Doctoral programme in Civil Engineering 48 months PHD Programme By Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) |TopUniversities

Programme overview

Main Subject

Engineering - Civil and Structural

Degree

PhD

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Background:

Over the last 150 years, the advancement of scientific knowledge has led the field of engineering to progressively evolve from its civil and military origins, giving rise to the various areas of specialisation that exist today. In an increasingly globalised world, and especially in Europe, where a broad process of integration and convergence in higher education is under way, it makes sense for engineering to redefine its disciplines to achieve better social practice and facilitate specialised problem solving.

The current programme is heir to the doctoral courses first offered in the 1975-1976 academic year. With the passing of the Organic Law on University Reform in 1984, doctoral programmes came under the responsibility of university departments. Despite the trend towards specialisation, under a delegation agreement, the School’s teaching departments decided to maintain one cross-disciplinary doctoral programme: Civil Engineering. In recent years, the programme has coexisted with the specific programmes of the various departments. This cross-disciplinary character and the involvement of various departments is also reflected in the composition of the Doctoral Studies Committee, whose functions at the School are performed by the Research and Postgraduate Committee. The doctoral programme in Civil Engineering currently offered is an interdepartmental programme organised around six broad areas of knowledge: structural engineering and construction, geotechnical engineering, water engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, and computational engineering.

In this context, the doctoral degree in Civil Engineering offers a framework for pursuing research in the field of civil engineering, rounding out the course offering of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering in the three cycles of higher education (bachelor’s, master's and doctoral level). The doctoral programme in Civil Engineering offered by the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering has received the Pathway to Excellence award (MEE2011-0447 – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013).

The School’s commitment to research is also reflected in the existence of the Research and Postgraduate Studies Committee. The Committee is chaired by the assistant director of Research and Postgraduate Studies of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering, who also acts as the coordinator of the doctoral programme. The other members of the Committee are the director of postgraduate studies; nine full-time doctoral degree-holding professors, including representatives of the School’s teaching departments and the relevant areas of knowledge (structural engineering and construction, geotechnical engineering, water engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, and computational engineering); a representative of students enrolled in the doctoral programme, appointed from among those elected to the Doctoral School Board; and the head of management services of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering.

Over the years that it has been offered, the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering has attracted both domestic and international students. The recognition of the prestige of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering by its students, the quality of doctoral theses produced, and the excellence of teaching and research staff have led the Spanish Ministry of Education to officially recognise the quality of the doctoral programme in successive years since 2004.

Objectives:

To complete students’ training in the topics their research will focus on. To train students in research on subjects related to civil engineering by developing their knowledge of information sources and experimental and bibliographic research tools. To introduce students to methods for making advances in engineering research by identifying unresolved problems and providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to propose solutions to them.

Programme overview

Main Subject

Engineering - Civil and Structural

Degree

PhD

Study Level

PHD

Study Mode

On Campus

Background:

Over the last 150 years, the advancement of scientific knowledge has led the field of engineering to progressively evolve from its civil and military origins, giving rise to the various areas of specialisation that exist today. In an increasingly globalised world, and especially in Europe, where a broad process of integration and convergence in higher education is under way, it makes sense for engineering to redefine its disciplines to achieve better social practice and facilitate specialised problem solving.

The current programme is heir to the doctoral courses first offered in the 1975-1976 academic year. With the passing of the Organic Law on University Reform in 1984, doctoral programmes came under the responsibility of university departments. Despite the trend towards specialisation, under a delegation agreement, the School’s teaching departments decided to maintain one cross-disciplinary doctoral programme: Civil Engineering. In recent years, the programme has coexisted with the specific programmes of the various departments. This cross-disciplinary character and the involvement of various departments is also reflected in the composition of the Doctoral Studies Committee, whose functions at the School are performed by the Research and Postgraduate Committee. The doctoral programme in Civil Engineering currently offered is an interdepartmental programme organised around six broad areas of knowledge: structural engineering and construction, geotechnical engineering, water engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, and computational engineering.

In this context, the doctoral degree in Civil Engineering offers a framework for pursuing research in the field of civil engineering, rounding out the course offering of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering in the three cycles of higher education (bachelor’s, master's and doctoral level). The doctoral programme in Civil Engineering offered by the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering has received the Pathway to Excellence award (MEE2011-0447 – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013).

The School’s commitment to research is also reflected in the existence of the Research and Postgraduate Studies Committee. The Committee is chaired by the assistant director of Research and Postgraduate Studies of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering, who also acts as the coordinator of the doctoral programme. The other members of the Committee are the director of postgraduate studies; nine full-time doctoral degree-holding professors, including representatives of the School’s teaching departments and the relevant areas of knowledge (structural engineering and construction, geotechnical engineering, water engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, and computational engineering); a representative of students enrolled in the doctoral programme, appointed from among those elected to the Doctoral School Board; and the head of management services of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering.

Over the years that it has been offered, the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering has attracted both domestic and international students. The recognition of the prestige of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering by its students, the quality of doctoral theses produced, and the excellence of teaching and research staff have led the Spanish Ministry of Education to officially recognise the quality of the doctoral programme in successive years since 2004.

Objectives:

To complete students’ training in the topics their research will focus on. To train students in research on subjects related to civil engineering by developing their knowledge of information sources and experimental and bibliographic research tools. To introduce students to methods for making advances in engineering research by identifying unresolved problems and providing students with the knowledge and skills needed to propose solutions to them.

Admission Requirements

5.5+
87+

General entrance requirements

To gain admission to a doctoral programme, applicants must have an official Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a university master's degree or equivalent, together comprising a total of at least 300 ECTS credits.

You may also gain admission if you fall into one of the following categories:

1. As a rule, applicants seeking admission to an official doctoral programme must hold a Spanish bachelor’s degree or equivalent and a Spanish master’s degree or equivalent, provided they have passed at least 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees.

2. Any of the following applicants may also gain admission:

a. Holders of official Spanish degrees or equivalent Spanish qualifications, provided they have passed 300 ECTS credits in total and they can prove they have reached Level 3 in the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education.

b. Holders of degrees awarded in foreign education systems in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), which do not require homologation, who can prove that they have reached Level 7 in the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (https://www.ciencia.gob.es/), provided the degree makes the holder eligible for admission to doctoral studies in the country in which it was awarded. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.

c. Holders of degrees awarded in a country that does not belong to the European Higher Education Area, which do not require homologation, on the condition that the University is able to verify that the degree is of a level equivalent to that of official university master's degrees in Spain and that it makes the graduate eligible for admission to doctoral studies in the country in which it was awarded. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.

d. Holders of another doctoral degree.

e. University graduates who, having previously been awarded a training post in the entrance examination for specialised health training posts, have passed and obtained a positive assessment in at least two years of training on a programme leading to an official qualification in a Health Sciences specialisation.

Specific requirements and admission procedure

Each doctoral programme may have specific requirements for admission in addition to the general requirements. The additional specific requirements that must be met for admission are listed on the web pages for each programme (https://doctorat.upc.edu/en/programmes).

For the admission procedure and calendar, see this section. (https://doctorat.upc.edu/en/future-doctoral-candidates/access-and-admission/admission-procedure).

4 Years
Feb
Oct

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