PhD in Education

Why do this PhD?

Why should I do this PhD?

The PhD in Education allows you to do research in any of the areas offered: science education and environmental education; mathematics education; multilingual-pluricultural education and teaching of foreign languages; teaching of language and literature; training in historical and geographical thinking; and education for citizenship; music and visual education; education through the body and the arts; education and work; organisation, management and change in educational institutions; socio-educational intervention; educational theory and educational policy.

This programme consolidates the diversity of approaches and the balance between basic and applied research. It fosters a rigorous and critical intellectual atmosphere which is a necessary condition for the quality of doctoral research. The programme is accredited by the Agency for Quality Assurance in the Catalan University System (AQU).

The PhD in Education involves the five departments of the Faculty of Education and is the third largest programme in terms of number of students at the UAB. As a doctoral student you will find a working environment that fosters synergies and collaborations between different areas of educational research.

The position of the UAB in prestigious international rankings promotes the attraction of talent. This programme welcomes students from all over the world who produce high-impact theses and publications.

Professional opportunities

This PhD programme provides the following principal career options.

• Innovation and research in the teaching profession, within the different areas of the curriculum.
• Innovation and research in the teaching profession, within the different specialisations of non-formal education.
• Advisory services to education authorities.
• Advisory services to educational centres.
• Publishing consultancy and administration, and materials development.
• Planning and management of institutions in the field of non-formal education.
• Planning and management of document repositories and resource banks in research centres.
• Collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in education.
• Training of high-level professionals.
• University teaching.

Coordinator

Dr. Albert Casals Ibáñez

Composition of the academic tribunal for the PhD programme

The academic commission of the PhD in education is constituted by the coordinator of the programme and the representatives of the fields and lines of research of the different departments involved: 

• Dr. Albert Casals Ibáñez
• Dr. Lluís Albarracín Gordo
• Dra. Emilee Moore de Luca
• Dr. Gustavo González Valencia
• Dra. Gemma París Romia
• Dr. Pedro Jurado de los Santos
• Dra. Carme Armengol Asparó
• Dra. Pilar Pineda Herrero

Administration

Unitat Integrada de Suport Administratiu Departamental (UISAD) de Ciències de l’Educació
Plaça del Coneixement, s/n - Edifici G-6, despatx G6/216
Campus de la UAB · 08193 Bellaterra
(Cerdanyola del Vallès) · Barcelona · Spain
Phone +34 93 581 2498
uisad.c.educacio.doctorat@uab.cat

Thesis supervisor/s and academic tutor/s

Thesis supervision and thesis tutoring

Description of the research lines

MATHEMATICS AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE DIDACTICS AREA (Lines 1 and 2)
 
Line 1 (1619): Scientific education and environmental education: teaching-learning design, contexts, modeling, teacher training and professional development

Coordination: Dr. Lluís Albarracín Gordo

This line of research on science education and environmental education focuses on the one hand on curricular development through research models oriented towards change, such as design-based research in participatory environments, and on the other on curricular environmentalisation. The aim is to orientate teaching science and environmental education as a competence-based activity for both students and teachers. On the other hand, the research focuses on the analysis and development of scientific practice in contexts inside and outside the classroom, with a particular emphasis on modelling, inquiry and argumentation in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and geology in pre-school, primary and secondary education. The research also focuses on the analysis and development of different types of contexts (epistemological, cultural, language-based, environmental, etc.) that encourage science learning through the promotion of student participation in scientific practices based on the values of global justice.

Line 2 (1155): Mathematics education: teaching and learning design, contexts, discourse, argumentation, teacher training and professional development

Coordination: Dr. Lluís Albarracín Gordo

This programme's line of research on mathematics education covers, connects with and contributes to different fields of study. Particularly noteworthy are activities involving the design, implementation and evaluation of mathematics teaching and learning environments in the classroom; the analysis of mathematics teacher training and professional development processes; and understanding aspects of the context, discourse and argumentation in schools, and in training and/or professional situations.     

LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND SOCIAL SCIENCE DIDACTICS AREA (Lines 3, 4 and 5)

Line 3 (1156): Multilingual and intercultural education

Coordination: Dr. Emilee Sarah Moore de Luca

Content and Language Integrated Learning in second and foreign languages (CLIL). Language awareness and language teaching. Teaching through tasks. Ways to welcome immigrant students. Interaction, conversation analysis and language learning. Languages, sociocultural diversity and teaching. New technologies and language learning. Plurilingualism and language contact.

Line 4 (1154): Teaching literature for children and young people, metalinguistic reflection and teaching written composition

Coordination: Dr. Emilee Sarah Moore de Luca

The analysis of literary works aimed at children and young people in relation to the learning they offer the reader and in relation to educational values in post-industrial societies. Literary learning at school through work projects. The use of children's books in the welcome stage for newly arrived children. Metafictional learning in the acquisition of literary competence. Teaching and learning written composition. Language assessment. Teaching and learning grammar. Reading habits and school reading programmes.
 
Line 5 (1158): Formation of social, historical and geographical thinking and citizenship education

Coordination: Dr. Gustavo González Valencia

Heritage education. Citizenship education, economic, political, legal and justice-related education. Education for global citizenship. Geographical thinking, spatial awareness and sustainability that are invisible when teaching social sciences. The gender perspective in social studies. Social representations and learning social concepts. Narration and argumentation related to social problems. Working with current social issues or controversial topics. Education in human rights and global social justice. Analysis of educational practice and teacher training in social sciences, geography, history and citizenship education.

ARTISTIC AND BODY EDUCATION AREA (Lines 6 and 7)
 
Line 6 (1620): Research in music and voice education

Coordination: Dr. Gemma París Romia

The teaching and learning of music: contexts, fields, realities, and practice. Music teachers: professional reality, and individual and musical training. Musical auditory education, music education and social interaction. Music teaching and learning in different contexts and at different stages (pre-school, primary, specialised education, etc.). Music and interdisciplinarity. Contemporary modern and world music. The voice and the communicative effectiveness of voice professionals. Corporeal education applied to the instrumental technique of musicians. Musical language and aural education in conservatories and music schools. Evaluation of music programmes.

Line 7 (1621): Research in performative arts education, psychomotor education and didactics of physical education

Coordination: Dr. Gemma París Romia

Attitudes and values in physical education and sport. Assessment in physical education. The body, psychomotor development, psychomotor education in schools. Assessment of competences, training and the professional development of teachers and psychomotor therapists. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary projects in the arts. Experimentation in the curriculum: arts, identity and diversity. Gender and visual education. Visual research methodologies in education and migration. The gender perspective in the arts and in education research.

APPLIED PEDAGOGY AREA (Lines 8 and 9)

Line 8 (1665): Organization, management and transformation of educational institutions

Coordination: Dr. Carme Armengol Asparó

This line of research focuses on the organisational procedures that accompany the processes of change, innovation, institutional improvement and their links with personal, social, community and technological development. It addresses organisational issues such as leadership, management, links with the environment and the evaluation of improvements in the framework of inclusive, safe, healthy and sustainable organisations. It also focuses on the study of the university as an educational organisation, dealing with topics such as: university management, governance and leadership from a gender perspective, university teacher training, evaluation of the impact and transfer of teacher training, evaluation and self-evaluation of teaching practice, research in university teaching, and the internationalisation of higher education.

Line 9 (1157): Education and work: Training of professional trainers, programme evaluation, innovation in teaching, social and occupational integration, personal guidance and development, inclusive schooling

Coordination: Dr. Pedro Jurado de los Santos

This line of research focuses on educational-training processes related to the field of work, social and community intervention, attention to diversity, guidance, inclusion and integration, taking contextual and personal variables into account and operating using processes of innovation. It also incorporates new technologies and the training and development of professionals operating in this complex and diverse context.
 

THEORIES OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL PEDAGOGY AREA (Lines 10 and 11)

Line 10 (1161): Educational theory, education policy and educational systems

Coordination: Dr. Pilar Pineda Herrero

Analysis of educational policies. Evaluation of educational systems. Competences and curriculum at the different educational stages.
Intersections between gender, sexuality, social class, age and origin. Educational dimensions of childhood and youth.
Philosophy and anthropology of education. Epistemological, ethical and aesthetic aspects of the educational relationship: ethical dimensions of the educational profession. Intercultural education.
 
Line 11 (1159): Socio-educational intervention, training and evaluation

Coordination: Dr. Pilar Pineda Herrero

The protection of children and young people. Community action and empowerment processes. Education and gender: educational, language, anthropological and digital policies.
Social capital and education. Participatory evaluation. Parenting and education. Lifelong learning. Training and work. Assessment of lifelong learning.

Admission application

For this PhD programme, you must indicate in the computer application the research line under which you would like to write your thesis. The academic tutor and the thesis supervisor will be assigned by the Academic Committee for the PhD Programme, and may or may not coincide with the proposal for tutor and supervisor made by the student in the computer application.

This PhD programme has, for the 2025-2026 academic year, the following pre-registration periods:

• From 24 March to 21 May
  • Final RESOLUTION deadline for the School for Doctoral Studies: 27  June

  • During the period from 12 to 21 April there will be no administrative support available, since the university will be closed for the holidays

• From 20June to 21 July
  • Final RESOLUTION deadline for the School for Doctoral Studies: 5 November
• From 1 September to 10 September
  • Final RESOLUTION deadline for the School for Doctoral Studies: 5 November

Documentation necessary for admission

This documentation must be delivered in Catalan, Spanish or English.

Admissions before the established period and pre-admissions

The Doctoral School, following the indications of the coordination of the PhD programme, can issue before the start of the term of admission of an academic course, or before the end of the term of resolution, letters of admission so that you can request a scholarship or to do the visa procedures in your country. It is only necessary that you enter your application in the computer application and that you indicate it in the Observations field, where you must indicate that you need a letter of admission and the scholarship to which you are opting. If the computer application is closed, you can contact the coordination of the programme.

If you need a preadmission, the coordination of the programme can issue it if it considers it appropriate. You must contact the coordination of the programme to inform you of the procedure.

On the International Support Service website you can see more information about future foreign students related to residencies in Catalonia, legal procedures and the UAB campus.

Monitoring your application

You can monitor your application using the same page as you made it. Below are the explanations of the different stages:

• Application made by student: your pre-registration has been saved.
• Incomplete application: there are documents missing from the application.
• Validated by the administrative office: the application and attached documents have been checked.
• Admitted: the coordinator has considered the pre-registration and proposed an offer or admission.
• Offer of admission: the Doctoral School has considered the proposals for admission made by the coordinator and has made a definitive offer. The PhD student will also receive an e-mail informing them of this decision. The PhD student must wait to register.
• Waiting list: the coordinator has considered the pre-registration and has agreed on admission but there are no places on the PhD course.
• Application rejected: the coordinator or the Doctoral School have considered the application but do not agree to admission as not all the requirements have been fulfilled.

If you need it, here you will find a complementary information document on PhD studies.

Requirements and selection criteria

General access requirements

Selection criteria

Should the number of applicants be higher than that of places on offer, these will be allocated according to the following criteria.

• Academic record and affinity of previous studies with the subject areas of this programme (50%).
• Professional experience in the educational field (15%).
• Research experience (participation in conferences, publications, research projects) (15%)
• Research grants obtained (10%)
• Knowledge of languages (10%).

Applicants may be called to a personal interview.

Training supplements

In line with the Regulatory Text of the UAB Doctorate and the Internal Regulations of the Doctoral School, the Doctoral Academic Committee may establish specific training complements, depending on the student's previous training. In this sense, for those students who, having presented 300 ECTS credits, do not have the Master's Degree in Education Research (60 credits) included among them and, in addition, in their file it is verified that it does not include research and/or specialty credits, they must  study during the first year between 15 and 30 credits of complementary training, to alleviate the deficiencies of their academic record.

The Doctorate in Education program provides that the complementary training credits be carried out within the Master's Degree in Research in Education, through the Research Methodology Modules in Education (up to 15 credits) or the Research Modules. Specialty (up to 18 credits) or the Initiation to Research and Final Master's Work (15 credits), depending on the need detected.

In the specific case of students who subscribe to the line of Research in Music and Voice Education, they will also be able to take additional training credits in the Master's Degree in Research in Musicology, Music Education, and Early Music Interpretation, with the same requirements of number of credits and type described for the rest of the students.

Registration and fees

Calendar and Registration documents

After the registration

Training activities

Transversal training activities

Mandatory and optional specific activities

For this PhD programme the following training activities are scheduled.

Mandatory activities:

• Attendance at seminars or lectures given by specialists in the area of knowledge
  To deposit the thesis students must have attended six seminars or talks, lasting a minimum of 5 hours each of them, throughout their doctoral studies. Each academic year the content and dates of the seminars is approved by the academic committee of the PhD programme and it is then published on the calendar of activities. The student can also attend cross-cutting training sessions organised by the School for Doctoral Studies, UAB Libraries or other organisations, which can be validated as seminars. Students must include the certificate of attendance at the seminar in the documents of their Sigm@ file.

• Presentation at a national or international conference
  To be able to deposit the thesis students must have presented two papers at national or international conferences either as an oral presentations or a poster.
  Students must include the certificate of presentation or communication issued by the conference organisers in the activities document of their Sigm@ file.

• Publication or acceptance of a research paper, book or chapter
  The production of research articles is considered a significant training activity in this doctoral studies programme. Before completing the thesis students must have published an article related to their research in an indexed journal, or have had it accepted for publication in the journal.
  Students must include a copy of the article published or the letter of acceptance from the journal in their Sigm@ file.

Optional activities:

• Attendance on working doctoral groups
  Students may attend research group sessions with the permission of the head of the group. The latter will issue a certificate of attendance.

• Research stays in public or private centres, at home or abroad
  Students should spend at least three months at a research centre or university abroad during the programme. This is a condition for obtaining the International Doctoral Research Component.
  Mobility: mobility grants from different bodies.

Check the offer and schedule of training activities of the programme.

Typologies and Research Ethics

Internationalization

Foreign residencies

PhD thesis under joint international supervision

International Doctoral Research Component

Evaluation and annual review

Regarding the annual monitoring of this Ph.D programme, see detailed information about the annual review and request for extension.

Thesis deposit

If you want to deposit the doctoral thesis in this PhD programme, remember that you must confirm the complete application (DI status) 2 and a half months before the maximum thesis completion date that appears in your academic file.

Look out! If you want to deposit before the end of this academic year and ensure that you do not have to pay the fees for the next year, you must start the deposit process well in advance so that your deposit request is confirmed before June 19, 2025.

At the time of making your online deposit, you must attach these documents to your application, in the section "Attach documentation":
 

All PhD students

• Examining board proposal (the signature is not necessary) (attached documents section)
• Turnitin report (attached documents section)
• Affidavit (attached documents section)
• Accredited Research Experience for each of the external assessors (in case of international component  they must be from international institutions) (attached documents section)

Compendium of publications: Mandatory documentation if requested

• Compendium: Resolution of acceptance by the CAPD (thesis data section)

Writing a thesis in a language other than Catalan, Spanish and English: Mandatory documentation if requested (it must be requested during the first year of the Doctorate)

• Favorable resolution of the CAPD if the thesis is written in a language different of Catalan, Spanish or English (attached documents section)

Exemption from the two months prior to the thesis completion date: Mandatory documentation if requested

• Authorization from the Doctoral School regarding the exemption from the two months prior to the thesis completion date

Information related to the thesis

Theses defended

Theses defended in the PhD programme in Education: List and impact.

Internal Quality Assurance System of the centers

Verification

Evaluation process previous to the implementation of the degree: presentation of a proposal for a new PhD programme for AQU-Catalunya (Agency for the Quality of the University System of Catalonia) to issue the binding evaluation for the Council of Universities (Ministry of Universities), which is the responsible agent for verification.

• Report on the PhD programme
• Resolution on verification by the Spanish Universities Council
• Registry of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT)

Monitoring

Periodic monitoring process of the development and results of the PhD programme: self-evaluation carried out, every 3 years, by themselves.

• Monitoring report on the programme

Accreditation

Degree implementation renewal process: presentation, every 6 years from the implementation of the programme, of a self-report so that AQU-Catalunya issues the binding evaluation for the Council of Universities, which is the body responsible for accreditation.

• Accreditation self-report
• Accreditation report
• Resolution of accreditation of the Council of Universities
• Register of Universities, centers and degrees (RUCT)

AQU VSMA Framework

Internal Quality Assurance System of the faculty

Set of processes to manage and monitor the different aspects of degrees, with the strategic objective of ensuring continuous improvement

• Internal Quality Assurance System
• Tutoring Action Plan (PAT)
• Standing Committee

Opina UAB

A channel for suggestions, complaints and praise regarding the functioning of the UAB

PhD data

• Satisfaction surveys of Doctors
• Satisfaction surveys of thesis supervisors
• Check here the results of the doctor's job placement survey
• The PhD figures

Recognition and awards

Consult the criteria for the allocation of Special Prize Awards

In this link you will find the doctors who have obtained the Special Prize Award in this PhD programme.

You can also consult it in this document.