PhD in Telecommunications
As established by the applicable regulations, PhD training shall include, in addition to the completion of the PhD dissertation, the PhD candidate’s completion of specific and cross-curricular training activities.
Each training activity is assigned an equivalent number of hours. PhD students must complete a minimum of 600 equivalent hours through various training activities in order to submit their PhD dissertation; of these, at least 10 percent (60 hours) must correspond to cross-curricular training courses.
The equivalent hours assigned to each type of activity, as well as the maximum number of hours that may be recognised, have been established by the Academic Committee of this PhD programme for its students, taking into account whether they are enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis.
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Recognition of Training Activities
| Block | Min. | Max. | Hours per activity (max.) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-Curricular | 60 | 100 | ||
| Specific | Participation in or delivery of courses (seminars, summer schools, tutorials, etc.) | 0 | 50 | One equivalent hour for each hour of course duration. The activity must be related to the research topic of the PhD dissertation. |
| Research stays at research centres or companies | 0 | 300 | 75 hours for each month at an international centre; 40 hours for each month at a national centre. Prior authorisation from the CAPD through “Thesis Management” is required. | |
| Active participation in competitive R&D projects or research contracts | 0 | 225 | 75 equivalent hours for each year of active participation related to the PhD candidate’s research area. | |
| Development of products related to the PhD dissertation (patents, software, etc.) | 0 | 200 | National patent: 100 hours; international patent: 150 hours; other creations: 100 hours. Final granting is not required for recognition. | |
| Scientific publications resulting directly from the PhD dissertation | 0 | 450 | Up to 150 hours per article (R1–R5 or C1). Book chapters: 60 hours. For co-authored works, percentages shall be applied to a range of 150 to 250 hours, depending on impact. | |
| Preparation of publications for international conference proceedings and participation in such conferences | 0 | 180 | Up to 60 hours per publication, including its presentation; 30 hours if the presentation is not delivered by the PhD candidate. | |
| Preparation of publications for national conference proceedings and participation in such conferences | 0 | 60 | 30 hours per research publication in which the student is the first author and delivers the presentation. |
Important points to bear in mind:
- Compulsory course: Students must complete the course “PhD Training at UPV” (10 hours) at the beginning of the programme.
- Annual assessment: Each year, between June and September, the Committee shall review the student’s progress on the basis of a self-assessment report uploaded to the platform.
- Record keeping: Publications must be uploaded to SENIA, while the remaining procedures, such as research stays, are managed through Thesis Management.
- English-language proficiency: A minimum level of B2 is recommended in order to conduct research and publish results appropriately.
- Study mode: Full-time students are recommended to complete the cross-curricular training during their first academic year, while part-time students should complete it by the end of their second academic year.