made with sound scientific practice and established standards for research ethics. The PhD candidate will be able to solve complex research problems using creative solutions that will have a social and economic impact on society.

The PhD program in Biotechnology is organized research training (doctoral program), educating independent researchers at an international level in cooperation with national and international research groups and institutions. The overall aim of the program is to contribute to the United Nations sustainability goals by training researchers and develop research-based knowledge via relevant research projects.

The faculty has a broad academic profile in biotechnology. Research is conducted in collaboration within and between research groups at the faculty, in both basic and applied research. The academic community has an extensive and broad research activity, where several disciplines within biotechnology are represented, including some international cutting-edge areas.

The PhD program aims to meet current and future needs for competence in research, development and dissemination at the university, public and private institutions, businesses and organizations.

Learning outcomes

Research areas

• Biopolymer chemistry and bio-nanotechnology
• Marine biochemistry/mariculture
• Molecular genetics/Microbiology
• Biochemical engineering
• Food chemistry
• Environmental biotechnology/Microbial ecology

Read more about the research areas at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science
 

The PhD education is a structured degree with a nominal duration of three-year full-time study. Some PhD positions may include a fourth year of required duties, usually in the form of teaching, this will be detailed in your employee contract if applicable.

The PhD programme consists of

• at least 30 ECTS of courses (0,5 year), and 
• an independent academic work in the form of a doctoral thesis (estimated to 2,5 years)

Read more about the PhD education at the Faculty of Natural Sciences

• Choosing courses
• Doing the doctoral thesis
• Learning activities and internationalization
• Assessment
• Evaluation of PhD programmes

Read more about PhD education

• NTNU PhD education
• NTNU PhD 1-2-3 
   

A PhD degree is the highest level of formalised education in Norway.

A doctoral degree from NTNU qualifies you to a range of positions both in the private and public sector. Academia has traditionally been the main career path for doctors, but now an increasing number of doctors are going into leading positions in the private sector.

To be accepted to a PhD programme at NTNU, you must have:

• a funding plan
• completed at least five years of higher education that includes a master's degree or other equivalent degree within a relevant area. The Faculty may approve other, comparable qualifications as the basis for admission.
• a strong academic record and a weighted average for the last two years of your master's degree equivalent to a B or higher in NTNU's grading scale.

Applications for admission to the PhD programme must to be submitted through the Department of your subject area.
 

Read more about how to apply and admission

Administrative contact

Maja Caroline Haaker 
Senior Executive Officer

Academic contact

Trygve Brautaset
Professor and Deputy of Research at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science