Welcome to the Graduate School of Social Sciences of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam!
Our aim is to provide a stimulating scientific environment in which young researchers, experienced staff and our diverse scholarly community can mutually inspire one another. Our PhDs focus on some of the most pressing challenges to society, related to topics such as societal resilience, integration & diversity, security & conflict, and AI & society.
The Graduate School of Social Sciences (VU-GSSS) supports PhDs and supervisors throughout the doctoral trajectory. We provide a varied PhD training program, taught by leading experts in the field, to provide our PhDs with the skills needed to carry out their projects. At the same time, we safeguard the quality of the PhD process from admission to the review procedure at the end of the first year, annual progress reports and the final stages of the PhD, leading to the actual defense. We have a vibrant PhD community of 140 PhDs across five disciplines, and we regularly organise joint events and social activities offering opportunities for inspiration, collaboration, or simply connecting with peers.
VU-GSSS organizes an extensive and well-balanced PhD programme with courses spread over the entire academic year, where PhD candidates acquire strong theoretical and methodological knowledge. We favor an adaptive and tailored programme that recognizes PhDs’ differentiated needs - PhD candidates can flexibly choose their own set of courses among a broad course offering, as well as organize small group tutorials with renowned experts on specialized topics of common interest.
We are here to support you, inspire you and empower you!