What is a doctoral programme?

The main task of doctoral students is research and the development of the doctoral thesis.

Doctoral programmes consist of a variety of educational activities that do not need to be structured in ECTS credits and which are described in the report on each programme.

Educational activities are of two types:

• On the one hand, the institution identifies a range of general activities that all doctoral students of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili must do in order to acquire a basic scientific training. In this group of activities are the doctoral training in the strict sense (the writing of the thesis), the dissemination of scientific output and the mobility experiences during the period of doctoral study.
• On the other, the doctoral programme includes a range of specific educational activities organised at different times and which may be optional or compulsory.

All the educational activities carried out by doctoral students are recorded in the Document of Doctoral Activities (DAD) which, together with the Research Plan (PLAINV), are assessed annually by the academic committee. This PLAINV is required for first-year students and is going to be updated at any time during the doctoral programme with any improvements, progress and/or modifications deemed to be necessary.

Students must pass if they are to continue on the programme. If they do not pass, they will be re-evaluated and a new PLAINV and DAD will be drawn up.

If they fail to pass a second time, they will be required to withdraw from the programme.

More information regarding annual assessment and grading

Access requirements / Admission criteria

Access requirements

In general, to gain access to an official doctoral programme the candidate must hold an Spanish Bachelor's degree, or equivalent, and a University (official) Master's degree, and have achieved a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in those university studies.

Access may be granted where the following cases apply:

- Hold an official Spanish university degree or a degree from another country in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that grants access to Master's degree studies, in accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, and have completed at least 300 ECTS credits in university studies, of which a minimum of 60 must be at Master's level.

- Hold an official Spanish qualification at undergraduate level, the duration of which must be at least 300 ECTS credits, in accordance with EU regulations. These graduates must complete the bridging courses referred to in Article 7.2 of Royal Decree 99/2011, except in cases where the degree includes research training credits equivalent to those in a Master's programme.

- University graduates who, prior to obtaining a place through the national entrance examination for specialised health training, have successfully completed at least two years of a programme leading to an official qualification in one of the Health Science specialisations.

- Holder of a qualification awarded by a foreign education system, without the need for official recognition, provided that the university has verified that the qualification accredits a level of training equivalent to that of a Spanish official Master's degree and that it allows access to doctoral studies in the country where it was obtained. Admission on these grounds does not imply the recognition of the previous qualification for any purpose other than access to doctoral studies.

- Holders of a Spanish doctoral degree obtained under previous Spanish regulations.

- Hold an official Spanish university degree that has been declared equivalent to level 3 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (MECES), applicable to the official degrees of Architect, Engineer or Bachelor.

- Holders of a degree who also hold the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) awarded in accordance with the provisions of Royal Decree 778/1998, of 30 April, or who have achieved research proficiency under the terms established in Royal Decree 185/1985, of 23 January.

General admission criteria

Admission to the doctoral programme is decided by the academic committee, and is subject to compliance with both the general access requirements and the additional selection and admission criteria, which are specific for each programme (see the ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION section on the website of each doctoral programme).

Access requirements / Admission criteria

Access requirements

In general, in order to access an official doctoral programme, students must hold an official Spanish bachelor's degree or equivalent and a master's degree or equivalent, with a minimum total of 300 ECTS credits between both degrees.

The following students can also access a doctoral programme:

• Holders of official Spanish university degrees or equivalent Spanish degrees, as long as they have passed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in total and can accredit level 3 of the Spanish Framework of Higher Education Qualifications (MECES).
• Holders of a qualification from a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) system that accredits level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework, as long as it enables the holder to access a doctoral programme in the issuing country. The qualification does not need to be homologated for the student to be admitted. Admission shall under no circumstances be interpreted as homologation of the qualification, or have any effects other than admission to the doctoral programme.
• Holders of a foreign qualification from outside the EHEA, providing the URV can verify that it is equivalent to an official Spanish university master's degree and that it enables the holder to access a doctoral programme in the issuing country. The qualification does not need to be homologated for the student to be admitted. Admission shall under no circumstances be interpreted as homologation of the previous qualification, or have any effects other than admission to the doctoral programme.
• Holders of another doctoral degree certificate.
• University graduates who have obtained a place as a specialised health trainee after passing the corresponding entrance exam and have completed at least two years of a training programme leading to an official qualification in one of the health science specialities.
• Bachelor's degree holders, architects or engineers who hold the Diploma of Advanced Doctoral studies (DEA) as regulated by Royal Decree 778/1998, of 30 April, or have obtained research aptitude as regulated by Royal Decree 185/1985, of 23 January. 

General admission criteria

Admission to the doctoral programme is decided by the academic committee, and is subject to compliance with both the general access requirements and the additional selection and admission criteria, which are specific for each programme (see the ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION section on the website of each doctoral programme).

Minimum duration

The minimum duration of doctoral studies is two years. Therefore, to initiate proceedings for the deposit of the thesis, you must have been enrolled in at least two academic years and have been favourably evaluated at least twice.

Maximum duration

Students registered full-time have three years in which to complete their doctoral studies; if they register part-time, they have five years to complete their studies. The total duration of their doctoral studies is calculated from the date on which they first register for the doctoral programme to the date on which they deposit their thesis.

Full-time students can apply for a one-year extension. Part-time students can apply for a two-year extension. Exceptionally, both full-time and part-time students can apply for an additional one-year extension.

Minimum duration

The minimum duration of doctoral studies is two years. Therefore, to initiate proceedings for the deposit of the thesis, you must have been enrolled in at least two academic years and have been favourably evaluated at least twice.

Maximum duration

The duration of the doctoral studies is four years (full time) or seven years (part time, with previous authorisation by the academic committee), starting on the date of the first registration to the doctoral programme and finishing on the date the doctoral thesis is deposited.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a one-year extension.

For students with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the duration of doctoral studies is six years (full time) or nine years (part time, with previous authorisation by the academic committee), starting on the date of the first registration to the doctoral programme and finishing on the date the doctoral thesis is deposited.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a one-year extension.