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Telematic Engineering

  • Inicio

    Director

     

    Prof. Pedro José Muñoz Merino

     

     

    About the program

     

    • Conforming to Spanish Real Decreto 99/2011


    The different technologies that are part of telematics engineering, transmission, networks, protocol architecture, communication applications and services, devices in networks, and many more constitute one of the most active research fields in developed countries.

    The objective of the Ph.D. Program in Telematics Engineering is to complete the theoretical, technological and methodological background that students have obtained in the Masters Program and prepare for a Ph.D. thesis in a field that is essential for the development of Internet.

    The Program includes monographic seminars on topics selected for their interest and relevance and taught by renowned invited researchers. It is worth mentioning that the Program, updated in 2006-2007, grows from Ph.D. Programs that earned the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science Quality Award.

     

     

     

     

     

    Departments

     

    Telematic Engineering Department

     

     

     

     

    Doctorado en Ingeniería Telemática
  • ACCESS

    Student profile 

    Students must have extensive knowledge of communication networks, protocols, services, applications, and systems, particularly in the fields of their research project; a solid background in mathematics and statistics; good English skills (mostly reading, but also writing and speaking); ability to synthetize knowledge in a given discipline, to draw conclusions from data evaluation and to apply analytical and critical sense with creativity in order to generate new ideas applicable to the design of new products or telematic systems.

    Admission 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. 

    Candidates must preferably have Bachelor's and Master's degrees including research training in Telematic Engineering or Telecommunications Engineering.

    English skills are required for admission. These can be certified with test scores such as TOEFL, British Council IELTS, Escuela Oficial de Idiomas or Universidad Carlos III Language Services. Native English speakers or students with previous academic training in English are not required to provide these tests.

    Admission criteria

     

    Admission is determined according to the criteria set by the Academic Committee listed below. These are implemented by the coordinator of the program, who reports to the Committee on a regular basis. 


    The following aspects are considered by the Academic Committee in the admission and selection process:

    • Academic background, including subjects and grades (40%).
    • Suitability of the profile, academic background and research experience of the candidate for the lines of research of the program (40%). Authorship of scientific publications or documents will be highly valued. 
    • Motivation letter and statement of commitment and research interests (20%). An endorsement for the thesis project from a professor from the program will be highly valued.

    For assessment purposes of the second and third criteria, the Academic Committee may consider additional aspects, such as letters of recommendation from university professors, or request a personal interview with the candidate.

    The admission criteria and procedures are equal for part-time and full-time candidates.

     

    Seats available for the academic year: 15

     

     

     

  • FACULTY
  • TRAINING

    In addition to the elaboration of the doctoral thesis, students must take some training aimed at improving their research skills and the scientific quality of their research work. This is structured in the following types of training.

     

    Specific training

     

    • Seminar and conferences by renowned international speakers with a proven track record in the research lines of the program. The student will have to take at least 10 hours in these activities in each academic year and will choose the ones that fit his research interests.

      Please note that attendance to the Program Specific Training Seminar and Conference Presentations has to be attested by an attendance certificate that will be evaluated by the Program Academic Committee.

      Certificate Training

      Certificate Conference
       

     

    Research skills training

     

    Optional training. Up to 6 credits during 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:

  • RESEARCH
    • Research Lines

      Lines of research associated to Telematic Applications and Services

      • Learning analytics
      • Mobile learning
      • Immersive education
      • Collaborative learning platforms
      • Artificial Intelligence (AI) in learning
      • Virtual worlds and augmented reality
      • Internet of things
      • Information recovery
      • Social networks
      • Ubiquitous computing and security
      • Energy efficiency
      • Machine learning and wearable sensors

      Lines of research associated to Communication Networks and Services

      • Network architectures
      • Communication protocols
      • Distributed systems and network design
      • IPv6 and related protocols
      • Mobile networks and services
      • Programmable networks
      • High-performance switching
      • Internet technologies
      • MPLS/multi-service IP networks
      • Vehicular networks
      • Optical access, metro and core network technologies
      • Communications security
      • Energy efficiency in telecommunication networks and systems
      • Traffic analysis
    • Scientific results

      This is a sample of relevant publications derived from doctoral thesis work over the last five years:

      • Thesis: Diseño de una Arquitectura Dinámica para Set-Top Box Multi Proveedor de Servicios
        Author: Iván Bernabé Sánchez
        Publication: Iván Bernabé-Sánchez, Daniel Díaz-Sánchez y Mario Muñoz-Organero, “Specification and Unattended Deployment of Home Networks at the Edge of the Network”
        Journal: IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics ( Volume: 66, Issue: 4, Nov. 2020)
        Quartile: Q2
      • Thesis: Contribuciones a la interoperabilidad continua entre humanos y sistemas automatizados sujetos al paradigma del Internet de las Cosas
        Author: Eugenio Rubio Drosdov
        Publication: E. Rubio-Drosdov, D. Díaz-Sánchez, P. Arias-Cabarcos, F. Almenárez, y A. Marín, "Seamless human-device interaction in the internet of things"
        Journal: IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics, vol. 63, no. 4, noviembre de 2017. 
        Quartile: Q3
      • Thesis: Analítica del aprendizaje para la predicción en escenarios educativos heterogéneos
        Author: Pedro Manuel Moreno Marcos​​​​​​​
        Publication: Moreno-Marcos, P. M., Muñoz-Merino, P. J., Maldonado-Mahauad, J., Pérez-Sanagustín, M., Alario-Hoyos, C., & Kloos, C. D. (2020). Temporal analysis for dropout prediction using self-regulated learning strategies in self-paced MOOCs
        Journal: Computers & Education, 145, 103728
        Quartile: Q1
        Quality indicators: Outstanding Thesis Award UC3M, IEEE Spain's award to Best Doctrtal Thesis
         
      • Thesis: Design, analysis, and implementation of advanced methodologies to measure the socio-economic impact of personal data in large online services
        Author: José González Cabañas​​​​​​​
        Publication: José González Cabañas , Ángel Cuevas , Aritz Arrate , Rubén Cuevas "Does Facebook use sensitive data for advertising purposes?"​​​​​​​
        Journal: Communications of the ACM Vol. 64, No. 1 (2021)
        Quality indicatorsImpact JCR: 14,065 Outstanding Thesis Award UC3M 
         
      • Thesis: Informing Protocol Design through Crowdsourcing Measurements​​​​​​​
        Author: Anna María Mandalari​​​​​​​
        Publication: Anna Maria Mandalari, Andra Lutu, Bob Briscoe, Marcelo Bagnulo, Ozgu Alay "Measuring ECN++: good news for ++, bad news for ECN over mobile"​​​​​​​
        Journal: IEEE Communications Magazine Vol. 56 n. 3 (2018)
      • Thesis: Design, implementation and experimental evaluation of a network-slicing aware mobile protocol stack​​​​​​​
        Author: Ginés García Avilés​​​​​​​
        Publication: Gines Garcia-Aviles, Marco Gramaglia, Pablo Serrano, Albert Banchs "POSENS: a practical open source solution for end-to-end network slicing"​​​​​​​
        Journal: IEEE Wireless Communications Vol. 25 n. 5 (2018)​​​​​​​
        Quality indicators: Impact JCR: 12,777; Impact JCR: 9,14. Outstanding Thesis Award UC3M
      • Thesis: Optimization Methods for Efficient Relay Techniques in Cellular Networks
        Author: Edgar Arribas Gimeno
        Publication: Edgar Arribas, Vincenzo Mancuso, Vicent Cholvi "Coverage Optimization with a Dynamic Network of Drone Relays"
        Journal: IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing,Vol 19 n. 10 (2020)
      • Thesis: NFV Orchestration in Edge and Fog Scenarios​​​​​​​
        Author: Jorge Martín Pérez​​​​​​​
        Publication: Jorge Martín-Pérez, Nuria Molner, Francesco Malandrino, Carlos Jesús Bernardos, Antonio de la Oliva, David Gomez-Barquero "Choose, not hoard: Information-to-model matching for Artificial Intelligence in O-RAN"​​​​​​​
        Journal: IEEE Communications Magazine v.61 n.4 (2023)
        Quality indicators: Impact JCR: 9,03; Outstanding Thesis Award UC3M
      • Thesis: Design and Analysis of Ultra-low Latency Fronthaul and Backhaul Networks for 5G
        Author: Gabriel Otero Pérez
        Publication: Gabriel Otero Pérez, Amin Ebrahimzadeh, Martin Maier, José Alberto Hernández, David Larrabeiti López, Manuel Fernández Veiga "Decentralized Coordination of Converged Tactile Internet and MEC services in H-CRAN Fiber Wireless Networks"​​​​​​​
        Journal: Journal of Lightwave Technology Vol. 38 n. 18 (2020)
      • Thesis: Novel Techniques for improving Localization, Coverage and Planning in B5G Networks​​​​​​​
        Author: Antonio Albanese​​​​​​​
        Publication: Antonio Albanese; Vincenzo Sciancalepore; Albert Banchs; Xavier Costa-Pérez "LOKO: Localization-Aware Roll-Out Planning for Future Mobile Networks"​​​​​​​
        Journal: IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing,Vol 22 n. 9 (2022)
        Quality indicators: Outstanding Thesis Award UC3M
    • Scientific publications

      This is a sample of relevant faculty publications:

  • THESIS

    Thesis defense

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

    Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and the Doctoral School establishes the follow-up procedures to guarantee the quality of the doctorate's training and supervision. It also facilitates the procedures for the proper evaluation and defense of the doctoral thesis.

    Further information:

    Requirements for thesis defense in Telematic Engineering

    To demonstrate that the student participation, he will have to be listed as one of the first three authors.
    Contributions that are considered relevant are the following:

    An accepted publication in a journal contained in the Journal of Citation Reports; the factor will be the one for the year in which the publication takes place.

    A publication in a Conference:

    • With category A or A+ according to CORE index
    • With a factor of at least 0.75 in the CS Conference Rankings list
    • In the upper third in the CiteSeer list

    A patent that is commercially exploited by a firm. Number of authors or position of author criteria are not taken into account for this type of contribution.

    A contribution with a clear conceptual value that has been accepted and adopted by an international standardization organism. Number of authors or position of author criteria are not taken into account for this type of contribution.

    The previous criteria are periodically reviewed and revised. Ph.D. defense committees are set up on the basis of the research field.
     

    Compendium of publications

    Regulation for the thesis defense by compendium of publications. Thesis compendium regulation

  • INTERNAL RULES
    • Good Practices for Thesis advisors
    • Training activities

      Mandatory training:

      Specific training: full-time students must attend at least 10 hours of conferences (seminars, talks, etc.) per year.

      Optional training:

      Cross-curricular training: Up to 6 credits during the PhD.

       

      Specific training:

      Hours: 75h during Ph.D. period.

      The PhD program establishes a total of 25 hours of specific training per year for full-time students: 10 hours of attendance to seminars, talks, etc. plus 15 hours of homework. Students must elaborate and provide a critical summary of each conference along with the documents that serve as proof of attendance.

      These hours can be carried out in different ways:

      • Attendance to seminars or talks hosted by the department and considered suitable for specific training (a mailing list will be used for this purpose): long seminars (10 hours+15 homework) on an annual basis; 1-2-hour talks (+2-5 homework) from Master's degree courses, etc.

      • Attendance to conferences: a maximum of 5 hours of attendance + 7,5 of homework (as proposed by the PhD advisor) can be approved as specific training. Students must provide a summary of the conference for this purpose.

      Cross-curricular training:

      In order for an activity to be considered as cross-curricular, it must be previously approved by both the PhD advisor or tutor and by the Academic Committee of the Program in Telematics Engineering.

      The Doctoral School regularly announces their offer of courses for each semester but, in general, any activity can be considered as cross-curricular, provided it is authorized as mentioned above, including courses from UC3M Master's degrees or other universities (MOOCS, Massive Online Open Course, for example).

      In order to have a MOOC considered as cross-curricular training, and thus eligible for credits, it is required to provide a letter by the PhD tutor stating that they have personally verified that the MOOC has been carried out by the student (by being present when some of the tests have been done or reviewing some of the uploaded homework, etc.).

      Cross-curricular Credit Approval

      Cross-curricular training activities carried outside UC3M are approved specifically by the PhD Academic Committee based on the request for credit recognition. It is strongly recommended to consult with the PhD Committee in advance before taking any course, conference, etc., that has not been previously accepted as training to ensure it meets the cross-curricular requirements for approval. 

      Mailing list

      The conferences and seminars will be announced through the class list in Aula Global or in the following mailing list: phdtraining@inv.it.uc3m.es

      International stay

      In order to receive the International PhD distinction, the PhD candidate must have spent at least three months at a university or prestigious research centre outside Spain. The stay and activities must be approved by the Academic Committee of the PhD program.

      TO APPLY FOR AN OFFICIAL PhD INTERNATIONAL STAY, it is mandatory to submit the application before the international visit.

      Further information:  International mobility and 'Doctorado Internacional' distinction

    • Thesis defense

      Thesis defense
       

      Before proceeding to the PhD thesis defense, the candidate must submit the following documents to the Academic Committee of the PhD program (via e-mail to the director of the program):

      • The PhD thesis (in PDF format), according to the Code of Good Practice for Managing Plagiarism of Ph.D. Theses
      • If the PhD thesis does not contain the list of all the contributions in the PUBLISHED AND SUBMITTED ARTICLES AND CONTRIBUTIONS section, then a list of all the contributions of the PhD thesis must be provided along with a paragraph describing their quality and impact, highlighting the aspects of the quality criteria (below).

      The Academic Committee of the PhD program will review these documents according to the criteria listed in the Quality Criteria section (below) and submit the thesis to the Doctoral School in order to start the plagiarism management process. If these criteria are not met, the request will be rejected and the candidate will not be allowed to re-submit until new contributions, which meet these criteria, are included.


      Quality criteria

      To authorize the defense of a PhD thesis, at least a contribution of adequate quality is required. Additionally, the candidate must be one of the key authors of this contribution and the work must be a direct result of the PhD thesis.

      In order to determine if the candidate is one of the key authors, the candidate must be, at least, one of the first three authors of the contribution.

      In terms of quality, at least one of the following criteria must be met for the contribution to be considered of adequate quality and impact:

      • The contribution must have been accepted in a journal indexed in the Journal Citation Reports for the year in which the contribution has been accepted for publication.
      • The contribution must have been published in a conference in the top 10% of its category in a relevant conference ranking (e.g. Microsoft Academic Research)..
      • A patent must be in use by a company. For this type of contribution, the requirement about number of authors and their position does not apply.
      • A contribution with a clear conceptual value must have been accepted and adopted in a relevant international standard (such as a RFC in IETF, IEEE, OMG, OASIS, etc.). For this type of contribution, the requirement about number of authors and their position does not apply.

      These criteria will be revised periodically. A period of transition will be provided if there is any modification.

  • USEFUL INFORMATION
    • Ph.D. Studies Overview
      Información Práctica de los Estudios de Doctorado

       

      Our Ph.D. programs focus on the acquisition of skills and abilities required to undertake high-quality research work within the strategic framework and lines of research of the university. Students will be expected to work independently under supervision and guidance of top experts in their fields in order to produce novel, groundbreaking research work in the form of a dissertation.

      The Ph.D. thesis constitutes the expected outcome of the doctoral training, stating the specifics of the research work and results. The thesis must meet the high-quality standards required by the Ph.D. program and be subject to public defense and assessment by an independent thesis committee.

      A favorable assessment of the thesis enables Ph.D. students to request their official Ph.D. degree certificate, issued by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte.

       

      Doctoral training calendar 

      Duration of the academic year: October 1st through September 30th

      Process Period
      Admission According to the start semester of the PhD:

      Second semester of the 23/24 academic year
      Admission application deadline: September 1st 2023 through January 31st 2024 (23:59 h., CET) 
      PhD start date: March 30th 2024

      First semester of the 24/25 academic year
      Admission application deadline: February 1st through August 31st 2024 (23:59 h., CET) 
      PhD start date: November 15th 2024
      Enrollment According to the start semester of the PhD:

      Enrollment period for new students
      First semester: July 24th through 30th and September 1st through 30th (23:59 h., CET) of the current academic year
      Second semester: March 1st through 30th (23:59 h., CET) of the current academic year

      Enrollment period for continuing students
      September 1st through 30th (23:59 h., CET) of the current academic year
      Annual Assessment  June
      All PhD candidates are subject to annual evaluation.

      December
      Only students whose June evaluation was unfavorable are subject to evaluation. 

      In both cases the evaluation is based on the progress of the thesis project (Reseach Plan) and the doctoral activities carried out during the academic year.
       
      Thesis Defense Thesis defense can be carried out throughout the academic year.
       
    • Procedures
    • FAQ

      Ph.D. Studies

      Parque de las Moreras

      What is a Ph.D.?

      A Ph.D. is a period of training in skills and abilities required to undertake independent, high-quality research work in the realm of R&D under the supervision of top experts in their respective fields.

      What are the terms of access to a Ph.D. program?

      As a general rule, candidates are required to hold a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree. Credits for both must amount to at least 300 ECTS credits.

      Additionally, specific requirements and candidate profiles are described in each program’s terms of access. Before applying for admission, it is strongly recommended to take the  Ph.D. Programs into consideration, as well as its lines of research, profiles of the scholars involved and final results (theses and scientific publications) as proof of the program’s quality and specialization.

      Shat is the duration of a Ph.D.?

      The regular duration of a full-time Ph.D. program is 4 years. This period can be extended up to 5 years.

      The regular duration of a part-time Ph.D. program is 7 years. This period can be extended up to 8 years. 

      You may apply, for justified reasons, for either an extension or a leave of absence from your Ph.D. training period to the Academic Committee of your program. Your request must be endorsed by your tutor/advisor. Further information:  Duration of Ph.D. studies

      Can I do my Ph.D. entirely online?

      No. All Ph.D. Programs require some face-to-face activity throughout the training period. The duration of face-to-face activity is established by each Program.

      How can I apply for a part-time enrollment status?

      You can state your part-time enrollment status upon admission or, once you have initiated your training period, by submitting a request for justified reasons to the Academic Committee of your program. Your request must be endorsed by your tutor/advisor. Further information:  Enrollment status for Ph.D. studies

      If you are the recipient of a pre-doctoral contract with the UC3M, you must be a full-time student for the entire duration of the contract in application of article 21 of Law 14/2011, of  the1st of June, on Science, Technology and Innovation.

      Must I take any other training in addition to my research work?

      Yes. There are three different types of additional training to be taken during your Ph.D.:

      • Complementary training. Applicable only to students whose terms of admission state this training as required.
      • Specific training. Activities within the framework of your Ph.D. program.
      • Research Skills training. Courses or activities focused on abilities common to all disciplines (communication, academic writing, stress management, etc.).

      Further information on Doctoral Training: Monitoring and Development of these FAQ.

      A favorable assessment enables students to apply for their official Ph.D. degree certificate issued by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. An additional Doctorado Internacional distinction is awarded to students who met a number of specific requirements during their training period.


      What is an Interuniversity Ph.D.?

      Interuniversity PhDs are joint degree programs by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in collaboration with other Spanish or international institutions. The outcome of these programs does not translate into multiple degrees but just one equivalent to the training undertaken by the student.

      Admission

      How can I apply for admission to a Ph.D. program?

      Your application for admission must be submitted online. Signing in is previously required in order to get your login and password. Further information on how to carry out this process:  Apply for admission

      I have not completed my Master’s degree yet. May I apply for admission now?

      Yes. However, in the event of a favorable resolution of admission, it will be conditioned to your Master’s degree completion.

      When can I apply for admission?

      Applications for admission for the first semester of the 24/25 academic year with start date on the 15th of November 2024 can be submitted from February 1st through August 31st 2024 (Spanish peninsular time, CET)*

      Applications for admission for the second semester of the 24/25 academic year with start date on the 30th of March 2025 can be submitted from September 1st 2024 through January 31st 2025 (Spanish peninsular time, CET)*.

      *Except where noted in the details of each Ph.D. Program.

      The PhD academic year begins on October 1st and ends on September 30th. 

      What documents do I need to submit?

      Scan in advance, in pdf format, the documentation requirements to be attached to your application. The documents listed below are mandatory in all cases:

      • National Identity Document: DNI, NIE, or passport
      • Previous degree certificate or diploma (Master’s degree or equivalent), or proof of payment of issuance fees. 
      • Academic transcript of previous degree (Bachelor's and Master’s degree or equivalent), including grades
      • Curriculum Vitae
      • Authorization of disclosure of educational and employment information
      • Ph.D. research proposal
      • Endorsement for thesis project

      Some programs may require additional documents, such as reference letters by notable researchers, foreign language skills certificate, etc.

      Can I choose when to start my doctoral training?

      Yes. As a new student, you must state in your application for admission whether you want to start your training in the first semester (November 15) or second semester (March 30).

      I want to apply for a scholarship or financial aid program. Must I do it before or after applying for admission to a Ph.D.?

      It is strongly recommended to apply first for your Ph.D. program of choice at uc3m, as most of the granting institutions require proof of admission (or application for admission) to a Ph.D.

      Further information on Scholarships and Financial Aid Programs of these FAQ.

      I submitted my application. When will I know if I am admitted?

      The review process of your application consists of two stages:

      • Administrative validation. Your application will be reviewed at the Doctoral School Office on campus to ensure that it meets the admission requirements. You will be contacted if necessary.
      • Academic evaluation. If your application has succesfully passed the previous stage, it will be forwarded to the Academic Committee of the Ph.D. program for review. You will be notified of the Committee's decision by certified mail sent to the postal address provided in your application.

      This process may take up to one-two months. You will be notified of the Committee’s resolution by e-mail.

      I have been admitted. When must I submit my enrollment form?

      In you are admitted to a Ph.D. program, you have to submit your online application for enrollment in the periods set by the university to that effect, according to the instructions indicated in your letter of admission, our website or the Enrollment section of this FAQ, including the payment of tuition fees. If you do not submit your enrollment for the academic year for which you were admitted, your admission will be cancelled.

      Doctoral training scholarships. Exemptions

      Campus Getafe

      What types of financial aid programs can I apply for?

      There is a wide variety of financial aid programs for doctoral training that cover partial or total tuition fees and, in some cases, allow uc3m to formally hire the Ph.D. student as a training researcher.

      Who are the awarding bodies?

      Here is a list of the most common scholarship and financial aid programs:

         - Formación de Investigadores del Ministerio de Innovación / Researchers Training by Ministerio de Innovación (formerly known as FPI scholarships)
         - Formación de Profesorado Universitario del Ministerio de Educación / University Faculty Training by Ministerio de Educación (formerly known as FPU scholarships)
         - Researchers Training by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, awarded by the institution departments
         - Ph.D. Scholarships by La Caixa
         - Ph.D. Scholarships by Comunidades Autónomas (Autonomous Regions of Spain)
         - Scholarships by Fundación Carolina (for Latin American students)
         

      Further information:  Doctoral Training Scholarships


      When and how can I apply for these?

      Each granting body has its own application and awarding periods. It is strongly recommended to apply first for your Ph.D. program of choice at uc3m in all cases, as most of these institutions require proof of admission (or application for admission) to a Ph.D.

       

      Do I have to be admitted to a Ph.D. in order to apply for admission?

      It is not required in most cases, but, as pointed out previously, you must have at least submitted your application for admission in order to be eligible (check the awarding institution’s specific terms). Only if you are eventually granted the scholarship or financial aid will it be required to be admitted and enrolled on the program in order to accept the aid and be hired as a training researcher at uc3m.

       

      I received a scholarship or financial aid. Do I have to notify uc3m?

      Yes. As a recipient of any financial aids, it is recommended to notify the university for these to be applied upon enrollment. If your scholarship status is not registered in your self-enrollment application, please contact the Doctoral School Office, either in person or by e-mail at admisiondoctorado@uc3m.es

       

      Where will I undertake my Ph.D. research work?

      Your research and teaching activities (when applicable) will be carried out at the department or Institute stated in your contract within the framework of your Ph.D. program under the supervision of the tutor and advisor(s) appointed by the Academic Committee.


      Who is in charge of managing my scholarship or financial aid program?

      Granting institutions usually delegate on uc3m the management of these aids according to the terms originally established by those and our own rules and regulations.

       

      Who is to evaluate the progress and outcomes of my research work?

      All our Ph.D. students must submit the progress of their research work for evaluation by the Academic Committee of their Ph.D. program. Recipients of any financial aid program must also provide this information to the granting body.

       

      Are there any other tuition fees exemptions?

      Yes. As a new student, if you are eligible for any of the following exemptions or discounts recognized by the Spanish administration, you must submit certified copies of the pertinent documents to the Postgraduate Office on campus before enrollment proceedings so that these exemptions apply upon enrollment.

      • Large Family status: Certified copy of the Large Family status card (general or special)
      • Disability: Certified copy of Disability Identification card (minimum 33% disability)
      • Other: Certified copy of proof of exemption for victims of terrorist attacks (including their spouses and children) or children of civil and military servants who perished in the line of duty.

      These documents must be valid for the academic year for which the exemption is requested.

      Enrollment

      How to enroll

      Our Ph.D. Management platform allows to process your enrollment online. To access the platform, enter your UC3M username and password.

      When to enroll               

      New students can choose the start date of the Ph.D. studies. Enrollment period varies accordingly:

      Students starting first semester:

      • Enrollment period: July 24 through 30 and September 1st through 30th (23:59 h., Peninsular Spanish time)
      • Start date of Ph.D. training: November 15 

      Students starting second semester*:

      • Enrollment period: March 1st through 30th (23:59 h., Peninsular Spanish time)
      • Start date of Ph.D. training: March 30

      *In these cases, students benefit from a reduced tuition fee, applicable only for first-year enrollment.

      Your start date will determine the length of your Ph.D. training period.

      As a continuing student, the enrollment period is September 1st through 30th (23:59 h., Peninsular Spanish time) of each academic year.

      What modules should I register on my application?

      You must select the following modules of your enrollment application:

      • Ph.D. Monitoring for your doctoral training year. 

      Required in all cases. It will be registered by default in your application. 

      • Complementary credits.

      Only applicable if the Academic Committee of your program established these credits as obligatory in its admission resolution, in which case you have been properly notified in your admission letter. These credits will be registered by default in your application.

      Other activities of your doctoral training may not require enrollment. If so, our Doctoral School Office is in charge of the registration process:

      • Specific training: Activities included in the curriculum of your Ph.D. program. 
      • Research Skills training: Only required for students of some Ph.D. programs.  

      What are the costs of tuition fees?

      These are the tuition fees for all your Ph.D. training:

      1. Academic fees

      Academic monitoring of Ph.D. training year.  

      • Ordinary fee (full-time, starting first semester): 390 €.
      • Reduced fee* (full-time, starting second semester): 234 €.
      • Reduced fee (part-time, starting first or second semester): 234 €.

                  *Full fees will apply in subsequent years.

      Training credits

      • Complementary training (only for students who are required to take these credits as established in their resolution of admission). If the subjects are the same as subjects from an official degree, the price will be the same as in the original degree. The prices range from € 45,02 to € 80-150 €, depending on the master's program and the doctoral year of enrollment (first, second or subsequent).
      • Research Skills training courses. 45,02 € per credit. Credits from other institutions also require an enrollment at UC3M . A reduced 25% fee will apply in these cases (11,25 € per credit).

      Thesis defense. 143,15 €

      Ph.D. Degree Certificate. 229,86 €

      1. Administrative fees
      • Registrar’s Office expenses. 6,11 €
      • Academic record proceedings (first-year students only). 27,54 €
      1. School insurance. 1, 12 €. Applicable to Spanish or international students (legal residents) under 28 years of age.

      Students who fail to fulfill the payment of these fees will be dismissed from the Ph.D. program.

      Further information:  Tuition fees

      How do I validate my first-year enrollment?

      Upon completion and payment of your enrollment, the Doctoral School will get in touch with you and set an appointment to provide the original documents to have your enrollment validated in compliance with the access requirements to Ph.D.

      Documents

      According to your previous studies, the documents to be submitted are listed below: 

      1. If you have taken an official Master's degree at UC3M, you are not required to submit any documents. The Doctoral School will check your records accordingly.

      2. If your access degree for Ph.D. was issued by a University from Spain or a European Union country, or a state of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, it is required to provide the following original documents: 

      • Access degree certificate for Ph.D. (Master's degree or equivalent) or payment receipt of issuance fees.
      • Grades certificate of access degree to Ph.D. (Master's degree or equivalent).

      3. If your access degree for Ph.D. was issued by a University from a country other than the ones indicated above, it is required to provide the following legalized documents:

      • Access degree certificate for Ph.D. (Master's degree or equivalent) or payment receipt of issuance fees.
      • Grades certificate of access degree to Ph.D. (Master's degree or equivalent).

      There are different ways to have your documents legalized. Find which legalization procedure applies in your case:  Legalization of Foreign Degrees

      Please note that the legalization procedure must be carried out from the home country. It is strongly recommended to do it in advance. 

      Original hard copies of the documents must be provided along with their photocopies. The Doctoral School will check both originals and their copies and have them certified. If the degree certificates and documents have an electronic signature or digital certification (with safe verification codes), these will be submitted by e-mail at admisiondoctorado@uc3m.es.

      All documents must be submitted in Spanish, English, French, Italian or Portuguese (certificates and degrees provided in other languages must have attached an official Spanish translation).  

      The submission period will be notified by e-mail within a month after the end of the enrollment period.

      What are my rights and obligations as a uc3m student?

      Please refer to the following documentation issued by the regional authorities and uc3m. All of them apply to Ph.D. candidates at Uc3m.

      • Students Statute of the Region of Madrid (Estatuto del estudiante de la Comunidad de Madrid)
      • uc3m students Rights and Obligations (Carta de los derechos y deberes del estudiante en la uc3m)
      • Rules and Regulations of the Doctoral School at uc3m (Reglamento de la Escuela de Doctorado de la uc3m)
      • Good Practices of the Doctoral School at uc3m (Código de buenas prácticas de la Escuela de Doctorado de la uc3m)

      Additionally, you have access to the university's support services to students and researchers.

      Further information:  Rules and Regulations

      Ph.D. Studies: Monitoring and Development

      Biblioteca María Moliner

      How are my Ph.D. supervisors appointed?

      Ph.D. tutors and advisors are advanced members of the uc3m faculty or other research institutions who serve as mentors of your research work and keep track of your progress. They also facilitate your communication with the Academic Committee of the program.

      Tutors are appointed by the Committee upon your admission. Tutors must hold a Ph.D. degree and have ties with the program, as well as a proven track record in research of at least six years (or proof of equivalent qualifications).

      The Committee will also appoint an advisor within three months from initial enrollment on the program. Thesis advisors must hold a Ph.D. degree and have a proven track record in research of at least six years (or equivalent qualifications), as well as specific research experience in the field of your thesis. Advisors' may be based at any university, center or institute in Spain or abroad. A professor may be appointed as both tutor and advisor of a Ph.D. student.

      The Academic Committee may change these designations throughout your doctoral training period for justified reasons.

      Must I take any other training in addition to my research work?

      Yes. There are three different types of additional training to be taken during your Ph.D.:

      • Complementary training. Maximum: 40 ECTS credits. Applicable only to students whose terms of admission state this training as required. The Academic Committee will determine the credit-based courses or subjects in the admission resolution. As a general rule, this training must be taken during the first year.
      • Specific training. Students are also expected to participate in a number of activities relevant to their field of research: seminars, meetings, conferences, courses, etc. These activities may require prior enrollment at uc3m. Your tutor or advisor will confirm the contents of your specific training program.
      • Research Skills training. Some Ph.D. programs at uc3m require training in research skills focused on abilities common to all disciplines (communication, academic writing, stress management, etc.). These credits can be earned at either uc3m or other institutions and require formal enrollment at uc3m in all cases, as well as the approval of your tutor or advisor.

      How is the progress of my research evaluated?

      The Academic Committee of your program will evaluate the progress of your research project and activity report on an annual basis in the month of June. Grounds for evaluation are to be registered in the following documents:

      • Research Plan. Not to be mistaken for the research proposal submitted when applying for admission. As a new Ph.D. student, you must elaborate an initial Research Plan within the first year of your doctoral training period. This plan will serve as a tracking tool of your project, listing the objectives and methodology of your research as well as a comprehensible timeline stating the periods estimated for the achievement of each goal. It must have attached your tutor or advisor's evaluation report in order to be submitted for assessment to the Academic Committee of your program.

      An annual update of this Plan must be submitted in subsequent years, with the corresponding tutor or advisor’s evaluation report, so that all parties involved in your doctoral training can track and assess your progress.

      • Activity Report. In addition to your Research Plan (initial or updated), it is also required to register any activity relevant to your Ph.D. research: courses, seminars, meetings, conventions, publications, international fellowship programs, etc. Be sure to have attached all certificates and/or work papers as proof of completion.

      In the event of an unfavorable assessment by the Academic Committee, you will be subjected to evaluation again in December.

      TWO CONSECUTIVE UNFAVORABLE ASSESSMENTS (JUNE AND DECEMBER) WILL RESULT IN THE CANCELLATION OF YOUR ENROLLMENT AS A Ph.D. STUDENT

      Can I join an international research visit program?

      Yes. Undertaking a period of research abroad is a requirement for Doctorado Internacional distinction eligibility. Among other requirements, your visit must have a minimum duration of three months; also, the report of activities and outcomes of your research at the host institution must be written and presented in one of the languages used for scientific dissemination in your field of research (different from any of Spain’s official languages). Prior approval by your tutor/advisor and the Academic Committee of your program is required. The Committee will evaluate your visiting research reports and, if approved, submit your candidacy for the Doctorado Internacional distinction to the Doctoral School Board.

      Thesis defense

      Biblioteca Carmen Martin Gaite

      What is a Ph.D. thesis?

      The Ph.D. thesis is the intended outcome of the doctoral training period. The thesis must give account of the student’s scientific work and meet the quality standards established by the Academic Committee of the program. Theses are defended in a public dissertation event, where they are subjected to assessment by an expert committee.

      As a general rule, Ph.D. candidates must have been enrolled on their program for a minimum period of 24 months before initiating thesis defense proceedings.

      I have approval to proceed to the thesis defense. What are the stages of this process?

      Once you get approval for your thesis defense by your tutor, advisor and Academic Committee, a minimum span of 8 weeks (excluding holiday periods) is usually required to go through these stages:

      1. Plagiarism management procedure
      2. Thesis deposit. Three weeks.
      3. Approval of thesis defense and appointment of Thesis Committee by the Dean of Doctoral School. One week.
      4. Defense session logistics. Three weeks.
      5. Thesis defense

      What is the plagiarism management procedure?

      To ensure compliance with the principles established in the Code of Good Practice for Managing Plagiarism of Ph.D. Theses of the Doctoral School, all theses must be subjected to a plagiarism management procedure prior to the authorization of the defense.

      Once the Academic Committee of your Ph.D. program determines that your research period is done and your thesis is ready for deposit, a pdf file of the thesis will be submitted to the Doctoral School to proceed to the plagiarism management.

      The results of this study will be at the disposal of the members of the thesis committee, should they be requested.

      Further information:  Plagiarism management

      What is the thesis deposit?

      The deposit of your thesis enables UC3M professors and scholars of your field to review your work before the defense. The deposit period is 15 days (excluding August), after which all comments and observations by the experts will be reported to the Academic Committee and yourself. 

      Further information:  Thesis deposit

      Who approves the defense?

      Once your thesis has successfully passed both stages, the Academic Committee of the program will elaborate their proposal for thesis defense, providing details of the proposed members of the Thesis Committee on the Authorization of thesis defense and appointment of Thesis Committee. Eligibility for “Doctorado Internacional”, “Doctorado Industrial” or International Cotutelle must be indicated, where applicable.

      This proposal will be submitted for the Dean of the Doctoral School's approval of the thesis defense and the appointment of Thesis Committee members.

      Who can be a member of the Thesis Committee?

      The Thesis Committee consists of three members (President, Secretary, and a spokesperson) and a substitute. All of them must hold a Ph.D. degree and a proven track record in research. In all cases, the Committee will be formed by a majority of members external to the University and to the institutions collaborating with the School or the Ph.D. Program.

      Further information:  Defense session. Appointment of Committee members

      How is the thesis defense organized?

      Once all authorizations are signed, the Thesis Committee’s Secretary will appoint a date for the defense. The Doctoral School Office on campus will be in charge of the logistics of the event (room reservations, technical equipment, etc.) and the travel procedures of the committee members, when applicable.

      Additionally, the Postgraduate Office will submit a digital copy of the thesis to each member of the Thesis Committee at least 15 days prior to the defense session. This file will contain any allegation or comment submitted by the experts during the deposit period.

      Further information:  Defense session. Appointment of Committee members

      Do I have to pay any fees before the defense?

      Yes. The payment of thesis defense fees must be fulfilled before proceeding to defense. Additionally, payment of enrollment fees for the academic year in which the defense takes place must be up to date.

      How is my thesis assessed?

      All Committee members must receive a copy of the thesis 15 days prior to the defense event.

      Once the Ph.D. candidate completes his/her dissertation, the Committee can provide feedback or pose questions. Their global assessment will be given in terms of Fail (No Apto), Pass (Aprobado), Good (Notable) or Excellent (Sobresaliente).

      Theses with an Excellent (Sobresaliente) grade are eligible for the cum laude distinction. The committee members will subsequently cast their votes via separate secret ballot in closed session. Only if all votes are favorable will the committee submit their proposal for the thesis to be awarded the cum laude distinction to the university Chancellor. In this case, each member of the committee will finally cast their vote, anonymously and in a sealed envelope, for the thesis to be considered for the Outstanding Thesis Award by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

      How can I apply for my Ph.D. certificate?

      Your application for the official Ph.D. degree certificate and the payment of the corresponding fees is done online.

      Issuance of your certificate may take a few months. Until then, you may apply for a temporary certificate as proof of completion of your Ph.D. studies as of the date of your thesis defense.

      Where is my Ph.D. thesis published?

      Your thesis will be published in e-archivo, the open online repository of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, and Teseo the Ph.D. database managed by the Ministry of Universities. In the event of partial or temporary restrictions pertaining to the publication of your thesis, you must report them to the university.

      Glossary of terms

      Ph.D. Program. Array of training and activities oriented to the acquisition of abilities required to undertake autonomous research work in the realm of R&D. Each Ph.D. program establishes their own procedures and lines of research for the development of theses within the framework of their respective fields.

      Academic Committee. The coordinator/director of the program and two other Ph.D. members constitute a program's Academic Committee, the body in charge of the various training areas and research progress of the program, as well as the authorization of thesis defense of their Ph.D. candidates.

      Doctoral School. Academic body in charge of the management and coordination of all Ph.D. programs.

      Ph.D. Thesis. Original piece of research carried out by Ph.D. candidates in their field of knowledge. Presented as a written dissertation according to the quality, content and format guidelines set by the Ph.D. program for its public defense.

      Tutor. Supervisor in charge of tracking the training progress of the Ph.D. candidate and serving as a communication link between the researcher and the Academic Committee. Tutors must be attached to uc3m faculty with a proven research track record. Tutors are appointed upon approval of admission by the Academic Committee.

      Thesis advisor. Supervisor in charge of tracking the training progress of the Ph.D. candidate. Advisors are experts in the field of the Ph.D. candidate's research, not necessarily attached to uc3m faculty (if they are, they can also be appointed as tutors). Advisors are appointed within the first three months of the student's Ph.D. training period. A student may have more than one advisor.

      Specific training. Specific activities pertaining to the field of research of each Ph.D., designed to provide students with the knowleddge and opportunity for debate required for the development of their research work: seminars, meetings, conferences/dissertations, international research visits, etc.

      Research Skills training. Training activities oriented to the acquisition of skills common to all disciplines. All students are required to earn at least 6 credits (60 hours) throughout their doctoral training period. Enrollment on these courses is performed separately from their regular doctoral training.

      Complementary training. Maximum 40 ECTS credits. Training that the Academic Committee may deem necessary in their admission resoluction in order to complement the Ph.D. candidate's previous academic background. Enrollment on these credits will be required in addition to the student's regular doctoral training. These credits are usually earned during the first Ph.D. year. 

      Research plan. Document to be drafted within the first six months of Ph.D. training detailing the student’s research project to be subjected to annual evaluation every month of June. It must be approved by the tutor, the thesis advisor and the Academic Committee. This plan must be updated and submitted for review and evaluation purposes on a yearly basis.

      Ph.D. Activity report. A registration account of all training activities pertaining to the Ph.D. student's research. The tutor and thesis advisor must endorse these activities for them to be submitted to the Academic Committee for annual evaluation in June. 

      Student record. Academic details of every Ph.D. student as registered in uc3m databases, including activities and credits completed. This information is to be attached to the thesis in the final stages of defense approval.

      Academic transcript. Official document signed by the Head of Doctoral Studies certifying a student's academic record.

      Monitoring and assessment. Annual process by which the research progress and activities of a Ph.D. candidate are subjected to evaluation by the Academic Committee.

      Written Agreement. Document signed by all parties involved in a thesis research project (Ph.D. student, tutor, advisor/s, and Academic Committee) stating their roles and specific conditions pertaining to confidentiality agreements, copyright or use and distribution of research outcomes, where applicable, as well as conflict resolution procedures.

      Thesis public review. Procedure required to allow the academic community to review the student's thesis and issue comments and observations prior to the defense. The thesis is usually deposited at the university's intranet.

      Thesis defense. Academic event open to the public in which Ph.D. candidates defend their research work before a committee of experts in their field. The defense is followed by a question and answer session led by the defense committee in order for it to give their assessment.

      Defense committee. Committee consisting of three experts with proven track records of research in the field of the thesis, most of which must be based outside uc3m. The committee gives their assessment of the thesis and awards the cum laude distinction and the Outstanding Thesis Award candidacy, where applicable.

    • Itinerary
      Itinerario Estudiante de Doctorado
    • Regulations
    • Quality

      GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PH.D.

      Implementation Year: 2012-2013

      QUALITY ASSURANCE

      The Academic Committee of the Ph.D. complies with the SGIC-UC3M. It is responsible for the quality analysis of the program and produces the Degree Reports ("Memoria Académica de Titulación").

      QUALITY INDICATORS

      COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

  • CONTACT
    Bienvenida Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

    Doctoral School Office | Leganés Campus

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

    Contact