Doctoral Programme in Education and ICT (e-learning)
Doctoral Programme
Study plan
The doctoral programme in Education and ICT (e-learning) combines study and research. The period of study undertaken prior to the research phase takes place within the research pathway of the UOC university master's degree in Education and ICT (e-learning) or a similar master's degree that ensures the candidate is equipped to successfully conduct original research that advances knowledge in the field of e-learning.
During the period of research, students focus on acquiring the skills they will need to embark on their journey in the field of e-learning research. This period also prepares them for the next stage: writing a doctoral research plan that will lead to them being awarded a doctoral degree and, therefore, to the recognition of their research capabilities.
When entering the doctoral programme research period, the University provides the student with a set of training activities designed to adapt their training to the needs of their doctoral thesis project and to develop the skills associated with participation in academic life.
When the personalized study plan is drawn up, it will include up to five types or blocs of training to support the doctoral student's research project: Seminars; bridging courses; research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses; and workshops.
In terms of training activities, we recommend that students consult and agree with their tutor the needs that they may have and, if possible, study them during the first year.
| Type of training activity | Duration | Teaching mode | Timing | Compulsory or optional |
| Courses | One semester | Online | During the research period | Recommended |
| Bridging courses | One semester | Online | 1st year (1st or 2nd semester) | Optional |
| Training seminars | Two months | Online | During the research period | Highly recommended |
| Research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses | One semester | Online | During the research period | Optional |
| Workshops | 10 hours | Online | During the research period | Optional |
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Courses
Particularly in the case of students from outside the European Higher Education Area, these may also include courses from the UOC's university master's degree offer and, if they enrol, students will need to study and pass them during the first academic year of their doctoral studies.
| Timing | Assignatures | ECTS credits | Type | Language |
| 1st year | Research Design in Social Sciences | 5 | Mandatory | English |
| 2nd year | Elearning Thematic Seminar | 3 | Mandatory | English |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Research in e-Learning | 5 | Optional | Catalan/Spanish |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Research Methods | 5 | Optional | Catalan/Spanish |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Data Analysis Techniques | 6 | Optional | Catalan/Spanish |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Construction of Instruments for Research | 5 | Optional | Catalan/Spanish |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Advanced Qualitative Methods in Knowledge Society Research | 5 | Optional | English |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Advanced Quantitative Methods in Knowledge Society Research | 5 | Optional | English |
Bridging courses
Students' learning pathways may include bridging courses. These bridging courses are based on the specific training needs associated with the entry requirements and are assigned by the Doctoral Degree Academic Committee.
If, for example, the student does not have the required B2 level of English, they will be required to study the courses offered by the UOC's Centre for Modern Languages: English B2.1. and English B2.2.
In any event, to complete the doctoral studies, we recommend that students achieve a C1 level of English, which can also be achieved through the English C1.1 and English C1.2 courses.
| Timing | Subjects | ECTS credits | Type | Language |
| 1st or 2nd semester | English B2.1 | 6 | Optional | English |
| 1st o 2nd semester | English B2.2 | 6 | Optional | English |
Seminars
The following seminars differ in the extent to which they are compulsory or optional.
"PhD Seminars" are compulsory as they form part of the doctoral degree assessment and monitoring process.
| Timing | Field of the education and ict | ECTS credits | Type | Language |
| 2nd year (1st semester) | Phd Seminar 11 | 0 | Compulsory | English |
| 4th year (1st semester) | Phd Seminar 21 | 0 | Compulsory | English |
1These seminars are assessed and synchronous and will be on-site and online.
Research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses
The UOC also offers research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses in English aimed at students, researchers and faculty to foster research in scientific, academic and business fields.
Research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses can be recognized as free elective credits on bachelor's degree courses. If you are studying a doctoral degree at any university and have obtained a competitive grant, you can also study it as part of your training resources.
You can check all the courses in the website: http://estudios.uoc.edu/en/doctoral-programmes
Workshops
The student may be able to take part in short training activities to support their research, depending on the nature of their previous studies, research interests and course mode (full-time on-site, or online).
| Timing | Workshops | ECTS credits | Type | Language |
| Annual (1st semester) | Search for Academic Information | 0 | Recommended | English |
| Annual (1st semester) | Bibliographic Reference Management | 0 | Recommended | English |
| Annual (2nd semester) | Where to Publish: How to Identify Leading Journals | 0 | Recommended | English |
| Self-learning | NVivo Qualitative Analysis | 0 | Optional | English |
Enrolment
The doctoral candidates admitted to the programme shall be assigned an advisor who is a UOC lecturer or researcher holding a PhD and with accredited research experience in the same knowledge or subject area and sufficient knowledge of the programme. The advisor shall ensure the doctoral candidate's interaction with the Academic Commission.
The doctoral advisor, taking into account the criteria established in each programme and the prior training and experience of the doctoral candidate, shall propose a personalised academic itinerary to the Academic Commission. The advisor shall also collaborate with the Academic Commission in selecting the lecturers or researchers to direct the thesis. The Academic Commission can modify the advisor assignment under justified circumstances.
Doctoral tutors are responsible for informing doctoral students of their personalized pathways, once they have been approved by the Academic Council, and for guiding and supporting them during their adaptation to the new learning environment. They moreover have to provide their students with the assistance they need to successfully complete their activities and must regularly review their students' activity documents in order to ensure that all the milestones on the pathway are reached.
Tutors have to endorse their doctoral students' research plans by the end of the first year. Subsequently, and at least once a year, they must issue a report for the Academic Committee on their doctoral students' progress on the approved research plan.
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