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Program Access Information

PhD in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage

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Information for prospective PhD students is available on the UPV Doctoral School’s website:

https://www.upv.es/entidades/edoctorado/

All published information is available in three languages (Spanish, Valencian, and English).

The following points of interest for new applicants are worth noting:

In addition, the pre-registration process for PhD programmes is managed through the general pre-registration system of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV). This provides applicants with an online platform that makes the process accessible regardless of their location.

The application includes enrollment management, which ensures that the number of admissions set by the program is not exceeded.

The admission of each candidate requires two approvals: approval from the Doctoral School, which ensures compliance with the minimum requirements set forth in Royal Decree 99/2011, and approval from the PhD programme’s academic committee (CAPD), which ensures compliance with the requirements outlined in the verification report, in accordance with the established criteria and the evaluation index (IV) score achieved by each candidate.

Access Profiles

The recommended admission profile for the PhD Programme in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage is for graduates who have completed one of the following degree programs:

  • An undergraduate degree in the field of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage and a master’s degree in the field of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage (300 ECTS in total).
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts with a specialization in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, or a Bachelor of Fine Arts who has completed 60 credits in courses specific to the field of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage.
  • Master’s degree in the field of Science and Restoration of Historical and Artistic Heritage, or other programs deemed equivalent by the Academic Committee, plus a undergraduate degree (300 ECTS in total).
  • Degrees from outside the Spanish educational system that are equivalent to the ones listed above.

Students from other master’s programs that are not specifically focused on the field of cultural heritage conservation and restoration but that are thematically related to the program’s research areas may also be admitted, provided they meet the admission requirements. In particular, the following degrees may be considered: • Fine Arts. • Art History. • Archaeology. • Architecture. • Sciences and Technologies Applied to Cultural Heritage. • Music. • Other related degrees involving the study, intervention, scientific analysis, management, or preservation of tangible, intangible, and natural cultural heritage.

Students are expected to possess methodological knowledge of research, critical analysis skills, an interest in interdisciplinary work, and the ability to consult specialized scientific literature.

Admission Requirements and Criteria

Admission Requirements

The admission requirements are those set forth in Article 6 of Royal Decree 99/2011, dated January 28, which regulates official PhD programmes, as amended by Royal Decree 576/2023, dated July 4:

  1. In general, admission to an official PhD programme requires holding official Spanish undergraduate degrees, or their equivalents, and master’s degrees, or their equivalents, provided that at least 300 ECTS credits have been earned across these two programs.
  2. In addition, admission is open to those who meet any of the following criteria: a) Hold official Spanish university degrees or equivalent Spanish degrees, provided that they have earned at least 300 ECTS credits across these programs and demonstrate Level 3 of the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education. b) Hold a degree obtained under foreign educational systems belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), without the need for equivalency recognition, that demonstrates Level 7 of the European Qualifications Framework, provided that said degree qualifies the holder for admission to PhD studies in the country where it was issued. c) Hold a degree obtained under foreign educational systems outside the EHEA, without the need for equivalency recognition, provided the university verifies that it attests to a level of education equivalent to that of the official Spanish university Master’s degree and that it qualifies the holder for admission to PhD studies in the country where the degree was awarded. d) Hold another PhD. e) University graduates who, after securing a training position through the corresponding entrance exam for specialized healthcare training positions, have successfully completed at least two years of training in a program leading to the official degree in one of the specialties in Health Sciences may also be admitted.

Admission Criteria

In addition to the general admission requirements established in Royal Decree 99/2011, the PhD Programme in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage sets forth the following admission criteria:

  • A endorsement from a member of the academic staff in the program who will serve as the supervisor or co-supervisor for the PhD thesis. This recommendation must be based on the alignment of the candidate’s academic and research profile with one of the program’s active research areas.
  • Submission of a preliminary proposal for a PhD thesis. This proposal must include, at a minimum, a contextualization of the research topic, the initial objectives, the proposed methodology, and how it relates to the program’s research areas.
  • Sufficient language proficiency to conduct research and consult specialized scientific literature. It is recommended that students demonstrate at least a B2 level of English or equivalent; however, the thesis may be written in Spanish, Valencian, or English, in accordance with current regulations.

Evaluation of the Candidacy

The Academic Committee of the PhD Programme will evaluate the applications submitted, taking into account the following criteria and weightings: • Undergraduate and master’s academic records: 50% * Coefficient. Candidates admitted through the recommended profile will have a weighting of 1, and those admitted through other profiles will have a weighting between 0.5 and 0.75 depending on their relevance. • Preliminary proposal for a PhD thesis project: 20%. • Previous research experience (publications, participation in projects, fellowships, research-oriented master’s dissertation, etc.): 10%. • Other relevant academic or professional merits (research stays, awards, specialized courses, etc.): 20%.

When the Academic Committee deems it necessary, it may conduct a personal interview with the candidate to more accurately assess whether the candidate’s profile is a good fit for the program and the proposed line of research.

Additional Training Requirements

For students whose admission profile does not fully match the recommended profile, the Program’s Academic Committee may assign up to a maximum of 20 ECTS credits in supplementary courses. These supplementary courses will be designed to strengthen knowledge in areas fundamental to research in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage, such as: • Research methodologies in cultural heritage. • Scientific analysis techniques applied to cultural property. • Material history and technology of cultural property. • Documentation, diagnosis, and intervention in conservation and restoration. • Management of intangible cultural heritage.

As stipulated in the current regulations, these specific training courses must be completed during the initial phase of the thesis, within a maximum of one academic year. The content of the training activities consists of the courses offered in the second year of the Official University Master’s Degree Program in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage. The supplementary training modules will be selected from among the courses offered by the Master’s Degree in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, based on the needs identified by the CAPD.