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.

In general, the programme is directed at those who are interested and who, in addition to meeting the standard credit requirements, are prepared and have interest in carrying out research with assistance from the professors in the programme. Thus, preference will be given to applicants that have previously completed a master’s programme in a related subject matter and are interested in the lines of research considered in the programme, and who are mature, able to express themselves clearly and have research experience.

Specific admission requirements
To give more detail, applicants’ academic backgrounds must meet the following requirements:
Candidates must have completed undergraduate and master’s studies in architecture, geography, history, history of art or the humanities (or less similar fields such as archaeology, journalism, tourism, etc.) and must be interested in carrying out doctoral-level research in an area related to the theory and history of architecture, art and cities. Compliance with these requirements will be assessed by weighting the measures that follow:
• The appropriateness of applicants’ undergraduate and master’s background in terms of contents and performance.
• Level of maturity, measured via candidates’ explanations of their academic backgrounds, research interests and motivations.
• Previous research experience via collaborations and publications in which the candidate has participated.
• Similarity of the proposal with programme research groups’ and professors’ lines of work.
It is important that applicants’ academic intentions and interests line up with the areas and lines of research that are followed by professors in this doctoral programme.
You can find information about said master’s programme at the following link: https://www.upc.edu/es/masteres/estudios-avanzados-en-arquitectura-barcelona-mbarch.

The following requirements have also been established:

• Applicants must have command of Spanish and English; knowledge of other languages will be considered positively, as it allows access to a wide range of bibliographic resources.
• In order to define what bridging courses will be necessary for students to be admitted to the programme, the applicant’s background and research experience will be considered.

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.

Finally, with respect to competencies, doctoral students must:
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, 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;
g) 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.

Number of places

8

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

• Carabi Bescos, Guillem

• Azara Nicolas, Pedro
• Pizza de Nanno, Antonio
• Ramon Graells, Antoni
• Rossello Nicolau, Maribel

• Department of History and Theory of Architecture and Communication Techniques (PROMOTORA)

Agreements with other institutions

On the international level, the programme has collaborated consistently over the last ten years, with professors from various doctoral programmes at the following institutions: Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, the Department of Architecture at the University of Ferrara, Università di Roma La Sapienza, the University of Bologna, Università di Venezia (IUAV), the University of Trieste, the University of L’Aquila, Instituto Superior Técnico, UTL Lisboa, the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Porto, École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture Paris-Malaquais, HafenCity Universität Hamburg, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Professors from various Latin-American universities also participate in the programme, including: Universidad del Litoral (Santa Fe, Argentina), Mackenzie Presbyterian University (São Paulo, Brazil), Universidad Federal de Bahia (Salvador de Bahia, Brazil), Universidad de Palermo (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Universidad Nacional de la Plata, UNC (Córdoba, Argentina), the Faculty of Architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, etc.

Because of the lines of research associated with the programme, we have kept a close relationship with various institutions, such as the Historical Archives at the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC), the Barcelona History Museum (MUHBA), the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB), Arts Santa Mònica and the Queen Sofia National Art Museum in Madrid. As per the stipulations in the new Decree, agreements have been set up with these institutions to incorporate them as external partners of the programme. The top two institutions, due to their regular collaboration with programme and because they have similar strategic research missions, are the Historical Archives at the COAC and the MUHBA.

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.

In general, the programme is directed at those who are interested and who, in addition to meeting the standard credit requirements, are prepared and have interest in carrying out research with assistance from the professors in the programme. Thus, preference will be given to applicants that have previously completed a master’s programme in a related subject matter and are interested in the lines of research considered in the programme, and who are mature, able to express themselves clearly and have research experience.

Specific admission requirements
To give more detail, applicants’ academic backgrounds must meet the following requirements:
Candidates must have completed undergraduate and master’s studies in architecture, geography, history, history of art or the humanities (or less similar fields such as archaeology, journalism, tourism, etc.) and must be interested in carrying out doctoral-level research in an area related to the theory and history of architecture, art and cities. Compliance with these requirements will be assessed by weighting the measures that follow:
• The appropriateness of applicants’ undergraduate and master’s background in terms of contents and performance.
• Level of maturity, measured via candidates’ explanations of their academic backgrounds, research interests and motivations.
• Previous research experience via collaborations and publications in which the candidate has participated.
• Similarity of the proposal with programme research groups’ and professors’ lines of work.
It is important that applicants’ academic intentions and interests line up with the areas and lines of research that are followed by professors in this doctoral programme.
You can find information about said master’s programme at the following link: https://www.upc.edu/es/masteres/estudios-avanzados-en-arquitectura-barcelona-mbarch.

The following requirements have also been established:

• Applicants must have command of Spanish and English; knowledge of other languages will be considered positively, as it allows access to a wide range of bibliographic resources.
• In order to define what bridging courses will be necessary for students to be admitted to the programme, the applicant’s background and research experience will be considered.

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

Candidates must have a high level of knowledge to be admitted to the programme and to successfully complete the required research for their theses on time.
• Academic transcript (weighting: 15%).
• Personal contact via e-mail and telephone interviews (weighting: 30%).
• Motivation letter (weighting: 30%).
• Knowledge of languages (weighting: 15%). Value that could be changed depending on the kind of research that the applicant wishes to carry out.
• Research experience (weighting: 10%).

Training complements

The academic committee for the programme may require that doctoral students pass specific bridging courses. In this case, the Committee will monitor the bridging courses and set up appropriate criteria to limit their length.

The courses shall involve training in research, but in no case will candidates be required to enrol in 60 or more ECTS credits.

Upon admission, the Academic Committee will assign a supervisor to each new candidate, and for those who did not take the master’s programme in Theory and History of Architecture or the MBArch master’s programme in Advanced Architecture Studies-Barcelona specialisation in Theory, History and Culture, bridging courses will be assigned from these programmes.

The number and type of subjects ideal for complementing applicants’ training will depend on their academic backgrounds and the expectations expressed in their motivation letters.

Enrolment period for new doctoral students

First enrolment will take place after the admission decision, if it is issued after the general enrolment period.

More information at the registration section for new doctoral students

Enrolment period

Enrolment, generally, takes place during the month of October.

More information at the general registration section

Formation activities

Activity: Tutorial.
Hours: 288.
Compulsory.

Activity: Publications.
Hours: 200.
To be completed during the stage of drafting the thesis.
Optional.

Activity: Participation in research projects associated with the doctoral programme.
Hours: 120.
Dedication will depend on the similarity between research topics, but as a guide, will require a minimum of 10 hours per week during at least three months.
Optional.

Activity: Mobility.
Hours: 480.
Optional.

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

Activity: Training in information skills.
Hours: 1.5.
Compulsory.

Activity: Research methodology.
Hours: 12.
Optional.

Activity: Innovation and creativity.
Hours: 8.
Optional.

Activity: Language and communication skills.
Hours: 18.
Optional.

Activity: Courses and seminars.
Hours: 50.
To be completed at the beginning of training.
Optional.

Activity: Workshops.
Hours: 15.
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 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

NO RESULTS: there are no theses in this list.

Last update: 09/12/2025 05:46:24.

List of lodged theses

NO RESULTS: there are no theses in this list.

Last update: 09/12/2025 05:31:27.

List of defended theses by year

Select a year: 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025

Last update: 09/12/2025 06:02:32.

Research groups

UPC groups:

• ACC-Architecture, City and Culture
• LoG-Transnational Modern Art and Architecture Networks: Local-Global

Teachers

Doctoral Programme teachers

• Azara Nicolas, Pedro
• Bitrian Varea, Carlos
• Carabi Bescos, Guillem
• Garcia Estevez, Carolina Beatriz
• Garnica Gonzalez-Barcena, Julio Fidel
• Giner Olcina, Josep
• Graus Rovira, Ramon
• Hernandez Falagan, David
• Llorente Diaz, Marta
• Marin Vega, Celia
• Martin Nieva, Helena
• Navas Ferrer, Teresa
• Oyon Bañales, Jose Luis
• Pizza de Nanno, Antonio
• Rodriguez Pedret, Carmen
• Rossello Nicolau, Maribel
• Scarnato, Alessandro
• Serra Permanyer, Marta

Other teachers linked to the Doctoral Programme

• Arribas Sanchez, Cristina
• Golda-pongratz, Kathrin
• Granell Trias, Enrique
• Montaner Martorell, Jose M.
• Muxi Martinez, Zaida
• Ramon Graells, Antoni
• Rovira Gimeno, Jose Maria
• Usandizaga Calparsoro, Miguel