PT

Doctoral Program in Education

Doing a PhD at DPE-UP

The Doctoral Program in Education (DPE-UP) is organized as a 2-year (full-time; or a 6-year part-time) program focused on the development of original research related to the research projects developed at the Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE).

Curricular Structure
Semester Curricular Units ECTS
1st and 2nd Research Seminar (group and tutorial work) I 20
Structures and Dynamics of Research Work 20
Issues and Debates in Contemporary Education 20
3rd Scientific Writing 10
3rd and 4th Research Seminar (group and tutorial work) II 35
Thematic Seminars 10
Presentation of Papers in Conferences 5
5th and 6th Research Seminar (group and tutorial work) III 55
Presentation of Papers in Conferences 5

During the first two semesters, the program has a strong curricular structure that promotes a systematic and broad training in education, including:

  • i) the development of theoretical knowledge, epistemological critique and methodological expertise, in both qualitative and quantitative methods;
  • ii) the frequent interaction with national and international researchers, from diverse theoretical, epistemological and methodological backgrounds;
  • iii) the integration in research groups and projects at CIIE that will support the development of original research.

After the 3rd semester, DPE-UP has a flexible and self-tailored curricula of 120 ECTS to favor:

  • iv) the development of scientific writing skills that involve the capacity to express oneself in a variety of academic genres (papers, reports, presentations,... );
  • v) the experience of dissemination of knowledge since students are encouraged to present posters and papers in the annual International Symposium of the DPE-UP and other scientific meetings (there′s a minimum requirement of 3 papers presented during the course of the PhD) and to submit papers to peer-reviewed journals (the minimum requirement is 1 paper in a indexed peer-reviewed journal);
  • vi) the writing of the dissertation in both traditional and "paper" formats. In the latter, the minimum requirement is 3 papers published or accepted for publication in indexed peer-reviewed journals, embedded in a coherent and relevant overview of the whole PhD research. At the unit "Thematic Seminars" students are encouraged to attend seminars and workshops related to their specific PhD research topic, both in and out of FPCEUP.

Supervision

The definition of a supervisor and the inclusion in CIIE's research groups is a process that is heavily supported by the Scientific Board, with students being encouraged to explore different possibilities and supervisors being not only used to the process but also sympathetic to its significance. By early January students present an initial proposal for theme/supervisors that the Scientific Board then validates (or, in some cases, makes a counter-proposal). There is obviously a concern with respecting students′ choices but also guaranteeing supervisors′ expertise and experience.

Supervision is a central condition for the quality of PhD, as research in doctoral education clearly shows; but, as in other countries, the quality of what a PhD is (doctorateness) has clearly changed a lot in the last decades and concern with the quality of supervision has been central in our program. Before becoming the full supervisor of a PhD student, researchers must first complete a full cycle of co-supervision with the support of a more experienced colleague. Therefore, co-supervision is the rule, rather than the exception, in the DPE-UP. The fact that this is a regular practice means that supervisors themselves are used to work together, and to cope and manage their differences in a productive way.

The inclusion and articulation with CIIE research groups is favored: supervisors are encouraged to include PhD students in activities of the research groups, and to promote meetings involving different cohorts of PhD students working in the same research group.

Mobility

The international ethos of the DPE-UP is translated in to various opportunities for mobility. Doctoral students with an international scholarship from DPE-UP spend at least six months at UERJ developing their research. In other cases, this partnership also creates opportunities for doctoral students to connect to UERJ′s expertise in the Education domain.

DPE-UP students can also apply for a European PhD (legal information available online. In this case, the students must spend at least 3 months in a European University following a Work Research Plan which is agreed between the two Universities beforehand.

Doctoral students are also encouraged and supported by the program in disseminating their work in international conferences.

Structures that support the development
of teaching and research skills

In the case students want to develop their teaching skills they can be, under the supervision of their supervisors, involved in offering continuous education courses at FPCEUP or in assisting lecturing at pre-graduation or master courses.

A methodological support office was created for doctoral students where they can attend workshops in data analysis methods, both qualitative and quantitative, and request consultation with a researcher who is an expert in educational research methodologies.

Contact us

Post-graduation office

spg@fpce.up.pt

Course Director

Tiago Neves
tiago@fpce.up.pt