PhD in Psychology of Communication and Change

Why do this PhD?

This pioneering PhD is dedicated to researching the challenges involved in communication, learning and change from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives.

You will receive the multidisciplinary training required to conduct research into communication, learning and change, alongside researchers from a range of disciplines (Psychology, Educational Sciences, Speech Therapy) and based on the experience of two leading universities, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Barcelona (UB). 

We offer methodological tools and specialised supervision in fields such as education, psychological development, health, clinical psychology, communication and language disorders, and organisational psychology, among other related subjects.

We are dedicated to carrying out research as part of a dynamic and very active interuniversity and interdisciplinary community, which is geared towards participation in prestigious scientific publications and relevant conferences.

Professional opportunities

This PhD programme provides the following principal career options:

• University teaching and research.
• Teaching in schools.
• Healthcare.
• Social services.
• Financial, political, religious or non-governmental organisations.
• Organisations engaged in creativity, human resources or entrepreneurship.
• Conflict resolution.
• Programme assessment.
• Legal psychology.
• Social networks.
• Physical activity and sport.

Coordinator

J. Reinaldo Martínez Fernández (UAB)

Composition of the academic tribunal for the PhD programme

The academic committee of the PhD will consist of:

• The two coordinators of the doctoral program of the two universities (UAB and UB)
• A professor of the participating departments in the program, rotating between the participating universities every three years.

Regarding the academic committee of the UAB:

• The academic commission consists of the coordinator of the doctoral program and, at least, three doctors. It is chaired by the program coordinator and has a secretary or academic secretary, who appoints the same committee among its members.

Administration

UISAD of the Department of Basic, Developmental and Educational Psychology B5 Building, 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès)Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Opening hours:

• Morning: from 9:30 am to 13:30 pm.

Tel: +34 93 581 2758 Mail: postgrau.psic.basica@uab.cat

Contact: Carlos Marina

Thesis supervisor/s and academic tutor/s

External Tutors

Observational Studies and Evaluation of Programmes in Communication and Change

Academic Tutor - Thesis Supervisor	Departament	University	Category	ORCID
Chacon Moscoso, Salvador	Experimental Psychology	U. SEVILLA	University professor/full professor contract	0000-0002-6401-7384
Escolano Pérez, Elena	Psychology and Sociology	UNIZAR	Tenured university lecturers	0000-0001-8471-9415
Losada López, Jose Luis	Social Psychology and Quantitative Psycology	UB	Tenured university lecturers	0000-0001-6134-1819
Sanduvete Chaves, Susana	Experimental Psychology	U. SEVILLA	Tenured university lecturers	0000-0001-8568-6168
Violant Holz, Verónica	Didactics and Educational Organization	UB	Tenured university lecturers	0000-0003-2464-6845

Studies on Prevention and Promotion of Communicative Relationships in Social, Educational and Health Spheres

Academic Tutor - Thesis Supervisor	Departament	University	Category	ORCID
Armadans Tremolosa, Immaculada	Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology	UB	Contracted doctoral associate lecturer	0000-0003-2690-0544
Berger, Rita	Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology	UB	Contracted doctoral associate lecturer	0000-0002-9908-3672
Romeo Delgado, Marina	Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology	UB	Tenured university lecturers	0000-0002-6961-6626
Yepes Baldo, Montserrat	Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology	UB	Contracted doctoral associate lecturer	0000-0002-7374-433X

Studies on cognitive and communicative processes in education and in the stages of development

Academic Tutor - Thesis Supervisor	Departament	University	Category	ORCID
Celdrán Castro, Montserrat	Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology	UB	Contracted doctoral associate lecturer	0000-0003-3606-1975
Villar Posada, Feliciano	Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology	UB	University professor/full professor contract	0000-0003-0830-7034

Thesis supervision and thesis tutoring

Thesis supervision

PhD thesis supervisor

At the time of making the admission proposal, the academic tribunal of the PhD programme assigns the PhD candidate a thesis supervisor, and this figure will be responsible for the coherence and appropriateness of the activities, impact and innovation in the subject field of the thesis and will guide the planning and adequacy of the research to other projects and activities.

The designation of a thesis supervisor may fall on any Spanish or Foreign PhD with accredited research experience independently of the university, centre or institution in which they work. At the same time, each PhD programme may establish additional criteria as necessary for the PhD thesis supervisor.

The supervisor's responsibilities are the following:

• Try to ensure that the project is original, innovative and viable, under the terms of the rules, and also that it is coherent with the group or line of the research to which it is linked.
• Agree to the plan for the supervision of research work and plan regular meetings. The supervisor informs what documents are required for each meeting (written reports, messages, minutes, handwritten papers etc) to be able to accredit the frequency of the meetings.
• Advise the PhD candidate on the research in general and the preparation of the thesis in particular.
• Indicate to the PhD candidate the most appropriate activities for their research when the PhD programme has been identified and sign the activities document.
• Facilitate the candidate's participation in the pecific and transferrable training activities for the PhD programme in accordance with that established in the commitment document.
• Sign the commitment and activities document for the PhD candidate.
• Assist the PhD candidate in the definition of the PhD research project and the research that will eventually culminate in the PhD thesis.
• Revise and sign the research plan for the thesis.
• Undertake to regularly supervise in accordance with the commitment document, the research plan for the PhD candidate, and help them to focus the project while it is being carried out.
• Try to ensure that the PhD student takes the initiative and achieves increasing autonomy throughout the project.
• Assist the PhD candidate to find solutions for different aspects related to their research and establish the specific details and the means required and, where necessary, the experimental design.
• Let the PhD candidate know about all the means available to them at the University that are important for their research and help them to access them.
• Write the forms required for the annual review.
• Read, correct and comment on the draft thesis before it is deposited, on the conditions that the candidate has provided a copy a reasonable time beforehand.
• Ensure that the candidate understands the administrative and academic requirements for the assessment and defence of the thesis as well as the corresponding deadlines throughout the process.
• Communicate health and safety rules to the PhD candidate where necessary.
• Communicate any rule or ethical aspect that may be related to their research.

The designation of the thesis supervisor may be modified at any time during the PhD programme: whenever there are justified reasons the supervisor may reject supervision of the thesis (in which case the academic tribunal for the programme will suggest a replacement); on petition of the PhD candidate where there are justifications for doing so the academic tribunal of the PhD programme may change the designation of the PhD supervisor.

Thesis supervisors outside the PhD programme

Thesis supervisors who are not lecturers at the UAB or who have not been appointed as a thesis director must accredit their own PhD qualification and research experience, i.e. specific details of publications, research projects they have worked on and any other information relevant to the lines of research proposed on the PhD programme. Once the above supervisor has been approved, the academic tribunal for the PhD programme may authorise their incorporation into the programme as a possible thesis supervisor (or assign them to a single doctoral thesis).

Each PhD programme must establish which other lecturers, whatever their category as long as they are not included in the programme, are able to supervise the thesis.

Joint supervision of the PhD thesis

The PhD thesis may be supervised by other PhD holders where there are academic arguments for doing so (such as interdiscplinarity of the subject or national or international programmes) with the prior authorisation of the academic tribunal of the PhD programme. This authorisation may be withdrawn at a later date if, in the opinion of the academic tribunal, the joint supervision is not beneficial to the progress of the thesis.

A PhD thesis may be jointly supervised by up to three PhD holders.

Maximum number of theses per supervisor

Each supervisor may supervise a maximum of five PhD theses simultaneously. The supervision of the PhD thesis concludes at the time the thesis is presented and defended or if the PhD candidate withdraws. In terms of recognition of the teaching and research dedication in situations of joint supervision these should be divided equally.

Recognition of thesis supervision

One essential way to encourage thesis supervision is by ensuring that this task is recognised and valued: something that the UAB regulations achieve. The approval of the Academic Workload Model for UAB Teaching Staff by the Governing Council on 13 December 2017, significantly improved the system used to calculate and take account of supervision tasks. Article 10.3 stipulates that the supervisor of a doctoral thesis is to have 100 hours recognised per thesis supervised. If supervision is carried out by more than one person, this recognition is shared equally between them. 

Thesis tutoring

At the time of application the academic tribunal of the programme will assign the candidate an academic tutor. The academic tutor must be a doctor with accredited research experience, linked to the programme in which has been admitted the doctoral student..

The academic tutor has the following responsibilities:

• Ensure coherence in the tasks of the PhD candidate and supervisor and the research group.
• Provide communication between the PhD student and the academic tribunal of the PhD programme.
• Ensure the appropriateness of the PhD training and research activity to the programme and the norms of the School for Doctoral Studies.
• Sign the commitment and activities document for the PhD candidate.
• Check and sign the PhD research plan.
• Write the reports required for the annual review.

The academic tribunal of the programme can establish, where possible, that the academic tutor can also be the thesis supervisor.

The designation of the academic tutor may be changed at any time during the PhD course: on the part of the PhD candidate, where there are justified reasons; on the part of the thesis supervisor, where there are justified reasons. In these cases the academic tribunal of the PhD programme has to propose a new tutor.

Admission application

Admission

The UAB PhD programs are onsite.

If you wish to access a doctoral programme you must apply for admission to the academic committee of the programme through the online application for this purpose and follow the procedure established by the coordination or administrative management responsible for the programme with regard to the proposal for tutoring and supervision of the thesis. You must also declare whether you want to do the thesis full-time or part-time. You will find more information on the Annual PhD reviews page.

Admission to the doctoral programme is decided by the rector.

You will find the information on the academic tutors and the supervision of the thesis in the Research lines and supervision section of the file of each doctoral programme. In accordance with the instructions in the file of the chosen programme, you must attach the Endorsement/acceptance of supervision and tutoring document. This document must be signed by the person who has accepted the tutoring and/or supervision of the thesis. The notification of admission to the programme includes the tutor and the supervisor of the thesis, the line of research, the maximum length of admission to the programme (full-time or part-time study) and also, where applicable, any bridging courses that you have to take in the first year.

Before starting the online application, check that you meet the requirements for access, in the Requirements and admission criteria section and consult the Obligatory documentation section  to find out what paperwork you need.

We recommend that you watch this video before starting the application:

(video in Spanish; click on the CC button to display the English subtitles):

 

Summary of Online Application Procedure:

1. To access the application you need a university identification number (NIU) and a password. To obtain them:
   • If you are not a UAB student, enter your identification details to register.
   • If you are or have been a UAB student and you remember your NIU (university identification number) and password, go straight to the application.
   • If you are or have been a UAB student but you do not remember your NIU (university identification number) and/or you do not remember your password, re-enter all your identification details to retrieve it.
2. Make the application by selecting the doctoral programme you are interested in. You must have  all the documentation required by the programme ready.
3. Enter your personal and academic details in the different sections of the application. Your name and surname must be those that appear on your DNI, TIE, NIE or passport. The application must be accompanied by the necessary personal and academic documents. The documents are attached in PDF, JPG or DOC format (up to a maximum of 4 MB). Failure to include requested documents in the application sections may result in the denial of admission to the program.
4. If you need early admission due to the application or award of a scholarship, you must indicate it in the corresponding field and put the name of the scholarship. Depending on the situation, the programme coordinator will decide on your early admission if necessary.
5. On the last screen of the process, save the application. If you wish, you can download the proof of the application for admission. You will receive the resolution of your application at the email you included in the application. 
6. You can check the status of your application by entering the application.

CONSULT SOME INDICATIONS THAT MAY BE USEFUL for you to pre-register online

      ACCESS THE PRE-REGISTRATION APPLICATION

Resolution of the application for admission to the doctoral programme:

Once the application has been registered, you will enter the selection process. You will receive the result of the resolution of the admissions in a personalized way at the email address you have put in the admission application. The decision will be made according to the calendar of each doctoral programme. Check your spam folder to make sure it didn't end up. Once you have received the notification of admission, if you need more information about doctoral studies, you can consult this additional information.

Once you have received notification of the resolution, you must carry out the following:

•  You must enrol through online enrolment. Check the Registration section and enrolment calendar.
• If the notification of admission indicates that it is conditional on obtaining the degree of the studies that you had not completed at the time of making the application, once you are in possession of proof of having applied for the degree, you must send it to the address ed.admissions@uab.cat. The School for Doctoral Studies will register that you have already obtained the degree and admission will become final. The School for Doctoral Studies will inform you that you can now register online. You have one month to register.
• If the admission notification indicates that you must take bridging courses, the School for Doctoral Studies will contact you to inform you of the registration for the subjects you have to take and the credits. You must also self-register within one month of notification.
• Once you have registered, check the After registration section  to find out the subsequent procedures you have to carry out, because they all have fixed deadlines.
• If you do not register, admission to the doctoral programme will be null and void.
• In subsequent years, regardless of the date on which you were admitted to the doctoral programme, you must register in October. To register for subsequent courses, consult the information in the  Registration: other courses section.
• Every year you must present to a progress review panel, in accordance with your programme. In the event that you do not present yourself for review (non-assessable grade), you will no longer have continuity in the doctoral programme and you will not be able to make any further registrations.

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

• From April, 4 to May, 30
  • RESOLUTION maximum by the School of Doctorate: June, 27
  • RESOLUTION maximum by the coordinator: June, 10
• From September, 1 to October, 15 - 
  • RESOLUTION maximum by the School of Doctorate: November, 5
  • RESOLUTION maximum by the coordinator: October, 25

Documentation necessary for admission

Applicants must be able to accredit before the coordinators or academic managers of the PhD programme that their previous studies are sufficient for access to a PhD programme in accordance with prevailing legislation and must provide this obligatory documents relatet to previous studies (degree and academic certificates). In the section ‘General access requirements’ you can also consult all the access routes to the doctoral program that the current regulations allow.

The required documents may be presented in Catalan, Spanish or English. Any documents issued in French, Italian or Portuguese can be presented as translations carried out by the UAB Language Service - Idiomes UAB Campus. Applicants must organise their own translations and pay for them. For documents issued in any other language, they must be presented as translation into Catalan, Spanish or English by a sworn translator, working for any diplomatic or consular service of Spain abroad or the Spanish consular or diplomatic representation of the applicant’s national country.

To legalise the documentation accrediting studies carried out abroad, follow the procedure set out in the 'Legalisation' section on this website. Non-legalised documents may be presented for admission to the PhD programme even though legalisation will be required for the registration stage.

Obligatory documentation to be attached to your application for admission

Documents	Format
Previus studies	Consult what documentation and how to attach it.
Authorization  to consult Spanish university degrees to Ministry	Authorization  Attach this document in order to avoid submitting the documentation of your previous Spanish studies for enrollment.
Picture of the face with a white background	Picture (.jpg) maximum 15Kb
DNI/NIE/PASSPORT	Scanned DNI/NIE card. If you are a foreign student, an authentic copy of the PASSAPORT, if you do not have a TIE/NIE card.
Specific program documents	See the following table of documents
Application form for part-time PhD studies (document in Spanish)	Part-time request
If you have a functional diversity equal to or greater than 33%, in order to apply to the permanence regime in the program	Attach the certificate this condition.

If you attach the documentation in other formats than the electronic one (without CVS or QR), you will have to submit the documentation before you can self-enroll.

 

Compulsory Documents

Documents	How to attach in the computer application
Certification* or academic record of the Degree or the Spanish or foreign degree Certification* or academic record of the Master's Degree / Doctoral Program Certification* or academic record of the DEA or the Research Proficiency *Certifications that include the period in academic years of the degree, the subjects taken, credits obtained and grades obtained.	Certification Degree / Bachelor / Master's Degree / DEA / cert. 2 years of Specialist / PhD Programme
Spanish or foreign degree Master's Degree PhD Degree DEA Degree (RD 778/1998)	Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree or DEA / T.Specialist in Health Sciences / Spanish PhD's Degree
In case the proposed thesis supervisor is external to the UAB	CV thesis supervisor
Curriculum vitae	CV
Text of no more than five pages in which you specify what your previous training is, in which line of research of the PhD programme you want to be admitted and a summary of the objectives you want to develop	Motivation letter
Language level accreditation (Catalan and Spanish students will be required to present a certificate of English proficiency)	Language level accreditation
DNI / Passport	Copy of DNI or Passport
Application form for part-time PhD studies (document in Spanish)	Part-time request
Picture of the face with a white background (.jpg format, maximum 15 Kb)	Picture

 

*The director's endorsement is required*

 

Optional Documents

Documents	How to attach in the computer application
Motivation letter	Motivation letter
Reference letters	Reference letters
Document of acceptance of the academic tutor	Acceptance document from academic tutor

In addition to the documentation that each programme indicates, two documents (Other documents1 and Other documents2) that serve as a wildcard are attached for each programme so that the interested person can attach other documents that he or she considers appropriate or that the PhD programme indicates.

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

See the general access requirements.

Specific access requirements

This PhD programme has the following specific admission requirements:

• ability to read scientific texts written in English,
• suitable postgraduate training in quantitative and/or qualitative methodology to conduct research in the field of this programme,
• personal interview: in situ or by videoconference.

Selection criteria

The programme applies the following selection criteria and weighting:

• academic transcript (30%);
• interview (25%);
• specific training in quantitative and/or qualitative methodology (20%);
• proof of ability to read scientific texts written in English (25%);

Registration and fees

Registration

Each academic year the PhD candidate must register for the annual review as part of the administrative process to form a contract between the PhD student and the university.

First year Registration

Registration in the first year should be done once the decision is made and no longer than one month after the date of admission. Check the information about procedure, calendar, documents and prices on this page.

Prior to registration, please check the additional information and indications on the registration procedure.

Here is a video to show you how to self-register:

(Video in Spanish with English subtitles)

Calendar and Registration documents

Calendar and registration documents

Calendar

When the PhD applicant is accepted onto a PhD programme they must formalise the PhD review registration document in a period of not more than one month after being accepted. The following courses must be registered for within the established registration period:

Registration calendar

• First year registration
• Registration for subsequent years

Registration documents

PhD applicants should bring the following obligatory documentation when registering at the School for Doctoral Studies. Check the documentation on this link.

The documents may be presented in Catalan, Spanish or English. For documentation in French, Italian or Portuguese, you can send it to the Language Service at the UAB. The applicant is responsible for the getting the documents translated and paying for the service. For other languages you need to provide a translation in to Catalan by a sworn translator, any diplomatic or consular service of Spain abroad or the Spanish consular or diplomatic representation of the applicant’s national country.

To legalise the documentation that accredits the courses taken abroad, please check the 'Legalisation' section (in Spanish). Nevertheless, at the time of pre-admission or admission the doctoral student may submit the non-legalised documentation although it must be legalised by the time the students registers.

After the registration

When PhD students have registered they need to use the UAB Intranet self-enrolment system or follow the instructions of the programme coordinator or administrator to produce the statement of commitment, the activities document and the research plan. This section describes the nature of these documents and the way in which they should be prepared.

There is also other information that should be taken into account when carrying out doctoral research, such as the annual review, part or full time study and cases of withdrawal from the programme.

• Statement of commitment

  The statement of commitment is a written agreement that establishes the relationship between the PhD candidate, the supervisor, the academic tutor and the UAB, and the rights and responsibilities of each.

  Within a maximum period of three months from the date of admission to the PhD programme, and when the coordinator has assigned the PhD student a supervisor, the conditions are negotiated between the student, the supervisor and the academic tutor, agreeing the conditions of collaboration between the student and the thesis supervisor, their obligations, the corresponding dedication of the student, supervisor and tutor, and systems of resolving conflicts etc. , through a statement of commitment which must be signed by the PhD student, the thesis supervisor and the academic tutor and programme coordinator.

  As far as the signing and custody of the document is concerned the indications established by the programme coordinator or administrator should be followed but, in any case, when the document is signed, the PhD student must digitize it into Sigma, in the "Research Plan" tab. In the tutorial for the UAB self-enrolment system you will find instructions on how to attach it.

  Where the statement of commitment cannot be completed as a result the circumstances of the PhD student, the registration will be cancelled and there is no right to a refund of the fee.

• Activities document

  During the preparation of the doctoral thesis the student must carry out a series of activities that will help their academic development, and which have been previously identified by the academic committee of the PhD programme. There are two kinds of activity: Compulsory and optional.

  The activities document is the individual register for controlling the PhD activities.

  Within three months from the date of admission to the PhD programme, the PhD students must agree with the programme coordinator the activities they will undertake during the preparation of the thesis. The compulsory activities are already included in the activities document; however, the optional activities must be registered for according to the procedure indicated by the programme coordinator or administrator.

  The type and number of activities may be modified later using the same procedure, but they must be approved by the thesis supervisor and the academic tutor and also have the approval of the PhD programme coordinator, and recorded in the activities document.

  To justify that the activities have been successfully completed the PhD student must hand over a certificate to the supervisor and, where necessary, follow the indication of the coordinator or administrative staff to include the certificates in the activities document.

  Since in order to deposit the PhD thesis, the academic tribunal requires the PhD candidate, among other things, to have done all the activities included in the activities document, it is a good idea for the PhD student to ensure that they are duly recorded and marked as having been completed in the activities document.

  The tutorial for the UAB self-enrolment system explains how to introduce activities in the activities document. It can be accessed through the UAB Intranet self-enrolment scheme.

   

  If you did not find in these pages the information you need, you can contact the Doctoral School at ed.matricula@uab.cat.

• Research plan and doctoral training plan

  The PhD academic coordinator establishes the content of the research plan for the PhD programme, including at least the methodology and objectives to be achieved by the PhD candidate and the means and timescale planning for the research.

  Once it has been written it must be attached to the PhD transcript through the UAB Intranet system for approval by the thesis supervisor and the academic tutor. In the tutorial for the UAB self-enrolment system you will find instructions on how to attach it.

  Finally it must be presented jointly with the research plan approval and doctoral training plan request form (you will find the document model at the bottom of this page), filled in and signed, to the academic tribunal of the programme which will undertake to evaluate and, where appropriate, approve it.

  The research plan may be improved, have details added or be corrected during the PhD programme. Where this is the case the same procedure must be followed but using the research plan and doctoral training plan modification request form (you will find the document model at the bottom of this page).

• Annual monitoring

  Every academic year, the academic tribunal of the programme organises a review in which s panel of three PhD lecturers evaluates the progress of the PhD candidate in their research plan, the activities document and a report by the supervisor of the PhD thesis and the academic tutor.

  Information about the annual review for this PhD programme is available in the "Review" section of this programme website.

  The tutorial for the UAB self-enrolment system explains how to access the system and manage your PhD transcript.

• Other aspects to be taken into account: 

  Full or part time

  The PhD programme is a minimum of two years full time and a maximum of three years full time counted from the date of admission to the programme to the deposit of the thesis in the School for Doctoral Studies.

  However, the academic tribunal for the PhD programme may authorise the student to undertake the PhD on a part-time basis, which means a maximum duration of five years from the date of admission to the deposit of the PhD thesis.

  During the first two years of the PhD, counted from the date of admission, the PhD student may request a modification of the dedication to the programme from the academic tribunal, as long as this can be justified. If authorisation is granted, the academic committee will inform the School for Doctoral Studies of this change.

  However, in exceptional and documented cases the Doctoral Committee may approve a change outside that time period.

  Whether the PhD candidate participates in the programme on a full time or part time basis is approved and recorded when registering, in the statement of commitment and in the research plan, and any variation thereof must be made in accordance with the procedure established in the research plan.

  
  Code of good practice

  The UAB is committed to the objective of achieving excellence in teaching, research and knowledge transfer, and supports the development and use of learning methodologies adapted to each stage.

  The School for Doctoral Studies, as an integral part of the UAB, subscribes to that commitment and sets it out in the code of good practice, which is understood as a code of values and principles that inspire its activities and adhered to by all those taking part in them. It should therefore be understood that the School for Doctoral Studies has an internal set of rules including the rights and responsibilities of the supervisors, academic tutors and PhD candidates.

  Download here the signature form of the code of good practice.
   

  Non-continuation and withdrawals

  Regardless of whether the PhD programme is followed on a full or part-time basis, the calculation of research activity does not include sick leave, maternity leave or any other cause contemplated in the current rules for doctoral studies. Where PhD students find themselves in any of these situations they must communicate this to the academic tribunal of the PhD programme, which will inform the School for Doctoral Studies so that the total time spent on the programme may be calculated.

  Additionally, the PhD student may request temporary leave for a maximum period of one year, extendable to two years. The request must be justified and sent to the academic tribunal of the PhD programme which will decide whether or not to grant the leave. Each PhD programme has its own conditions regarding the reincorporation of the student to the programme.

  
  Tutorial for the UAB self-enrolment system

  The tutorial for the UAB self-enrolment system explains how to access the system and manage your PhD transcript

Training activities

Transversal training activities

The PhD programmes include research training that is both transversal and specific to the area of each programme and consists of both compulsory and optional activities.

All the activities that the PhD student must complete are recorded in an activities document, but in any case there are compulsory activities that must be completed in the first academic years. It may also include transferrable activities offered by the same university.

Other professional who are not PhD holders may participate in these activities as long as they hold a relevant qualification in the corresponding area.

To include these activities in your academic record, please check this video (click on the subtitle icon at the bottom right corner).

Mandatory and optional specific activities

The programmed activities for this PhD are as follows:

Obligatory

• Participation in internal research group seminars
  PhD students attend some of the working sessions of the research group in order to acquire a general perspective of the framework into which their thesis will fit.

• Attendance at seminars or conferences given by experts in the area of knowledge
  This includes the option of visiting centres outside the programme. These conferences are programmed throughout the course and cover topics in which participants are specialised, within the area of communication and change.

• Publication and / or acceptance of a research paper, book or chapter
  This is designed to promote the production of the thesis as a compendium of articles and, where this format is not adopted, at least students gain experience in the publication of an article in a high impact journal.

Typologies and Research Ethics

The aim of this set of good research practices is to get an idea of the regulatory framework for activities linked to research and which follow the directives set out in the Statutes of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, based on principles of freedom, democracy, justice, equality and solidarity. This commitment therefore involves orientating the teaching, research and other university activities towards a culture of peace, respect for human rights, social progress, respect for the environment and sustainable development, and the explicit renouncement of research for military ends.

• Good Research Practices: this is a set of points for action, recommendation and commitments when carrying out research.

• Good PhD Practices: is a set of recommendations and commitments that should serve a guide for PhD candidates in their dual role of students and trainee researchers.

• Institutional Biosafety Committee: technical committee made up of experts in evaluating the safety of facilities and activities conducted with biological agents, in identifying any type of potential risk and in ensuring that all regulations relevant to biosafety are met.

• Ethics Committee on Animal and Human Experimentation (CEEAH), establishes mechanisms and procedures to ensure experimentation is complies with prevailing legislation.

• Good Open Acces Practices, good practices of Catalan universities to meet the Open Acces's mandates about publications, as specified on the 'Ley de la ciencia española' and the European Union's Horizon Europe.

•  is a European initiative providing access to a complete range of information and support services to researchers wishing to pursue their research careers in Europe or remain connected to research activities in Europe. 

Internationalization

Foreign residencies

PhD students can progress further in their area of research through stays abroad, which may, when appropriate, come within the framework of bilateral joint-supervision agreements with a foreign university (thesis under joint international supervision) and within the International Doctoral Research Component. Stays abroad can also be made under Erasmus Internships.

Stays with Erasmus Internships

You can make stays abroad (mainly in Europe) with Erasmus Internships. In the following link you will find the call and the calendar to request it:

• Erasmus Internships

Evaluation and annual review

Annual PhD review

Once the PhD student is accepted on the programme, they must register every academic year (including the year when the thesis is deposited) in order to confirm their status. The subject registered for is called review, and it is an evaluation of the training received during the year and progress on the writing of the PhD thesis.

Each academic year the academic committee arranges a review, in which three PhD holding lecturers assess the progress made by the candidate in their research plan and activities document and the report by the thesis supervisor and academic tutor. In the report, the director and the academic tutor state, at least, that the candidate has fulfilled the number of meetings arranged between themselves and the thesis supervisor and has carried out the activities planned for that academic year.

In exceptional cases (research stays or work camps), and with a previous report from the thesis supervisor and from the academic tutor, the Academic Committee of the PhD programme may authorise substitute the oral and face-to-face presentation of the annual review by another format.

In accordance with current PhD regulations, the positive evaluation during the review is an essential requirement for continuing on the programme and registering for the following year. Failure to present an annual review with no justification will lead to the PhD candidates definitive withdrawal from the programme. If the annual review is negative the candidate may re-register for the same review within the registration calendar, make a new research plan and present for a new review in a maximum period of six months. However, if the new review is negative the candidate must withdraw from the PhD programme.

Thesis deposit

Online Deposit

In this section you will find the indications and the specific documentation of the programme, if applicable, that you must incorporate in your online deposit application. Check in advance what is the procedure to make the deposit online.

Once your application has been recorded and validated by the coordination of the PhD programme, you will be able to monitorise the deposited theses and the theses for which the examining board has been approved, as well as the agenda where the theses defenses are published.

If you wish to submit your doctoral thesis in this program, remember that you must start the application at least 2 months before the maximum of the term of permanence regime that appears on your file.

Look out! If you want to deposit before the end of this academic year and thus not have to pay the fees for the next course, you must confirm your deposit request before June 30, 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

• The thesis file
• Sheet with the data of the members of the court (no need to sign)
• Turnitin similarity report of the thesis file
• Turnitin Dissertation Report Affidavit
• Suitability document of the two external evaluators
• Document of suitability for members of the court

 

Mention of International Doctor: Mandatory documentation if you request it

• Mention of International Doctor: 1 report from the external expert
• Mention of International Doctor: 2 report of the external expert

 

Compendium of publications: Mandatory documentation if you request it

• Compendium: Resolution of acceptance by the CAPD

 

Writing a thesis in a language other than Catalan, Spanish and English: Mandatory documentation if you request it

• Resolution if the thesis is written in a language other than Catalan, Spanish or English

Information related to the thesis

Information related to the thesis

In this section you can find indications and / or regulatory aspects of your PhD programme, if applicable.
There are PhD programmes that have regulated the presentation of the thesis as a compendium of publications, how the constitution of the examining board should be, etc.

Internal Quality Assurance System of the centers

Internal Quality Assurance System of the centers

The process-based management system used by the UAB faculties and schools stems from a commitment to offering degrees with their own policy on quality and measures in place to evaluate and improve performance continuously, according to the European quality standards. These elements together make up this university's Internal Quality Assurance System (SGIQ).

This system involves all the following:

• Establishing and monitoring the faculty's policy and objectives regarding teaching standards, in accordance with the university’s strategic lines
• Establishing and renewing the offer of PhD programmes.
• Processes directly linked to teaching activity: tutoring, assessment, mobility, etc.
• Processes to gauge the level of satisfaction of the different groups.
• Processes linked to the people and resources needed: lecturers, administrative and service staff (PAS), infrastructure and services, course scheduling, academic organisation, etc.
• Processes linked to the life cycles of degrees: verification (evaluation before implementation), regular monitoring, modification (continuous improvement) and accreditation (evaluation of performance and renewal of the authorisation to continue offering the programme), which seek to organise, renew and improve the offer of PhD programmes.

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

Special Prize Awards

The Special Prize Awards are awarded for each PhD programme among all the theses defended in an academic year, at the rate of one prize for every five theses or fraction thereof, without the need for the doctor to request it. The winners are entitled to a refund of the fee they paid for the application for the degree certificate and to an accrediting certificate..

The procedure is as follows:

1. A pannel appointed by the Academic Commission of each PhD programme makes the proposal of candidates for the Special Prize Award, following the criteria previously established by the same commission. You can do it up to three courses after the defenses.
2. The PhD Commission awards the prizes according to the proposals made by the PhD programmes.
3. The Doctoral School contacts the winners to refund the fee.
4. The certificates of the Special Prizes awarded in the previous PhD Commission are delivered in the PhD special prize award ceremony.

Check the prizes that have already awarded by the PhD Comission, ordered by defense course.

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