Courses / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering

General Objectives of the Course

It is intended the holders of a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer become entitled to act in sectors that require high scientific and technological competencies in the areas of expertise of the course (which are: Automation and Robotics, Computers and Electronics Energy, Materials and Devices and Telecommunications) particularly in higher education, laboratories and research institutes, industrial enterprises and services and public administration. It will be sought to encourage doctoral students in the
desirable abilities concerning innovation, research and updating in a perspective of internationalization and strengthening of the national technological capacity. It is also intended that the research work of the students be strongly interconnected with the research activities of the associated research units, recognised by FCT, namely ISR-Coimbra, IT–Coimbra, INESC Coimbra and CEMUC, as well as with R&D projects contracted directly by FCTUC-UC.

Admission Requirements

According to the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra (hereafter designated as RAUC - dispatch Nº 6448/2010 –RAUC) the qualifications of access and prerequisites for application to a PhD programme are according to Art. 64: a) holding a M.Sc degree or legal equivalent; b) holding a degree of “licenciado” and a specially relevant academic, professional or scientific curriculum guaranteeing the capacity to pursue a PhD programme, recognised as such by the scientific committee of the university organic unit where they want to ingress; d) holders of a specially relevant academic, professional or scientific curriculum guaranteeing the capacity to pursue a PhD programme, recognised as such by the scientific committee of the university organic unit where they want to ingress.

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

Professional Goals

Qualification to apply and pursue jobs in sectors that require high competence in the subject areas of expertise of the course, particularly in higher education and in R&D related functionsl in laboratories and research institutes, industrial enterprises and services and central, regional or local administration

Mode of Study

Full time attendance

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

English and Portuguese

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 assessment includes more than one item, the final grade is calculated by taking into account the relative weight of each item according to 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

It is intended the holders of a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer may have high scientific and technological knowledge in the areas of expertise of the course (which are: Automation and Robotics, Computers and Electronics Energy, Materials and Devices and Telecommunications) and may become entitled to execute correlative specialised functions in sectors that require particularly in higher education, laboratories and research institutes, industrial enterprises and services and public administration. It will be sought to foster in the doctoral students abilities/competencies concerning innovation, research and updating in a perspective of internationalization and strengthening of the national technological capacity. It is also intended that the research
work of the students be strongly interconnected with the research activities of the associated research units, recognised by FCT, namely ISR-Coimbra, IT–Coimbra, INESC Coimbra and CEMUC, as well as with R&D projects contracted directly by FCTUC-UC.
The evaluation of the degree of the degree of fulfilment of these objectives will be done mainly through the learning and evaluation processes of the different curricular units based on tutorials and seminars and in the case of Thesis Project through the development of preliminary research and a work plan on the Ph.D. thesis in the defined theme and evaluate the feasibility and potential innovation of the planned work. Finally the curricular unit “PhD Thesis” will enable the development of an original research work and the production of a Ph.D. thesis in the defined theme in a given specialisation area, and ultimately will enable a global evaluation/measurement of the degree of fulfilment of the mentioned objectives.

Course Coordinator(s)

Jorge Miguel Sá Silva
sasilva@dei.uc.pt

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

Decree-Law 74/2006, dated March 24, and pursuant to Decree-Law No 155/89 and No. 42/2005, respectively, on May 11 and 22 February, and orders No. 543/2005 10 7287-C/2006 and, respectively, on May 11 and March 31

Graduation Requirements

To complete the curricular part of the programme (which corresponds to a total of 60 ECTS, including a Thesis Project of 36 ECTS and 4 disciplines with 6 ECTS each) and elaboration and public defence of an original thesis, taking a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years for completion, corresponding to 120 ECTS

Access to Further Studies

The PhD degree is, according to the present legislation (Decree Law nº 239/2007) one of the requirements enabling the application to the university academic degree of “Agregação (No. 1 of Art. 7) in the framework of the Statutes of the University Career- Decree Law 205/2009),

Study Programme

Paths

Academic year
2023-2024

Course Type
3rd Cycle Studies

DGES Code: 5138

Qualification Awarded: Doutor

Duration: 6 Semester(s)

ECTS Credits: 180.0

Annual Fee: 2750.0

Applications

Call for Applications

Calendar

1st Semester: Start date: 11-09-2023
End date: 16-12-2023
2nd Semester: Start date: 05-02-2024
End date: 23-05-2024

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: 2019-07-31 a 2025-07-30
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Ef 1525/2011/AL01; 2014-07-03