Geotechnical Engineering

The Doctoral Program in Geotechnical Engineering incorporates in a common structure two knowledge areas well-known internationally in the research field. Geotechnical Engineering and Groundwater Engineering (or Hydrogeology) The profile of the subjects proposed in both categories or specializations is equivalent to the ones offered in well-known Ph.D. programs all over the world. Applying to a sole Ph.D. program offers an additional advantage to both specializations as they share common subjects, specially at a conceptual level (such as: flow in porous media, transportation, thermal, mechanical, hydraulic and chemical interactions), which is the most appropriate level for a Ph.D.

The subjects and research lines of the teaching staff are reflected onto the Ph.D. Thesis that have been developed throughout the program's history. The university professors in charge of the program are well-known because of their contribution to the development of mathematical and numerical methods in several fields (flow in media with random properties, transportation of pollutants, optimization of resources, constitutive equations of materials, development of advanced calculation programs) and their involvement in European and International projects with regards to many areas of civil engineering during the last 20 years. These projects are a permanent source of new research themes that are offered to the students for the elaboration of their Ph.D. Thesis.

Academic year
  • Starts: October 1st
  • Ends: September 30th
Duration 4 years (full-time) or 7 years (part-time)
Delivery On-campus
Places 15
Official degree Ph.D. Degree in Geotechnical Engineering by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (recorded in the Spanish Ministry of Education's degree register)
Dedication

When pre-enrolling to the degree, students must choose their dedication, which may be:

  • Full-time
  • Part-time
Fees

More information on fees & discounts

More information on grants

Academic coordinator Sebastià Olivella Pastallé
Secretariat UPC-Campus Nord
Building C2, Room 202
Phone: +34 934 011 784
Email: doctorat.ET.camins@upc.edu

When?

Open all year choosing the course.

How?
  • Check that you fulfill all admission requirements.
  • Make sure all your documents are properly legalized.
Where?

On-line at UPC's pre-enrolment site.

Who assesses the applications?

The academic committee of the doctoral program is in charge of assessing and admitting the candidates.

  • it prioritizes those applicants having the support of their thesis supervisor.
  • Availability of scholarships or grants is essential.
When will I know if I have been admitted?

Within a month's time since the admission procedure started.

Document generated by this procedure

If you are admitted to the program, the Support Unit to Doctoral Studies of Barcelona School of Civil Engineering will issue the letter of admission.

MORE INFORMATION

New doctoral students

How?

On-site.

Where?

At the Support Unit to Doctoral Studies of Barcelona School of Civil Engineering.

Building C-2, 2nd floor
Room 202
08028 Barcelona

When?
  • Ordinary call: From 1st till 31st October.
  • Extraordinary call: From 1st till 28th February.

Former students

How?

On-line

Where?

At e-Secretaria

When?
  • Ordinary call: From 1st till 31st October.
Documents generated by this procedure
  • Enrolment form (e-Secretaria)
  • Enrolment certificate (e-Secretaria)

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Who monitors my work?

The academic committee of the doctoral program is in charge of monitoring the student's work yearly.

When?
  • In the month of July. The director and the student will previously receive an email indicating how and when they will have to submit the documentation for the evaluation by the Academic Committee of the program.
ATTENTION: Failing to submit the required documents will result in a FAIL score.
When will I know the result?

In September, when the Academic Committee issues the final results, students will receive an email to inform that the records are available at e-Secretaria.

Documents generated by the procedure
  • Official academic record

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What is it?

A research plan is a document that briefly defines the research activity that will take place and guides the student through the process.

How do I write it?
When will I submit and defend my research plan?

During the 1st academic year, students must submit their research plan.

On the 2nd academic year, the plan is updated, if necessary, and then publicly defended in front of the assessing pannel.

Public defenses are scheduled within two calls:

  • in June (for students that have enroled for the first time in September).
  • in February (for students that have enroled for the first time in February's extraordinary call).

For specific dates, please contact the secretariat for each program.

What does the public defense entail?

The public defense consists of an oral exposition of the written Research Plan during no more than 20 minutes, followed by a 5-minute time for questioning or commenting on the part of the assessing pannel. The mark will be either "Satisfactory" or "Non satisfactory”. In case of receiving a "Non satisfactory" mark, the Doctoral Commission can offer the student up to 6 months to make the necessary amends.

The assessing pannel will consist of three doctors, two belonging to the Doctoral programme and a third one foreign to the programme. Neither the director of the thesis, nor the supervisor may be part of the pannel.

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When?

During the academic course.

ATTENTION: The Support Unit to Doctoral Studies will not formalize thesis registrations on public or local holidays (which includes low-occupancy periods), or school holidays (21st-23th December 2022 and 24th-31th July 2023). Theses registered before September 30th 2023 will be considered part of the 2022-2023 academic year.

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To apply for...

  • A change to full- or part-time
  • A change of thesis supervisor
  • An extension
  • A temporary withdrawal
Where?

Access the general request area of the UPC electronic site and upload the specific form for each procedure to ED (forms).

 

For information and procedures on...

  • Co-supervisor
  • Agreements
  • Industrial doctorates
  • Grants
  • Mobility
  • Legalization of documents
  • Equivalences
Where?

Please visit the UPC's Doctoral School for more information.