Program access information

Objectives

Mathematics, in addition to its indisputable value as a science in itself and its importance in the general development of human knowledge, is essential in the development of a great variety of scientific and technological disciplines. Practically all branches of human knowledge make use of mathematical models. In recent decades, beyond their classical applications to Physics and Engineering, their contribution to areas of knowledge in the Social Sciences or Health, where their applications were not traditionally common, has been highlighted.

The main objective of the PhD program in Mathematics is to train researchers specialized in this fundamental branch of knowledge, both for its intrinsic interest and its potential for application in other fields.

The program has a generalist character, focusing on quality research training in all specialized areas of Mathematics, both in its basic and applied aspects. It is designed to provide students with the level of specialized training required to develop a research career in Mathematics, both in academic environments and in research, development and innovation centers in the field of industry and new technologies.

Entry Profile

The recommended entry profile for the PhD Program in Mathematics is that of graduates, engineers or graduates who are in possession of a master’s degree in the area of mathematics, with a research orientation. Of the masters offered by the Universitat Politècnica de València and the Universitat de València, the Master in Mathematical Research INVESTMAT, also interuniversity, is fully in line with this entry profile.

Profile of graduates

The graduate is a doctor who, through specialization in a specific area of mathematics, has acquired a solid background in the research methods of this scientific discipline. He/she is capable of proposing and implementing solutions to complex problems that require the use of advanced mathematical tools. In short, this is a professional prepared to work in any scientific or technological sector that requires extensive mathematical training.

1. The admission of PhD students to the Doctoral Program in Mathematics will be made by the Academic Commission of the same. Those students who have completed the credits corresponding to the INVESTMAT Inter-University Master’s Degree and have presented their Master’s Thesis will be eligible for the doctorate. In the same way, those students who are in possession of the Diploma of Advanced Studies obtained in the doctoral programs of the Royal Decree 778/1998 “Multidisciplinary Mathematics” of the Department of Applied Mathematics of the Polytechnic University and the “Interdepartmental Doctoral Program” of the Faculty of Mathematics of the University of Valencia will have access to the doctorate.

Students who have completed a number of credits equivalent to that of the INVESTMAT Master’s Degree in other Master’s Degrees (60 ECTS), both in Spain and abroad, within the area of Mathematics or who come from other Doctoral Programs, both national (Royal Decree 778/1998) and foreign, will also have access to the Doctorate, provided that the Academic Commission issues a favorable report. This committee will require the necessary information from the student about his or her knowledge and will make a proposal about the conditions of admission, establishing, if necessary, the tutoring it considers appropriate.

Students will be selected using criteria of academic excellence and agreements between the receiving and sending Universities. The specific weighted criteria to be applied will be as follows:

• The academic record in bachelor’s and master’s degrees, or equivalent, prior to the doctorate (60%).
• Assessment of the letter of interests and motivation presented by the student and its adequacy to the lines of research of the Program (30%).
• Other merits (10%).

If the Commission deems it appropriate, personal interviews will be conducted.
Those students who are rejected may request a review of their file according to the rules of administrative law.

4. The Academic Committee of the Program may require that students who enter with a master’s degree that does not fall within the area of mathematics take complementary courses. These complementary courses will be selected from the offer made by the Master’s Degree in Mathematical Research.

In the specific criteria for admission to the Doctoral Program in Mathematics, the recommended admission profile has been detailed. For those students who do not have the appropriate entry profile, the Academic Committee of the program, once their curriculum has been studied, will establish the additional training that must be completed, which will be communicated to them in response to their application for admission.

This complementary training will consist of taking subjects selected from the postgraduate academic offer of the participating universities, mainly from the offer of the INVESTMAT Master’s Degree in Mathematical Research.

The Commission may require the prospective student to carry out a research work in order to fulfill the corresponding access requirement.

Basics

• Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of research skills and methods related to that field.
• Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
• Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
• Ability to critically analyze, evaluate and synthesize new and complex ideas.
• Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community.
• Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress within a knowledge-based society.

Personal skills and abilities

• To develop in contexts where there is little specific information.
• Find the key questions to be answered to solve a complex problem.
• Design, create, develop and undertake novel and innovative projects in their field of knowledge.
• Work both in a team and autonomously in an international or multidisciplinary context.
• Integrate knowledge, deal with complexity and make judgments with limited information.
• Intellectual criticism and defense of solutions.

Other competencies

• Develop the ability to handle with ease bibliographic resources, databases, etc. to locate previous developments on a topic of interest.
• Ability to present their work, communicate their conclusions and relate scientifically with the international mathematical community.
• Ability to adequately write a report on a work performed.
• Ability to pose and solve high-level problems in Mathematics and its applications.
• Systematic understanding and development of the skills and working methods related to one of the research lines of the program, in the field of mathematics.
• Ability to make original contributions worthy of publication in prestigious media in the field of mathematics.
• To develop learning, critical analysis and synthesis skills that allow autonomous approach to new research topics in the field of mathematics.