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. The most suitable prior learning to enter the doctoral programme in Optical Engineering will correspond to graduates with science and technology backgrounds who have taken the master's degree in Photonics, the master's degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences or a master’s degree related to the scientific area of the programme. In addition to this academic background, certain personal characteristics are considered important, such as interest in the research projects that are developed in the programme, critical and analytical capacity, taking initiative, perseverance and persistence in work, and the capacity to work in a team and communicate well in spoken and written form.

The main master’s degrees that provide direct access and do not require bridging courses are:

• master's degree in Photonics
• Erasmus Mundus doctoral degree in Photonics Engineering, Nanophotonics and Biophotonics
• master's degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences
• master's degree in Bioengineering
• master's degree in Biomedical Engineering
• European Master of Science in Research on Information and Communication Technologies

If students have a master’s degree in a science or technology area other than the above, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will check the subjects that have been taken in their previous studies and assess their relation with the area of optics to establish whether the student needs to take bridging courses.

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.

On completion, doctoral students should show that they have the following competences:
a) Have gained advanced knowledge in the frontier of knowledge and have demonstrated, in the context of internationally recognised science, in-depth understanding based on theoretical and practical aspects and on scientific methodology in one or more research areas.
b) Have made an original, significant contribution to scientific research in their field of knowledge and this contribution has been recognised as such by the international scientific community.
c) Have demonstrated that they can design a research project to carry out a critical analysis and assessment of ambiguous situations in which to apply their contributions, knowledge and work methodology to synthesise new, complex ideas that generate deeper knowledge of the research context in which they work.
d) Have developed sufficient independence to start, manage and lead teams and innovative research projects and national and international scientific collaborations within their subject area in multidisciplinary contexts and, when applicable, with a high component of knowledge transfer.
e) Have demonstrated that they can carry out their research activity with social responsibility and scientific integrity.
f) Have demonstrated within the specific scientific context that they can make advances in cultural, social or technological aspects, and promote innovation in all areas in a knowledge-based society.
g) Have proven that they can participate in scientific discussions that take place at international level in their knowledge area and disseminate the results of their research activity to all kinds of audiences.

Number of places

6

Duration of studies and dedication regime

Duration
The maximum period of study for full-time doctoral studies is three years, counted from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. 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 five years, counting from the date of admission to the programme to the date of submission of the doctoral thesis. For calculating these periods, the date of admission is considered to be the date of the first enrolment for tutorials, and the date of submission the moment in which the Doctoral School officially deposits the doctoral thesis.

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 minimum period of study requirement.

The calculation of periods of study will not include periods of absence due to illness, pregnancy or any other reason provided for in the regulations in force. Students who find themselves in any of these circumstances must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which, where appropriate, must inform the Doctoral School. Doctoral candidates may also temporarily withdraw from the programme for up to one year, and this period may be extended for an additional year. Doctoral candidates who wish to interrupt their studies must submit a justified request to the academic committee of the doctoral programme, which will decide whether or not to approve the request. Each programme will establish conditions for readmission to doctoral studies.

Extension
If full-time doctoral candidates have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, the academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year. In exceptional circumstances, a further one-year extension may be granted, subject to the conditions established by the corresponding doctoral programme. In the case of part-time doctoral candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

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 maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

Organization

• Quevedo Junyent, Lluïsa

• Aldaba Arevalo, Mikel
• Cojocaru, Crina
• Guisasola Valencia, Laura
• Millan Garcia Varela, Maria Sagrario
• Pujol Ramo, Jaume
• Quevedo Junyent, Lluïsa
• Rovira Gay, Cristina
• Royo Royo, Santiago
• Vega Lerin, Fidel
• Zaragoza Bertomeu, Jordi

• Department of Optics and Optometry (PROMOTORA)
• Department of Electronic Engineering
• Department of Optics and Optometry
• Department of Physics

(+34) 93 739 8359

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. The most suitable prior learning to enter the doctoral programme in Optical Engineering will correspond to graduates with science and technology backgrounds who have taken the master's degree in Photonics, the master's degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences or a master’s degree related to the scientific area of the programme. In addition to this academic background, certain personal characteristics are considered important, such as interest in the research projects that are developed in the programme, critical and analytical capacity, taking initiative, perseverance and persistence in work, and the capacity to work in a team and communicate well in spoken and written form.

The main master’s degrees that provide direct access and do not require bridging courses are:

• master's degree in Photonics
• Erasmus Mundus doctoral degree in Photonics Engineering, Nanophotonics and Biophotonics
• master's degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences
• master's degree in Bioengineering
• master's degree in Biomedical Engineering
• European Master of Science in Research on Information and Communication Technologies

If students have a master’s degree in a science or technology area other than the above, the academic committee of the doctoral programme will check the subjects that have been taken in their previous studies and assess their relation with the area of optics to establish whether the student needs to take bridging courses.

Access requirements

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)

In addition, the following may apply:

• Holders of an official degree awarded by a university in Spain or any other country in the European Higher Education Area, pursuant to the provisions of Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, which establishes official university course regulations, who have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits on official university degrees, of which at least 60 must be at the master's degree level.
• Holders of an official Spanish bachelor’s degree comprising at least 300 credits, as provided for by EU regulations. Holder of degrees of this kind must complete bridging courses unless the curriculum of the bachelor’s degree in question included research training credits equivalent in value to those which would be earned on a master's degree.
• Holders of an official university qualification who, having passed the entrance examination for specialised medical training, have completed at least two years of a training course leading to an official degree in a health-sciences specialisation.
• Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologation is not required, but the UPC must verify that the degree certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master's degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
• Holders of a Spanish doctoral qualification issued under previous university regulations.

Note 1: Doctoral studies entrance regulations for holders of an undergraduate degree awarded before the introduction of the EHEA (CG 47/02 2014)

Note 2: Governing Council Decision 64/2014, which approves the procedure and criteria for assessing the fulfilment of academic admission requirements for doctoral studies by holders of non-homologated foreign degrees (CG 25/03 2014)

Admission criteria and merits assessment

The academic committee of the doctoral programme in Optical Engineering will apply the following selection and weighting criteria. At all times it will respect the principles of merit and equal opportunities:

• Academic record (weighting: 55%).
• Contact through interviews (personal, telephone, internet, etc.) (weighting: 10%).
• Motivation (weighting: 15%).
• Language knowledge (weighting: 10%).
• Research experience (weighting: 5%).
• Related completed postgraduate programmes (weighting: 5 %).
Personal contact is made through an interview in which the applicant’s attitude, interest in the subject, ability to work in a team and spoken communication skills are assessed, among other factors. As many applicants are living in other countries when they apply for admission to the programme, interviews can be carried out from a distance using the new tools provided by the internet.

Motivation will be assessed in a written report in which students should describe their personal, professional and academic reasons for requesting admission to the programme. This report should be attached on the admissions intranet system.

In the section on language knowledge, merit will be given for languages that are of interest to the programme such as English, Spanish and Catalan.

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In this case, it will monitor the bridging courses that are taken and establish suitable criteria to limit their duration.

The bridging courses will be on research training, but doctoral students will never be asked to enrol for a number equal to or above 60 ECTS. The academic regulations of doctoral studies state that bridging courses may also be cross-disciplinary. However, this point is likely to be amended so that bridging courses are only associated with research credits, particularly when an applicant enters the doctoral programme with a bachelor’s degree worth 300 ECTS.

Considering the doctoral student activity report (DAD), the academic committee of the programme could propose additional measures to those established in the regulations that lead to the withdrawal of doctoral students who do not meet the established criteria.

The university master’s degrees that provide direct access to the programme without the need for bridging courses are:

• master's degree in Photonics
• Erasmus Mundus doctoral degree in Photonics Engineering, Nanophotonics and Biophotonics
• master's degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences.
• master's degree in Bioengineering
• master's degree in Biomedical Engineering
• European Master of Science in Research on Information and Communication Technologies

Students who hold a master’s degree in science and technology subjects other than the above, such as:
- master’s degree in the areas of industrial engineering, computer engineering or equivalent
- master’s degrees in the areas of physical sciences, biomedicine or equivalents

The academic committee of the doctoral programme will analyse the subjects that applicants have passed in their previous bachelor’s degree and master’s degree studies and assess their relation with the area of optics, so that they can determine whether they need to take bridging courses. If students have to take bridging courses, the research line and research group in which they will prepare the doctoral thesis will be considered, according to the procedure explained in Section 3.2. Bridging courses can be taken during the first year.

Bridging courses are selected mainly from the master’s degree in Photonics, directly linked to the programme.

Below, the subjects from this master’s degree are listed that are most suitable for bridging courses in the doctoral programme in Optical Engineering:
• Laser Systems and Applications: 3 ECTS
• Building Optomechanical Systems: 3 ECTS
• Managing Light with Devices: 3 ECTS
• Measuring with Light: 3 ECTS
• Nonlinear Optics: 3 ECTS
• Visual Biophotonics and Multispectral Imaging: 3 ECTS
• Image Processing in Biophotonics: 3 ECTS

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

From the end of September to mid-October.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

From the end of September to mid-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: Mobility.
- Hours: 480.
- Type: optional.

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 academic committee of the programme may authorise an extension of up to one year for full-time doctoral candidates who have not applied to deposit their thesis by the end of the three-year period of study, in the terms outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In the case of part-time candidates, an extension of two years may be authorised. In both cases, in exceptional circumstances a further one-year extension may be granted by the Doctoral School's Standing Committee, upon the submission of a reasoned application by the academic committee of 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 maximum period of study and of extensions thereof ending.
• The doctoral candidate not having enrolled every academic year (unless he or she has been authorised to temporarily withdraw).
• The doctoral candidate failing two consecutive assessments.
• The doctoral candidate having disciplinary proceedings filed against him or her that rule that he or she must be dismissed from the UPC.

Dismissal from the programme implies that doctoral candidates cannot continue studying at the UPC and the closing of their academic record. This notwithstanding, they may apply to the academic committee of the programme for readmission and the committee must reevaluate them in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations.

International Mention

The doctoral degree certificate may include International Doctorate mention. In this case, the doctoral candidate must meet the following requirements:

a) During the period of study leading to the award of the doctoral degree, the doctoral candidate must have spent at least three months at a respected higher education institution or research centre outside Spain to complete courses or do research work. The stays and activities carried out must be endorsed by the thesis supervisor and authorised by the academic committee of the programme. The candidate must provide a certifying document issued by the person responsible for the research group of the body or bodies where the stay or activity was completed. This information will be added to the doctoral student’s activity report.
b) Part of the thesis (at least the summary and conclusions) must be written and presented in one of the languages commonly used for science communication in the relevant field of knowledge, which must not be an official language of Spain. This rule does not apply to stays and reports in Spanish or to experts from Spanish-speaking countries.
c) At least two PhD-holding experts belonging to a higher education institution or research centre outside Spain must have issued officially certified reports on the thesis.
d) The thesis examination committee must have included at least one PhD-holding expert from a higher education or research institution outside Spain who was not responsible for the candidate’s stay abroad (point a) above).
e) The thesis defence must have taken place on UPC premises or, in the case of joint programmes, at the location specified in the collaboration agreement.

List of authorized thesis for defense

Last update: 20/05/2022 04:45:19.

List of lodged theses

Last update: 20/05/2022 04:30:19.

List of defended theses by year

• SÁNCHEZ HERRERO, EULALIA: Diseño e implementación de un laboratorio destinado a la validación clinica de ayudas para la percepción y movilidad en pacientes con limitación de campo periférico
  
  Author: SÁNCHEZ HERRERO, EULALIA
  Thesis link: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/673582
  Programme: DOCTORAL DEGREE IN OPTICAL ENGINEERING
  Department: Department of Optics and Optometry (OO)
  Mode: Confidentiality
  Reading date: 21/01/2022
  Thesis director: CADEVALL ARTIGUES, CRISTINA | GISPETS PARCERISAS, JOAN
  

  Committee:
       PRESIDENT: HERNÁNDEZ VERDEJO, JOSÉ LUIS
       SECRETARI: CARDONA TORRADEFLOT, GENIS
       VOCAL: BIARNÉS PÉREZ, MARCOS
  Thesis abstract: People with peripheral visual field loss perceive limited information about the environment and present severe problems in achieving successful orientation and mobility. In recent years, virtual and augmented reality systems have been incorporated with the aim of taking advantage of the performance of new technologies to improve people's quality of life, and the need to design and propose an evaluation system to assess them has arisen.The aim of this work is to design and build a laboratory (MoviLab) that allows the systematic and objective analysis of visual skills, as well as the effect of interventions aimed at improving mobility skills in patients suffering visual impairment with peripheral field defect.To this end, two areas of work have been identified. On the one hand, the creation of a visual skills assessment system and, on the other, a mobility assessment system.To assess the visual skills, a computer system has been designed and implemented (Movilab software and auxiliary devices), which allows adapting the tests to the patient's visual capacity and facilitates the recording of the results. This computer system makes it possible to include in clinical practice aspects that are generally under-evaluated in this patient profile, such as glare, visual search and certain areas of visual perception. For the evaluation of mobility, a physical space has been designed and implemented, equipped with a video recording system and control of lighting conditions, where safe itineraries in which obstacles are placed, without danger, and which represent the real problem can be carried out. The laboratory makes it possible to detect variations in the walking speed of patients if the lighting or obstacles are modified.The main result of this thesis is the MoviLab laboratory as a whole, which is now a UPC asset included in the catalogue of external scientific-technical services, in the Healthtech area. MoviLab will allow the promotion of R&D in the field of systematic and objective analysis of visual skills, as well as the effect of interventions aimed at improving mobility skills in patients suffering visual impairment.Normality reference values have been obtained for the new assessment tests. These values allow the comparison of results with those of special populations.A model report has been created which includes the parameters of visual impairment mentioned in the BOE. This report has been very well accepted by patients and professionals such as the ophthalmologists who treat them.A validation study of the laboratory and mobility itineraries has been carried out on a sample of healthy observers, whose visual field is reduced with simulation glasses, and on a sample of patients with peripheral field defect. The results have confirmed its sensitivity to detect variations in walking speed and it is therefore considered validated to evaluate mobility aids.The effect of two mobility aids aimed at improving mobility skills in patients suffering peripheral field defect has been analyzed and the importance of carrying out this type of study in two phases, the pre-clinical phase and the clinical phase, has been demonstrated. The following protocols have been proposed:- Visual skills assessment protocol for patients suffering visual impairment with peripheral field defect.- Mobility assessment protocol.Keywords: low vision, peripheral visual defect, visual skills, visual search, glare, visual perception, mobility assessment, mobility aids and obstacle detection.
  

Last update: 19/05/2022 05:01:04.

Research groups

• CD6-Centre for Sensors, Instruments and Systems Development
• DONLL-Nonlinear dynamics, nonlinear optics and lasers
• GOAPI-Applied Optics and Image Processing Group
• TIEG-Terrassa Industrial Electronics Group
• VOS-Vision, Optometry and Health

Teachers

• Aldaba Arevalo, Mikel
• Argiles Sans, Marc
• Armengol Cebrian, Jesus
• Burgos Fernandez, Francisco Javier
• Cardona Torradeflot, Genis
• Cojocaru, Crina
• Diaz Douton, Fernando
• Gispets Parcerisas, Joan
• Guisasola Valencia, Laura
• Lupon Bas, Nuria
• Masoller, Cristina
• Millan Garcia Varela, Maria Sagrario
• Ondategui Parra, Juan Carlos
• Perez Cabre, Elisabet
• Pujol Ramo, Jaume
• Quevedo Junyent, Lluïsa
• Royo Royo, Santiago
• Torrents Gomez, Aurora
• Vega Lerin, Fidel
• Vilaseca Ricart, Meritxell
• Zaragoza Bertomeu, Jordi