The goal of the PhD programme is to develop professionals who have mastered the contents and methods of their field of specialization at a high scientific level. Graduates will have competence in all domains of linguistic analysis sufficient for teaching at the introductory university level. They will also be able to extend their expertise to new fields of specialization. 

PhD coursework is offered at winter and summer schools as well as in specialized seminars and interdisciplinary courses.  
Instruction is in English, German and Italian and takes place at the Brixen-Bressanone, Bozen-Bolzano and Verona campuses. 

Each PhD student is assigned two supervisors who support their research project. PhD students may also acquire additional research methods developed by members of the PhD board in research projects (PRIN, DFG, SNF, PNRR), often in collaboration with local institutions.  

In the interest of strengthening national and international scientific relations, the PhD programme encourages students to advance their projects by spending research time at other universities in Europe or overseas. To arrange research periods abroad, the PhD programme works through existing networks such as Erasmus partnerships at the PhD level and academic partnerships with universities such as Marburg (Germany) or Tromsø (Norway). On request, new contacts can be established in the form of cotutelle agreements.

The PhD programme has a bilateral agreement with the University of Marburg which simultaneously confers an Italian and a German PhD degree upon successful completion. PhD candidates selected for this International Doctoral Trackspend at least 6 months at the partner university.

Stakeholders:

• ARLEF Agenzia Regionale per la Lingua Friulana, Udine - sponsor of a PhD fellowship for the 40th cycle
• Region Trentino-Südtirol, Bozen-Bolzano, Trient-Trento - sponsor of a PhD fellowship for the 39th cycle
• Eurac Research, Bozen - sponsor of a PhD fellowship for the 37th cycle
• Bersntoler Kulturinstitut/Istituto Culturale Mòcheno, Palai en Bersntol/Palù del Fersina, Trient-Trento
• Istitut Ladin 'Micurà de Rü', St. Martin in Thurn, Bozen-Bolzano
• Istitut Cultural Ladin 'Majon di Fascegn', San Giovanni di Fassa, Trient-Trento
• Istitut Cultural Ladin 'Cesa de Jan’, Colle Santa Lucia, Belluno 
• Casa Editrice e centro di formazione Erickson, Trient-Trento
• Biblioteca Capitolare, Verona

Academic stakeholders:

These are universities and research institutes interested in recruiting researchers at the postdoc level, principally those with which the members of the PhD board have active scientific relationships: the universities of Marburg, Trier, München (LMU), Köln, Konstanz, Stuttgart and Göttingen (Germany) Tromsø (Norway) Paris (France) and the State University of New York (U.S.A.)