Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. For the near future, the applicants considered most suitable for admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering will be bachelor’s degree holders with a scientific and technological background who have completed a master's degree in Civil Engineering or one related to the scientific field of the programme (i.e. in structural engineering and construction, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, water and environmental engineering, maritime engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, or computational engineering).

In addition to having suitable academic qualifications, it is considered important that applicants have certain personal characteristics—namely, an interest in the research projects carried out within the framework of the programme; critical and analytical skills; initiative, perseverance and persistence in their academic work; the ability to work in a team; and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Therefore, to gain admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering for the research period of their studies, applicants must submit:
• An official master’s degree in the field of Civil Engineering. Exceptionally, applicants with a master’s degree in a related field may be considered for admission.
• A degree equivalent to a master’s degree, issued by an EHEA member country.*
• A degree issued by a country outside the EHEA (after its equivalence has been verified).*

* The degree held by an applicant must qualify them for admission to postgraduate studies in their country of origin.

Output profile

Doctoral candidates who complete a doctoral degree will have acquired the following competencies, which are needed to carry out quality research (Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies):

a) A systematic understanding of the field of study and a mastery of the research skills and methods related to the field.
b) An ability to conceive, design or create, put into practice and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
c) An ability to contribute to pushing back the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
d) A capacity for critical analysis and an ability to assess and summarise new and complex ideas.
e) An ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general as regards their fields of knowledge in the manner and languages that are typical of the international scientific community to which they belong.
f) An ability to foster scientific, technological, social, artistic and cultural progress in academic and professional contexts within a knowledge-based society.

The award of a doctoral degree must equip the graduate for work in a variety of settings, especially those requiring creativity and innovation. Doctoral graduates must have at least acquired the personal skills needed to:

a) Develop in contexts in which there is little specific information.
b) Find the key questions that must be answered to solve a complex problem.
c) Design, create, develop and undertake original, innovative projects in their field.
d) Work as part of a team and independently in an international or multidisciplinary context.
e) Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgements with limited information.
f) Offer criticism on and intellectually defend solutions.

a) have acquired advanced knowledge at the frontier of their discipline and demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised scientific research, a deep, detailed and well-grounded understanding of theoretical and practical issues and scientific methodology in one or more research fields;
b) have made an original and significant contribution to scientific research in their field of expertise that has been recognised as such by the international scientific community;
c) have demonstrated that they are capable of designing a research project that serves as a framework for carrying out a critical analysis and assessment of imprecise situations, in which they are able to apply their contributions, expertise and working method to synthesise new and complex ideas that yield a deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work;
d) have developed sufficient autonomy to set up, manage and lead innovative research teams and projects and scientific collaborations (both national and international) within their subject area, in multidisciplinary contexts and, where appropriate, with a substantial element of knowledge transfer;
e) have demonstrated that they are able to carry out their research activity in a socially responsible manner and with scientific integrity;
f) have demonstrated that they are able to participate in scientific discussions at the international level in their field of expertise and disseminate the results of their research activity to audiences of all kinds;
g) have demonstrated, within their specific scientific context, that they are able to make cultural, social or technological advances and promote innovation in all areas within a knowledge-based society.

Number of places

15

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is four years, counted from the date of first enrolment in the relevant programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is seven years from the date of first enrolment in the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. To calculate these periods, the date of deposit is considered to be the date on which the thesis is made publicly available for review.

If a doctoral candidate has a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the maximum period of study is six years for full-time students and nine years for part-time students.

For full-time doctoral candidates, the minimum period of study is two years, counted from the date of an applicant's admission to the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited; for part-time doctoral candidates it is four years.

When there are justified grounds for doing so, and the thesis supervisor and academic tutor have given their authorisation, doctoral candidates may request that the academic committee of their doctoral programme exempt them from the requirement to complete this minimum period of study.

Temporary disability leave and leave for the birth of a child, adoption or fostering for the purposes of adoption, temporary foster care, risk during pregnancy or infant feeding, gender violence and any other situation provided for in current regulations do not count towards these periods. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which must inform the Doctoral School.

Doctoral candidates may request periods of temporary withdrawal from the programme for up to a total of two years. Requests must be justified and addressed to the academic committee responsible for the programme, which will decide whether or not to grant the candidate's request.

Extension of studies
If a doctoral candidate has not applied to deposit their thesis before the expiry of the deadlines specified in the previous section, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may, at the request of the doctoral candidate, authorise an extension of this deadline of one year under the conditions specified for the doctoral programme in question.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate not having completed their annual enrolment or applied for a temporary interruption.
• The doctoral candidate not having formalised annual enrolment on the day after the end of the authorisation to temporarily interrupt or withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate receiving a negative reassessment after the deadline set by the academic committee of the doctoral programme to remedy the deficiencies that led to a previous negative assessment.
• The doctoral candidate having been the subject of disciplinary proceedings leading to their suspension or permanent exclusion from the UPC.
• A refusal to authorise the extensions applied for, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3 of these regulations.
• The doctoral candidate not having submitted the research plan in the period established in Section 8.2 of these regulations.
• The maximum period of study for the doctoral degree having ended, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.4 of these regulations.

Dismissal from the programme means that the doctoral candidate cannot continue studying at the UPC and that their academic record will be closed. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission, and the committee must reevaluate the candidate in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

A doctoral candidate who has been dismissed due to having exceeded the time limit for completing doctoral studies or due to an unsatisfactory assessment may not be Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Page 17 of 33 admitted to the same doctoral programme until at least two years have elapsed from the date of dismissal, as provided for in sections 3.4 and 9.2 of these regulations.

Legal framework

• Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies (consolidated version)
• Academic regulations for doctoral studies (CG/2023/09/08)

Organization

• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel

• Casas Rius, Joan Ramon
• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel
• Chiumenti, Michele
• Jimenez Quintana, Jose Antonio
• Ledesma Villalba, Alberto
• Robuste Anton, Robus
• Rodriguez Ferran, Antonio

• Barcelona School of Civil Engineering (PROMOTORA)
• Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Office 202 – Building C2 (North Campus)
Tel.: 934 017 094
E-mail: doctorat.ec.camins@upc.edu

Agreements with other institutions

Research centres

Several high-level applied research centres and laboratories renowned for their excellence also carry out research and technology transfer in the field of civil engineering and the environment:

- International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE)
- Centre for Innovation in Transport (CENIT)
- International Centre for Coastal Resources Research (CIIRC)

Access profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, there are a wide range of degrees that qualify applicants for admission. For the near future, the applicants considered most suitable for admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering will be bachelor’s degree holders with a scientific and technological background who have completed a master's degree in Civil Engineering or one related to the scientific field of the programme (i.e. in structural engineering and construction, geotechnical and earthquake engineering, water and environmental engineering, maritime engineering, transport engineering and regional planning, environmental engineering and sustainability, or computational engineering).

In addition to having suitable academic qualifications, it is considered important that applicants have certain personal characteristics—namely, an interest in the research projects carried out within the framework of the programme; critical and analytical skills; initiative, perseverance and persistence in their academic work; the ability to work in a team; and the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Therefore, to gain admission to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering for the research period of their studies, applicants must submit:
• An official master’s degree in the field of Civil Engineering. Exceptionally, applicants with a master’s degree in a related field may be considered for admission.
• A degree equivalent to a master’s degree, issued by an EHEA member country.*
• A degree issued by a country outside the EHEA (after its equivalence has been verified).*

* The degree held by an applicant must qualify them for admission to postgraduate studies in their country of origin.

Access requirements

As a rule, applicants must hold a Spanish bachelor's degree or equivalent and a Spanish master's degree or equivalent, provided they have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on the two degrees (Royal Decree 43/2015, of 2 February).

Applicants who meet one or more of the following conditions are also eligible for 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 European Qualifications Framework, provided the degree makes the holder eligible for admission to doctoral studies in the country in which it was awarded.
c) Holders of degrees awarded in a country that does not belong to the EHEA, 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 holder eligible for admission to doctoral studies in the country in which it was awarded.
d) Holders of another doctoral degree.
e) Holders of an official university qualification who, having been awarded a post as a trainee in the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have successfully completed at least two years of training leading to an official degree in a health sciences specialisation.

Note 1: Regulations for access to doctoral studies for individuals with degrees in bachelor's, engineering, or architecture under the system prior to the implementation of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014).

Note 2: Agreement number 64/2014 of the Governing Council approving the procedure and criteria for assessing the academic requirements for admission to doctoral studies with non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014).

Legal framework

• Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies (consolidated version)
• Academic regulations for doctoral studies (CG/2023/09/08)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

The Doctoral Programme Committee is responsible for deciding which students are admitted to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering based on each applicant’s curriculum vitae and how well their thesis proposal aligns with the research areas of the programme. Students may be admitted on the condition that they complete bridging courses (determined on a case-by-case basis) offered within the framework of the official postgraduate programme or other official programmes.

Before presenting their doctoral thesis, students must successfully complete any bridging courses specified as a condition for admission.

Students admitted to the doctoral programme in Civil Engineering will be attached to one of the research areas for the programme and assigned a thesis supervisor.

Admission decisions will be made based on each applicant’s curriculum vitae (with particular consideration to their academic record during the training period, ability to work in a team, and participation in research projects, conferences and publications), the degree of alignment between their doctoral thesis proposal and the research areas of the programme, and the extent to which a research group has made a commitment to fund the applicant’s work on their thesis.

All procedures related to academic administration will be governed by the UPC’s General Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies, approved by the Office of the Vice-Rector for Research.

Admission criteria and weighting
Degrees that qualify applicants for direct admission (no bridging courses required):
• Master's degree in Civil Engineering
 • A master's degree related to the scientific field of the programme

Degrees that qualify applicants for admission subject to successful completion of bridging courses:
There is no group of degrees for which it is possible to define specific bridging courses. If the Doctoral Programme Committee decides to admit an applicant with a master's degree that is not one of those which qualify applicants for direct admission, it will specify the bridging courses that the student must complete.

In general, the Committee will base its decisions on the following criteria:
• Academic record (weighting of 60%)
• Motivation (20%)
• Knowledge of languages (10%)
• Research experience (10%)

Training complements

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

Ordinary enrolment: September and October

Extraordinary enrolment: February

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

September and October

More information at the general registration section

Procedure for the preparation and defense of the research plan

Doctoral candidates must submit a research plan, which will be included in their doctoral student activity report, before the end of the first year. The plan may be improved over the course of the doctoral degree. It must be endorsed by the tutor and the supervisor, and it must include the method that is to be followed and the aims of the research.

At least one of these annual assessments will include a public presentation and defence of the research plan and work done before a committee composed of three doctoral degree holders, which will be conducted in the manner determined by each academic committee. The examination committee awards a Pass or Fail mark. A Pass mark is a prerequisite for continuing on the doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates awarded a Fail mark must submit a new research plan for assessment by the academic committee of the doctoral programme within six months.

The committee assesses the research plan every year, in addition to all of the other activities in the doctoral student activity report. Doctoral candidates who are awarded two consecutive Fail marks for the research plan will be obliged to definitely withdraw from the programme.

If they change the subject of their thesis, they must submit a new research plan.

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Courses and seminars (organised within each research group, weekly).
Hours: 30.
Type: optional.

Activity: Workshops (linked to the research projects that are the framework for the doctoral student’s activity; average of one per year).
Hours: 60.
Type: optional.

Activity: Publications (by the time a doctoral student finishes their degree, it is recommended that they have three papers published in journals with impact factors).
Hours: 120.
Type: optional.

Activity: Mobility.
Hours: 480.
Type: optional.

Activity: Research plan, document preparation, preparation of public defence.
Hours: 40.
Type: compulsory.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Type: optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Type: optional.

Activity: Assessment based on doctoral student activity report (DAD) and research plan.
Hours: 4.
Type: compulsory.

Procedure for assignment of tutor and thesis director

The academic committee of the doctoral programme assigns a thesis supervisor to each doctoral candidate when they are admitted or enrol for the first time, taking account of the thesis supervision commitment referred to in the admission decision.

The thesis supervisor will ensure that training activities carried out by the doctoral candidate are coherent and suitable, and that the topic of the candidate’s doctoral thesis will have an impact and make a novel contribution to knowledge in the relevant field. The thesis supervisor will also guide the doctoral candidate in planning the thesis and, if necessary, tailoring it to any other projects or activities undertaken. The thesis supervisor will generally be a UPC professor or researcher who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience. This includes PhD-holding staff at associated schools (as determined by the Governing Council) and UPC-affiliated research institutes (in accordance with corresponding collaboration and affiliation agreements). When thesis supervisors are UPC staff members, they also act as the doctoral candidate’s tutor.

PhD holders who do not meet these criteria (as a result of their contractual relationship or the nature of the institution to which they are attached) must be approved by the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee in order to participate in a doctoral programme as researchers with documented research experience.

The academic committee of the doctoral programme may approve the appointment of a PhD-holding expert who is not a UPC staff member as a candidate’s thesis supervisor. In such cases, the prior authorisation of the UPC Doctoral School's Standing Committee is required. A UPC staff member who holds a doctoral degree and has documented research experience must also be proposed to act as a co-supervisor, or as the doctoral candidate’s tutor if one has not been assigned.

A thesis supervisor may step down from this role if there are justified reasons (recognised as valid by the committee) for doing so. If this occurs, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will assign the doctoral candidate a new thesis supervisor.

Provided there are justified reasons for doing so, and after hearing any relevant input from the doctoral candidate, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may assign a new thesis supervisor at any time during the period of doctoral study.

If there are academic reasons for doing so (an interdisciplinary topic, joint or international programmes, etc.) and the academic committee of the programme gives its approval, an additional thesis supervisor may be assigned. Supervisors and co-supervisors have the same responsibilities and academic recognition.

The maximum number of supervisors of a doctoral thesis is two: a supervisor and a co-supervisor.

For theses carried out under a cotutelle agreement or as part of an Industrial Doctorate, if necessary and if the agreement foresees it this maximum number of supervisors may not apply. This notwithstanding, the maximum number of supervisors belonging to the UPC is two.

More information at the PhD theses section

Permanence

The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is four years, counted from the date of first enrolment in the relevant programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. The academic committee of the doctoral programme may authorise a doctoral candidate to pursue doctoral studies on a part-time basis. In this case, the maximum period of study is seven years from the date of first enrolment in the programme until the date on which the doctoral thesis is deposited. To calculate these periods, the date of deposit is considered to be the date on which the thesis is made publicly available for review.

If a doctoral candidate has a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the maximum period of study is six years for full-time students and nine years for part-time students.

If a doctoral candidate has not applied to deposit their thesis before the expiry of the deadlines specified in the previous section, the academic committee of the doctoral programme may, at the request of the doctoral candidate, authorise an extension of this deadline of one year under the conditions specified for the doctoral programme in question.

Dismissal from the doctoral programme
A doctoral candidate may be dismissed from a doctoral programme for the following reasons:

• The doctoral candidate submitting a justified application to withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate not having completed their annual enrolment or applied for a temporary interruption.
• The doctoral candidate not having formalised annual enrolment on the day after the end of the authorisation to temporarily interrupt or withdraw from the programme.
• The doctoral candidate receiving a negative reassessment after the deadline set by the academic committee of the doctoral programme to remedy the deficiencies that led to a previous negative assessment.
• The doctoral candidate having been the subject of disciplinary proceedings leading to their suspension or permanent exclusion from the UPC.
• A refusal to authorise the extensions applied for, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3 of these regulations.
• The doctoral candidate not having submitted the research plan in the period established in Section 8.2 of these regulations.
• The maximum period of study for the doctoral degree having ended, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.4 of these regulations.

Dismissal from the programme means that the doctoral candidate cannot continue studying at the UPC and that their academic record will be closed. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission, and the committee must reevaluate the candidate in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

A doctoral candidate who has been dismissed due to having exceeded the time limit for completing doctoral studies or due to an unsatisfactory assessment may not be Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya Page 17 of 33 admitted to the same doctoral programme until at least two years have elapsed from the date of dismissal, as provided for in sections 3.4 and 9.2 of these regulations.

Legal framework

• Royal Decree 99/2011, of 28 January, which regulates official doctoral studies (consolidated version)
• Academic regulations for doctoral studies (CG/2023/09/08)

List of authorized thesis for defense

Last update: 18/04/2024 04:45:33.

List of lodged theses

Last update: 18/04/2024 04:30:27.

List of defended theses by year

Select a year: 2015201620172018201920202021202220232024

Last update: 18/04/2024 05:00:51.

Research groups

UPC groups:

• (MC)2-UPC-Computational continuum mechanics
• ANiComp-Numerical analysis and scientific computation
• ATEM-Structural and Materials Technology
• BIT-Barcelona Innovative Transportation
• CRAHI-Center of Applied Research in Hydrometeorology
• EC-Construction Engineering
• EGEO-Geomatics Engineering
• EnGeoModels-Monitoring and Modelling in Engineering Geology
• EScGD-Engineering Sciences and Global Development
• FLUMEN-River Dynamics and Hydrological Engineering
• GEMMA-Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology
• GHS-Hydrogeology Group
• GIES-Geophysics and Earthquake Engineering
• GMNE-Numerical Methods in Engineering Group
• LACAN - UPC-Numerical Methods for Applied Sciences and Engineering
• LESEC-Laboratori d'Estudis Socials de l'Enginyeria Civil
• LIM/UPC-Maritime Engineering Laboratory
• MATCAR-Construction Materials and Roads
• MECMAT-Mechanics of Materials
• MSR-Soil and Rock Mechanics
• RMEE-Strength of Materials and Structural Engineering Research Group

Teachers

Doctoral Programme teachers

• Aguado de Cea, Antonio
• Alarcon Fernandez, Daniel
• Arias Vicente, Irene
• Arroyo Balaguer, Marino
• Bateman Pinzon, Allen
• Blade Castellet, Ernest
• Casas Rius, Joan Ramon
• Cervera Ruiz, Miguel
• Chiumenti, Michele
• Codina Rovira, Ramon
• del Real, Esther
• Diez Mejia, Pedro
• Espino Infantes, Manolo
• Estrada Romeu, Miquel
• Fernandez Garcia, Daniel
• Garcia Gonzalez, Alberto
• Gens Sole, Antonio
• Gomez Valentin, Manuel
• Grifoll Colls, Manuel
• Jimenez Quintana, Jose Antonio
• Ledesma Villalba, Alberto
• Martin Vide, Juan Pedro
• Molins Borrell, Climent
• Mujica Delgado, Luis Eduardo
• Olivella Pastalle, Sebastià
• Oñate Ibañez de Navarra, Eugenio
• Perez Foguet, Agusti
• Poblet Puig, Jordi
• Prat Catalan, Pere
• Robuste Anton, Robus
• Rodellar Benede, Jose
• Rodriguez Ferran, Antonio
• Rossi, Riccardo
• Sanchez Juny, Marti
• Sanchez Vila, Xavier
• Sanchez-Arcilla Conejo, Agustin
• Sarrate Ramos, Jose
• Sempere Torres, Daniel
• Soriguera Marti, Francesc
• Zlotnik Martinez, Sergio

Other teachers linked to the Doctoral Programme

• Arrayago Luquin, Itsaso
• Badia Rodriguez, Santiago
• Baiges Aznar, Joan
• Berenguer Ferrer, Marc
• Campos Cacheda, Magin
• Candela Lledo, Lucila
• Carreño Tibaduiza, Martha Liliana
• Dadvand, Pooyan
• de Medina Iglesias, Vicente Cesar
• de Pouplana Sarda, Ignasi
• Folch Sancho, Albert
• Garcia Espinosa, Julio
• Garcia Gonzalez, Alberto
• Giacomini, Matteo
• Gironella i Cobos, Xavi
• Gomez Soberon, Jose Manuel
• Gracia Garcia, Vicente
• Hurlimann Ziegler, Marcel
• Lantada Zarzosa, Nieves
• Martinez Reguero, Adriana
• Mora Serrano, Francisco Javier
• Mora Serrano, Javier
• Mösso Aranda, Cesar
• Principe Rubio, Ricardo Javier
• Pujadas Alvarez, Pablo
• Romero Morales, Enrique
• Russo, Beniamino
• Saaltink, Maarten W.
• Sauri Marchan, Sergi
• Sierra Pedrico, Juan Pablo
• Soudah Prieto, Eduardo
• Trubat Casal, Pau
• Turro Calvet, Mateu
• Ubach de Fuentes, Pere Andreu
• Vaunat, Jean
• Vazquez, Mariano
• Zarate Araiza, Jose Francisco