Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering

The requirements for access to doctoral studies are set out in RD 99/2011 and can be consulted in the Doctoral School's Instruction on the subject (info). In general, access to the programme is open to those who hold official Spanish Bachelor's and Master's degrees or equivalent, having passed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in these two courses.

Students with a non-accredited foreign degree issued by a country included in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) may apply for admission directly to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).info). If the degree was issued by a country outside the EHEA, you must apply for admission with a foreign degree that has not been recognised (info).

For further information on access and admission, please visit the section of the Doctoral School (web) and at the administrative headquarters of the programme (see contact details in the general programme information section).

Entry profile

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the scientific field of the programme, the undergraduate degrees from which the students come are very diverse. The most suitable previous training for admission to the PhD programme in Biomedical Engineering will correspond to graduates with scientific and technological profiles and who will have completed a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering or a master's degree related to the scientific field of the programme. In addition to this academic profile, certain personal characteristics are considered important, such as interest in the research projects developed in the programme, critical and analytical capacity, initiative, perseverance and persistence in their work, ability to work in a team and to communicate adequately orally and in writing.

Specific admission criteria and weighting

The main entrance qualifications are as follows:

• Degrees with direct access. Students who have completed the Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering will have direct access to the doctoral programme without the need for further training.
• Degrees that require additional training. Other equivalent degrees will be accepted, in which training in techniques that are particularly relevant to the development of a doctoral thesis in Biomedical Engineering has been completed. The academic committee will determine the additional training required.

The criteria for admission to the programme also include the following aspects:

• Prior personalised contact with the student, by means of interviews, questionnaires or exercises, will be particularly valued in order to assess their suitability for the programme and their motivation.
• Other aspects such as knowledge of languages or previous research experience will be taken into account.

Selection Criteria:

In order to prioritise and select students who meet all the admission requirements, the following weighting of the admission criteria has been established:

• Academic record: 50%.
• Personalised contact and interview: 25%.
• Motivation: 5%
• Knowledge of languages: 10%.
• Research experience: 10%

The body responsible for the admission of students is the Studies Commission of the Joint Doctoral Programme in Biomedical Engineering of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and the University of Zaragoza. In accordance with the collaboration agreement between the two universities, this Committee may authorise the Programme Coordinators of each university to carry out the admissions function.

For further information on the management of the admissions process see the website of the Doctoral School (https://escueladoctorado.unizar.es/es/tramites/admision-en-un-programa-de-doctorado).

In particular, it is worth mentioning that the Doctoral School will establish in the academic calendar of the academic year the deadline, or deadlines, for applying for admission to its programmes. The application for admission will include a letter of motivation to pursue doctoral studies expressing interest in one or more of the programme's lines of research. This letter may include the proposal of a researcher as a possible thesis supervisor. If the admission decision is favourable, the Academic Committee will designate the tutor and the thesis supervisor(s) and will assign the line or lines (up to two) of research in which the thesis is framed. It will also establish the type of dedication of the doctoral student and, where appropriate, the additional training that he/she must take. Exceptionally, the appointment of the supervisor may be postponed for up to three months after the date of enrolment of the PhD student. The Academic Committee may declare a candidate unsuitable on the basis of the information contained in the candidate's expression of interest.

The admission granted will expire one month after it is granted if the applicant has not enrolled in the doctoral programme. In this case, if the interested party wishes to begin their studies, they must reapply for admission to the programme. Any vacant places will be filled by the Academic Committee from the corresponding waiting list.

If there are still places available, applications for admission after the deadline will be accepted until the number of places offered for that course by the programme is covered.

Profile:

Students coming from other master's degrees, depending on their previous academic training, may be required to take complementary courses in subjects of the Master's Degree in Biomedical Engineering, with a number of less than 60 ECTS credits. The complements will be, in all cases, of research training and will be proposed by the studies committee, depending on the student's curriculum.

Complements to be taken:

The studies committee will establish the complementary courses to be taken by each student, depending on the subjects taken in their master's degree of origin and the line of research chosen for the thesis. The programme's study committee will monitor the complementary courses taken and will establish the appropriate criteria for limiting their duration.

The possible subjects of the Master's Degree in Biomedical Engineering to be taken depending on the training previously obtained can be seen below. in the following link.

Doctoral students, as researchers in training and students of the University of Zaragoza, have to register annually with the corresponding fees for the academic supervision of the doctorate while they continue their doctoral training. The enrolment period will be the one established for this purpose in the academic calendar of the corresponding academic year.

As a general rule, registration will take place online · through the Virtual Secretary's Office of the University of Zaragoza, having previously obtained a personal identification number (NIP) and password from the identity management service of the University of Zaragoza. Those who are unable to do it online so will be allowed to register in person. ·, acudiendo para ello a la Sección de la Escuela de Doctorado en horario de atención al público. Tanto en la primera matrícula como en la segunda y siguientes los doctorandos deberán presentar diversa documentación sobre sus estudios previos, dependiendo de si estos han sido cursados en países del Espacio Europeo de Educación o en países ajenos a dicho espacio.

En el sitio web de la Escuela de Doctorado se proporciona información completa y actualizada sobre el procedimiento de matrícula.