PhD in Contemporary Arts

General Objectives of the Course

The PhD in Contemporary Art of the Colégio das Artes provides an interdisciplinary training in the field of Contemporary Art, which is focused on the development by its students of a reflexive, integrated and interdisciplinary, critical apparatus. The course has the following objectives: 1. the development of specific skills in the field of contemporary Art in the fields of study based research and academic research as well as in artistic practice; 2. The promotion of artistic excellence; 3. The implementation of good research practices in contemporary art; 4. the promotion of artistic practices that result from a critical attention to the world of contemporary culture.

Admission Requirements

The PhD program aims to welcome candidates linked with Arts or other academic and professional fields with skills to interact on the field of Contemporary Art and interested in developing specific competencies in the areas of advanced research as in its practice, thus promoting the artistical excellence. - Applicants for admission to the PhD in Contemporary Arts must be:
a) Holders of a master´s degree or legal equivalent in the fields of Architecture, Art, Performing Arts, Fine Arts, Art Studies, Curatorial Studies, Philosophy, History of Art and others that the College of Arts considers conferring capacity for achievement of this cycle of studies;
b) Holders of a bachelor's degree, holders of a particularly relevant academic or scientific curriculum that is recognized as attesting capacity for the completion of this cycle of studies by the Academic Board of the College of Arts;
c) Holders of a school, scientific or professional curriculum that is recognized as attesting capacity for the completion of this cycle of studies by the Academic Board of the College of Arts. 2 - The recognition referred to in subparagraphs b) and c) of paragraph 1 only allows access to the cycle of studies leading to a PhD Degree and does not grant its holder the recognition or
equivalence to a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree.
3 - In case of non-native speakers of Portuguese or English, a certificate of language proficiency at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in these two languages is required.

Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.

Mode of Study

Face-to-face

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese, English

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

As assessment is a pedagogical activity inseparable from the teaching process, its aim is to establish the students' competencies and knowledge, their critical sense, ability to recognize and resolve problems, as well as their written and oral presentation skills. Students may only register for exams for classes they are currently registered for under the terms of number 6 of article 4 of the University of Coimbra Pedagogical Policy. The following are examples of assessment items: Oral or written exams, written or practical work, individual and group projects that may require an oral defense, as well as class participation. Assessment for each class may include one or more of the above mentioned items. Grading is based on a scale of 0 to 20 and a grade of 10 is required to pass. Whenever the grade comprises more than one item, the final grade is calculated by taking into account the relative weight of each item according a formula published in the course outline under the terms of number 2 of article 7 of the UC Pedagogical Policy.

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

The pedagogical resources and the curricular dynamics aim to provide students with research skills and know-how enabling them to develop, in an academic environment, theoretical production and critical writing capacities with due bibliographical and methodological framework interacting within an academic perspective their proficiency in the art and cultural systems. The curriculum main goal is the achievement of a doctoral thesis. An increased effort is made, both in the syllabus and in the tutorial monitoring, to ensure that a connection between theory and practice is a fundamental and established procedure in the relationship that students have both with the academic culture where they move around within an interdisciplinary logic as well as with the practices in which they are professionally involved. The 1st year curricula of the PhD course is defined by........

Course Coordinator(s)

José Augusto Maçãs da Silva Carvalho
jmcarvalho60@gmail.com

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning is carried out in accordance with the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

Ex: The legal framework for the qualification is established by the decrees: Decree-Law nr 74/2006, 24th March, in its current wording

Graduation Requirements

Conclusion of 180 ECTS in the scientific area of Contemporary Art (AC), with the presentation of the final work (Thesis) in public examination.

Study Programme

Contemporary Arts

Academic year
2026-2027

Course Type
3rd Cycle Studies

DGES Code: 5797

Qualification Awarded: Doutor

Duration: 3 Year(s)

ECTS Credits: 180.0

Annual Fee: 1750.0

Applications

Call for Applications

3rd Cycle Course

Calendar

1st Semester: Start date: 07-09-2026
End date: 18-12-2026
2nd Semester: Start date: 08-02-2027
End date: 20-05-2027

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: ACEF/2122/0509712; 2024-06-23 a 2026-06-23
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Ef 1513/2011/AL01; 2017-09-11