Frequently Asked Questions

 

The Doctoral Programme falls under the Universitat de Barcelona Doctorate School. What is a Doctorate School?

A Doctorate School is a university centre in charge of regulating, managing and supervising doctoral programmes. All doctoral programmes at the Universitat de Barcelona fall under the Universitat de Barcelona Doctorate School.

 

To enter the Doctoral Programme, do I need to have previously completed a Master’s degree, or can I enter with other degrees?

See the “Entry” subheading in the section titled “Entry, Admission and Enrolment”.

 

To be admitted to the Doctoral Programme in Primatology and Ethology, do I need to have previously completed a Master’s programme in Primatology and Ethology?

You must have completed an official Master’s programme. While it is highly recommended that you have prior knowledge relating to primates, behaviour and evolution, it is worth noting that primatology and ethology are multidisciplinary sciences that incorporate fields such as physical anthropology, biology, psychology and veterinary medicine, among others. Students from these or other related fields who have completed an official Master’s programme can be considered as candidates for the Doctoral Programme.

It is the prerogative of the Academic Committee of the Doctoral Programme in Primatology and Ethology to grant or deny admission based on the candidate’s suitability.

 

I’m reading about “entry” and “admission”. What is the difference between the two?

“Entry” refers to the legal requirements candidates must meet to qualify for doctoral studies. “Admission” refers to the criteria established by the Academic Committee of each Doctoral Programme for choosing candidates. “Entry”, therefore, has to do with legal matters and “admission” with academic and scientific matters. Entry is governed by the decrees of the Ministry of Education and University regulations, while admission is governed by criteria established by the Academic Committee of each Doctoral Programme.

 

Does the Academic Committee offer scholarships to doctoral candidates?

No. The Academic Committee does not have the authority to manage and offer scholarships for doctoral candidates. Scholarships are offered by public authorities (the Ministry of Education and the Government of Catalonia). Doctoral candidates interested in applying for a scholarship should directly contact the research groups participating in the Doctoral Programme.

 

What is the difference between advisers and thesis supervisors?

Advisers guide doctoral candidates throughout the research training process, while supervisors oversee the research carried out in direct relation to the thesis project.

 

Can the adviser and the supervisor be the same person?

Yes. See the section titled “Doctoral Thesis”.

 

If, while completing the doctoral programme, I am unable to enrol for an academic year, what do I need to do?

You must notify the Academic Committee to receive authorization for a temporary withdrawal from the Doctoral Programme. During this period, the doctoral candidate ceases to be a student of the Universitat de Barcelona, but at the end of the period, he or she is reinstated without needing to complete the entry and admission process, but by simply enrolling in the corresponding academic year.

 

Can I present my doctoral thesis in a language other than the official languages of the Universitat de Barcelona (Catalan and Spanish)?

In addition to theses written in one of its official languages, the Universitat de Barcelona permits theses to be written in any language commonly used in the field of science. However, it is the Academic Committee who may decide whether it is acceptable to present the thesis in another language, having heard the reasons put forth by the thesis supervisor and adviser.

 

I am a student coming from outside Catalonia to do the Doctoral Programme. Will I need to know Catalan?

Catalan is the language of Catalonia and the official language of the Universitat de Barcelona. The Universitat de Barcelona uses Catalan regularly at all its events and in administrative and academic documents. Furthermore, Catalan is very commonly used in teaching and research at the Universitat de Barcelona. It is therefore reasonable for doctoral candidates to know it to take full advantage of their academic and research training.
The Universitat de Barcelona offers introductory Catalan courses geared specifically towards newly arrived students. The aim of these courses, above and beyond providing minimal linguistic competence in Catalan, is to integrate students into the university community and the greater society in which they will live during their studies. It should be added that academic personnel often know other languages (especially English, which has become the lingua franca of science), and this may facilitate integration of doctoral candidates, especially during the first few months of their stay.

Our experience has shown us that no doctoral candidates have thus far had problems integrating for reasons of language but, on the contrary, they often find discovering a new language and culture to be an enriching experience.