Aerospace Engineering

Student profile

The program considers as a recommended access profile a graduate background training in the field of Science, Engineering and Architecture and, specifically, the area of the program, Aerospace Engineering.

The program is open to students with Master's degrees in the areas of Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering and Automation, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Thermal Engines and Machines, Fluid Mechanics, Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Applied Physics, Chemical Engineering, Telematic Engineering, Electronic Technology or Signal Theory and Communications. In these cases, some graduate training in the specific areas of the program is required. The Academic Committee will determine the complementary research training that candidates need according to their particular background.

The UC3M Master's degrees with direct access to the Ph.D. are the Master in Aeronautical Engineering (MAE), the  Master in Space Engineering (MISE), and the Master in Aerospace Science and Technology (MAST)

Access requirements

According to art. 6 of the PhD studies regulation (RD 99/2011), in order to access the Program it is required to have a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and a Master's degree (or equivalent), provided that at least 300 ECTS credits have been passed in these two cycles as a whole, or the equivalent degree qualifies for level 3 of MECES (Marco Español de Cualificaciones para la Educación Superior, Spanish Framework for Higher Education Qualifications).

Likewise, access is available to candidates in possession of foreign degrees from countries integrated into the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) when the degree can be accredited as level 7 in the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), as long as the aforementioned degree allows access to PhD level studies in the country of expedition; and candidates with a degree which is equivalent to a Spanish Master's degree, obtained in foreign education systems outside the EHEA, as long as the aforementioned degree allows access to PhD level studies in the country of expedition.

Students with graduate training in areas other than the Aerospace Engineering can be also admitted. These students shall have Master-level training in: 

• Science (Mathematics or Applied Physics)
• Engineering and Architecture: Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering and Automation, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Engines and Machines, Fluid Mechanics, Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis, Chemical Engineering, Telematic Engineering, Electronic Technology or Signal Theory and Communications.

Admission criteria

Admission is based on the criteria established by the Academic Committee listed below. These are implemented by the director of the program, who reports to the Committee on a regular basis. 

In the admission and selection process, the Academic Committee will consider:

• Academic transcript (Bachelor's and Master's degrees). Formulas from competitive programs such as FPU (Formación de Profesorado Universitario, a Ph.D. scholarship program at national level in Spain) will be used to quantify the grade, including equivalence from non-Spanish transcripts. Weight: 60%.
• Suitability of the candidate's background training (subjects, grades and language skills) to the lines of research of the Ph.D. program. Weight: 20%.
• Research experience (publications, conferences, etc.). Weight: 15%.
• Motivation, commitment to the program and research interests of the candidate, all of which will be assessed based on a motivation letter. The candidate can provide one or more endorsement letters from a researcher from any university, which will serve as proof of commitment. Weight: 5%.

The Academic Committee can require a personal interview with the candidate. This will not be considered as part of the admission criteria with a specific weight but, rather, an additional tool for clarification of the suitability and motivation of the student.

In their admission resolution, the Academic Committee, considering the certified training of the candidate, can establish some complementary training based on the following criteria:

As a general rule, for students with no training or experience in research methodology,the Academic Committee can establish complementary training consisting in either subjects of a Master's degree in the field of Aerospace Engineering or a supervised research work that qualifies the student with knowledge in research methods and public presentation skills before an evaluating committee.

Seats available for the current academic year: 8

• Apply for admission

Concurrently with the doctoral thesis work, Ph.D. candidates must follow a training program to improve their research skills and ensure the scientific quality of their research work. This program is structured on the following training elements.

Specific training

• Doctoral meetings

​Workshop-format sessions in which Ph.D. candidates present the state of their research, followed by a period for discussion and questions from the audience. These meetings are attended by other Ph.D. candidates, their tutors or advisors, and other university professors from the program. If a research work is in the process of registration or protection of intellectual property, the tutor or advisor can request from the Academic Committee a restriction on the disclosure of information until the resolution of the process. 

This activity is mandatory: 10 hours per academic year (including the 4 hours of session attendance) throughout the doctoral training period. These meetings take place on an annual basis, at the least.

For evaluation purposes, the Ph.D. candidate will provide proof of attendance and a report supervised by the thesis advisor detailing the conclusions and possible impact of the discussion on their research project. 

• Conferences or presentations by the PhD candidate​

The Ph.D. candidate must give at least one conference or presentation in front of a qualified audience (e. g., a congress or masterclass). Students who cannot attend these forums can do these presentations in the context of the abovementioned doctoral meetings as an additional activity. 

​​This activity is mandatory: 10 hours (9 hours of preparation and 1 hour of presentation) throughout the doctoral training period.

For evaluation purposes, the Ph.D. candidate will provide proof of attendance and a report supervised by the thesis advisor detailing the conclusions and possible impact of the discussion on their research project. 

• Scientific articles

The Ph.D. candidate must write, submit and have published (or, in lack thereof, provide a letter of acceptance from the editor) at least one Web of Science-indexed paper.

This activity is mandatory: 100 hours, including writing and review, throughout the doctoral training period.

The scientific article itself, which must have been subject to a peer review process, will be considered for evaluation purposes.

• Specific seminars

​Seminars of variable duration hosted by either this Ph.D. program or others from the Escuela Politécnica Superior, or by departments, academic units, university institutes, research institutes or other universities or research centers (national or regional). These seminars are conducted in English (as a general rule) or Spanish. Students will choose the seminars according to their research interests.

This activity is optional. However, the Academic Committee of the program may require 20 to 40 hours of this activity (incuding 8 to 16 hours of attendance) throughout the doctoral training period, according to the training and former research or career experience of the Ph.D. candidate.

For evaluation purposes, the Ph.D. candidate will provide proof of attendance and a supervised critique report supervised by the thesis advisor on the contents of the seminar in relation to the research topic of the Ph.D. candidate. The Academic Committee will have authority to validate seminars hosted by institutions other than UC3M.

• Research visits in centers of national or international reference

​The program promotes the mobility of students with training activities in research centers of reference with Ph.D. programs of proven quality in Spain and abroad.

This activity is optional. The duration of the visit must be one month at least. This activity can qualify as a requirement for the Doctorado Internacional distinction, provided that it is carried out at a center outside Spain and that the duration is of at least three months. 

Ph.D. candidates can do this activity troughout their entire doctoral period training and choose the dates according to their interests. However, it is recommended to carry it out during the second or third doctoral year.

Ph.D. candidates can attend courses and seminars organized by the host institution during the visit. This training can be considered as one of the requirements of the abovementioned activities (specific seminars, specialized courses, etc.).

For evaluation purposes, the Ph.D. candidate will provide proof of completion from the host institution and a report on the activities, courses and seminars, as well as the progress on the thesis research made during the visit.

Research skills training

Optional. Up to 2 credits throughout the doctoral training period.

Research skills training is focused on abilities common to all disciplines for the development of scientific and educational skills and the improvement of the professional career. This training consists of different activities (short courses, seminars, etc.), which can be recommended by the Academic Committee of the program.

Further information:

• How to earn research skills training credits
• Research skills courses at the Doctoral School

Preparation of the thesis

Please check the Guide with recommendations that the University Library has accessible on its website.

• Thesis step by step

You must always follow the guidelines of your thesis advisor, the guidelines of your doctoral program, and the regulations of the Doctoral School.

Thesis defense

The doctoral thesis consists of an original research work developed by the Ph.D. candidate in the field of knowledge established by the program. It enables the student for autonomous work in the field of R+D+i.

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and its Doctoral School establish follow-up procedures to guarantee the quality of the student's training and supervision. They also facilitate the procedures for the proper evaluation and defense of the doctoral thesis.

Further information:

• Doctoral thesis defense
• Theses completed in the program

Compendium of publications

The Academic Committee for the PhD Program may authorize the presentation fo a thesis in the modality "compendium of publication", according to the information established in the following document Tesis por compendio de publicaciones Ing. Aeroespacial

Requirements for thesis defense in Aerospace Engineering

Except for some special cases, students must have published (or, in lack thereof, have a letter of acceptance from the editor) at least one Web Of Science-indexed paper in order to be evaluated by the Academic Committee of the Program.

Doctoral School Office | Leganés Campus

Rey Pastor Building, Office 3.0.B.08
Avenida de la Universidad, 30
28911 Leganés (Madrid)

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