Doctoral Programme in Network and Information Technologies
Study plan
In order to acquire the advanced training required for the research project, the student must complete, during the doctoral programme, the subjects, courses or activities that comprise his or her personal academic itinerary.
The training offering consists of diverse training activities with different types, duration, timeframes and objectives, which are structured in five blocks (methodology courses, subject-specific research seminars, complementary training, research-oriented complementary training activities and the doctoral research seminar).
Table summarising the blocks that comprise the training offering in the organised research phase:
| Types of learning activity | Length of course | Teaching/learning mode | Timing | Mandatory/optional |
| Bridging courses | One semester | Online | 1st year (1st or 2nd semester) | Mandatory |
| Optional courses | One semester | Online | 1st year (1st or 2nd semester) | Optional |
| Research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses | One semester | Online | During the research period | Optional |
| Workshops | 10 hours | Online | During the research period | Optional |
In any case, the inclusion of courses, seminars and activities in the academic itinerary of the doctoral candidate shall depend on the individual's prior research training and experience, as well as the specific area or topic addressed in his or her research project.
These are courses lasting one semester, taught using the UOC's e-learning platform, and giving advanced training on research methodologies in some of the fields that will be the subject of the research project. These are mandatory for students who have not previously received this training, and must be taken and passed in the second semester.
The courses allow students to acquire advanced knowledge and master a range of research methodologies, enabling them to successfully analyse relevant aspects of information technologies and networks.
For illustrative purposes, the methodology courses liable to be included in a student's training plan in the second semester of their research period are shown below.
Some of the courses that may be included in the student's study plan in the second semester are detailed below:
| Timing | Field of network and information technologies | ECTS credits | Type | Language |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Research methodologies in network and information technologies | 5 | Mandatory | English |
| 1st or 2nd semester | Research techniques in network and information technologies | 5 | Mandatory | English |
| 1st or 2nd semester | English B2.1 | 6 | Optional | English |
| 1st or 2nd semester | English B2.2 | 6 | Optional | English |
Students' study plans may include optional courses, designed to take into account specific learning needs associated with the admission requirements. They are assigned by the Doctoral Degree Academic Committee. Particularly in the case of students from outside the European Higher Education Area, these may include courses from the UOC's range of university master's degrees. Students who enrol on these will need to study and pass them during the first academic year of their doctoral studies.
| Timing | Courses | ECTS credits | Type | Language |
| 1st or 2nd Semester | Formalization and Proofs | 5 | Optional | English |
| 1st or 2nd Semester | Computer Modelling & Simulation | 5 | Optional | English |
| 1st or 2nd Semester | Research Design in Social Sciences | 5 | Optional | English |
| 1st or 2nd Semester | Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Network Society | 5 | Optional | English |
| 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 |
| 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 | 5 | Optional | Catalan/Spanish |
| 1st or 2nd Semester | Construction of Instruments for Research | 5 | Optional | Catalan/Spanish |
The UOC also offers research, transfer and entrepreneurship courses in English. These are for students, researchers and faculty and are aimed at strengthening research in academic, scientific and business areas.
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, these courses can also be linked to the funding.
You can check all the courses in the website: https://estudios.uoc.edu/en/doctoral-programmes
The student may be able to take part in short learning 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 Qualititive Analysis | 0 | Optional | English |